.22 WRF

Hardcase · March 5, 2013, 02:36 PM

It's been a while since I've shot my great grandfather's old Colt Police Positive Target revolver, but when I did, it was a hoot - the gun is crazy accurate and, of course, a great piece of family history.

I've got around a thousand rounds of that Winchester .22WRF that they made in the '90s, which works fine, but you know how shooting .22s goes - it's so easy to burn through a ton of ammo quickly. So I see that CCI also makes .22WRF (which seems to be easier to get that .22LR these days). It has the caveat on the box, though, that it's not for revolvers.

Is that warning just to keep somebody from loading up their .22 mag revolver with .22WRF? I know that the bullet is about .001" bigger in diameter than regular .22s. I mean, there's nothing special about CCI's .22WRF that would prevent it from working properly in a revolver specifically chambered for .22WRF is there?

Bob Wright · March 5, 2013, 05:18 PM

I can't see why such a warning would be put on cartridge boxes.

The use of .22 WRF in .22 WMR revovlers is a practice I've done many times. I used the magnum cylinder in my Ruger Super Single Six amd loaded .22 WRF for squirrel hunting. Why? The .22 WRF cartridges are slightly larger than .22 LR and easier to handle when my hands were cold.

Bob Wright

Bob Wright · March 5, 2013, 05:26 PM

O.K. I did a little research. CCI's .22 WRF uses a jacketed bullet. The statement is made that most revovlers chambered for .22 WRF have undersized bores not suited to the use of jacketed bullets.

Their use would be fine for .22 Magnum rimfire revolvers. The old cartridges I used were Remington loaded with a flat point lead bullet.

Bob Wright

Old Grump · March 5, 2013, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Is that warning just to keep somebody from loading up their .22 mag revolver with .22WRF? I know that the bullet is about .001" bigger in diameter than regular .22s. I mean, there's nothing special about CCI's .22WRF that would prevent it from working properly in a revolver specifically chambered for .22WRF is there?

You answered the question, 22 Lr range from .222 to .223 and magnums run .224 so if your revolver bore is not .224 you will be running higher pressure.

rep1954 · March 5, 2013, 06:43 PM

Winchesters WRF is an all lead copper clad bullet and my favorite load in my SS 6 1/2" Single Six.

Hardcase · March 5, 2013, 08:19 PM

Thanks for the advice, fellas. rep1954, that Winchester ammo is what I've got now and it works great. I guess I'll keep my eyes peeled for more.

Bob Wright · March 5, 2013, 09:01 PM

The Original post regarded CCI's warning against using CCI .22 WRF in revolvers chambered for .22 WRF. To reiterate, the CCI round is loaded with a jacketed bullet, which they advise against using in a vintage .22 WRF revovler.

Lead bullets loadings are acceptable, however.

And, it is perfectly safe to use .22 WRF in revolvers chambered for .22 WMR.

Bob Wright

James K · March 5, 2013, 09:18 PM

I have not checked with CCI, but I suspect the warning against use in older guns and revolvers is due to the fact that the barrels of those guns were made from the same soft steel used in most .22 rimfire barrels, where barrels for the .22 WMR are made of harder steel made to stand up to the wear created by jacketed bullets.

Jim

Bob Wright · March 5, 2013, 09:26 PM

CCI states that their .22 WRF should not be used in .22 WRF revolvers. They claim that the bores are undersized for use with their jacketed bullets. The exemption is for revolvers only.

This from CCI's web site:

Quote:

—not for revolvers. Most 22 WRF revolvers have undersized bores that cannot use a jacketed bullet.

Bob Wright

armsmaster270 · March 6, 2013, 03:19 AM

I have used 22WCF/22WRF in my High Standard DM-101 22Mag derringer bought in the 60's interchangabley.

March 5, 2013, 02:36 PM	#1
Hardcase Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2009 Location: Sunny Southern Idaho Posts: 1,909	.22 WRF It's been a while since I've shot my great grandfather's old Colt Police Positive Target revolver, but when I did, it was a hoot - the gun is crazy accurate and, of course, a great piece of family history. I've got around a thousand rounds of that Winchester .22WRF that they made in the '90s, which works fine, but you know how shooting .22s goes - it's so easy to burn through a ton of ammo quickly. So I see that CCI also makes .22WRF (which seems to be easier to get that .22LR these days). It has the caveat on the box, though, that it's not for revolvers. Is that warning just to keep somebody from loading up their .22 mag revolver with .22WRF? I know that the bullet is about .001" bigger in diameter than regular .22s. I mean, there's nothing special about CCI's .22WRF that would prevent it from working properly in a revolver specifically chambered for .22WRF is there? __________________ Well we don't rent pigs and I figure it's better to say it right out front because a man that does like to rent pigs is... he's hard to stop - Gus McCrae

March 5, 2013, 08:19 PM	#6
Hardcase Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2009 Location: Sunny Southern Idaho Posts: 1,909	Thanks for the advice, fellas. rep1954, that Winchester ammo is what I've got now and it works great. I guess I'll keep my eyes peeled for more. __________________ Well we don't rent pigs and I figure it's better to say it right out front because a man that does like to rent pigs is... he's hard to stop - Gus McCrae

March 6, 2013, 03:19 AM	#10
armsmaster270 Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2008 Location: California Posts: 1,951	I have used 22WCF/22WRF in my High Standard DM-101 22Mag derringer bought in the 60's interchangabley. __________________ http://www.armsmaster.net-a.googlepages.com http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/f...aster270/Guns/ Retired LE, M.P., Sr. M.P. Investigator F.B.I. Trained Rangemaster/Firearms Instructor & Armorer, Presently Forensic Document Examiner for D.H.S.

March 5, 2013, 05:18 PM	#2
Bob Wright Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2012 Location: Memphis, Tennessee Posts: 2,989	I can't see why such a warning would be put on cartridge boxes. The use of .22 WRF in .22 WMR revovlers is a practice I've done many times. I used the magnum cylinder in my Ruger Super Single Six amd loaded .22 WRF for squirrel hunting. Why? The .22 WRF cartridges are slightly larger than .22 LR and easier to handle when my hands were cold. Bob Wright

March 5, 2013, 05:26 PM	#3
Bob Wright Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2012 Location: Memphis, Tennessee Posts: 2,989	O.K. I did a little research. CCI's .22 WRF uses a jacketed bullet. The statement is made that most revovlers chambered for .22 WRF have undersized bores not suited to the use of jacketed bullets. Their use would be fine for .22 Magnum rimfire revolvers. The old cartridges I used were Remington loaded with a flat point lead bullet. Bob Wright

March 5, 2013, 06:43 PM	#5
rep1954 Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2009 Location: Mid Western Michigan Posts: 1,187	Winchesters WRF is an all lead copper clad bullet and my favorite load in my SS 6 1/2" Single Six.

March 5, 2013, 09:01 PM	#7
Bob Wright Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2012 Location: Memphis, Tennessee Posts: 2,989	The Original post regarded CCI's warning against using CCI .22 WRF in revolvers chambered for .22 WRF. To reiterate, the CCI round is loaded with a jacketed bullet, which they advise against using in a vintage .22 WRF revovler. Lead bullets loadings are acceptable, however. And, it is perfectly safe to use .22 WRF in revolvers chambered for .22 WMR. Bob Wright

March 5, 2013, 09:18 PM	#8
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	I have not checked with CCI, but I suspect the warning against use in older guns and revolvers is due to the fact that the barrels of those guns were made from the same soft steel used in most .22 rimfire barrels, where barrels for the .22 WMR are made of harder steel made to stand up to the wear created by jacketed bullets. Jim