Different Types of .22
Table of Contents
Hey all, we here at True Shot Academy are going to go over the different types of .22 on the market. Our goal with this blog post is to provide a brief overview of some of the .22 caliber cartridges one may encounter. While most of these calibers are of the
rimfire variety, there is one centerfire example worth considering. Without further ado, let’s talk .22 caliber cartridges.
Is All .22 Ammo the Same?
Many shooters will say that they love their .22 and that .22 is one of the most popular calibers on the market. But what .22 are they really talking about? Odds are, they are talking about the
.22 Long Rifle cartridge and firearms chambered in the caliber. While the
.22 Long Rifle may be the most commonly used .22 caliber round today, there are many other .22 caliber cartridges in existence.
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.22 Short
The
.22 Short was introduced in 1857 by Smith & Wesson as it was developed for use in their very first revolver. Notably, the
.22 Short also has the distinction of being the first American developed metallic cartridge. Initially referred to as “.22 Rimfire,” the cartridge became known as
.22 Short after the .22 Long was released. The round has seen extensive use in pest control and recreational roles since its inception. Notably, many gallery guns were chambered in the cartridge and were prevalent at carnivals and other events in the early 20
th century. Some of the most notable
.22 Short loadings will be of the CB Short and target oriented varieties. Loadings of the latter type are refective of the round’s history as a gallery gun caliber.
The cartridge is well-known for its low volume and noise, making it a popular choice for pest control and plinking. The cartridge is not nearly as popular as the contemporary
.22 Long Rifle is today on the market. Despite this, the cartridge is still supported by companies such as
Aguila,
CCI, and
Winchester. Loadings will typically either feature a 27 or 29 grain projectile. The cartridge may not be as common as the
.22 Long Rifle, but it sees more support than the .22 Long cartridge in today’s market.
.22 Long
Introduced in 1871, the .22 Long is slightly larger than its
.22 Short counterpart. The initial .22 Long loading featured an increased powder load of 25% over the
.22 Short. While originally designed to be used in revolvers like the
.22 Short, the .22 Long was also utilized for rifles. As far as rifles go, the .22 Long is best suited for use in lever action or bolt action rifles. Generally speaking, the .22 Long will not reliably function in semi-automatic firearms.
At this point in time, .22 Long
ammunition is still produced but is not nearly as common as the
.22 Long Rifle. The cartridge is still produced by
CCI in limited quantities. Loadings will typically feature a 29 grain projectile in either a plated or non-plated form. The round is decidedly scarcer than its predecessor and successors.
.22 Long Rifle
Arguably one of the most popular calibers in existence, the
.22 Long Rifle made its debut in 1887. Introduced a year after the introduction of viable smokeless powder, the
.22 Long Rifle quickly took advantage of the benefits of the newer type of propellant. While
.22 Short and .22 Long loadings initially used black powder, the smokeless powder utilized by firearms after 1886 made for a more efficient and effective propellant. In a departure from the .22 Long, the
.22 Long Rifle is able to reliably function in semi-automatic firearms. Semi-automatic pistols and rifles in
.22 Long Rifle are some of the most common firearms owned by shooters in the United States. While the cartridge functions in semi-automatic firearms, it also works well in manual action handguns and rifles such as revolvers and bolt action rifles.
There is a wide variety of
.22 Long Rifle ammunition available on the market. Everything from cheap
bulk ammunition to specialized, premium
ammunition offerings exist. Everything from subsonic suppressor loadings, match
ammunition, hunting
ammunition, and snakeshot/ratshot offerings exist for the
.22 Long Rifle. Loadings exist with a variety of grain weights, typically sticking to the 30 to 40 grain range. At the end of the day, one will have zero issue finding
.22 Long Rifle ammo or firearms.
