Guns Chambered in .22 Magnum

.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire, the .22 WMR or .22 Magnum, has been around since 1959, and it's never had the volume of .22 LR because it costs more and fits fewer guns. What it does have is roughly double the energy from a rifle barrel and a case that isn't interchangeable with .22 LR. This guide covers the .22 Magnum firearms Ammunition Depot lists, sorted by how much of the cartridge's potential each barrel actually delivers.

For the cartridge itself, including velocity comparisons, our .22 WMR vs .22 LR guide is the companion piece. This one is about the guns. Specs are from listings and manufacturer data, not a range test.

The barrel-length problem

.22 WMR is loaded with slow-burning powder to reach its published velocities from rifle-length barrels. From a 20-inch rifle, a 40-grain load runs well over 1,800 fps. From a two-inch revolver it may lose a third of that or more, and from a one-inch mini-revolver, more still. Every gun in this list is chambered for the same cartridge, but they are not the same gun in terms of what the bullet does on arrival. Buy with that in mind.

North American Arms mini-revolvers

NAA's minis are the smallest production revolvers made: single-action, five-shot, stainless, with a spur trigger and no trigger guard. In .22 Magnum they're the classic deep-concealment backup, and they're also just fun. The listing we link is the 1.63-inch-barrel version; a 1.13-inch version is also listed for those who want smaller still. From either, expect much less than the rifle numbers and a lot of muzzle flash, since unburned powder exits the barrel.

Loading and unloading means removing the cylinder, and the safety notches between chambers are the only safe way to carry it with all five loaded. Read the manual. Twice.

NAA Hogleg: a mini with a real barrel

The Hogleg is the NAA mini-revolver frame with a six-inch barrel and wood grips, per the listing. It's a novelty in shape and a serious change in function: six inches gives the .22 Magnum enough barrel to burn its powder, so velocity and accuracy improve dramatically over the pocket minis. It won't fit a pocket, and that's the point. Think of it as a very small, very light trail revolver.

Charter Arms Pathfinder Lite .22 WMR

The Pathfinder Lite is a conventional double-action revolver on an aluminum frame, and the listed version is the two-inch .22 Magnum with six shots. It weighs far less than a steel snubbie and carries like one, which makes it a plausible kit gun or a low-recoil carry choice for someone who can't manage a .38. From a two-inch barrel, remember, .22 Magnum is a much softer cartridge than its rifle numbers suggest; treat it as a step above .22 LR, not a small centerfire. The listing comes from a July link sheet, so confirm it's current.

Henry Golden Boy .22 WMR

This is where the cartridge earns its name. The Golden Boy's 20.5-inch octagon barrel and 12-round tube magazine, per the listing, give .22 Magnum its full velocity, and a lever-action rimfire is about the most pleasant small-game and varmint rifle there is. The Brasslite receiver and walnut stock are the same as the .22 LR Golden Boy, so if you already own one, the WMR version is a familiar gun with real reach. Our .22 lever and pump guide covers the .22 LR siblings.

Ammunition and safety

.22 WMR cases are longer and slightly larger in diameter than .22 LR. A .22 LR round will drop into a .22 WMR chamber and fire, but the case is undersized for the chamber and can split; never do it. Some revolvers come with a second .22 LR cylinder for exactly this reason, and that's the only safe way to shoot both. For load choices, the WMR vs LR guide and our small-game guide cover which bullets suit rifles and which suit short barrels.

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