Dual cylinder wheel guns

[Seitz 555]

I have an accuracy question concerning Ruger convertible guns. I have 2, a single six in 22 lr and 22 mag and a Blackhawk in 357 and 9mm. In the Blackhawk, it is easy, I just load the 9mm with 38 special/357 size bullets as they fit the cylinder and no loss in accuracy down the barrel. My question is on the single six, I don't have a way to measure the barrel, but I'm sure it is at .224 to shoot the 22 wmr so the 22 lr would infact be small for the barrel. Is there much if any accuracy loss with that .001 smaller bullet ?

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

[cwtebay]

My opinion is yes. I've never quite understood how accuracy would not be affected in the bore discrepancy between the regular and heeled bullet.

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[DougGuy]

The worst part of that equation is a lot of Ruger 22 cylinders are bored straight through .227" which pretty much nails the coffin shut.

[slughammer]

........ My question is on the single six, I don't have a way to measure the barrel, but I'm sure it is at .224 to shoot the 22 wmr so the 22 lr would infact be small for the barrel. Is there much if any accuracy loss with that .001 smaller bullet ?

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

I have a Stainless Single Six from the late 1980's that I have drilled and tapped and scoped. Accuracy testing of different 22lr ammo showed it to be "fair" in my opinion. 25 yard groups into about 2" with several different kinds of Ammo. (My Ruger 22/45 and SW 617 both consistently outshot it).

Switching to the 22mag cylinder and it would shoot like a laser. I have 1 group I kept with the flattened ammo box. 6 shots into an inch at 50 yards. (Remember, scoped and benched).

The quality of the jacketed 22mag projectiles is hard to compete with for the heeled 22lr bullets under ideal dimensional conditions. This gets especially tricky when you throw in cylinder throat and barrel groove dimensions into the mix.

But, each gun is going to be different. And your idea of accuracy and mine will be different too. You'll need to try it and find out.



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[GhostHawk]

I always wondered if bumping the bullets up on .22lr would make much difference, or using one of those "accurizer" tools that put a cup or hp in the nose.

I had an old Heritage rough rider that I cussed for years because it simply would not shoot tight groups with .22lr.
Until one day I put the .22WMR cylinder in and an old box of .22mag handed down from my father in law.

Holy hornytoads what a difference.

Eventually my daughter talked me out of it. Wanted it for self defense gun.

The new Heritage Rough Rider is about equally good. But I suspect as it wears in the .22lr will go back to larger groups.
It certainly does a great job with the .22mags.

[hoodat]

My Single Six is an old sixties version -- fixed sight model. It is extremely accurate with good quality long rifle ammo, AND 22 Mag.

I never knew that it was supposed to be less accurate, and it wasn't. Maybe I was just lucky. jd

[contender1]

The beginning of the Single-Six in 1953,, the bores were cut for the .22 LR only. In 1958,,, when the .22 Magnum was introduced,, Ruger built a Single-Six in .22 mag only.
Later on, the added spare cylinders to these Magnums. Then, finally, they just decided to make a convertible & used the specs for the .22 mag,, which DOES have a slightly larger bore.
Hence,, in general, the .22 mag will most often shoot better than the .22 LR cylinder.

And yes,, some of the aftermarket tools that bump up the diameter of the .22 LR,, (Think Paco here,) does improve accuracy.

[Seitz 555]

Thanks all for the help, your information was very helpful, especially the Acu'Rzr info.