.22 Magnum AR-15?
Every so often we receive a message about .22 Magnum AR-15 rifles or .22 magnum AR-15 conversion kits. like always I perform the obligatory research to see if there’s anything new. While there’s often rumors of someone developing a .22 Mag AR or conversion rarely does anything come to market or last if it does. There’s probably a bunch of reasons for this. For starters the value of .22lr AR’s is cheap .22lr ammo, about 7 cents per round. Alternatively typically for a box of .22 magnum ammo you would expect to pay $10-$17 per box of 50 or 22-34 cents per round. While not expensive you’re still flinging quarters downrange instead of pennies with .22lr. Another reason is 22 mag is a niche market. There is very little interest from the shooting public.
22 Magnum vs 17HMR Ammo
Typically the shooter interested in a .22 magnum AR-15 would actually prefer an AR-15 chambered in the superior .17 HMR. This leads to my final thought, design, and engineering. The .22lr AR conversions were proven by Colt and Ciener decades ago. The basic designs of those have been evolving ever since. At this point .22 WMR and even .17 HMR is being built and tested by folks with a passion for the calibers rather than a big manufacturer looking to devote an engineering team to a new product with little interest. Who knows maybe one day this will change but right now shooters are content with their AR-15’s chambered in the .223/5.56, handgun calibers and of course the beloved dirt cheap .22lr rimfire cartridge.
Brandes Magnum Rimfire .22 Magnum AR-15 Upper Receivers
Note: The Brandes .22 magnum AR uppers are no longer being manufactured.
Let me be clear. I have no first-hand experience with the Brandes Magnum Rimfire aka BMR uppers. All I know I learned from their website. I have duplicated the information below.
Ray-Vin Brandes Magnum Rimfire 22 Magnum AR-15 Uppers Barrel Feed Ramp
It appears that the BMR utilizes a unique side charging upper. The charging handle and ejection port are two separate cutouts as opposed to the single cutout on an AR upper like a Fulton Armory Side Charger. The BMR blowback design uses a custom bolt and recoil system. Like a Milspec AR-15 the proper buffer and spring are buttstock dependent. See the bottom of this page to view the correct Brandes buffers. The barrel has an extended feed ramp for use with Black Dog .22 Magnum AR magazines.
If you own the BMR Send us a message.
Ray-Vin Brandes Magnum Rimfire 22 Magnum AR-15 Uppers - Manufacturers Information
All the below information is taken directly from the Ray-Vin website.
Brandes Magnum Rimfire 22 Magnum AR 15 Uppers Features
- Right or Left hand
- 16-1/4″ or 18″ Stainless Steel fluted barrel
- Anodized aircraft aluminum upper
- Case hardened bolt
- Hardened S7 firing pin
- Case hardened ejector
- Case hardened feed ramp
- Free float hand guard
- 1/2-28 x .450 muzzle thread
- Two 14-round Black Dog magazines
- Accepts all AR free float handguards
- Accepts all flat top sight systems
Brandes Magnum Rimfire 22 Magnum AR 15 Uppers Include
- Fully assembled upper
- Including bolt
- Muzzle thread protector
- Two 14 round magazines
- A1/A2 buffer
- Car buffer
- Buffer spring
- Travel limiter
- Parts list
- Instructions
BMR Notes, a lesson in blow-back actions.
Performance: The BMR is a blow-back action. This type of action involves a balance of many factors such as cartridge power, case geometry and bolt mass. In the AR system, the bolt, the buffer and half of the spring weight constitute the bolt mass. Altering the mass of the buffer allows for tuning the action for a particular cartridge.
BMR 22WMR uppers function quite reliably using ammo with 40gr or heavier bullets.
Bullets lighter than 40gr, especially 30gr, will probably require some adjustment for satisfactory results.
It has come to our attention that CMC triggers do not perform with our upper system. Light strikes is the problem reported with CMC triggers. The CMC trigger is engineered to work with AR-15 rifles firing 5.56 Nato or .223 Remington cartridges, and is not intended to work with other cartridges. The fine folks at CMC have told me they will replace the hammer spring with a stronger one at no charge.
If you are ordering a CMC trigger for our upper, call in the order and request a stronger hammer spring. While this may reduce light strikes, there is no guarantee either from CMC or Ray-Vin. We test our uppers using mil-spec triggers and hammers.
