.22 Mag vs .22 LR: Extra power worth it?

[TTv2]

I've had a PMR30 on my mind for years and now I'm seriously considering getting one, but in doing some research I see that the velocities with .22 Mag vs .22 LR in a handgun that's not a revolver the .22 Mag is more powerful, but it's only roughly 150 fps more with 40 grain bullets from a similar barrel length.

For ammo that costs twice as much and is less reliable in an autoloader, that doesn't seem like much of a gain. With this being known, what other benefit does the .22 Mag offer in something like the PMR30 or the Rock Island XT22 over a typical .22 LR pistol?

I'm just weighing the pros/cons and I don't see an extra 150 fps being worth the cons that come with it.

 

[CDW4ME]

Whether the extra power is "worth it" I suppose depends on intended use.
The Rock Island XT22 and PMR30 are both as big (or bigger) than many 9mm pistols.
If this handgun is intended as a plinker, I can't see spending extra for 22 mag over 22 lr.
If it is intended to hunt small game, the 22 mag might be "worth it".
I'm not physically limited, or frail, so choosing / carrying 22lr or 22 Mag for self defense would be a NOPE, but in an emergency I'd take 22 Mag over 22 lr.

 

[redneck]

If you only shoot paper the extra power and noise probably do not justify the cost. When it comes to dispatching varmints, the difference in power is pretty noticeable, along with having a few more options in bullet type.

 

[Mark 40]

If this handgun is intended as a plinker, I can't see spending extra for 22 mag over 22 lr.

Agree with this, it's where I ended up.

 

[mcb]

22 mag in a handgun is allot of bark for the bite. In a rifle 22 Mag had a nicer performance step up over 22LR without being so obnoxious. That said 22 Mag never seems as accurate as a similar quality 22LR but usually accurate enough for varmints.

 

[chicharrones]

I have hands on time with .22 mag pistols and revolvers. They can make sense for hunting or those seriously averse to recoil that want more power than a .22 LR. Definitely need barrels at least 3” and longer to appreciate any velocity gain over the LR, IMO.

If shooting for fun, the only gain is the entertainment value of the fireballs you will create. Which is pretty awesome in its own right, albeit expensive in the long run.

 

[jmr40]

In a handgun, no. In a rifle I'd skip right over 22 mag and buy a 223. I haven't priced 22 mag ammo lately, but at one time 223 was less expensive.

 

[Atavar]

You can’t get this in a .22lr

 

[jmorris]

22 Mag from a pistol is about the same as 22 LR from a rifle.

Is the difference worth the cost?

That’s up to the individual. As there are some folks that will spend thousands more on a Rolex than a less expensive, more accurate and reliable Timex.

I don’t get it but lots see something in it I don’t, in both cases.

 

[Gordon]

I have an 8 3/8" S&W model 48 and it gets 1700+ FPS with the 30 grain WMR loads and a good 1600+ FPS with the 40-45 grain loads. I also have an AMT 6" which is right on the S&W heels ! That's a lot more than any .22LR out of a rifle ! The bullets generally are better constructed for effect on game. In fact I gave a relative my Ruger 5..7x28 pistol and stay with the .22 MRF , which I can still get for $14 for 50 often. The 40 grain Federal 5.7x28 loads wouldn't break 1900 FPS !
Way down to the NAA mini revolvers the .22Mag has quite a bit more velocity than any .22LR .
I use .22LR for plinking and target and small pests (rats) and the Mag for the next step up in pistols.

 

[skfullen]

I finally finished a project I've been looking forward to undertaking a long time.
I purchased a spare cylinder for my Ruger New Bearcat and sent it to Cylinder and Slide in Fremont, Nebraska. They converted the extra cylinder to 22 wmr. Then, I tested 22 long rifle Velocitors and various others in the 22 long rifle cylinder over a chronograph, and tested various 22 wmr ammo through the WMR cylinder over the chronograph, as well. Same Bearcat with different cylinders.

I don't have the data in front of me right now, but I can tell you that the 40 grain Velocitors were fastest in the long rifle , and averaged about 1175 feet per second. The Armscor 40 gr JHP was the fastest of the WMR, and averaged about 1325 fps.

The WMR bullet is a true, jacketed hollow point and a much superior projectile to the 22 long rifle Velocitor, which is basically a copper-coated projectile with a dimple in the nose.

Yes, the muzzle flash and report are much more pronounced. I carry the Bearcat daily while I'm on my rural property doing tractor work, mowing, trekking through the woods, whatever I'm doing. I feel much safer with the WMR on my side than a 22 long rifle on the odd chance that I run across something bigger or two-legged. If I'm going to plink, I install the LR cylinder.

My really big "surprise" over the chronograph, was my finding that 22 long rifle Blazer, 40 grain lead round-nose averaged only about 50 ft slower (1125 fps) than the Velocitors.

 

[jmorris]

Way down to the NAA mini revolvers the .22Mag has quite a bit more velocity than any .22LR .

This data would indicate that to be false.




http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/22mag.html

 

[Frulk]

I have a few .22 mags laying around in both rifle and handgun models. And even more in .22LR.

Only drawback from my perspective is cost of ammo for the .22 Mag. Sound signature and muzzle blast/flash in the PMR30 were expected and don’t disappoint.

I bought the PMR30 for no particular reason and no purpose in mind. If pressed I might concede I was intrigued by the 30 round Mag. 30 rounds of .22 Mag out of a semi auto is like carrying a fist full of some REALLY upset hornets

I put 5-6 mags through it about 2-3 years ago and haven’t shot it since. I made sure to load the mags correctly. No failure to feed or eject in 150-180 rounds.