.22 Magnum
The
.22 Winchester Magnum, often simply called
.22 Magnum, was introduced in 1959. Often compared to the
.22 Long Rifle, the
.22 Magnum features a slightly thicker and longer case while featuring a consistent .22 diameter projectile. A longer case means that more powder can be added to the cartridge, allowing the
.22 Magnum to achieve higher velocities than its smaller counterparts. With a 40 grain projectile,
.22 Magnum loadings are generally capable of reaching velocities of 2,000 – 2,200 FPS. This is nearly double the velocity of most standard velocity
.22 Long Rifle loadings. Additionally, a .40 grain
.22 Magnum loading will typically boast 50% more kinetic energy at 100 yards than a
.22 Long Rifle loading at the muzzle. The higher velocity of the
.22 Magnum grants the cartridge a greater effective range and makes it much more potent for hunting usage. Smaller sized game and varmints are easily and ethically dispatched by the
.22 Magnum. The round excels particularly against prairie dogs, foxes, and coyotes to name a few types of game.
One will find that there is a great deal of
.22 Magnum ammunition available on the market. While not as popular as the
.22 Long Rifle, one will find a variety of loadings available for the
.22 Magnum. Hunting
ammunition, defensive
ammunition, plinking
ammunition, and snakeshot/ratshot loadings are common for the cartridge. The caliber can typically be found with grain weights similar to the
.22 Long Rifle, with lighter and heavier projectiles existing for specialty loadings. Companies such as
Armscor,
Aguila, and
CCI are among some of the producers of
.22 Magnum ammunition. Simply put, one will be able to easily find
.22 Magnum ammunition and firearms if they desire.
.22 Hornet
The .22 Hornet was introduced in 1930 and differs from the other .22 calibers on this list due to its status as a centerfire cartridge. The .22 Hornet is considerably longer than
.22 Short, .22 Long, and
.22 Long Rifle cartridges and is a decent bit longer than the
.22 Magnum. Until the introduction of the 5.7x28mm, the .22 Hornet was the smallest centerfire .22 caliber round on the market. As a hunting cartridge, the .22 Hornet is suitable for hunting small game and pests out to about 175 yards depending on the loading. Specifically, the cartridge can effectively dispatch game like javelina, coyote, and even turkey. The round’s effectiveness at dispatching game is owed to its high velocity, as loadings can generally reach 2,500 to 3,100 FPS. When paired with the right soft point, hollow point, or tipped projectiles, these loadings can impart a tremendous amount of kinetic energy and facilitate effective expansion.
As a centerfire cartridge, the .22 Hornet can be reloaded due to its use of traditional style casings and primers.
Ammunition for .22 Hornet can be found from a variety of sources such as
Sellier & Bellot,
Nosler,
PPU, and
Remington. These loadings will mainly encompass hunting loads and feature soft point and a variety of specialty tipped projectiles. Grain weights for this cartridge will typically range from 34 to 46 grains. Ultimately, one is able to find .22 Hornet loadings if they truly want to. While not as common as other calibers, the .22 Hornet is certainly not unobtainable by any means.
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Considering Compatibility
While there each of these .22 caliber loadings are different and unique, there are some instances in which a firearm chambered in one caliber can safely utilize other caliber(s). This is especially true with firearms chambered in
.22 Long Rifle such as the many lever action rifles offered by Henry Repeating Arms. These manual action firearms will not need to depend upon the inertia of the fired round to cycle, allowing them to accommodate
.22 Short and .22 Long
ammunition. To denote this compatibility, the barrel of these firearms is marked “Calibers .22 S/L/LR.”
While some compatibility exists, there are also many instances of incompatibility. Obviously, firearms chambered for smaller calibers cannot accommodate larger calibers. You will not fit a
.22 Long Rifle into a
.22 Short or .22 Long chamber. While a
.22 Long Rifle cartridge can be chambered in a
.22 Magnum chamber, it is not recommended as the cartridge will not be fully supported during firing. There is a high probability of the excess pressure leading to a split casing. Simply put, one should only shoot
ammunition appropriate for use in their firearm.
Conclusion
All in all, these are some of the types of .22
ammunition on the market. While most people are referring to
.22 Long Rifle when mentioning .22 ammo, it is important to recognize that there are in fact other types of .22
ammunition on the market. We here at True Shot Ammo carry a wide variety of
rimfire ammunition in addition to our other product offerings. Whether you are after a .22 caliber loading or something else, we have got you covered. As always, happy shooting.
Need bulk ammo? At True Shot Ammo, we have a wide variety of handgun ammo and rifle ammo available to purchase. Please visit our website trueshotammo.com, call us at (888) 736-6587, or you can email us at sales@trueshotammo.com for more ammo options.
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