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About .22 Long Rifle Ammunition
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. A firearm in .22 Long Rifle is a “first gun” for many new shooters and is an excellent caliber to learn with.
Types of .22 Long Rifle Loadings
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Lead Round Nose (LRN): These loadings feature exposed lead projectiles which feature rounded tips. These types of loadings are common in rimfire ammo offerings and centerfire handgun ammunition loadings. Loadings of this type are well-suited to a variety of use cases and are great for plinking and recreational shooting. The lack of jacketing typically keeps pricing low for these loadings.
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High Velocity Hollow Point (HVHP): These types of loadings are most commonly encountered in the form of rimfire calibers such as .22 Long Rifle. Like the name suggests, these loadings feature hollow point projectiles which are capable of achieving higher velocities. These high velocities help ensure reliable function in a variety of firearms. Generally, these types of loadings will feature some form of jacketing and light grain weights.
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Copper Plate Hollow Point (CPHP): This term is most commonly used when referring to .22 Long Rifle ammunition or other rimfire calibers. Like the name suggests, these loadings feature hollow point projectiles with copper jacketing. Additionally, these loadings feature lighter projectile weights and are loaded to achieve high velocities. These types of loadings are well-suited for a variety of firearms and use cases such as plinking.
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Hollow Point (HP): HP loadings feature hollow point projectiles like the name suggests. This removal of material makes the projectile lighter and promotes high velocities. These types of loadings are optimized for self defense or match use and have a tendency to expand on impact. A good hollow point loading is one that achieves an appropriate level of penetration while expanding reliably upon impact within the target.
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Standard Velocity Soft Point (SVSP): This type of designation is commonly used for rimfire loadings in calibers such as .22 Long Rifle. Put plainly, these types of loadings are designed to achieve standard velocities and feature soft point projectiles. In shorter barrels, some standard velocity loadings will be traveling at subsonic velocities, making them well-suited for suppression. Projectiles in these loadings are typically unjacketed, yielding exposed lead bullets.
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Copper Plated Round Nose (CPRN): Loadings bearing this designation are generally going to be found in the form of rimfire calibers like .22 Long Rifle. As the name suggests, these loadings feature copper plated projectiles of the round nosed variety. This is to say that these loadings will run cleaner than their exposed lead counterparts. These types of loadings are generally going to come in the form of high velocity ammo offerings.
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Lead Solid Point (LSP): Like LRN loadings, these types of loadings feature projectiles which are completely constructed from lead and generally lack any form of jacketing. This nomenclature typically is used in the context of rimfire calibers such as .22 Long Rifle. Loadings of this type make for good general-purpose ammunition.
Firearms that Use .22 Long Rifle Ammo
Many types of firearms utilize .22 Long Rifle ammunition. These types of firearms typically encompass both handguns and rifles. Handgun offerings span revolvers in both single action and double action form in addition to a variety of semi-automatic offerings. Rifles also include both manual action and semi-automatic offerings. Manual action rifles are commonly found in the form of lever action and bolt action rifles.
Use Cases for .22 Long Rifle Ammunition
- Plinking
- Training
- Hunting
- Pest Control
- Competition
Popular Brands: .22 Long Ammo
Caliber Name Variations
- .22 Long Rifle
- .22 Long
- .22 Rimfire
- .22 LR
.22 Long Rifle Interchangeability
When it comes to .22 Long Rifle, there are some instances in which a firearm chambered in the caliber can safely utilize other caliber(s). This is especially true with 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.”
Additionally, some single action revolvers, like Ruger’s Single-Six, can accommodate cylinders for either .22 Long Rifle or .22 Magnum ammunition. This is one specific example of interchangeability between .22 Long Rifle and .22 Magnum due to the particularities of the specific revolver. 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.
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