.22 Magnum AR-15 Buffers
Full Length Buttstock A2 Buffer Configuration – .22 Magnum
In the above configurations, the topmost is standard with the CAR recoil spring for 22WMR and 17HMR ammo. The lower configuration uses the standard A2 buffer with a travel limiter. Use this configuration if you experience case head doming or excessive un-burned powder in the action. The travel limiter is necessary to prevent the bolt handle from bottoming in the receiver slot.
Carbine Length Buttstock A4 Buffer Configuration – .22 Magnum
Similar to the A2 configurations, the uppermost is standard and the lower should be used if you experience case head deforming or excessive powder in the action.
Links to Other Content
.22 Handguns | .22 Rifles | Clark Custom Ruger 10/22 | Clark Custom S&W Model 41 | KIDD Lightweight 10/22 | .22 Projects | AR-15 .22 AR-22 | AR-15 22 Conversion Kits | Ruger 10/22 Upgrades |
I am looking to putchase a 22 mag ar 15 style rifle!!
I am looking to buy an Upper in 22 WMR to go on My mil-spec Ar15, preferably SS barrel.
The dedicated upper philosophy is the first step to kill a .22 mag conversion. There are two reasons a.22 mag would sell if done correctly, the first is the same as with the .22LR, namely weight to round count. The second the .22LR conversions can not offer. A bullet diameter and occasionally weight, more befitting the barrel they are shot through. In the Prepper community the more accurate jacketed magnum bullet would gain greater popularity over the all lead long rifle which causes leading issues with a barrel designed for jacketed rounds, unless you carry a much bulkier dedicated upper… as is typical with so many good Ideas, the “I wanna do it my way” nonsense kills too many practical Ideas, for example a replacement bolt and auxiliary chamber in 30 carbine for say, an 03A3 ? Naaa who would want that to teach marksmanship or even for hunting… so it was never put into production. even though it was proposed by the US military…
Anyone know where I can acquire one of these?
I prefer .22WMR over the .17HMR (too light) and the .22LR (not enough range) and if anyone starts making a .22WMR AR platform I’d buy it!
I want a 22 mag upper, could you let me know a price and delivery date, Thanks Ken
I am very interested in purchase of this 22mag for my ar-15 please let me know how i can purchase one
I am also a willing buyer for a AR 15 .22WMR complete upper
Would like to purchase a .22WMR complete upper also if possible.
I would so get this I shoot just about everything under the sun and love my pmr 30 and would love something like this.
I also have a PMR30 and love the handgun and the ammo.
I would love a conversion kit for my AR 15. I mean LOVE LOVE LOVE one.
22 mag gets it done, yeah I want one
how can i buy a ar15 22wmr
Juat liie the .22;lr conversion kit why not a .22 win mag conv kit for th ar???? Pleasee. Let me know thanks.
me too. please lmk when you find .
Hey Bear Creek Arsenal is releasing their new 22mag complete upper assembly this week. Go to http://www.bearcreekarsenal.com to purchase yours. I work for them and I am involved in the R&D department. I had the opportunity to take one of these complete uppers on a Squirrel hunt this past weekend and man, all I can say is you better be making head shots. Our uppers run great with 30grain and 40 grain ammo. That was something we made sure worked. I was using winchester 30grain ballistic tip this weekend. Yall will love this upper. Go get you one, you won’t be disappointed.
Bear creek arsenal is releasing our complete 22wmr upper this week
A couple of places to look it taccom3 g inc and bear creek arsenal. Tacoma upper I have and have shoot it works nicely and I have had no issues with it runs about $600 for there upper and goes on any ar15 lower. Bear creek arsenal is starting to come into the market too and you now can back order there upper on sale price bothe work on any ar15 lowers
Thank you for this info!
I was ready to give up on finding one.
Bear Creek Arsenal is making 2500 now. But must order now and put on back order or they will be gone
Yes but what people forget is there is a much as you call it for specific hunting too like coon and some small animals then there is also the competition shooters looking to gain a little more power. So why short change them and not let people know there are some out there
Bear Creek Arsenal is producing 2500 now but you have to order now and put on back order or they will be gone. Delivery date is 5/18/22. Order now or be sorry later. Mine is now on back order.
Can we get extended mags for the 22 war?
If you folks end up purchasing BCA please pass some pictures along.
Bear creek arsenal now has one!!!
Well I picked up the Taccom3g upper in 22 wmr and have not had any issues with it at all and it seems very accurate specially compared to a 22 lr. Upper and it fits on any ar 15 mill-spec lower