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Taylor
04-06-2011, 06:55 AM
I was given a Springfield model 15 by my wife's uncle.Single shot,long rifle.He had it re-chambered to accept a 22 magnum. What are the opinions on pressure?Can this action handle the difference?I have never fired it,and I don't know if he ever did.However I plan to shoot it.Can't just have it hanging around and not pulling it's weight.

jh45gun
04-07-2011, 01:48 AM
Well I suspect the action would handle it but here is the issue. 22 Mag bullet is .224 while the 22 LR is .223. When you get a convertible gun like the Ruger Single Six what your getting is a 22 mag revolver with a 22 LR cylinder. Now most folks think the 22 mag cylinder is the accessory one but in reality the 22 LR one is as the barrels on these convertible guns are .224.

So with a barrel set up for .223 shooting a .224 bullet will increase pressure. Is it enough to be dangerous? I do not know maybe some one else here would know more on the subject if it would be safe or not.

I have looked at a lot of old 22s and most the bores are still great with the 22 LR shooting such a soft bullet I doubt they ever wear much unless some one over cleans them. So I would suspect even an old 22 lr the bore would be .223.

Taylor
04-07-2011, 07:04 AM
I'm with you on that,I thought about using a lead bullet.LASC has a chart of SAAMI spec's.Show's 22LR and magnum being the same at 24000 psi.The big question now is,can I find a lead bullet in 22 magnum.I figgered I would get a long string and find out what happen's.

jh45gun
04-08-2011, 02:05 AM
22 Mag bullets are made like Centerfire Jacketed bullets.The Jacket might be thinner than a centerfire bullet but it is still jacketed. There are some that are soft points but still jacketed.

Bret4207
04-08-2011, 08:19 AM
HAH! I gots thuh answer! Find some 22WRF ammo! It's a lead bullet cartridge that a bit shorter than the 22Mag, sort of the 22 short vs 22 lr thing. http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=22+wrf&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=10532407694685744636&sa=X&ei=p_yeTZLGLsOC0QGDmsGaBQ&ved=0CCgQ8wIwAg#

This stuff shoots great in mags. CCI also makes it with a jacketed bullet. I don't know if the gun is really suitable for a diet of 22 mag ammo. That's a typical low cost 22 action with just the root of the bolt handle for a lug IIRC.

Taylor
04-08-2011, 07:33 PM
Good idea,we'll check in to that. Let you know what happens.

Taylor
04-13-2011, 06:24 PM
Got 5 boxes WRF by FEDEX today.Range saturday morning.

shooterg
04-13-2011, 07:39 PM
My Pop's 15Y(short stock youth model) cost him $2.90 new from Sears Roebuck. He used it on his trapline until 1943 when he left to tour the Far East with Uncle Sam's Misguided Children, then killed many a rabbit and squirrel to feed him and Mom after WWII. It was our "pig gun" for many years. First gun I hunted with. It's hanging in the hall now, waiting for my 5 month old grandson to grow into it.

Taylor
05-01-2011, 06:32 AM
The rim diameter being larger on a WMR or WRF than a long rifle,causes the firing pin to strike to the inside away from the rim.Missfires! That was most likely a waste of a good rifle.

leadman
05-02-2011, 09:06 PM
Get an insert to shoot 22lr in 22Mag from www.mcace.com. Or have the firing pin welded up.

OeldeWolf
05-16-2011, 01:56 AM
There is a definite problem coming up with this conversion.

I have my father's Springfield 15. Those rifles were designed to shoot only the low velocity/standard velocity rounds. On a regular diet of modern, high velocity 22 lr, the extractor will blow out. The cartridge is just not supported sufficiently for modern pressures.

And having the extractor replaced will probably cost more than the rifle itself is worth. I know it did 30 years ago. And I am sure the parts have gotten no easier to find.

Multigunner
05-30-2011, 06:40 PM
Have the breech cut back and rethreaded, then cut a new .22 LR chamber.
That or get a replacement barrel, or have one made. Shortening and rethreading is probably the best approach. Thats a not uncommon fix for .22 RF rifles with swollen chambers.

The chamber could be drilled out and an steel insert threaded or silver soldered in then the rechamber recut. But this would leave excessive freebore which might ruin accuracy.
The WMRF/ LR inserts should work, but might become dislodged at an inoportune moment, and would have the same freebore situation.

Very few .22 LR rifles can safely handle .22 WMRF pressures.
My Savage .22 LR looks nearly Identical to the Savage in .22 WMRF, but the magnum uses a twin lugged bolt (bolt root and separate opposing lug) originally used for a Savage/Anschutz .22 LR target rifle design. This is a similar arangement to the bolt of my 23B.

The .22 WRF was little if any more powerful than the .22 LR, the cartridge was designed as a proprietary round for .22 Winchester self loaders, and was much cleaner burning than contemporary .22 LR cartridges which corroded the Winchester autoloaders badly and caused jams which would have damaged the rifles reputation and sales.
If that old round was still available in quantity it would be a pretty good choice for rechambering a LR with worn or swollen chamber.

Some Mosin Nagant styled .22 LR training rifles which had swollen or other wise damaged chambers were rechambered to .22 WMRF by a Importer in Florida. That action is massively over built for the LR so these are probably safe.
Cutting the longer chamber also cleaned up eroded throats , so it was a win win situation.
One should examine one of those trainers to be certain if it is still a .22 LR before firing it.

Mk42gunner
06-01-2011, 06:02 AM
Have the breech cut back and rethreaded, then cut a new .22 LR chamber. My first rifle was a Savage Model 120A, the later version of the Model 15. The barrel and breech is one piece of steel.That or get a replacement barrel, or have one made. Shortening and rethreading is probably the best approach. Thats a not uncommon fix for .22 RF rifles with swollen chambers.

The chamber could be drilled out and an steel insert threaded or silver soldered in then the rechamber recut. But this would leave excessive freebore which might ruin accuracy. This is an option, or have it relined
The WMRF/ LR inserts should work, but might become dislodged at an inoportune moment, and would have the same freebore situation.

Very few .22 LR rifles can safely handle .22 WMRF pressures.
My Savage .22 LR looks nearly Identical to the Savage in .22 WMRF, but the magnum uses a twin lugged bolt (bolt root and separate opposing lug) originally used for a Savage/Anschutz .22 LR target rifle design. This is a similar arangement to the bolt of my 23B.

The .22 WRF was little if any more powerful than the .22 LR, the cartridge was designed as a proprietary round for .22 Winchester self loaders, and was much cleaner burning than contemporary .22 LR cartridges which corroded the Winchester autoloaders badly and caused jams which would have damaged the rifles reputation and sales.
If that old round was still available in quantity it would be a pretty good choice for rechambering a LR with worn or swollen chamber.

I believe you are thinking of the .22 Winchester Automatic cartridge that was used in the Model 1903 semiautomatics, the .22WRF was introduced for the Model 1890 pumps and also called the .22 Remington Special, according to my 11th Edition of Cartridges of the World. There are usually a couple of tables with cartons of the WRF round at the last few gunshows I have been to, granted it isn't as cheap as milk cartons of bulk .22LR at Wlmart, but it is available..

Some Mosin Nagant styled .22 LR training rifles which had swollen or other wise damaged chambers were rechambered to .22 WMRF by a Importer in Florida. That action is massively over built for the LR so these are probably safe.
Cutting the longer chamber also cleaned up eroded throats , so it was a win win situation.
One should examine one of those trainers to be certain if it is still a .22 LR before firing it.

Hope this helps,

Robert