Ruger Single Six cylinder tight for Winchester ammo only

[redhawk0]

Hi guys,

I have a Bicentennial edition Ruger Single Six that was willed to me. (pre-passing) It was unfired all these close to 50 years. He has now since passed and I decided that he would have wanted me to enjoy it instead of just looking at it.

So....I did just that recently. It has both the 22S/L/LR and the 22Mag cylinders. The 22Mag cylinder was a whole lot of fun to shoot....unfortunately the 22LR cylinder had some issues with my Winchester ammo. They just won't fit the cylinder. They go about 1/2 way down and "jam"....no Kerplunk.

So I figured...the cylinder wasn't reamed correctly....I brought it home thoroughly cleaned it, then checked other ammo brands...Aquilla, ArmsCor, Remington, and Federal all dropped in with a Kerplunk. OK...so it's not likely the cylinder...but my Winchester 333 packed ammo (I have a case of it) and it can't be used in this revolver. I can however use it in several other rifles/pistols that I have...so it's not a big deal.

Has anyone else run into ammo brand "sensitivity" in a Ruger SS?

redhawk

[Texas by God]

Yes, with Winchester and Browning brand(probably the same) .22 LR ammunition.
It was tight in my Single Six, JAMMED my Nylon66(!!!!), stuck in my Remington 581 bolt action.
I believe that the bullet has too much shank forward of the case mouth.
I only had a hundred rounds of each and I finally used it up in my 510 Remington single shot.
At least it was accurate…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TD1886]

I'm noticing Winchester is having a lot of problems with their ammo. In all types!!

[Jedman]

I once had a brick of Remington Hi Speed 22’s I was given by my uncle who bought them in the 1950’s.
They came in Red and White boxes with the Remington name in green and I had trouble with them chambering in several rifles and pistols.
I gave them away to someone, back then probably the 1970’s there were so many good brands of 22 ammo that shot well and were pretty cheap.

Jedman

[huntinlever]

Wow, given my recent issues with the PP 30-06, is this something new with them? Never recall having an issue with their ammo in the past. Has manufacturing shipped somewhere I don't know about?

On a side note, I grew up on the single-six, over 50 years ago. First firearm, Christmas present as a kid. Loved that thing in the back chapparal country of my youth, joined by a Marlin '97 22LR. I'm sorry for your loss, but congratulations on getting such a legacy.

[TD1886]

Wow, given my recent issues with the PP 30-06, is this something new with them? Never recall having an issue with their ammo in the past. Has manufacturing shipped somewhere I don't know about?

On a side note, I grew up on the single-six, over 50 years ago. First firearm, Christmas present as a kid. Loved that thing in the back chapparal country of my youth, joined by a Marlin '97 22LR. I'm sorry for your loss, but congratulations on getting such a legacy.

My very first gun was a Ruger Super Single Six with both cylinders. Bought when I got leave from bootcamp. Many years later I sold and have regretted it ever since. It was very accurate I might add. I never shot more then one box of 22 magnums from it, now I have three 22 mag rifles, one S&W 22LR/22mag revolver, and I have a new S&W 22 mag semi-auto pistol on the way.

[tja6435]

The Winchester 333’s jam up in my Ruger MKII that eats anything (but those), they also won’t run in my Ruger Charger now I’m thinking about it.

[Sam Sackett]

I have two 22 cal single sixes. They both have very tight cylinders. Have to push all brands of ammo in. No problems with firing or extraction. Maybe it’s the nature of the beast.

Sam Sackett

[redhawk0]

I'm feeling better about this now...sorry you all have troubles with Win ammo too...I can tell you one thing...It's likely the last Win 22LR ammo I buy. Fortunately, I do have other firearms that I can feed it to. For those that don't...I won't be begging any off of you...hahaha

Anyway...thanx for the confirmation...I knew I wasn't crazier than I already thought I was.

redhawk

[georgerkahn]

I have two 22 cal single sixes. They both have very tight cylinders. Have to push all brands of ammo in. No problems with firing or extraction. Maybe it’s the nature of the beast.

Sam Sackett

I have but one Single Six, and pretty much any/all brands are a snug fit. Last year I recall using a towel to rub some wax off lead .22 ammo -- I do not recall the brand, sorry... but it was a snug fit. (This being .22 long rifle ammo).
geo

[hoodat]

I'm anothern of you guys who cut his teeth on a Single-Six Convertible. Mine's an old fixed sight version that I bought from a buddy for $65 when I was sixteen years old. What great pistollas those are. Mine doesn't get the use that I did back in the day, but it still has a lifetime of shooting in it.

My advice is to take the cylinder out and chuck up a bronze brush in an electric drill and hit those chambers from both ends with any light oil or cleaner. That might solve your problem, or it might not, but it won't hurt. jd

[redhawk0]

I'm anothern of you guys who cut his teeth on a Single-Six Convertible. Mine's an old fixed sight version that I bought from a buddy for $65 when I was sixteen years old. What great pistollas those are. Mine doesn't get the use that I did back in the day, but it still has a lifetime of shooting in it.

