22 Winchester Magnum

[Big Larry]

What was the first Ruger made to shoot the 22 Magnum and what year? I am also looking to buy a 1959 vintage box of Remington 22 mags for my collection. Thanks, Big Larry

 

[street]

A 6 1/2 in Single-Six, manufactured in 1959. The frame was stamped

Ruger Single-Six
WIN. .22 R F MAG. CAL.

Serial number started at 300,000

 

[Big Larry]

Thanks. It would appear that Winchester developed this cartridge and didn't make a rifle for it until 60-61. The M61 Winchester. I have a 1959 vintage S&W M48 and would like a correct vintage box of ammo. Thanks, Big Larry

 

[GRAMPS 51]

Hi I think the first gun in 22 mag was the 340 mossberg chuckster not sure on the handgun I collect 22 boxes and have never come across a box like that your going to have me looking now

GRAMPS

 

[Big Larry]

The S&W M48 came out in 5-1959. The pictured box is from 1959 and was Remingtons first issue. Evidently, something was wrong with the ammo, and it was recalled, leading to the scarcity of it. When was the Mossberg offered? Thanks, Big Larry

 

[Bogatah]

The Chuckster was a model 640K I believe they started production in 1959 and ended in 1985 or so, great shooting rifles I have two myself. The model 340 was a 22lr.

 

[Big Larry]

Thanks. Maybe someday we will find out who was actually first. I have two Mossbergs and my favorite is a US M42 MB (A). I love shooting that rifle. Super accurate. Thanks, Big Larry

 

[toysoldier]

I have read that the Marlin Levermatic came out in .22 Magnum before Winchester had a gun chambered for their new round.

 

[GRAMPS 51]

BOGATAH You are correct 640 K 1959 - 1984 I have 2 of them my son in law collects mossburg 22s and I had the models messed up

THANKS GRAMPS

 

[Ruger1nut]

Big Larry you might check with fishhuntnut.. he seems to get a lot of this nice old ammo

Dave

 

[Big Larry]

Thanks Dave. I bought the box shown. It is from 1959 as is my S&W M48. Thanks, Big Larry

 

[flatgate]

Experimental examples were produced at SR&Co. in July of '58. Prior to that time period advertising materials were printed and distributed.

John Dougan's Ruger Pistols & Revolvers contains an amazing amount of data and wonderful images.

flatgate

 

[Big Larry]

Wow, so it seems Ruger was first, after the cartridge was developed by Winchester? Thanks, Big Larry

 

[Heavy Barrel]

I think you will find the Model 57M Levermatic in 22 Mag was 1956 right after the 56 Levermatic in 22LR.If not the one I bought new in the fall of 56 must have been a figment of my imagination. :shock:

 

[rugerguy]

History....The .22 WMR was introduced in 1959 by Winchester, but was not used by Winchester until the venerable Winchester Model 61 slide rifle could be chambered for it, well into 1960. By that time, Smith and Wesson and Ruger had revolvers for it, and Savage had come out with the Model 24, a .22/.410 combination rifle. It was the only successful rimfire cartridge introduced in the 20th Century.
this is from wikipedia............

I remember the Savage being "first" .........thought Marlin was in there someplace, "I'd do more 'homework' research for as Paul Harvey used to say "the rest of the story....."


as for the ammo itself, I'm with Dave and would check with Tom (fishand hunt) he comes up with ALL that "old stuff".... :wink:

 

[9x19]

I think you will find the Model 57M Levermatic in 22 Mag was 1956 right after the 56 Levermatic in 22LR.If not the one I bought new in the fall of 56 must have been a figment of my imagination. :shock:

Could it be you bought one chambered for the .22 WRF, instead of the .22 WMR, which didn't come out until 3 years later?

 

[CraigC]

Sounds more likely.

 

[toysoldier]

I think you will find the Model 57M Levermatic in 22 Mag was 1956 right after the 56 Levermatic in 22LR.If not the one I bought new in the fall of 56 must have been a figment of my imagination. :shock:

Could it be you bought one chambered for the .22 WRF, instead of the .22 WMR, which didn't come out until 3 years later?

Never chambered in that round.

 

[9x19]

I think you will find the Model 57M Levermatic in 22 Mag was 1956 right after the 56 Levermatic in 22LR.If not the one I bought new in the fall of 56 must have been a figment of my imagination. :shock:

Could it be you bought one chambered for the .22 WRF, instead of the .22 WMR, which didn't come out until 3 years later?

Never chambered in that round.

Then, that would be: No

:lol:

 

[Mike Armstrong]

The "22 Magnum" has to have been one of Winchester's best cartridges ever. It virtually replaced all of the small centerfire rifle cartridges like the .25-20, .32-20, and .22 Hornet, and is a very popular and excellent handgun cartridge, too.

I suspect that about as many deer fall to .22 WRMs as any other cartridge, especially in this economy. Remember my father telling me about all the mule deer he shot with a Remington ".22 Special" back in that "other" depression. Needless to say, none of this gets into the "officials'"statistics....

In most of my .22 Mags (3 revolvers, 2 rifles and a combination gun), the original 40 gr hollowpoint, WW or CCI work the best.

 

[d findley]

Early production .22 Mag ammo. The Remington is very hard to find.

 

[Big Larry]

I think that Rem. ammo dates to 1959 and is very hard to find. I just acquired a box of it and it was not cheap. I was told the entire first lots were recalled. Thanks for the great pic. Big Larry

 

[chet15]

Experimental examples were produced at SR&Co. in July of '58. Prior to that time period advertising materials were printed and distributed.

John Dougan's Ruger Pistols & Revolvers contains an amazing amount of data and wonderful images.

flatgate

flatgate is correct. Winchester worked on this one with Ruger right from the get-go (test samples etc.). The first production Single-Sixes chambered for .22 Mag. were shipped in 7/59.
Chet15

 

[Big Larry]

The first production S&W M48's were shipped in 5-1959. I have a M48 in my collection shipped 7-1959. They didn't even have boxes made for the S&W 22 magnum at the time. They used 1955 dated K22 boxes and stamped MRF.
Big Larry

 

[Mike Armstrong]

Cool Smith, Larry! Didn't realize they were on the ball so soon.

 

[chet15]

Ditto on that! Secrets are hard to keep in the gun industry I guess. Kinda like when somebody "liberated" some .44 Mag. brass from Remington under cloak and dagger circumstances.
But maybe it wasn't really a coup after all as it was probably in the best interest of both Remington and Winchester to PR a new caliber so more new guns could get out (as fast as possible) that were chambered for the cartridge. After all...time is $
Chet15