Thursday, May 5, 2011

Subsonic .22 Ammo

From "Tossing Rocks" by Jesse's Hunting and Outdoors:
"At a time when American shooters crane their collective necks to get a glimpse of the newest and particularly the fastest cartridges on the market I find myself suddenly taken by the idea of s-l-o-w. I’m referring to sub-sonic 22LR rounds and for the past few months they have positively fascinated me. For the longest time they seemed to me to be the ballistic equivalent of a slingshot, and why they seem to work so well was a mystery."
Read more

The author goes on to describe the performance of these rounds in a Marlin 880 and a Chinese JW-15. The subsonics didn't perform well for him in the Marlin's Micro-groove barrel. That is why I am happy to have my ancient pre-Microgroove Model 81. It shoots everything well, substantially better than my 39A Mountie with its Microgroove rifling; and its 24" barrel is noticeably quieter with subsonics than any of my shorter-barrelled .22s. And it stabilizes and shoots the 60 grain Aguila Sniper Subsonic well, which would make it a keeper even in the absence of all its other great qualities. So that old M81 has become my primary subsonic .22 rifle.

The subsonics have worked well for me on a variety of small game, too. I haven't noted any lack of killing power. My grandfather, along with many other hunters of his generation, usually hunted with .22 Shorts. He never found the .22 LR ammo to be necessary. These .22 LR subsonics have more killing power than a .22 Short, while not destroying as much meat as a hi-speed .22 LR. That is a good thing, because those small critters don't have much meat to begin with.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

.22 Winchester Rimfire

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

.22 Winchester Rimfire
Type	Rifle
Place of origin	USA
Production history
Designed	1890
Specifications
Bullet diameter	.224 in (5.7 mm)
Neck diameter	.242 in (6.1 mm)
Base diameter	.243 in (6.2 mm)
Rim diameter	.295 in (7.5 mm)
Case length	0.96 in (24 mm)
Overall length	1.17 in (30 mm)
Primer type	rimfire
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type	Velocity	Energy
45 gr (2.9 g) standard velocity	1,050 ft/s (320 m/s)	105 ft·lbf (142 J)
45 gr (2.9 g)	1,450 ft/s (440 m/s)	210 ft·lbf (280 J)
40 gr (2.6 g) hollowpoint (high velocity)	1,440 ft/s (440 m/s)	185 ft·lbf (251 J)
Source(s): Barnes & Amber 1972

The .22 Winchester Rimfire (commonly called the .22 WRF) is an American rimfire rifle cartridge.
Introduced in the Winchester M1890 slide rifle, it had a flat-nose slug, and is identical to the .22 Remington Special (which differed only in having a roundnosed slug).^[1] It uses a flat-based, inside-lubricated bullet, which differs from the outside-lube slug of the .22 Short, Long, LR, and Extra Long rounds.^[1]
When introduced, the .22WRF "was the first notable improvement in the killing power" over the .22LR,^[2] and was able to kill cleaner at up to 75 yd (70 m). It is somewhat less accurate than the .22LR.^[1] and is most suited to hunting small game, such as rabbits or prairie dogs.^[2]
A variety of Winchester, Remington, and Stevens single-shots and repeater rifles were offered from 1890 onward, but new rifles are not made for this cartridge. .22 WRF ammunition is periodically offered by commercial makers for use in the old guns.^[1] It can be fired in any rifle chambered for the more powerful .22 WMR.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Barnes, p.275, ".22 Winchester Rimfire (WRF)".
^ ^a ^b Barnes, p.275, ".22 Winchester Rimfire (WRF).

Sources

Barnes, Frank C., ed. by John T. Amber. ".22 Winchester Rimfire", in Cartridges of the World, pp. 275 & 282-3. Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972. ISBN 0-695-80326-3.

.22 CB

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


A .22 CB cap, .22 short, and .22 Long Rifle
Type	rimfire, target
Place of origin	USA
Production history
Produced	1888
Specifications
Parent case	.22 BB
Bullet diameter	.222 in (5.6 mm)
Neck diameter	.225 in (5.7 mm)
Base diameter	.225 in (5.7 mm)
Rim diameter	.271 in (6.9 mm)
Rim thickness	.040 in (1.0 mm)
Case length	.420 in (10.7 mm)
Overall length	.520 in (13.2 mm)
Primer type	Rimfire
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type	Velocity	Energy
29 gr (1.9 g) RN	727 ft/s (222 m/s)	33 ft·lbf (45 J)
30 gr (1.9 g) RN	725 ft/s (221 m/s)	34 ft·lbf (46 J)
Source(s): Cartridges of the World, 11th Edition^[1]

