Since the cost of Ruger 77 rimfires have gone thru the roof and are only worth about half what the factory wants for them, I am exploring getting barrels and switch them...

I'd like to point out I am using these as single shots at the range, so the magazine issue is not an issue...

but having a 77/22 and 77/17 both magnums... will a 22 Long rifle barrel bolt in and be able to fire?

I tried to see if several 10/22 take off barrels would work, but they didn't fire.. even tho Ileft that little V block set up they have out of it..

or can a gunsmith cut some off the chamber end and make them work that way?

Ruger charging $625.00 for a $300.00 Rimfire is sickening...

I don't want to wing the rifle in question as it belonged to a deceased friend..it is currently chambered in 22 Mag...

and with the elevated cost of 17 and 22 Mag ammo, I am not interested in shooting that...

I just want to chamber it into a 22 LR and be done with it..

Not having my rifles in Afghanistan, I am not sure. However, if my memory serves me, I don't think so. I don't think it will feed properly. There will be too much of a jump for the LR between mag and chamber.

I probably shouldn't have responded, but at the moment I am looking for something to kill time until I head to the base gym. How're things in Southern Oregon?

Regards, Lou

Look around on Rimfire Central -- some of the members have been doing the exact thing you'd like to do. One rifle, four calibers. There's a member selling magazine spacers for using the LR-length magazine in a magnum rifle without changing bottom metal, if you want to go that far. I think his screen name is "Twowheelinjim". Good luck.

I don't have either of the 77/22's on hand to get an exact measurement, however, a 22 long rifle cartridge will not work in a 22 magnum chamber. It is unsafe as the smaller diameter long rifle case will likely unravel, if it fires at all.
Since they are both "rim fires", merely swapping with a long rifle barrel isn't going to work well because of the difference in rim diameters. Not to mention extraction problems.

Unless you can find a long rifle bolt to go with the long rifle barrel, I think it is a losing proposition.

I haven't looked at the responses above, but you can ask them at Lilja-

http://www.riflebarrels.com/contact.htm

If the 77/22 is anything like to 10/22, headspace is determined by the bolt and not the chamber. You will need to swap bolts as well as barrels, or machine the bolt face. I believe the GO-Gage for .22LR is .043" versus .050" for the WMR, but don't quote me on that!

-- Brian