The ".22" Magnum" Revisited:

The .22" Winchester Magnum has been around since 1959/1960 - and like so many other cartridges it is known - typically-confusingly - by multiple names (.22 WMR, .22 Mag, .22 MRF, & .22" Magnum).

One .22 LR" placed With Three .22" WMR Rounds.

However I reckon that there's only one feature holding it back from being the shooting worlds most popular and ubiquitous round .. and that's price. - I guess the "two-two-mags" fall off the shelf here in New Zealand at more than twice the cost of the plinker's choice 'ordinary rim-fire two-twos'. - But they certainly remain much cheaper than center-fire rifle cartridges.

.. Imagine if it was the same selling price as .22" R/F.

Don't let "Church of The .45" believers persuade you otherwise ... this high velocity round is effective, powerful, fairly "flat shooting" and versatile. (AND underrated & affordable).

A .22" Magnum will easily take-down a deer - but that likely may be counter to the local regulations. - I recently read that hunting deer with a 22 Magnum is as dodgy as historic white Hunter 'Karamojo' Bell shooting a thousand elephants with 7x57 mm rifles .. unless you know what you are doing.

 - Well - IF you don't "know what you are doing" - why are you carrying that rifle?

There's a sizable variety of center-fire 'two-twos' above this wee magnum, and the .22" long-rifle rim fire crowds in from below .. but some experienced shooting mates have opined that the WMR has what it takes to be a good all-round survival arm.

Ruger Model 8323 American .22" WMR - 9 Shot B/A.

Consider such a rifle combined with maybe a Kel-Tec PMR-30 pistol with both 30 round magazines loaded ..

Nothing is ever really perfect - but some things are certainly very good.

30, 40 & even 50 grain bullets flying at 2,500, 2,000, or 1,500 feet per second - hitting reliably out to perhaps 125 yards or more make the WMR very useful against small game, 'varmints' and other soft skinned creatures .. provided you hit them cleanly in an effective zone - Which you can manage of course? - You do practice?

Perhaps I should buy one of each? .. but I rather fancy a Ruger Mk. IV stainless steel 'Target' model next:

Marty K.
After researching & writing 1,036 blogs I've got something NEW to try .. I've signed-up to Patreon. - In over five years I've not made one cent from this .. NOW you can send me a wee support $ - starting from $1. to get all this stuff from New Zealand - over a year that's nearly the price of one Shooting magazine. - Am I worth it?

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