Hi-Standard Sentinel - .22 Magnum?

[M-Rex]

Hello folks,

I've been lurking on this forum for a while. I decided to see if one of you folks more knowledgable than I might be able to answer a question for me.

I have a Hi-Standard Sentinel R-101 that was handed down to me by my father. The revolver performs flawlessly. I was noticing tonight as I cleaned it, that the cylinder is long enough to accept .22 Magnum rounds. All I have ever shot in it was .22 Long Rifle.

Are these revolvers safe for .22 Magnum? Is this the original chambering? The barrel is marked ".22 CAL" but makes no reference to short, long, long rifle, or magnum.

Thanks,
M.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I don't know, but know where you can find good answers:

http://www.tm-techmark.com/jspacek.htm

and

http://www.histandard.info

 

[Elmer]

The Sentinel was made in both .22 lr and .22 Mag. I'm not sure if they made a convertible, but it seems like they did....

 

[Elmer]

Just looked through some books, and they did make a convertible.

 

[Sharps Shooter]

Wait a minute! Wouldn't the convertible have 2 cylinders? The .22/.22 Mag convertibles I've seen have one cylinder for .22 rimfires for lengths up to and including .22 long rifle cartridges and another cylinder for .22 Magnum cartridges. I don't know how much, but a .22 Magnum cartridges is significantly larger in diameter than a .22 Long Rifle cartridge.
M-Rex, have you tried putting a .22 Magnum cartridge in your revolver? I'd be surprised if it will fit. Just because the cylinder is long enough doesn't mean the holes are big enough around. .22 rimfires up through the .22 Long Rifle shoot "healed," non-jacketed bullets and the outside diameter of the case is the same diameter as the bullet. On the other hand, .22 Magnum rimfire bullets don't have a "heal" and they are jacketed. The outside diameter of a .22 Magnum case is greater than the diameter of it's bullet. Not only that, but a .22 Magnum bullet is a little larger in diameter than a .22 Long rifle bullet in the first place. If your revolvers cylinder will accomodate .22 Magnum rounds, then that's probably what you should be shooting in it. Firing .22 Long Rifles in a cylinder meant for .22 Magnums is risky and it couldn't possibly be very accurate.

 

[Elmer]

Yes, they have two cylinders.

 

[Wil Terry]

IF MEMORY SERVES THE CONVERTIBLE WAS THE " HIGH SIERRA " NOT

The SENTINEL.
It came with two cylinders, adjustable sights, and an octagonal barrel.

 

[rockstar.esq]

I have a Longhorn Convertible. It looks like a single action however it is a DA with a swing out cylinder. The cylinder and the crane come out of the frame quite readily if you depress the plunger affixing it thereto. Mine is decidedly .22LR and I'd love to lay hands on the mag cylinder. Please be careful as the .22 mag should never be fired in a .22LR To be perfectly honest with you, I'd guess that the case mouth will stop the .22 mag from fully seating into the .22LR cylinder if you were trying to load it improperly. Should you find a source for replacement cylinders, please let me know.

 

[Elmer]

IF MEMORY SERVES THE CONVERTIBLE WAS THE " HIGH SIERRA " NOT

The SENTINEL.
It came with two cylinders, adjustable sights, and an octagonal barrel.

High Standard made a few different .22-.22Mag convertibles, including a version of the Sentinel.

 

[Wil Terry]

Well I'll Be Darned. You Learn Something Everyday If You Pay Attention.

Thanks Elmer!!

 

[Elmer]

I had to look it up to remember....

 

[BluesBear]

to reiterate SharpsShooters reply

Yes they were both made in twin cylinder models.

But in regard to M-Rex's original question... A .22 Magnum cartridge is too large in diameter to fit into a .22 long rifle chamber.



But the easiest way to tell is to look through the cylinder.
A .22 magnum cylinder will have a shoulder in each chamber since the .22 WMR uses an inside lubricated bullet.
The .22 Long Rifle cylinder will be bored straight through, since the short, long and long rifle cartridges all use heeled, outside lubricated bullets.