My advice is to take the cylinder out and chuck up a bronze brush in an electric drill and hit those chambers from both ends with any light oil or cleaner. That might solve your problem, or it might not, but it won't hurt. jd

Yeah...I tried that....I actually used a patch wrapped bronze brush with JB Bore Paste on it. I wanted to "hone" it shiny and maybe take a 0.005" off at the same time. I don't think I opened it up any...but it would have removed all of the factory machine oils/greases.

I wish it would have worked...but...finding all my other 22 ammo fit without issue, I'll just live with the cylinders as they are now.

redhawk

[TD1886]

Yeah...I tried that....I actually used a patch wrapped bronze brush with JB Bore Paste on it. I wanted to "hone" it shiny and maybe take a 0.005" off at the same time. I don't think I opened it up any...but it would have removed all of the factory machine oils/greases.

I wish it would have worked...but...finding all my other 22 ammo fit without issue, I'll just live with the cylinders as they are now.

redhawk

Try jewelers rouge. The abrasiveness color coded. I believe White and Green are pretty abrasive, but know that Red is one of the finer ones.

[GhostHawk]

My Advise, leave the .22mag cylinder in it.

.22 convertible barrels tend to be sized for the .22mag, not the .22lr.

.22mag's in my experience shoot straighter, give tighter groups. Costs a bit more to shoot them. 22 to 24 cents a around if you shop around a bit.
But they have quite a bit more whump in them.

Besides, .22mag at the range is just a whole bunch more fun to shoot.

[M-Tecs]

Yeah...I tried that....I actually used a patch wrapped bronze brush with JB Bore Paste on it. I wanted to "hone" it shiny and maybe take a 0.005" off at the same time. I don't think I opened it up any...but it would have removed all of the factory machine oils/greases.

I wish it would have worked...but...finding all my other 22 ammo fit without issue, I'll just live with the cylinders as they are now.

redhawk

This should work better. https://www.amazon.com/PMD-Products-.../dp/B09K1RLV9K

[TD1886]

This should work better. https://www.amazon.com/PMD-Products-.../dp/B09K1RLV9K

To me that 400 grit is more abrasive then I would want to use. I'd go with something much fine. Better to use a finer grit and do it a few more times then the 400 grit and not be sorry you over enlarged the chamber.

[TD1886]

My Advise, leave the .22mag cylinder in it.

.22 convertible barrels tend to be sized for the .22mag, not the .22lr.

.22mag's in my experience shoot straighter, give tighter groups. Costs a bit more to shoot them. 22 to 24 cents a around if you shop around a bit.
But they have quite a bit more whump in them.

Besides, .22mag at the range is just a whole bunch more fun to shoot.

Back in the old days when Colt and Ruger both made convertibles, they had the 22 LR bore and groove and the 22 mag cylinder was choked down. I have a S&W 617 with both cylinders and it's that way to, the mag cylinder is choked down. All three mentiones are very accurate. I've heard they did make some with the bore and groove for the 22 mag.

[hoodat]

My Advise, leave the .22mag cylinder in it.

.22 convertible barrels tend to be sized for the .22mag, not the .22lr.

.22mag's in my experience shoot straighter, give tighter groups. Costs a bit more to shoot them. 22 to 24 cents a around if you shop around a bit.
But they have quite a bit more whump in them.

Besides, .22mag at the range is just a whole bunch more fun to shoot.

Yeah, I've heard the premise that the diameter of the 22 mag barrels is a thousandth larger, or that long rifles shoot less accurately in them, but that doesn't prove up in mine. It simply shoots 22 LR as accurately as any 22 pistol I've ever owned. With a rest, and particularly with my younger eye-balls, it had great 100 yard accuracy, and I've made shots with it that can only be described as -- "NO WAY!!!"

I also went through few years of shooting almost nothing but 22 Mags in it because I picked up twenty boxes of them for a killer deal at 2 bucks a box. I can't say they were any more accurate, but they busted up the jacks and sage rats with more authority. A little harder on my eardrums also. jd

[redhawk0]

This should work better. https://www.amazon.com/PMD-Products-.../dp/B09K1RLV9K

Yeah...I thought about something more aggressive...but I'm such a gorilla...I'd hate to mess things up. I do have some 10um diamond dust (for polishing High Voltage Stainless Steel ION column parts)...I was thinking of mixing a glycerin paste with it and give that a go. I could control the "grind" a little better with the diamond powder slurry on a felt pad in a dremel tool.

I likely won't touch it at this point...since other ammo fits...why bother....I was more curious if others were having issues with the Win ammo compared to other brands.

redhawk

[Larry Gibson]

Anyone made any measurements of diameter of bullets and cases for comparison?