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Old March 19, 2022, 07:02 PM   #1
mehavey
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Savage Mdl 72 (Stevens Crackshot) converted to 22Mag

https://www.shootingtimes.com/editor...odel-72/359213

I picked up a Savage Model-72 in Cabelas used-gun section last month, pristine metal/wood/bore with rail & scope added.
Barrel reads "Savage Model 72 22 Short, Long, or Long Rifle"

Took a bit of work to make it serviceable as the rail mounting was a classic, Bubba, the hammer was weak (and catching/slowing on falling), and the extractor was outright missing.
(How that happens in a fully-assembled rifle for sale is beyond me)

That said however, upon being shot with four different 22 LR ammunition types (CCI Std, Blazer, Aquila Extra, and HiVel-HP)
-- it rifle was all over the place at 25 yards.

It also immediately & significantly bulged and split cases . . . big time... every load/ammunition type.

This tells me the chamber is waaaay too big..... How is that posssible?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Got home and grabbed a box of 22 Mag.



Purrrrfect fit on chambering.
But the Mag case is almost twice as long, and of a larger diameter.
It shouldn't even start to fit... but it does.

Now the 22LR and 22Mag have the same peak pressure (22-24ksi),
but the Mag has significantly more energy under curve.
The Mdl-72 action isn't 'weak,' but I've never heard of a 22Mag conversion.

Before I put this thing in an old tire and get out a long string . . .
Has ANYone ever heard of a Model-72/Crackshot converted to 22Mag ?

.

Last edited by mehavey; March 19, 2022 at 08:07 PM.
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Old March 21, 2022, 03:42 PM   #2
Paul B.
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Dunno why? But, I seem to recall that when the Crackshot was reissued, it also came in .22 WMR. I'd have to see a picture of the rifle in question as the photo in the accompanying article appears to be an original from an earlier period rather than the later issue. Kind of like the remake of a good movie that really isn't as good. There also used to be a cartridge call the .22 WRF IIRC, that was fatter and slightly more powerful than the .22 LR.I know the WRF can safely be fired in the WMR chamber but not sure if the WRF chamber is long enough to take the WMR.
I did some looking in my copy of THE RIFLE IN AMERICA by Phill Sharpe and here is where it gets confusing. The Crackshot #16 was originally discontinued in 1885. It was chambered to the .22LR which was a black powder cartridge and late to the .22 WRF. Late Stevens brought out the Favorite which was a better version if the #16 and came in a number of rimfire cartridges including the .22 LR and WRF. The Favorite was still in production as of the year 1938, when the book was published.
There's a few things in that article that don't jive with Sharpe's book and frankly, I'm inclined to go with Mr. Sharpe on this one.
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Old March 22, 2022, 08:45 PM   #3
Jim Watson
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The Model 72 is the modern, as in 1972, version.
Better steel, some redesign, but is it enough stronger for WMR?
Mehavey is in the right place to find out.
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Old March 23, 2022, 05:03 AM   #4
mehavey
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Fired 22Mag twice (held down by two 25-lb shotbags, and long string).
Nothing remarkable save pulling the spent cases was a little tighter.

Still .... `am putting it into NVG's hands to get re-lined/re-cut for standard 22LR.





an aside: That 22Mag at 6" didn't exit a 3" layer of plumber's putty.
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Old March 23, 2022, 09:29 AM   #5
Jim Watson
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Wow that certainly ruined a good deal.
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