Using .22WRF in a .22WMR rifle.

[stchman]

Hello all, I just purchased a Savage 93FVSS .22 Magnum rifle.

I bought some ammo at Cabela's (place where I bought the rifle) and bought .22WRF instead of .22WMR.

I did some reading and MANY are saying that you can shoot .22WRF in a .22WMR rifle no problem but not the other way around. The .22 WRF has less power and the case is ever so slightly shorter while the case diameter is the same.

I'm thinking, ok no problem. I then looked on the side of the rifle and it states .22WMR ONLY.

My question is: Is this just legalese? Has anyone on the forum shot .22WRF in a .22WMR rifle?

Thanks.

 

[rbernie]

I have done it, entirely by accident. Accuracy was poor but nothing else bad happened.

 

[stchman]

I called Savage and they state their customer service told me to ONLY shoot .22WMR in the rifle.

I know that you can shoot .44SPL in a .44 Magnum and a .38SPL in a .357 Magnum too.

I'm still thinking that CS is covering their behinds.

Thanks.

 

[bhk]

Shooting WRFs in a WMR has been standard procedure for decades. No problem. As a matter of fact, I just read a magazine article the other day about it (one of dozens of articles mentioning it over the years). It might have been by Layne Simpson.

I regularly shoot WRFs out of my WMR Smith and Wesson revolver. They work great, are quieter, and the accuracy is superb. WRFs make a magnum rifle suitable for both varmints and for small game. Just change cartridges. The WRF/WMF compatibility has been published in zillions of interchangability charts over the years. I'll bet 9 out of 10 boxes of WRFs are shot in magnum guns, not WRF guns.

 

[stchman]

To bkh:

So you believe the customer service rep was:
- covering Savage's behind?
- not too knowledgeable about the WRF in WMR gun interchangeability?
- a combination of both the above?

I wonder why Savage puts on the barrel WMR ONLY?

 

[CraigC]

It will be fine.

I then looked on the side of the rifle and it states .22WMR ONLY.

What they are most concerned about is use of .22Short, Long or Long Rifle in a Magnum chamber. Because those cases are smaller in diameter and may split if fired in a Magnum chamber. The WRF has the same diameter case as the WMR, it's just shorter.

 

[sourdough44]

I do it routinely also, no problems. I also chron'ed some 22 WRF ammo, it was very slow. It was right along with 22 lr speeds. I shot 22lr,22wrf, & 22 mag out of my single-six Ruger. Of course the 22 WRF was shot in the mag cylinder.

No you don't want to shoot 22 lr in a 22 mag chamber, though the most you MAY get is a split case.

 

[stchman]

I asked the CS rep at Savage and she stated don't shoot WRF in that rifle.

I still think she was covering Savage's behind.

 

[Kendal Black]

I asked the CS rep at Savage and she stated don't shoot WRF in that rifle.

I still think she was covering Savage's behind.

^^ Probably it's easier to say WMR ONLY than to try to explain it in such a way that Billy Bob and Bubba are going to be sure to understand it.

WRF is a slightly obscure cartridge--I've never seen it in Wal Mart-- while Winchester .22LR is commonplace... So BB&B conclude that .22 Winchester rimfires, of the only kind they have seen before, are okay. The box says Winchester and it's rimfire. Then they up and start a-splittin' cases, and tellin' folks them Savages ain't no good.

It's slightly annoying to be talked down to, if that's what's happening, but catering to the lowest level of firearms understanding is probably not a bad plan for a gunmaker to follow, all considered.

 

[sourdough44]

FYI, It's not hard to find someone saying you can't shoot a 44 spcl in a 44 mag chamber , a 22 short in a bolt lr 22, or even a 38 spcl in a 357 mag. Your not supposed to think some things through, to reduce the chance of Bubba screwing up.

 

[CraigC]

'Most' people have probably never even heard of .22WRF, let alone used the stuff. Including the nice lady that answers the phone at Savage.

 

[bhk]

'Most' people have probably never even heard of .22WRF, let alone used the stuff. Including the nice lady that answers the phone at Savage.

+1!

You will find the WRF a great small game cartridge. I chronoed the speed at slightly faster than lr cartridges. They will have a little more killing power than the lr due to their 45 grain bullets.

 

[stchman]

Good news.

I called Cabela's in hopes of exchanging the ammo for .22WMR(Cabela's is on my way home from work). The manager said that federal law prohibits him from returning/refund/exchange ammunition.

He did say that he would give me a store credit for what I paid for the ammo and said I can keep the ammo. He said that the CCI WRF boxes are indeed confusing with their fancy cursive writing.

Kudos to the Hazelwood Cabela's for customer service. I've bought probably 6 firearms and a pallet of ammo from them, I will continue to support their business.

 

[Ol` Joe]

The 22WRF IIRC is a .226" caliber vs the 22WMR at .224". The 0.002" probably makes little to no difference, especially since the bullets are soft lead, Pressure also is ~ 5K lower in the WRF then the WRM cartridge, but I can see where Savage would say don`t do it.
Sort of like loading a .357 cal 38/357 bullet in a .355" 9mm.

 

[Jeff F]

I use .22 wrf all the time hunting meat rabbits, way less of a mess then the .22 mags. Just be sure to clean your chamber good before switching back to the magnum rounds and you won't have any problems.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

I have a tube magazine pump action WMR rifle and the feed is dependent upon standard 22 Magnum cartridge length. WRF is too short to feed: if there are two WRF rounds in the magazine, the second will enter the carrier far enough to jam the carrier.

The excuse to use WRF is that the WRF is a better small game hunting round, while the WMR is more a varmint destructor. However, Winchester makes a .22 Mag with the 45gr bullet that is close to WRF:
.22 WRF 45 gr 1300 fps
.22 Mag 40 gr 1910 fps (Winchester JHP and FMJ)
.22 Mag 50 gr 1650 fps (Winchester JHP)
.22 Mag 45 gr 1550 fps (Winchester Dynapoint)
Plus the Dynapoint is usually a little cheaper (at least locally).

 

[oldfool]

'Most' people have probably never even heard of .22WRF, let alone used the stuff. Including the nice lady that answers the phone at Savage.

that's a 10-X bullseye, Craig
it's not just BillyBob & Bubba

Largest & well stocked LGS here, I was browsing the ammo shelf for some 22WMR (to run in a 22WMR autoloader). They had none. The FFL owner offered to help, handed me a couple of boxes of WRF.
I had to explain to him what it was, re: "22 mag short" so to speak, not for Automag II autoloaders, but 'less filling, tastes great' in a S&W 6" k-48 or 4" j-651 revolver
(and two of those three guns, I had him handle my transfers on)

Odd thing is, the hardware store directly across the street (within about 40 yards door-to-door) keeps WRF in stock all the time, 250 round half bricks. I generally keep a couple thousand rounds each (WMR and WRF) in the footlocker.

 

[451 Detonics]

I shoot 22 WRF in my Marlin 57M and in my S&W 51...never any issues.

 

[oldfool]

now there's a pair you don't just see everyday, 451 !
nice