.22 CB Cap (Conical Ball Cap, known as a 6mm Flobert in Europe) is a variety of .22 caliber rimfire ammunition which has a very small propellant charge (usually no gunpowder, just the primer), resulting in a low muzzle velocity of between 350 and 700 ft/s (110 to 210 m/s).^[2] This is similar to the muzzle velocity produced by a low to mid-power .22 pellet gun, however the bullet from a .22 CB cartridge is significantly heavier than a typical airgun pellet and therefore carries more energy. Due to their low power, CB rounds can be trapped by most pellet gun traps. In longer rifle barrels the CB has a very quiet, seemingly non-existent report due to the lack of residual pressure at the muzzle (see Internal ballistics).
The original .22 CB cartridge has the same case as the .22 BB, but there are now low-power .22 rounds sold as .22 CB Short and .22 CB Long which come in the more common .22 rimfire cartridge cases. The longer cases will allow the rounds to be fired in magazine fed firearms, in which the tiny CB Cap cases would jam. So while having the same length, the modern .22 CB Short and the .22 Short are two different cartridges. The CB has a reduced powder load and is kept (as mentioned above) between 350 and 700 ft/s, while the Short with an increased powder amount launches the same 29gr bullet around and above 1000 ft/s.

Specifications

Case length:
- Cap: 0.284 in (7.2 mm)
- Short: 0.423 in (10.7 mm)
- Long: 0.595 in (15.1 mm)
Bullet weight:
- typically 20 to 29 grains (1.30 to 1.88 g)

References

^ Cartridges of the World 11th Edition, Book by Frank C. Barnes, Edited by Stan Skinner, Gun Digest Books, 2006, ISBN 0-89689-297-2 pp. 490, 492
^ Cartridges of the World 11th Edition, Book by Frank C. Barnes, Edited by Stan Skinner, Gun Digest Books, 2006, ISBN 0-89689-297-2 p. 476

.22 BB

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

.22 BB
A .22 CB cap, .22 short, and .22 Long Rifle; the BB cap is the same length as the CB cap, but uses a round ball
Type	target
Place of origin	USA
Production history
Designer	Flobert
Designed	1845
Specifications
Parent case	tapered percussion cap
Bullet diameter	.222 in (5.6 mm)
Neck diameter	.224 in (5.7 mm)
Base diameter	.224 in (5.7 mm)
Rim diameter	.270 in (6.9 mm)
Rim thickness	.040 in (1.0 mm)
Case length	.284 in (7.2 mm)
Overall length	.343 in (8.7 mm)
Primer type	Rimfire
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type	Velocity	Energy
20 gr (1.3 g) rn	780 ft/s (240 m/s)	26 ft·lbf (35 J)
18 gr (1.2 g) rn	780 ft/s (240 m/s)	24 ft·lbf (33 J)
16 gr (1.0 g) rn	750 ft/s (230 m/s)	20 ft·lbf (27 J)
Source(s): Cartridges of the World ^[1]

For the spherical air gun ammunition, see BB (ammunition).

.22 BB Cap (Bulleted Breech Cap) is a variety of .22 caliber rimfire ammunition. .22 BB cap and .22 CB refer to cartridges that are low velocity and project reduced noise. These rimfires closely resemble a .22 caliber air rifle in power and are often used for indoor shooting and close range pest control. Developed for indoor shooting galleries with special "gallery guns", the .22 BB Cap was the first rimfire cartridge, dating back to 1845. It has no separate propellant charge, relying on the impulse created by the primer alone to fire a round lead ball. This results in a low muzzle velocity of around 700 ft/s (210 m/s) or less. More common is the .22 CB ammunition, which fires a slightly heavier conical bullet and is available in a variety of cartridge lengths.

Specifications

Length:
- Case: 0.284 in (7.2 mm)
- Overall: .343 in (8.7 mm)
Bullet weight: 18 gr (1.17 g)

References

^ Cartridges of the World 11th Edition, Book by Frank C. Barnes, Edited by Stan Skinner, Gun Digest Books, 2006, ISBN 0-89689-297-2 pp. 490, 492

.22 Extra Long

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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.22 Extra Long
Type	Rifle
Place of origin	USA
Production history
Produced	1880?-1935
Specifications
Bullet diameter	.223 in (5.7 mm)
Neck diameter	.225 in (5.7 mm)
Base diameter	.225 in (5.7 mm)
Rim diameter	.275 in (7.0 mm)
Case length	.750 in (19.1 mm)
Overall length	1.16 in (29 mm)
Primer type	rimfire
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type	Velocity	Energy
40 gr (2.6 g) (late smokeless)	1,050 ft/s (320 m/s)	98 ft·lbf (133 J)
Source(s): Barnes & Amber 1972

