.22 Mag or 25-20?

[Marlin32]

Been doing some research for gal at work, she's thinking on .22 mag handgun, which lead me to researching the Ruger Bearcat conversion to .22 mag, which leads me to this:

How easy would it be to convert a Marlin 39A to .22 mag? or would one be better off buying a Marlin in 25-20 instead??

[Pete44ru]

[How easy would it be to convert a Marlin 39A to .22 mag? or would one be better off buying a Marlin in 25-20 instead??]

Choose Door #2 - Buying ready-made is ALWAYS easier than an engineering headache.

Converting the Model 39A would involve strengthening the bolt material, lengthening the bolt throw, rechambering, reboring the magazine throat larger for the larger rim & installing a .22 magnum magazine tube from a boltgun - not to mention that AFAIK, the M39A has a .219" bore, while the .22 WRM requires a .224" bore (Why convertible revolvers have the larger bore).

IMHO, it would be just as easy to talk board member AlphaWolf45 into making you one from scratch, from stainless steel

Here's AW45's scratch built 39: http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... =1&t=23992

.

[Rusty]

I tend to think that if it were possible for a M39 to easily be converted to a magnum the factory would have done it a long time ago. IIRC the only .22 mag levergun Marlin ever made was based on the '94 action and it suffered from feeding problems from the start.

Someone else may remember this better than I.

[Ji in Hawaii]

You could buy a Henry ready made.

[jnyork]

The Marlin 25-20 is a classy act. Spendy, but classy. You'll be happy.

[rjohns94]

Would choose the 25-20 but can't use the center fire here on small game so my nod goes to buying ready made 22mag

[Old Savage]

What I am sayin' is there is no advantage of the 25-20 over that 22 Mag unless you already have a 25-20 and I would love to have either a 32-20 or 25 -20.

[sureshot]

Marlin did make the Levermatic 57M that was a 22 WMR. Not the most traditional looking lever gun but they are good shooters.
A couple of the local lever action silhouette shooters use them in the pistol cartridge class.

Steve

[hfcable]

probably best bet to hunt for a winchester 9422 in magnum. there are still a lot of them in circulation. i have the uberti 1873 wiinnie SRC in 22 mag that is my favorite so far.they are very hard to find though.

[cshold]

Would choose the 25-20 but can't use the center fire here on small game so my nod goes to buying ready made 22mag

Ditto...
That's one PA. game law that drives me nuts.
An old Winchester in 25-20 loaded with BP going
after bushy tails would be the bomb.

[6pt-sika]

I had a Marlin model 1894M which was a factory made 22 MAG and it shot pretty decent for a 22 MAG .

Also had several Marlin's in 25-20 and they all shot decent .

[AJMD429]

Although I just took my 5-year-old Taurus ultra-lite in .22 LR back to the shop for a trade towards the same gun in .22 WMR (got $185 for the gun that was only $225 new, and I'd used it ALOT), I'd have to say that with the $0.20 per round cost of .22 WMR, the idea of reloading .22 Hornet or .218 Bee or .25-20 or any of the other 'light' rounds becomes competitive...

[Canuck Bob]

I recently went through this excercise with my Handi Hornet purchase. I considered a 22 Mag and the Hornet. The 17 HRM didn't appeal to me even though it is a fine rimfire.

I chose the Hornet because it has lots of power for my needs. I like reloading and the Mag just isn't cheap enough anymore. I also own a 32-20 and can vouch for it being a ton of fun. The 25 is loaded hotter from the factory and would make a dandy cartridge. There is always something special about 100 year old cartridges and levers.

[JB]

Choose Door #2 - Buying ready-made is ALWAYS easier than an engineering headache.

Easier and a heck of a lot cheaper!

[CalvinMD]

Also thing the 22mag is the way to go...the Henry is nice and available without emptying your 401K

[GoatGuy]

I recently went through this excercise with my Handi Hornet purchase. I considered a 22 Mag and the Hornet. The 17 HRM didn't appeal to me even though it is a fine rimfire.

I chose the Hornet because it has lots of power for my needs. I like reloading and the Mag just isn't cheap enough anymore. I also own a 32-20 and can vouch for it being a ton of fun. The 25 is loaded hotter from the factory and would make a dandy cartridge. There is always something special about 100 year old cartridges and levers.

Well Canuck Bob, as the .22WRM is now more than a half century old (introduced by Winchester in 1959) it's not exactly what some would consider a johnny-come-lately cartridge.

[Canuck Bob]

I recently went through this excercise with my Handi Hornet purchase. I considered a 22 Mag and the Hornet. The 17 HRM didn't appeal to me even though it is a fine rimfire.

I chose the Hornet because it has lots of power for my needs. I like reloading and the Mag just isn't cheap enough anymore. I also own a 32-20 and can vouch for it being a ton of fun. The 25 is loaded hotter from the factory and would make a dandy cartridge. There is always something special about 100 year old cartridges and levers.

Well Canuck Bob, as the .22WRM is now more than a half century old (introduced by Winchester in 1959) it's not exactly what some would consider a johnny-come-lately cartridge.

Its younger than I am, of course noone has called a new comer for quite awhile! Except for my upstart 444 (the 60s) everything I own is around a hundred or more. Heck, I'm still not sure those scope contraptions are going to catch on.

[GoatGuy]