22 lr in a 22 short chambered rifle

[tmark]

Will a 22 long rifle rimfire cartridge chamber in a 22 short rifle chambered for 22 shorts?

[Bt Doctur]

most are designed as "short, long, long rifle" Try it

[Johnny P]

On the Winchester Model 1890 the difference was in the carrier. A carrier for a .22 Short would not load a .22 Long Rifle. Remington also made some auto ,22's for the Short, and they will not load a Long Rifle. Just depends on the gun.

[JB White]

If the rifle is actually chambered for shorts, then the LR may have to be jammed into the rifling to get it to chamber.
What kind of rifle did you get? It's either very old or one of the later 'gallery rifles'?

[joem]

I seen to remember Browning made a rifle chambered for shorts only. Kind or rare I think.

[Rick]

Have a 141 Remington auto in 22 short only. Looks exactly like a Browning Auto. The barrel is rifled especially for the shorts. Bought from a WW1 fighter pilot and later a Texas Ranger. It was his favorite and was the last gun to go when he sold it to me when he was in his late 90s.

Accurate and very low noise.

[Sunray]

A Short is .289" shorter than a LR. .686" OAL vs .975". Case length is .423" vs .595". So no, a Long Rifle will not chamber in a Short only chamber.

[leftyo]

there are plenty of shorts only guns out there, if the gun is marked for 22shorts, thats what you feed it!

[Jeff L]

I suppose you could have it reemed by a gun smith to 22 long rifle, but if it's an older gun it might hurt the value later.

[RCS]

The 22 short rifling is one in twenty and one in twenty four twist, while the 22 Long Rifle has a one in sixteen twist. If the 22 short chamber is rechambered to 22 long rifle, it will not be as accurate because
of the difference in twist

[mhb]

As was pointed-out...

I suppose you could have it reemed by a gun smith to 22 long rifle, but if it's an older gun it might hurt the value later.

earlier, repeating mechanisms designed or altered specifically for the Short cartridge will not function properly with the Long or LR cartridges.
More importantly, the rifling pitch for the Short is much slower than for the LR (1/22" or slower vs. 1/16", respectively. The LR bullet will not be properly stabilized in the slower pitch (though the .22 Long, with its 29 or 30 grain bullet, the same as the Short, will shoot as well through the slower pitch - the LR shoots miserably through the slower-pitch barrels designed for the Short or Long. Those guns designed to shoot all 3 types interchangeably or alternatively use the LR rifling pitch: while the Short or Long are, perhaps, a bit less accurate through the faster-than-needed rifling pitch, they shoot MUCH better than the LR through the too-slow rifling.
As was also noted earlier, it is physically impossible to chamber the Long or LR round in the Short chamber without deforming it, jamming the case into the rifling, and, most likely, firing the round by crushing before it is fully chambered. The Long round uses the same case length as the LR, so has only a bit longer jump to reach the origin of the rifling in the LR chamber - the Short bullet has a much longer jump, but, being the same diameter as the case itself, does not suffer too badly when fired in the LR chamber.

mhb - Mike

[tmark]

If the rifle is actually chambered for shorts, then the LR may have to be jammed into the rifling to get it to chamber.
What kind of rifle did you get? It's either very old or one of the later 'gallery rifles'?

I picked up at the MACA gunshow in Timonium, Md. a 1910 Enfield trainer with New Zealand property markings on it in .22 caliber. No marks indicate as to whether it is short, long, or long rifle.

I did remove the bolt and a 22 LR cartridge slid easily into the chamber. So, I guess it shoots lr.

[n64atlas]

I picked up at the MACA gunshow in Timonium, Md. a 1910 Enfield trainer with New Zealand property markings on it in .22 caliber. No marks indicate as to whether it is short, long, or long rifle.

I did remove the bolt and a 22 LR cartridge slid easily into the chamber. So, I guess it shoots lr.

Enfield Trainers are 22lr. If it came with an empty magazine housing, it is usually marked 22 on it. It also might be stamped on the stock.





As for the OP's rifle, it was made to shoot shorts as others have said. To alter it would not only lessen it's accuracy but its value as well. There are plenty
of 22lr rifles out there. Even ones like the rifle you bought. Buy one in long rifle and sell the 22 short if not happy with it. Too many old rifles have been altered
by those not knowing any better,

[RCS]

The Winchester single shot Model 1885 was used for training during WW1 where it was known as the Winchester Winder Musket. These were chambered for the 22 LR
and most were chambered for the 22 short cartridge. As these became surplus, many were rechambered to 22 Long Rifle with disappointing results on the target range.

The Hoffer-Thompson 22 short used in the Model 1903 Springfield with cartridge holders were sometimes converted to 22 long rifle too, also with bad results

[Art]

Heck man, shoot shorts in it, that'd be my solution. If you really have to shoot l.r.s there are a caboodle of long rifle auto loaders out there. Its a lot easier to feed your old rifle now that shorts are becoming available again.