Your Browser is Outdated
Although humble and sometimes underappreciated, the 22 Long Rifle (aka 22LR) is an overwhelmingly popular cartridge that is full of history. Of the approximately 8 billion rounds of ammo sold in the United States each year, an estimated 1.5 billion rounds are 22 Long Rifle Ammo, over 19% of the total market! No other caliber can boast those numbers, especially given that 22LR ammo dates back to around 1884, about 140 years.
What Are the Different Types of 22 Ammo?
The history of rimfire ammo goes back further, all the way to the pipsqueak .22 CB and .22 BB Caps (6mm Flobert in Europe) in 1845 and its slightly bigger brother the .22 Short in 1857. The "Short" name was actually tagged on when the .22 Long was invented in 1871. The short-lived 22 Extra Long of 1880 led to the 22 Long Rifle just 4 years later.
While the 22 BB was a gallery gun for use in short-range indoor shooting galleries (gun ranges) in private residences, the 22 Short rifle was actually initially brought to the market for self-defense. Although that may seem ridiculous by today’s standards, it was the very first Smith & Wesson firearm, the Model 1 revolver, and the caliber was popular because the firearms chambered in this round were very small and highly concealable. Unlike the .22 CB and .22 BB Caps that only used the power of the primer, .22 Short ammo was loaded with blackpowder in the cartridge, giving it more strength.
Another first is the notable fact that rimfire ammunition holds the distinction of being the first metallic cartridge in America. Although the French pinfire cartridge of 1835 predates rimfire, it was rendered obsolete by rimfire and later centerfire cartridges.
The Long and Extra Long were designed with longer cases than the 22 Short with heavier-grain bullets to add muzzle velocity and muzzle energy, particularly for small game hunting. 22 Long Rifle ammunition was quickly recognized as superior to its predecessors and has dominated the rimfire market ever since. Today when we’re talking about 22s, everyone’s mind immediately jumps to .22 Long Rifle. The imperceptible recoil, low noise, and inexpensive ammo make it the go-to for training new shooters, target practice, and small-game hunting the world over. Despite the name, .22 Long Rifles are found in long guns and handguns alike.
In fact, the 22LR rifle even has military applications. The legendary Eugene Stoner, most remembered as the designer of the AR15, also developed the semi-automatic 22LR AR-7 in 1959 (predated by the bolt-action centerfire .22 Hornet AR-5). They are still issued by the U.S. Air Force to this day for use as a take-down survival rifle. Once disassembled and stored in the floating, waterproof buttstock, they’re extremely compact for storage and very, very handy in a pinch. Civilians use them for boating, backpacking, and as a handy truck gun.
*The author’s AR-7 fully assembled, disassembled, and taken down into the buttstock.
22 WMR (Winchester Magnum Rimfire) Ammo was introduced in 1960 and is a popular rimfire cartridge, but the higher cost and availability of ammo and firearms in this caliber have kept it firmly in 2nd place behind the 22LR in modern rimfires. Of course, 22LR Winchester Rimfire Ammo is still around, with the ever-popular inexpensive Winchester Super-X and Winchester Wildcat cartridges found at target ranges and afield on small-game trips every day.
Can You Still Buy 22 Long Ammo?
Although it is hard to find due to a lack of demand, 22 Long ammunition is still on the market. CCI Ammunition still makes a 22 Long round, but during manufacturing crunches, the components and materials are usually diverted to 22 Long Rifle.
Is 22LR Ammo Still Hard to Find?
Rimfire ammo is the most susceptible to the kinds of shortages we’ve seen over the last 15 years or so. The biggest culprit is the sheer popularity of 22LR ammunition. As soon as a shortage is in the wind, people begin buying it up wherever they can find it. This typically leads to purchase limits at many ammo retailers to ensure that everyone is able to get at least a few boxes. The fact that rimfire cartridges aren’t reloadable also contributes to some hoarding behavior, since the brass only has a one-shot lifespan.
