Personal experience with feeding .22lr shotshells?

[MikePotts]

I have a friend who needs to shoot .22lr shotshells with quick reloads. Does anyone have any real world experience using bolt/lever/pump rifle that actually feed and eject those little buggers? - I don't

 

[Charlie]

My experiences were too long ago for me to give advice, but I personally liked the pumps.

 

[Moonpie]

Only gun I have that will cycle them is a modern made Henry pump action rifle.
I've never seen a semi-auto that would cycle them reliably.

 

[Vaquero]

Revolver, if he can get one.
Ain't much range to those shells anyway.

 

[Charlie]

I've shot one of these but it's been a while ago. I liked it!
https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog...cts_id/95624/Remington+572+BDL+Deluxe+22+Pump

 

[MikePotts]

Thanks Fellas, I've recommended a revolver - it would be my choice too Vaquero.

I'll see if he wants to spend some of his millions on a $500 pump .......but I doubt it

 

[Lunyfringe]

9 shot revolver, hands down... if he needs more than 9 shots, he needs more powerful shotshells. I've got a Henry Golden Boy I could try, but I don't see the point... the revolver just works and is much more handy than a rifle.

The .45ACP shotshells cycle my M&P every time. But they would tear up things that the 22lr shotshells will just smudge.

 

[skfullgun]

I've got a bit of experience with them.
The crimped .22 shotshells rarely eject, nor are they easily extracted. They almost "claw" themselves into place, and I've had to use a pocket knife to get them out of various rifles and semi-auto handguns.

They usually come out fairly easy with the ejector rod of a revolver.

The CCI shotsells with the plastic cup are best for function and will work SOMETIMES in semi-autos. They extract more easily. They are more expensive and, in my opinion, not as good in downrange performance.

None are effective past ten feet in a handgun - perhaps double that in a rifle.

 

[skfullgun]

Both work great on snakes just outside striking distance.

 

[Charlie]

Both work great on snakes just outside striking distance.

Hah!

 

[benenglish]

I have a friend who needs to shoot .22lr shotshells with quick reloads. Does anyone have any real world experience using bolt/lever/pump rifle that actually feed and eject those little buggers? - I don't

I have just a little experience with them but there have been a bunch of .22 LR pump rifles with smoothbore barrels built for precisely this purpose. If your friend wants a rifle there are plenty of good, old, used ones that will fill the bill. The Remington 121 smoothbores and smoothbore conversions are old and getting quite pricey. I suppose you'd be most likely to find a Remington 572 at a decent price and it would be a fine choice.

There are also bolt action alternatives, though I don't know if that qualifies as "quick reloads" for your friend.

Depending on the application and ONLY if you can find a case of the ammo made specifically for it, the autoloading Remington Nylon 66 Gallery Special, which only fires .22 shorts with frangible bullets, might work. It will have substantially longer range than any shotshell-shooting .22 rimfire with zero chance of a ricochet. However, they're collectible, seriously overpriced, and I'd never advise anyone to even look for one to actually use unless they first locate a case of ammo. The last production run of that ammo was a long, long time ago, iirc.

All that said, I'm still in the "get a revolver" camp.

ETA: There's always the custom route. Any rifle that reliably feeds, fires, and ejects can be converted to smoothbore, extending its range, for $90 by sending just the barrel here: http://www.urbanriflesupply.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=85&Itemid=502

 

[Moonpie]

You can have my H&R Model 999 when you pry it from my cold dead hands.

 

[gdr_11]

I used to shoot them all the time in my old Remington 572. The ticket was to pull back hard and crisp on the pump handle because the empties had a tendency to stick a bit. With that said, I shot hundreds of shotshell rounds and never had a FTE. I was primarily shooting small birds as part of my Taxidermy phase.

Today, I use the .22 WMR shotshells in my SA revolver. It gives a bit more range and punch for snakes but is still not very effective given the small size of the shot. The good news is I can shoot a small snake off a window ledge or outdoor furniture with causing any harm to the surroundings. Usually stuns them enough so I can give them some love with my square shovel. Anything bigger and I try to chase it out on the lawn so I can use the other 4 holes that are loaded with WMR hollowpoints.