22 special rimfire

[trapperdan]

I have an older octagon barreled 22 Remington special. I think they quit making ammo for it about 40 years ago. A guy at our local gun show suggested using 22 magnum ammo as it was the same thing. Anyone have any experience with this ?

 

[CJ6]

Does it use the WRF ammo? If so it's still made on limited runs.

 

[wboggs]

Does it use the WRF ammo? If so it's still made on limited runs.

It uses 22 WRF ammo. There may be some around since someone made a run a few years ago. DO NOT use the 22 mag ammo. It is a completely different round.
I shot one for years staring in the 1940's, probably just like your Rem pump. It is more powerful than the .22 LR and bullets were more expensive and harder to find. Brings back a lot of fond memories. Bill

 

[Jeremy(WI)]

I don't think 22 mag will even chamber as it is longer than the wrf

 

[Ggmac]

I just had a remington pump in , 22 rem special , thought it was the same as the old win rim fire , it didn't fit , chamber cast all nice , took to the old books , diff rounds says one book other book says same , I happen to have a WRF reamer and headspace gauge , offered to ream so he could shoot his grandfathers rifle , nope . It hangs I his office , knowing it will not hurt anyone . What a different a few generations make .

 

[snert]

It was available from Winchester about 5 years ago in special runs. Still some floating around. They run it every ten-12 years.

 

[Ggmac]

Is it marked 22 rem auto ? Or 22rem special? The auto is only Remington and not interchangeable

 

[trapperdan]

The only marking is 22 rem special . No WRF marking. At our local gun show a few years ago a guy had a old box of 22 special ammo but wanted $ 125.00 for the box of 50.Said they were collector item. Is it possible to have it re-chambered to 22 mag. Seems a shame to let it go to waste in the safe. I am going to try and find some WRF to try. Was a fun gun to shoot .

 

[Ggmac]

Not the magnum , not the magnum . Sell it and buy something newer or wait for the proper ammo .
Take it to an old school smith to check for any problems then have him Borescope it , maybe a chamber cast , then only if he thinks it's safe to clean the chamber with a 22 win rim fire reamer .

 

[jds holler]

Or have it sleeved for 22 long rifle. -- If the rifle is in collectable condition, I'd do nothing with it. jd

 

[Barlow]

The 22 WRF or "special" has been around a long time and is imo a great cartridge. My Dad had a lot of them thru the years, and killed many whitetails with them. His 22-410 OU was rechambered to 22 special soon after he bought it in 1947. I still use it to this day and though I haven't bought ammo for it recently, I did a few years back. They make runs of it once in a while. Find some ammo and use it. Barlow

 

[swd]

Like a few others have said WRF and Special are the same thing. Just Winchester's name versus Remington. Many rifles can not be sleeved and made into LR because the Special/WRF is dimensionally larger and the LR won't cycle properly through shell stops or pick up on the extractor. Recent runs of Winchester WRF is usually not too hard to find.

 

[Hoot]

You can get boxes or entire bricks of new CCI 22 WRF on Gunbroker for an average of $14/box.

 

[trapperdan]

Thank all of you for the great advice. I should have asked the question years ago. I had no idea that the WRF would work or how reasonable the cost is. Since it has sat for so many years I am going to have it checked by a gunsmith and make sure it is safe to shoot. Can't wait to try it out on skippy, if I can find ammo. On my way to Gunbroker. Thanks Again.
Dan

 

[swd]

Dan check all your local gun shops too. I always seem to run across a few box's locally and ask your favorite gun shop if they can order it. I might be cheaper than gun broker. I think even our Bass Pro had it a while back.

 

[JohnHenry]

Target Sports USA website indicates they have it in stock.

http://www.targetsportsusa.com/cci-22-winchester-rimfire-wrf-ammo-45-gr-jhp-0069-p-904.aspx