A while back, I found a couple of barrels and 14 bullet inserts in a drawer. I can't even tell you where I got them from, but I had them for years. The barrels looked like normal 1911 .45 acp barrels, except they were bored for .22 and off center. There were some markings on the barrels, but I couldn't recognize anything familiar. There were also the bullet inserts. As it appeared, you would place a .22 rimfire into the insert and then load the "loaded" inserts into a standard .45 acp magazine. Now, you could fire .22's with a 1911 based pistol. Both the barrels and the inserts appeared to be stainless steel.

To make a long story short, I had no idea what I had. I put them on eBay and sold both sets for $275 each, and that was a few years ago. At the end, the bidding was crazy. Somebody mentioned that they were a Swedish .22 conversion from the 40's. They came to mind and I thought maybe somebody on this forum could tell what they actually were... and what they were really worth. I'd appreciate anything you can add.

Thanks, Ted

Norway had a conversion unit in the 20s-30s consisting of a barrel and cartridge inserts. Pictures I've seen don't show the inserts bored off ctr and don't show an end view of the barrel. I've never seen a complete unit for sale but I've seen individual inserts asking $70. Maybe a member from Norway can share more information or pictures. Did you save any pictures of your unit?

I once had a Walther conversion with a stainless barrel liner but brass, if I remember, inserts. The inserts had a small plug with an offset firing pin that seated behind the .22 cartridge which went inside the insert. The normal firing pin struck the ctr of the plug which then struck the offset primer rim of the .22 cartridge. However, I'm sure this was a more modern device than the 1940s.

If it is a Norwegian .22 conversion the barrel will not have locking lugs and a fixed barrel lug. Also the Kongsberg Crest is stamped on the cartridge holder. Do you have any pictures of the unit?