Shot in my 22 pistol

[Pro-Line]

I have (and love) a S&W 22A-1 Semi-Auto pistol, and I am wanting to shoot some rats with it. I have 2 barrels for it, one scoped and one not.

I was wondering if the shot will hurt the rifling in the barrel. I have shot the pellets for years out of a cheap H&R Model 929, and I have no idea if it has hurt it or not...I've never been able to hit anything with that particular gun anyway.

Any help?

Thanks so much.

[frizzellr]

I use snakeshot in my Ruger Single Six on occasion. It has never bothered it and it does a job at close range. I use the type that encases the shot in a blue capsule. My mom used the other type that had the shot crimped in the end but i never liked it.

[NE Hunter]

One question that occurs to me ( and Frizzeller could probably answer this) will the shot shell have enough pressure to cycle the action.

[Pro-Line]

Excellent Q, NE Hunter...I never even thought of that. It obviously wasn't an issue in the revolver.

I did pick up some 22 shells that are essentiall silent. They wouldn't even come close to cycling the action. Had to work the action every time.

Those quiet little shells are pretty slick. You can hear the hammer/pin drop and then hear the bullet hit the target. Works great for unwanted cats...OOPS I mean varmints. LOL

[frizzellr]

Thats something that I really dont know. I would imagine it varies from gun to gun. I use a revolver so it is a moot point, but I know the old crimped shot cases cause ejection problems because they are longer. With the other type one might have to cycle the action. I might have to test that out with the wife's semiauto.

[Charley]

I've never known any semi-auto, rifle or handgun, that would function with .22 LR shotloads.Either the CCI shotshells with the blue capsuleor the traditional crimped sg\hotshel just doesn't raise the pressure level enough to function them.

[Nomercy]

If you use the "shot capsule" type, you're fine, the shot will be carried down the bbl inside the capsule and won't damage your bore, but the crimped kind don't have this protection...I'll never shoot that kind in any of my guns...Although, there's a strong arguement that the lead shot won't hurt your steel barrel anyway, but I'm not going to take any chances, throw an egg against a window hard enough and both break, know what I mean?

One thing that I found problematic: for some reason, in most semi-auto's I've used them in, CCI shotshells -nickel plated brass with blue shot capsules-haven't cycled the action fully, in my Ruger Mark II pistols, I get nothing but jams, in my Marlin rifles, they don't even open enough to jam, they just slam back home on an empty-if they open at all