Ammo Favorites - .22 Rimfire

Of all of the factory-made ammo cartridges on the planet today, the lowly .22 rimfire is by far the most popular and plentiful. It's also the very first self-contained metallic cartridge ever made! In the middle 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 tiny .22 bullet. The initial cartridges didn't even contain any gunpowder! The bullets were propelled only by the priming compound that has been deposited in the hollow rim at the root of the cartridge case. Naturally, the strain 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. With time, these cartridges became longer and more powerful, until they certainly were made long enough to create sense for use within rifle barrels. Hence, the .22 "Long Rifle" cartridges came into 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 while the fast-food restaurant proudly proclaims, "Billions and billions have now been served," there's no method to even commence to calculate just how many .22 rimfire cartridges have now been manufactured and shot through the entire years.

Because the .22 has been historically cheap and plentiful, as well as simple to shoot, it has 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 ponder over it ideal 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 is most ideal for small game, targets, and recreational shooting.

Yes, I'm quite sure some lucky fellow somewhere took a hundred direct hits from the .22 LR at point-blank range and survived with nary a problem, while another fool instantly dispatched of twelve elephants a hundred yards away with only ten shots from his .22 pistol! Perhaps you've heard similar stories. We're all better off to disregard such babble 30-30 ammo for sale, and apply the correct cartridge to the appropriate circumstance, particularly when shooting the .22 rimfire.

The existing ammo shortage-especially in .22--may have lots of folks worrying and wondering if they will ever be able to keep their favorite firearms fed. But I am sure things will turnaround soon. In fact, we're needs to see some catching up out there on the supply side, little by little. So be patient; supplies of .22 ammo will once more be plentiful and inexpensive, hopefully prior to later. And be confident that after supplies do increase, we'll have most of the loads you're searching for, for whatever application you need.

Note--This article is element of some brief overviews on some of our popular cartridges. Our goal isn't to market or downgrade any particular load, not as settle any bets you may have with your shooting buddies. We simply want to supply some basic information to anyone who could be interested. If you find this short article useful in selecting a certain cartridge for a particular purpose, great! But remember this-every cartridge and load has its limitations and boundaries, and we strongly urge you to respect them religiously. NEVER, EVER, push the limits of safety and good sense, nor use any kind of ammunition in any way apart from what it was designed for! No exceptions!

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