Why a 22 Magnum?

[rkrcpa]

Should I have a magnum cylinder for my Single Six? If so why? What will I be able to do with .22 magnum that .22 LR won't do?

Now, a little background. I bought the Single Six on a whim because it was only $250. Who could resist?

I'm going to mount a scope on it because I will probably give squirrel hunting a go this fall. What will adding a .22 mag cylinder allow me to do? Close range groundhogs? Other small/medium pests? I'm in Pennsylvania so that limits game species available to me. Maybe fall turkey?

"just because" is also a valid reason in my world, so I'm not setting the bar that high on the decision tree.

 

[CraigC]

Greater effective range. More effective on larger varmints and predators.

 

[Pat-inCO]

(In round numbers)
The really useful range for a .22lr (YES, there ARE exceptions) is 50 yards,
where the .22Mag is closer to one hundred.

 

[Mobuck]

"What will adding a .22 mag cylinder allow me to do?"
After using a 22WMR revolver, I'm not sure there is any good reason.

 

[grobin]

I've a 22/45, a mark II, single 10, and a Henry mares leg. The mares leg is in 22 WMR, the others are all 22 LR. The mares leg is good at 100 yards+ and while the LR will go 100 yards it's really problematic beyond 50 in a hand gun. There are places where I real!y needed the extra range for Squirrels and rabbits and other times where a CB cap was border line too much.
The extra flexibility is nice to have.

 

[eyeseeum]

rkrcpa, i am also in PA and my single six with a vortex red dot in .22lr is all i use for squirrels (and i hunt them a lot) as the new game laws still don't allow semi pistols for small game. my .22 mag cylinder is still new in the box. the .22lr can consistently put shots in a one inch dot from a sandbag at 25 yds ( a little more braced on a tree). i would consider using the .22mag money on a smaller lighter red dot and a good compact set of binoculars and have a blast! jmho.

 

[GunnyGene]

.22wmr is available in a little heavier bullet, and is jacketed instead of plated. Hornady has a 45grn Critical Defense round specifically designed for short barrels that hits pretty hard - close to .380 in terminal ballistics. I use it a lot for medium size varmints - 'coons, etc. - because it's more effective than LR, meaning a quicker kill with fewer shots.

My Win 9422M also likes the Hornady 30grn V-Max at ranges up to about 125 yds before it hits the sonic transition zone. ~2200fps mv depending on the rifle, flat trajectory, very accurate.

On the downside it is loud and higher priced, which many people object to. Your call.

 

[arfmel]

If you live in rattlesnake country, the .22 magnum shotshells are a lot more effective than the .22LR ones.

 

[22/45 Fan]

A general rule is that a .22 Mag has about the same muzzle velocity out of a 4"-6" handgun as a .22LR HV has out of an 16" - 18" rifle.

 

[eveled]

When I was a kid, I knew several owners of these fine revolvers. They didn't know each other. In their minds it was the only gun you needed. The various .22 loads for plinking and squirrels. The .22 magnum for defense. Their dialog was so similar that it had to come from the Ruger advertising. A real do all revolver indeed.

It became an obsession with me to someday own my own single six. When I finally came of age and had a permit, I went with cash in hand to the LGS, to order my own. He had a used .357 Blackhawk under the glass that called my name so it went home with me, the single six was my second handgun.

The two compliment each other so well. From mild .22 's to .357 magnum with several stops along the way. All more or less in the same platform.

I think I've shot maybe 50 .22 magnums they don't do anything for me. But it probably has to do with owning the .357.

 

[CraigC]

A general rule is that a .22 Mag has about the same muzzle velocity out of a 4"-6" handgun as a .22LR HV has out of an 16" - 18" rifle.

Nope, the .22Mag carries more steam than that. I've clocked 40gr and 33gr loads at 1400-1450fps from a 5½" revolver. The .22Mag out of a handgun is more effective than the .22LR out of a rifle.

 

[contender]

Why not????
(Just call me an enabler!)

 

[eveled]

Go figure I never use the magnum cylinder in my single six, but want to ream my bearcat out to .22 magnum.

 

[Aqualung]

I just bought a 9.5in Single Six from a buddy. Just in trying it out at a 25yd range, I found it liked the CCI Mini Mags better (accuracy-wise) than the standard velocity .22LR rounds I was shooting.

Then, I put in the .22 mag cylinder...that thing absolutely loves those magnums! Nice, tight groups!

I'm not exactly sure why, but the longer barrel seems to like the higher velocity rounds.

Aqualung

 

[Fox Mike]

Go figure I never use the magnum cylinder in my single six, but want to ream my bearcat out to .22 magnum.

Go for it! Dave Clements did the Shopkeeper into a mag for me. Talk about a 'light show' when fired indoors!

 

[GunnyGene]

I just bought a 9.5in Single Six from a buddy. Just in trying it out at a 25yd range, I found it liked the CCI Mini Mags better (accuracy-wise) than the standard velocity .22LR rounds I was shooting.

Then, I put in the .22 mag cylinder...that thing absolutely loves those magnums! Nice, tight groups!

I'm not exactly sure why, but the longer barrel seems to like the higher velocity rounds.

Aqualung

You'd have to chrono the .22lr to be sure, but I suspect that both the standard v, and the minimag is just barely above, or even in, the sonic transition zone when they leave the barrel. That can do funny things to the bullet resulting in a larger than expected group size, even at such short ranges. The .22mag is guaranteed to be well above that zone and remain supersonic throughout the 25 yds and well beyond that, which results in that nice tight group you liked.

 

[CraigC]

Standard velocity should always be subsonic. High velocity loads are usually subsonic in shorter barrels but the 9½" tube might get them just over supersonic velocity.

 

[eveled]

Fox Mike, those are beautiful. Very nice set. Someday I'll do mine too. The kids still use mine so for now it makes sense to keep it as is.