# Ruger SR-22 in .17 HM2?



## Scorpion8 (Jan 29, 2011)

So I picked up a second Ruger SR-22, 'cause they're such fun 'lil guns and this one isn't known by the man to reside with me. But thinking about upgrades, I was on Twin Tech Tactical's website looking at threaded replacement barrels, and wondered what an SR-22 in .17 HM2 would be like. Same size/shape as a 22LR, same magazines, quite a bit more zip and schwang, and except for the scarcity of ammo, quite a bit more reach. I doubt the SR-22 is accurate enough to really make use of the .17 HM2's capabilities with it's short barrel, but as a side project (since you could just swap barrels in and out) there'd be no loss of capability going back to the original gun. Might need a new recoil spring due to the different pressure curve.

Thoughts?


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

Do they actually offer this? I didn't see any .17HM2 barrels on a quick check of the website.

Based on what I know about the .17HM2 cartridge, I wouldn't think this would be possible without some serious re-engineering, whether or not you added a stronger spring. Back when the cartridge was introduced, it was touted as a quick-n-easy barrel-replacement change for existing .22LR rifles, but when folks started to use it, they found that even with a stronger spring, the bolts in semi-auto rifles (a large portion of .22LR firearms are semi-autos) were opening too quickly and the case heads were bursting. As I recall, the only way they found they could get it to function safely and reliably was to add mass to the bolt, which killed much of the quick-changeability appeal. I believe Ruger 10/22s could still be converted fairly easily by adding a heavyweight bolt handle (another drop-in part requiring no fitting) to increase the total mass of the bolt assembly, but after folks found out it wasn't as easy to convert as originally advertised, interest dropped-off fairly fast. It's still a relatively easy barrel-change to convert bolt-action or other manually-operated rifles, but the minor accuracy improvement, greatly increased cost of the ammo (2x to 3x or more than .22LR), and lack of availability of conversion barrels/parts has combined to almost kill-off the cartridge.

Also, the .17HM2 gets it's power and dramatic expansion effects from velocity, and putting it in a short-barrel pistol would kill that advantage as well. The increased accuracy advantage would also be mostly negated in a small/light/short-barreled firearm with a relatively heavy trigger pull, so I don't think it has much of a future in this type of platform.

Sorry to be such a buzzkill/DJ-downer.


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## Scorpion8 (Jan 29, 2011)

No, they don't offer one. I was thinking of asking if they could make one. Yea, now that I recall, the 10/22 mod flopped, and they had to add mass to the bolt. I thought about the short barrel, but it works reasonably well in a Ruger Single-Six 4-5/8 barrel. No problems, this was just a thought-project for possible workshop project.


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

Any idea what the velocity loss is in a short handgun-length barrel, compared to a rifle?


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

I would think that they would need a steel slide as opposed to aluminum alloy. Interesting concept though.


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