.22 shorts in a .22 long rifle chamber

[Mojaveman]

A friend tried to tell me that shooting .22 shorts in a rifle chambered for .22 long rifle will eventually pit the chamber. Good idea to or not?

[elk hunter]

I have never heard of it pitting a chamber but I know that lead will build up in the forward part of the chamber if you shoot enough shorts in it. Eventually you have to clean the lead out to chamber a long rifle in it.

[JohnFLand]

There are certainly lots of rifles of various makes and models that shoot short, long, and long rifle interchangeably.

[SunsetIE]

Originally Posted by JohnFLand

There are certainly lots of rifles of various makes and models that shoot short, long, and long rifle interchangeably.

Yep, nearly every marlin since about 1953 is marked s,l,lr.

[Mr. Beretta]

Originally Posted by Mojaveman

A friend tried to tell me that shooting .22 shorts in a rifle chambered for .22 long rifle will eventually pit the chamber. Good idea to or not?

Been shooting thousands of 22 shorts in rifles marked 22LR for over 48 years. Ain't seen nothing yet.

[Jwalt]

Possibly back in the day of corrosive ammo it might have been a problem or caused pitting in the chamber, but only due to the kind of mistreatment that would have caused pitting in the bore too.

['ol shooter]

You will get some carbon build-up that can be removed easily with a bore brush and solvent. Just make sure you clean the chamber well enough so feeding a LR round is smooth when you switch back to that.