Remember the saying about the dog catching the car?

[richard]

I’ve never owned a .22 Magnum.  Never saw the need really, anything the .22lr couldn’t do the .223 could and reloads are cheaper than the .22 Magnum.

I picked up a 4 5/8” Single Six convertible to shoot in this primer drought, paid too much at Cabela’s but got a used gun that doesn’t look to have been fired much if any since leaving the factory. I have been pleasantly surprised with the 25 yard groups shooting Mini Mags or Aquila “Super Extra”.  I normally shoot at a 2” paster in the center of a sheet of typing paper, if I do my job the .22lr cylinder will put either the Mini Mags or Aguila in the paster.  For grins and chuckles I bought a box of CCI Maxi Mag hollowpoint ammo.  The little gun wouldn’t group more than four of six rounds on the 8.5”x11” SHEET OF PAPER!  I was bemused by this, shot another decent group with .22lr to confirm the gun wasn’t falling apart, packed up and went home.

Last week one LGS had some Aguila .22 Magnum ammo so I picked up a box and went to the range.  Didn’t expect much so I blasted off five rounds and got about a 2 1/2” group at 25 yards.  Loaded up again and using a bit more care put four into 3/4” with the fifth round 1/2” low. I repeated that kind of group a couple more times and decided it wasn’t a fluke.  The Magnums group about an inch directly above the LR ammo at 25 yards so zero isn’t really an issue

Now I apparently have a gun/ammo combination that shoots really well.  I just have to decide what to do with it.  What class game/varmint do you gents figure .22 Mag out of a 4 5/8” gun is capable of?  

It’s too bad Spring Gobbler season is over, it would have been fun trying to call one into popgun range.

[junebug]

My 22 mags and 22's all prefer the heavier bullets, 40 gr and above. The Aguila copper clad super extras shoot well for me, better than the plain lead.

[x101airborne]

Go buy all that ammo you can find!!!
Like you, I dont shoot much 22 magnum. Same figgering as you between my 22 LR and my 22 Hornet rifles.

[flyingzebra]

I got woken up by the chop of a coyote the other night at about 11:00pm

Bastard was at the fence line of one of the pens near the back of the house.

Range would be about 40 yards, and if I'd had an accurate 22mag revolver handy it would have been ideal for the problem.

Flashlight beam sent the hooligan running.

[drycreek]

I used to trap coyotes quite a bit and I liked to dispatch them with a .22 mag revolver. I know a .22 LR will do the job but the .22 mag just has a little more authority. In a rifle, it has quite a bit more. I have found Armscor .22 mag to be accurate in my Henry rifle as well as my Single Six.

[dvnv]

Jun 4, 2021 11:26:50 GMT -5 richard said:

What class game/varmint do you gents figure .22 Mag out of a 4 5/8” gun is capable of?

I figure a 22 Mag from a revolver is pretty much equal to a 22 LR from a rifle.

[jeffer]

You have a good pistol there. My single 6, in the 22 magnum Platform is my go to raccoon pistol. I enjoy calling coons in the Winter and popping them out of the trees with that 22 mag and it seems to hit with authority every time.

[CraigC]

Jun 4, 2021 11:26:50 GMT -5 richard said:

...anything the .22lr couldn’t do the .223 could and reloads are cheaper than the .22 Magnum.

I've heard that claimed dozens of times but never could make the math work.

Jun 5, 2021 8:13:00 GMT -5 dvnv said:

Jun 4, 2021 11:26:50 GMT -5 richard said:

What class game/varmint do you gents figure .22 Mag out of a 4 5/8” gun is capable of?

I figure a 22 Mag from a revolver is pretty much equal to a 22 LR from a rifle.

Nope. I've clocked Winchester 40's at nearly 1400fps out of a 5.5" sixgun.

[richard]

Thanks guys!

Unfortunately the LGS is out of the Aguila .22 Mag, I’m looking for more.

[Encore64]

There are a number of great rounds for the 22 Magnum.

It's not to be underestimated. Keep in mind the 22 Magnum is loaded with real bullets. That improves performance greatly over the 22 LR.

It's not the #1 choice of poachers for no reason.

[bigbore5]

I like the 22mag for groundhogs after the fields get tall enough that you have to stalk them close along ditches and dirt banks. It's good for 50yds from a revolver or 125yds from the rifles

[dvnv]

Jun 5, 2021 11:46:32 GMT -5 CraigC said:

Jun 4, 2021 11:26:50 GMT -5 richard said:

...anything the .22lr couldn’t do the .223 could and reloads are cheaper than the .22 Magnum.

I've heard that claimed dozens of times but never could make the math work.

Jun 5, 2021 8:13:00 GMT -5 dvnv said:

I figure a 22 Mag from a revolver is pretty much equal to a 22 LR from a rifle.

Nope. I've clocked Winchester 40's at nearly 1400fps out of a 5.5" sixgun.

You have a good one, what make? These guys didn't do as well with a 5.5" single six: www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/22mag.html

[Encore64]

Much more matters than which make. Revolvers, above all other guns, vary between guns.

Cylinder throat dimensions, forcing cone, barrel gap, chamber alignment, barrel, etc all can and do affect accuracy/velocity.

I try to set my rimfire revolver barrel gaps about .0015" when possible. But, you cannot have any end shake to do this...

[CraigC]

Jun 6, 2021 14:06:59 GMT -5 dvnv said:

You have a good one, what make? These guys didn't do as well with a 5.5" single six: www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/22mag.html

A 35yr old Uberti.

[boxhead]

My BRNO shoots some pretty well.