rifle doesn't take 22 LR :(

[CrimsonSoul]

so my dad bought my daughter a 22 rifle to replace her air gun. the guy at Academy told us it takes LR or shorts and I took his word for it and didn't read the manual (big mistake)! I went to my dads today to take her out to shoot it (and wife and two other kids 4, and 2), and had trouble loading the round in the chamber but didn't think much of it, after fiddling with it, got the round in and I shot first to show them what it sounds like (they were nervous because I told them it would be loud and they had to wear ear muffs). I pulled the trigger and bang it went and hit the target and they wanted to shoot it now, I told them to watch me because it would be cool when I unbolted it something would fly out. I unbolted it and.... nothing.... the casing was stuck in the gun, crap!

Long story short kids didn't get to shoot today had to buy 22 shorts to fit and good lord they are much more expensive than LR (or at least the only ones they had in stock were more expensive) 34 bucks for a box of 500 compared to 18 bucks for a box of 525 LRs. but anyway got home got out the cleaning rod and pushed the spent casing out put in the 22 shorts to make sure it would eject and it did. Looks like we have a date to go to my dads again soon.

BTW anyone around the Lake Jackson area know of an indoor shooting range that I can go to so when I want to practice I don't have to drive 30ish minutes to my dads place?

[flb_78]

What model rifle is it?

Most rifles that will chamber 22 shorts will also chamber 22lr.

[CrimsonSoul]

I'm not sure, all I know is Cricket .22 and I threw away the manual I'm guessing or I hid it somewhere extremely well (though I don't know why I have the manuals to all my firearms in their original case (the manuals, not the guns)).

[LarryH]

That's interesting. The Crickett we bought for our grandkids to shoot takes LR just fine.

Didn't know there were different models.

[flb_78]

As far as I can tell, all Crickett rifles are chambered in 22lr and will also shoot 22shorts.

Were you shooting Remington Golden Bullets? Those get stuck in the chamber on my Henry lever actions. I quit shooting them. They jammed up my Ruger 10/22 and Marlin 60 as well.

Ive been using Federal bulk ammo now and it performs much better then the Golden Bullets.

[Greybeard]

I can't say that I've examined a Cricket closely, but almost all rifles of modern manufacturing have stamped on the barrel or receiver what cartridges they are made to accept. Have you checked "the fine print" there?

[Greybeard]

Just went to their web site and found this:

Q. WHAT KIND OF AMMO CAN BE USED FOR THE CRICKETTS?
A. LONGS & SHORTS. LONGS ARE PREFERRED. THE CRICKETT IS NOT DESIGNED TO SHOOT ANY OTHER SIZE OF AMMO.

[CompVest]

I have no trouble shooting LR through mine! I like to stage my rounds in between my fingers and do rapid fire!

[shootthesheet]

My son has one and it shoots .22LR Golden Bullets just fine. I would run some shorts thru it and then LR if the shorts don't get stuck. I know that the ejector in my sons rifle doesn't always eject the rounds. Most times we can close the bolt and the spent cartrage will come out. But, I have had a few times with I used a knife to get it out. I don't know what causes it and have sent them an e-mail. http://www.crickett.com/contact_us.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?

[srothstein]

Just went to their web site and found this:

Q. WHAT KIND OF AMMO CAN BE USED FOR THE CRICKETTS?
A. LONGS & SHORTS. LONGS ARE PREFERRED. THE CRICKETT IS NOT DESIGNED TO SHOOT ANY OTHER SIZE OF AMMO.

This is interesting because if you click on rifle specifications on their web site it says they all shoot 22LR, Long or shorts (well except the 22WMR and 17 rifles0.

My son's Crickett shoots 22LR fine.

So my suggestion is to get the rifle to a decent gunsmith and have the chamber checked for accuracy. You may need to send the rifle back or you may have a batch of bad ammo that is slightly longer than the standard specification.

[CrimsonSoul]

The ammo I'm using is Winchester white box. it runs through my Walther 22 fine for the most part. The shorts I bought were the rem golden bullets and they seem to eject out fine and feed in fine, but I won't get to test it out till Wednesday

[KD5NRH]

So my suggestion is to get the rifle to a decent gunsmith and have the chamber checked for accuracy.

+1 Besides, if it's just a bit shy of the spec, the smith may have a reamer for .22LR, and save you the delay and expense of sending it in.

[Oldgringo]

That's interesting. The Crickets advertised on Budsguns.com all "say" they're chambered for .22 LR. I didn't even know .22 shorts or longs were still available.

Is taking the gun back not an option?

[CWOOD]

Sorry to ask a basic question, but did you clean the rifle before shooting. Often the factory lubricant/anti-rust is not ideal for operation and can make chambering a round and firing/ejecting more difficult. Try a good cleaning with a solvent and brush and then see if the rounds chamber/eject better.

If the rifle were chambered for shorts only or even longs only, it should never been able to chamber and the bold would not have gone into battery to allow you to fire. Also, it should say on the barrel what it is chambered for.

Try the cleaning first, maybe twice. If that does not remedy the situation, then find a local gunsmith who can work magic on the chamber if it is a bit out of spec or see if you dad can conveniently return/exchange it.

[joe817]

I can't say that I've examined a Cricket closely, but almost all rifles of modern manufacturing have stamped on the barrel or receiver what cartridges they are made to accept. Have you checked "the fine print" there?

The barrel should be stamped with the type of ammo it can digest. Every .22 rifle I've ever owned was stamped with what it'll accept.