Why no semi-autos in .22 magnum?

[Guvnor]

I noticed there are practically no semi-auto .22 mag rifles on the market, the only one I can find is the Remington 597 magnum.

Is there a reason for this?

Anyone tried the remington?

 

[woof]

The 10/22 was offered in mag for awhile. I think the .22 mag is considered a reach out rimfire round and not one whose application would require rapid shots. Since bolt action rifles are typically more accurate and .22 mag users want that, most .22 mags are bolt rifles. In other words, there is no market for .22 mag semis or someone would be making them.

 

[Crawfish141]

What woof said. It's just a limited market.

Also, semi-autos are more commonly used for plinking. With the price of .22lr in comparison to .22magnum the choice seems obvious.

 

[gb6491]

Magnum Research Inc. makes the MagnumLite in .22WMR
Regards,
Greg

 

[Squeaky Duck]

I had an AMT Automag II .22WMR semi-auto pistol. Looked really cool but I never liked it due to the poor reliability. Regardless of wither it is a rifle or pistol, the brass of the cartridge casing is too soft and thin to work reliably in that kind of gun due to cartridge length. Excel Arms allegedly is the only one that works well, but I chalk it up to hearsay until I get to actually shoot one. If you want a semi-auto magnum, get centerfire. The brass is tough enough to handle it.

 

[ArmedBear]

I just saw a Marlin .22 WMR semiauto at Cabela's. In nice shape, but definitely used, with box $450.

It looked vaguely like a thicker 60 or 795, but with a HUGE, squared-off receiver.

It was tempting, but I wonder why neither Ruger nor Marlin (far and away the "big 2" of .22 semiauto rifles) make them any more.

Does anyone know? Were there technical problems? Or was the price of .22 WMR ammo just too high to drive demand for semiautos?

 

[chestnut ridge]

The Marlin 22 magnum was the model 922. It was intended to
be like the camp 9 and camp 45 semi-auto rifles.
It is heavy; but seems to be reliable and fairly accurate.

 

[JohnBT]

Keep an eye open for a Brno 611. Fine quality from the Czech Republic. Here's a pic of one.



Takedown too.

 

[mesinge2]

deleted

 

[Runningman]

Brno used to make a semi auto 22 mag but they did not sell well so they discontinued it.

 

[pmbiker]

The wood on that Brno is beautiful.

 

[32 Magnum]

Check the auction sites for an older H&R Model 700 - mine is flawless in operation and very accurate.

 

[Jim K]

The reason is a bit more complicated than lack of market. The .22 Magnum is a high pressure round. Makers want to keep .22 auto rifles simple, which means blowback actions.

Now the breechblock (bolt) mass needed to keep the lid on the .22 LR until the pressure drops is not great. But the mass required for the .22 Magnum is greater, too great for a simple lightweight rifle. So makers play some tricks. Ruger used a bolt material that had greater mass than steel, and bulked up the bolt. AMT used holes drilled in the chamber to slow down the cartridge case, but still had problems.

Most makers just sort of gave up on the idea in part because the cost of ammunition meant there was not a lot of demand for rifles that would shoot a lot of it quickly.

So, back to the market again.

Jim

 

[dmckean44]

The Remington 597 has a .22 magnum version.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I HAD a Marlin 922M, I think it was called, but sold it like an idgit. In my defense, it didn't appear terribly accurate with the ammo I tried (like 2.5" group at 25 yards), so at the time, I didn't think I wanted to keep it.

Just today, I was lusting after this one badly:

http://www.gunsamerica.com/95481349...GRENDEL_R_31C_Carbine_16Inch_Muzzle_Break.htm

The Remington 597 has a .22 magnum version.

Yeah, that's what I'd do on a budget. IIRC, Volquartsen might make one too.

 

[chrissmallwood]

The Magnum Reasearch model has a gas port and a special gas block under the barrel just ahead of the receiver to help equalize the pressures to allow smoother operation while firing. It supposedly cures some of the reliabilty issues Ruger was having with the 10/22 mag. I remember seeing a picture of it one the website of a gun magazine but I cant remember where. Hopefully someone else knows what Im talking about.

 

[heviarti]

HK used to make the 300 in .22 and the 330 in .22 WMR. I'd love to own an example of each of that series.

 

[Crawfish141]

JohnBT, that is one beautiful rifle you have there. Especially that furniture, it looks like something off a high end Italian shotgun!

 

[federalfarmer]

Wow! that brno is awesome! I want one!

I have a ruger 10/22 Mag and love it. I put a green mtn barrell on it and a hogue stock. It shoots 3/4 inch groups at 50 yards all day.
If you can find one buy it. The prices have really gone up.

 

[gga357]

Ammo prices probably limit demand.

 

[jaybr]

I've got a 597 22wmr with heavy barrel, it's very reliable and accurate. My son and I practice with a steel prairie dog spinner and can hit it consistently out at 200 yds.

I use it for predator hunting and it does just fine.