The good news is that 22 Long Rifle ammo is one of the first things to rebound in a shortage. That same popularity motivates manufacturers to produce more since it has lower materials costs than centerfire ammo and is a caliber that’s guaranteed to sell instead of sitting on a shelf. As of right now (October 2022), you can still get plenty of 22LR ammo.
What Are Some of the Best 22 Ammo Brands?
CCI Rimfire Ammo is always highly ranked. From their standard-velocity Blazer target and plinking ammo to their signature high-velocity Stinger and CCI Mini-Mag rounds, they are prized for their accuracy, reliability, and high quality. CCI Quiet-22 is a subsonic 22 ammo line, coming in at just 710 fps (feet per second), much lower than the standard velocity of around 1,120 fps.
Here’s a breakdown of other popular brands by application:
Small Game Hunting
- Although limited to 22 WMR/22 Magnum and not made in 22 Long Rifle at this time, Hornady Rimfire Ammo stands out as some of the best on the market. In addition to 22 Mag, they make 17 HMR, 17 WSM, and 17 HM2. The 17s are newcomers in the rimfire world, but they’ve gained a loyal following with varmint hunters.
- Browning Rimfire Ammo offers the BPR line, which is a great plated hollow point.
- Remington Rimfire Ammo has several popular loads for small game hunting and is relatively inexpensive.
Match-Grade 22 Long Rifle Ammo
All of the following are highly regarded for superior performance in rimfire match competition ammo:
Plinking and Target Shooting
- Remington, particularly the low-cost-per-round Remington Thunderbolt.
- Norma Rimfire Ammo offers Tac-22, specifically designed for use in AR Tactical 22s.
- Magtech Rimfire Ammo comes in bulk 500 rds LRN (lead round nose) for all-day trips to the range.
- Browning 22 Long Rifle Ammo has both lead round nose and plated hollow points that are great for plinking.
- Aguila Ammunition offers everything from CB-power-level Calibri to subsonic to standard velocity loads for target shooting. They also have higher velocity loads, but those aren’t exactly a plinking round.
- Federal Champion Rimfire Ammo is specifically for training and is a consistent load as a result.
Self-Defense
Although it should be noted that most experts on the subject consider 22 Magnum to be the absolute bare minimum for self-defense and advise against rimfire ammo for defense purposes, it’s notable that many gun manufacturers make concealable 22LR EDC (Every Day Carry) handguns in both semi-automatics and revolvers. These 22LR pistols sell well, and the old adage of "the gun that saves your life is the one you will carry every day without fail" is very true.
If you do choose to have a 22 Long Rifle for self-defense, the only round specifically designed for it that I know of is Federal Premium Personal Defense Punch .22 Long Rifle 29-Grain Solid Flat Nose (also available in 22 WMR). Unlike other 22 LR ammo carried for defense like CCI Mini-Mag and Stinger, Federal’s round is engineered to get 1,070 fps from a 2-inch barrel. It takes a much longer barrel than that to reach similar velocity in other 22LR rounds. The 1,650 fps out of a 24-inch barrel takes the Federal 22 Personal Defense well beyond the high-velocity range and into hyper-velocity numbers. That spells penetration, the key factor in any self-defense caliber.
*Pictured is the author’s last-ditch gun: a North American Arms 22 Long Rifle mini-revolver buckle-gun that has gone everywhere the law allows for well over 20 years. It is frequently mistaken for a replica, hiding out in plain sight.
22 Long Rifle: Here To Stay
The 22 Long Rifle isn’t going anywhere. While other calibers wax and wane in popularity, the old 22LR is a tried-and-true favorite. Go to any gun store and you can find 22 handguns, carbines, and rifles large and small, inexpensive to very expensive. They’re a great first firearm, and just about everyone who owns more than one firearm has a 22. I’ve known many people who have only ever had one gun and it was (drumroll, please) a .22 Long Rifle.
