Shooting 22 Shorts in 22 LR

[scalerman]

Here is a question for you guys. Is it safe to shoot a 22 Short in a rifle chambered for 22 Long Rifle?

[toxic111]

Short Answer, it depends, long answer, it depends.

Look up in your manual, or look online for the model. Some say LR only, some can shoot shorts through LR.

All you can do is look.

That said it may be safe for one or 2 shots, in a rifle that says LR only.

[skeet]

Actually in most rifles especially bolt and pump types it IS safe. in years past 22 ammo was somewhat corrosive and it was imperative that you clean the bore and chamber after shooting shorts. The chamber could become pitted just in front of where the short case ended. If that happened the longer Long rifle could expand into the pitted area causing hard extraction etc. Today..we don't seem to have that problem..heck it is hard to find ANY 22 ammo. Just remember to clean the chamber before shooting long rifle ammo. Shorts may also build up a light ring of crud in the chamber. Now..I was in a Billings Sporting goods store today and 2 fellows engaged me in conversation. They were looking for places to shoot P dogs. They happened to be from Saskatchewan. They told me that 22 ammo is NOT in short supply in Canada and prices are not any higher than normal. I was seriously considering going to Canada to buy a bunch..but they told me I can only bring 5 Kilos of 22 ammo across the border...Darn 11 lbs just ain't nuff to make it worthwhile

[GoodOlBoy]

Skeet is correct. Keep in mind that shorts tend to be lesser pressure than longs or long rifles. In a semi auto I would not suggest it simply because it doesn't function correctly and it jams due to the short not being able to make the bolt function correctly. Now comes the next hitch in the giddy up. Around here shorts cost MORE than long rifles, and longs cost more than shorts. So unless it is just all you are able to get (in my area) it doesn't make sense to switch.

My 2 cents

Richard

[Seawolf1090]

What I find in shooting .22Shorts in a .22LR gun is it usually isn't as accurate - the rifling rate isn't correct for that lighter bullet.

I just inherited all my recently deceased father's guns, ammo, tools, etc. He had a full box of .22 Longs. Hard to find those even before the recent ammo problems. He used them in his 1960-made High Standard Doublenine revolver. I'm taking it shooting today.

[GoodOlBoy]

in newer rifles I agree 22 shorts tend to be less accurate for me (marlin model 60, ruger 10/22 etc) However in my old single shot winchester model 67 the shorts are the most accurate round. Next up is actually the aguilla SSS, and the remmy subsonics.

Richard

[Rapier]

My grandfather had one rifle on the ranch, a 510 Remington bolt gun. He only shot one round in the gun, ever, a 22 short. He killed everything with a short, cows, hogs, chickens, dogs, cats, bob cats, rabbits, snakes, etc. I learned how to shoot ducks on the wing and light kitchen matches with that rifle.

The little 510 was never left dirty, it was kept clean and oiled, that was my job. My grandfather has been gone 28 years now but the little 510 is just as accurate as ever. actually that gun is what started me buying 500 series Remingtons.:D
Ed