.223 rem to .22 lr conversion

[enricovolante]

Hi everyone,

I have a sig 550 rifle that I use to shoot at 300 mt in Switzerland but, considering that noise has became a troble also over here, there are only few times where I can train at full range.
I was considering of converting the .223 rem into a .22 lr to shoot at 50 mt.
I've checked on the web but there is no conversion kit available for the rifle so the only remaining option is to convert directly the .223 cartridge itself.
Do you know if there is something available where I can just insert a .22 lr cartridge?

thanks a lot for your infos

Enrico

[TerryKuz]

The 22 lr requires a slow twist of around 1:16 as I recall. The 223 will have a twist of 1:12 or faster. So a conversion would also require a barrel swap for accuracy.
Maybe a SSP air rifle would be a better choice. You can shoot an airgun indoors, or quietly outside. FWB 601, Anschutz 2002, and Walther are great quality shooting arms. Here is a link I saw this morning. I don't have any vested interest, but the seller seems very reputable.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/79574/me ... ther+LGM-2

[Richard H]

Enrico, I don't think it going to be easy to convert a 550 into a .22lr, unlike the AR platform. It would take lots of work (which means money too) to just get it to chamber a .22lr then you'd need to get the gas piston system to reliably cycle 22 rounds, then you have the problem of finding .22lr magazines for it. I suspect in the end you'd end up with a very expensive novelty that was good enough for plinking.

[j-team]

Typically a .22lr conversion is straight blow back so the gas system is redundant. You just end up with a gas port full of lead!

You will need a whole new bolt as the firing pin in in the wrong place. The new bolt will have to be weighted to suit the impulse of a .22lr also.

Then there's the magazine/feeding problems...

Best option would be to buy a SIG 522 which is the factory .22lr version of the 550

http://www.sigsauer.com/products/ShowCa ... ductid=249

[Doug Owen]

I've used one in a couple of .223 rifles. It's a single shot only deal, of course, but it has a plug in the back that has an offset firing pin on one end and gets hit by the rifle's pin on the other.

As others have said, accuracy can be 'sub wonderful' in typical .223 bores due to twist rates and rifling profile.

Good luck.

http://www.mcace.com/adapters.htm

Doug Owen

[enricovolante]

Thanks a lot for your replies,

That's right converting a 550 in .22 is not only practical but impossible because unlike the AR there are no conversion kits.
I already considered the 522 but haven't seen one over here yet plus it does not come with iron sights (that are sold separately I believe).

I already shoot smallbore and airifle (both feinwerkbau), the idea of having the 223 into 22 was for fun.
Maybe the only think I can do (just to give a try) is to reload the .223 cartridge with the powder and bullet contained in the .22 round and to use the primer of 223.

I've seen the mcace product but I'm not sure if they ship international

Happy new year to all of you

[Hemmers]

Theoretically possible, but whether a kit actually exists is another matter.

The British SA80 can be converted from 5.56NATO (basically .223) to .22lr just by swapping out the breech block and springs and using a modified magazine.

Worked on simple blow-back as the cadet version (which had no gas parts so was straight-pull in 5.56NATO) became semi-auto with the .22lr kit.
Mostly used for cadets who often have .22 ranges at their units but not fullbore ranges. Obviously regular soldiers have ample access to fullbore ranges.

However, there are lots of practical issues like accuracy, twist rates, filling your gas ports with gunk, etc.

[cedric]

HI! Since its a SIG only solution then the only viable thing to do and which will also let you train with the same stock , trigger , sights etc. - just get the parts needed for the conversion - leave out the common parts like stock, trigger, sights, etc- basically just the 522 barreled action should do the trick at a much cheaper price.

[JamesH]

Theoretically possible, but whether a kit actually exists is another matter.

The British SA80 can be converted from 5.56NATO (basically .223) to .22lr just by swapping out the breech block and springs and using a modified magazine.

Worked on simple blow-back as the cadet version (which had no gas parts so was straight-pull in 5.56NATO) became semi-auto with the .22lr kit.
Mostly used for cadets who often have .22 ranges at their units but not fullbore ranges. Obviously regular soldiers have ample access to fullbore ranges.

However, there are lots of practical issues like accuracy, twist rates, filling your gas ports with gunk, etc.

Needs also a chamber converter.