Ammo Favorites – .22 Rimfire
Of all the factory-made ammo cartridges on earth today, the lowly .22 rimfire is undoubtedly the most popular and plentiful. It's also the very first self-contained metallic cartridge available! In the center of the nineteenth century, the very first manufactured cartridges were .22 rimfire BB Caps. “BB” is short for Breech-loading Bullets, and “Caps” were simply percussion caps, fitted with the little .22 bullet. The first cartridges didn't even contain any gunpowder! The bullets were propelled only by the priming compound that was deposited in the hollow rim at the base of the cartridge case. Naturally, the load wasn't very powerful at all, but it had been ideal for shooting galleries, even indoor ones.
In 1857 Smith & Wesson made a neat little revolver chambered for .22 Short cartridges, the oldest factory-loaded cartridges still in production today. In time, these cartridges became longer and better, until they were made long enough to make sense for used in rifle barrels. Hence, the .22 “Long Rifle” cartridges arrived to existence in 1887.
Today the .22LR comes in bullet weights anywhere from about 20 to 45 grains, including shot loads. Every imaginable shape of bullet has been produced, from the simple round nose to bizarre, space-age looking projectiles. And just as the fast-food restaurant proudly proclaims, “Billions and billions have been served,” there is no solution to even commence to calculate just how many .22 rimfire cartridges have been manufactured and shot throughout the years.
Because the .22 has been historically cheap and plentiful, as well as an easy task to shoot, it's been used-and misused-in an infinite pair of circumstances. Opinions on the merits of the .22 vary accordingly. Some rate it second to a spit-wad, while others contemplate it suitable for inter-galactic warfare. It's neither. Though small, it could effectively kill, and has been found in survival and last-resort defense situations. Though lethal, it's most suitable for small game, targets, and recreational shooting.
Yes, I'm quite sure some lucky fellow somewhere took 100 direct hits from the .22 LR at point-blank range and survived with nary an issue, while another fool instantly dispatched of twelve elephants 100 yards away with only ten shots from his 30-30 ammo for sale .22 pistol! Perhaps you've heard similar stories. We're all better off to disregard such babble, and apply the proper cartridge to the appropriate circumstance, especially when shooting the .22 rimfire.
The existing ammo shortage-especially in .22—may have plenty of folks worrying and wondering if they will ever be able to keep a common firearms fed. But I'm certain that things will turn around soon. In fact, we're just starting to see some catching up out there on the supply side, little by little. So have patience; supplies of .22 ammo will once more be plentiful and inexpensive, hopefully prior to later. And be assured that whenever supplies do increase, we'll have all the loads you're searching for, for whatever application you need.
Note—This article is element of some brief overviews on a few of our very popular cartridges. Our goal isn't to promote or downgrade any particular load, not as settle any bets you might have with your shooting buddies. We simply want to supply some basic information to anybody who might be interested. If you learn this information useful in selecting a particular cartridge for a certain purpose, great! But remember this-every cartridge and load has its limitations and boundaries, and we strongly urge one to respect them religiously. NEVER, EVER, push the limits of safety and good sense, nor use any kind of ammunition by any means besides what it was designed for! No exceptions!