I do remember thinking about halfway through the first Mag…”Well.. alright then….this gun is fun to shoot”

When a gun makes me smile cost of ammo starts to become a non factor.

Others have said it’s close to a full sized 9mm. That’s true but the gun is LIGHT and very slim.

 

[chicharrones]

This data would indicate that to be false.

View attachment 1083327 View attachment 1083328


http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/22mag.html

Really need to add cylinder length to barrel length then subtract the losses from the cylinder gap to represent a revolver.

Seems like NAA's own website shows some believable numbers between .22 LR and .22 WMR. https://northamericanarms.com/ballistics/

 

[doubleh]

I have a RIA XTM and it feels like a 1911, has a trigger like the 1911, has almost no recoil, and is ammo picky. If not for the beating I would take on a sale or trade I wouldn't have it anymore but, hey, where can you get that fireball and bang for the same or less ammo cost?

 

[fastbolt]

For the NAA mini revolvers, the company has done some ballistics testing with different barrel lengths and various brands of LR & MAG ammo.
https://northamericanarms.com/ballistics/

For the larger question? Back when I enjoyed varmint hunting and backwoods plinking, my favorite rifle was a Mossberg 640K Chuckster (.22MAG), which was a graduation gift from my father (since I'd long coveted it), and my favorite handguns were a vintage Ruger Standard .22LR and a Ruger SA revolver with a .22MAG cylinder.

Yep, there are some minor, but tangible, differences between LR and MAG bullets, and a little bit of extra velocity might be helpful, depending on your plinking target or task.

For the trail/kit gun aficionados, both .22 calibers can be handy.

Suit yourself.

 

[Riomouse911]

I have a few .22 Mags in rifle (2) and revolver (4) persuasions, and a bit more .22 LR rifles (8) revolvers (6) and autos (6). Not the largest collection by any stretch, but it is a decent variety to sample.

For the OP; if you are just plinking about with an occasional squirrel/raiding raccoon to hunt, go with a .22 LR. The lower cost of guns and ammo, wider selection of ammo styles and abilities and huge variety of guns make the LR a much more enjoyable and versatile round.

If you are thinking about dealing with coyotes, feral dogs, or even the slim potential of a creep sneaking onto your property to do harm, the .22 WMR is the way to go.

Or get a convertible revolver and have the best of both worlds.

Stay safe.

 

[Gordon]

This data would indicate that to be false.

View attachment 1083327 View attachment 1083328


http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/22mag.html

Based on that chart Ill stand by what I said .

 

[jmorris]

Interesting.

4” for 22 Mag doesn’t look like way more velocity than a 17 or 18” .22 lr. Oddly enough looks like the max for both was 1510 fps. With the .22LR pushing a heavier bullet.



I suppose we would have to quantify “way more” after that, as the difference does become greater after that. We may differ on our definitions of “way more” and “about the same”.

 

[chicharrones]

I got focused in on NAA revolvers. I missed where rifles were compared to handguns. Oooops.

 

[Coyote3855]

I like my PMR 30 and carry it around the property for varmints. And I don't feel undergunned with it if I needed it in a defense situation, which is unlikely on my 50 acres. The pistol is light weight, easy to pack, and sufficient for my purposes. I can't back this up with statistics, but it seems to me preferable to a .22 LR on ground squirrels and feral cats.

 

[Rock185]

I don't shoot much .22 rimfire. That being said, I wouldn't want it to get around that for the last several decades, when I shoot .22 rimfire it is most often .22 Magnum. I have a chronograph, and realize using WMR doesn't add a lot of velocity over .22LR in my particular revolver; much better in a rifle IMHO.

 

[Pistolay]

This data would indicate that to be false.

http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/22mag.html

The BBTI .22WMR test is bogus, for the reasons documented in this post of mine from 3 years ago in another forum (GlockTalk):

I really wish that people would stop using that BBTI test as an authoritative source. That particular test is extremely flawed for a couple of reasons:

1. Right in the introduction they mention that when they got down to the shortest barrel lengths, they were having trouble getting accurate chrono readings.

However, towards the end of the tests (when the barrel was starting to get very short) accuracy became an increasingly difficult proposition. At that point we switched to a more expensive Oehler brand chrono system, which uses twin chronographs to automatically calculate one reading. For the last measurements in the chop tests - when the barrel was only 2" - we were only able to obtain one or two readings for each type of ammo. The readings were consistent with the curves we had seen through the rest of the testing, but doesn't have the same degree of supporting data.

The readings were consistent with the curves we had been seeing, so we feel confident using 1 or 2 readings. Really?

2. In addition to the barrel chop tests, they also do tests with real weapons. For .22lr, they tested 6 real guns with barrel lengths between 1" (NAA Mini) and 3.5" (Walther P22). For the .22WMR, they didn't test a single real gun with a barrel length less than 4.625" (Heritage Rough Rider).

I don't mean to be dumping on BBTI, but that particular test is garbage. You can find multiple .22WMR ballistics tests on YouTube showing 1000fps from short barrels, including one from ShootingTheBull410 using an NAA Black Widow with a 2" barrel.

 

[jmorris]

You can search here and see others results. A number in here are along the lines of what I have measured from my examples.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/22wmr-handgun-velocities.612343/

 

[3Crows]

The fireball counts for something .

I have noted over the years that I have much fewer fuds and fizzes and FTF with Magnum .22 (and .17 HMR) than with .22LR though the difference between CCI .22 Magnum and CCI .22 Mini-Mags is not great.

3C