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WHY not 22mag pistol?

Wagion
Any one know why know one makes them? 22 WMR semi-auto handguns that is.
I know there are 22mag revlovers out there. Thanks for the input.

If force ain't work'n... Your not use'n nough of it
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • gap1916
    Ruger makes a single six in 22mag. Several others used to make the 22mag in pistal form. A company called AMT made a semi auto. I am not sure who owns AMT now. One of the reasons it is not a big seller is that the 22 LR in a pistal is just as hot as the 22mag. The 22mag gets most of its bang for its buck in a longer rifle barrel. This is where it shines with velocity and distance. My 2 cents [8D]

    Greg
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  • cbxjeff
    I have a NAA 5 shot convertable revolver in 22LR & 22 Mag. Both cartriges feel about the same, which goes along with what 1916 says.

    cbxjeffIt's too late for me, save yourself.
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  • Nighthawk
    Heritage Arms makes a switchable cylinder for 22LR/22 Mag.The Revolver even had a manuel safety.For the money its a good gun it never fails to fire and is fairly accurate.



    Best!!

    Rugster


    Toujours Pret
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  • duckhunter
    "WHY" IS A VERY BASIC BUSINESS QUESTION. THE COMPANY DOES NOT SELL ENOUGH OF AN ITEM TO MAKE ANY MONEY.

    I WOULD RATHER BE DUCK HUNTING.
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  • spclark
    Economics is the simple answer; some have been made but haven't sold well enough to justify the production costs.

    I've owned two WMR pistols, a Grendel P-30 (semi-auto) and an S&W K-22 Masterpiece. I still have the K-22; I have to use a bore brush on the cylinder every time I reload as there's so much unburned powder left behind it prevents fresh rounds from seating properly & the cylinder won't close up. The Grendel I sold as the ammo got too expensive - at 30 rounds a magazine! - to shoot very often & it required frequent cleanings as well. The muzzle flash though was VERY IMPRESSIVE on an indoor range!

    Consensus is that, since the WMR was designed for long-barrel use, the handguns chambered for it don't keep things bottled up long enough for the powder charge to burn completely, so you don't get the power you're paying for & there's a lot of clean-up to do as well.

    There are some manufacturers planning 17 HMR pistols; I'm not sure if some'll be autoloaders or whether these'll suffer the same drawbacks. That ammo is often more costly than the WMR stuff as well....
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  • Txs
    I don't know if they're still manufactured, but the AMT Automag II is the only .22 WMR semiauto handgun that I'm aware of. They're nice little pistols, constructed from stainless steel and available with barrel lengths from just under 4in. to around 6in.
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  • MFI
    AMT has been out of business for quite some time. They had alot of probs with the .22 Automags.
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  • b.goforth
    there was a 22 magnum semiautomatic pistol manufactured by AMT in the 1980's and 1990's. it was offered in 3, 4 and 6 inch barrel lengths. manufactured of stainless steel in the 1911 government style except it was blow back and not a lock breach. they had some problems with feeding (which were correctable)and cci .22 magnum ammo (using flake powder) would not cycle the action all the time.

    i just finished tuning one in 6 inch barrel length to function with all .22 magnum ammo. the only drawback is more recoil than .22 long rifle semiautomatic pistols and flame leaping out at least a foot in the front also unburned powder could cause a problem in an extended shooting session (300 plus rounds). cost my have been a reason it didn't catch on they were priced over $200 when most .22 longrifle semiautomatics were around $100.
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  • Timber251
    High Standard use to make a double action 9 shot revolver that was in .22 mag. It would give you a little advantage over a sinle action 6 shot if more fire power was what you were looking for.
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  • duckhunter
    I HAVE A AMT AND A GRENDEL LISTED ON THIS SITE.
    7742592
    7701841

    I WOULD RATHER BE DUCK HUNTING.
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  • SSG ZAG
    Gap got me thinking, so I took my Chronograph and my pistol with both cylanders out back. Tuns out he's right. long rifle and mag numbers weren't that far apart, but the same ammo shot out of my 10/22's were way faster. Pretty weird.
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