The .22 Extra Long is a .22 in (5.6mm) American rimfire rifle and handgun cartridge.
Introduced around 1880, the .22 Extra Long was used in Remington, Ballard, Wesson, Stevens, and later (1916) models of Winchester's M1903 and M1904 single shot bolt action rifles,^[1] as well as in Smith & Wesson revolvers.^[1]
Using the same 40 gr (2.6 g) outside-lubricated bullet later adapted for the very much more common .22 Long Rifle,^[1] the Extra Long was loaded with 6 gr (389 mg) of black powder.^[1] Originally, it slightly outperformed the .22LR, but was "not noted for great accuracy",^[1] while later smokeless loads achieved about the same muzzle velocity as the .22LR.
As with the .22 Winchester Automatic^[2] and .22 Remington Automatic,^[3] the .22 Extra Long will not chamber correctly in .22 Long Rifle weapons.^[1] Because it is very dimensionally-similar, however, the shorter .22 Short, .22 Long, and .22 LR will chamber in weapons designed for it^[1] (in the same way .38 Special ammunition can be fired in .357 Magnum weapons, or .44 Special rounds in .44 Magnums).
The power of the .22 Extra Long is comparable to the standard velocity .22 Long Rifle,^[1] which is very much more commonly chambered and sold.
The .22 Extra Long ceased to be offered commercially in 1935.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Barnes, p.274, ".22 Extra Long".
^ Barnes, p.275, ".22 Winchester Automatic".
^ Barnes, p.275, ".22 Remington Automatic".

Sources

Barnes, Frank C., ed. by John T. Amber. ".22 Extra Long", in Cartridges of the World, pp. 274, 282, & 283. Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972. ISBN 0-695-80326-3.

.22 Long

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Not to be confused with the more common .22 Long Rifle.

.22 Long

Type	Rimfire
Place of origin	USA
Production history
Produced	1871
Specifications
Parent case	.22 Short
Bullet diameter	.223 in (5.7 mm)
Neck diameter	.224 in (5.7 mm)
Base diameter	.225 in (5.7 mm)
Rim diameter	.272 in (6.9 mm)
Rim thickness	.042 in (1.1 mm)
Case length	.595 in (15.1 mm)
Overall length	.798 in (20.3 mm)
Primer type	Rimfire
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type	Velocity	Energy
29 gr (1.9 g) RN	1,038 ft/s (316 m/s)	67 ft·lbf (91 J)
Source(s): Cartridges of the World ^[1]

.22 Long is a variety of .22 caliber (5.6 mm) rimfire ammunition. The .22 Long is the second oldest of the surviving rimfire cartridges, dating back to 1871, when it was loaded with a 29 grain (1.9 g) bullet and 5 grains (0.32 g) of black powder, 25% more than the .22 Short it was based on. It was designed for use in revolvers, but was soon chambered in rifles as well.^[1]
In 1887 the .22 Long case was combined with the heavier 40 grain (2.6 g) bullet of the .22 Extra Long of 1880 to produce the .22 Long Rifle giving a longer overall length, a higher muzzle energy and superior performance as a hunting and target round, rendering the .22 Long and .22 Extra Long obsolete. For a time there was a price difference between the .22 Long and .22 Long Rifle and the .22 Long held on with budget minded shooters until the price advantage finally disappeared. No new firearms are designed specifically to use .22 Long and the largest 3 producers of .22 Long ammunition ceased production (although it continues to be made by CCI, Aguila, and others). Many .22 Long Rifle guns will chamber and fire the shorter round, though the .22 Long generally does not generate sufficient energy to operate semi-automatic guns. The one prominent survivor of the .22 Long is the .22 CB Long, a long-cased version of the .22 CB.
While the original .22 Long loading used the same powder charge as the .22 Long Rifle, the .22 Long bullet was significantly lighter, and the combination did not result in higher velocities for the .22 Long when fired from a rifle. The large barrel volume to chamber volume ratio of a .22 rimfire rifle means that the powder gasses have expanded as far as they can well before the bullet reaches the muzzle of a normal length rifle barrel, and the light .22 Long bullet has less inertia than the .22 Long Rifle. This means that the .22 Long bullet (and to a lesser extent the .22 Long Rifle in most loadings) actually slows down significantly before it exits the barrel.
Since the .22 Long Rifle performs as well in a short handgun barrel as the .22 Long and outperforms it significantly in a long rifle barrel, the development of the .22 Long Rifle assured the .22 Long's path to obsolescence.
In a sense, though, descendants of the .22 Long still live on, though they are not sold as such. Modern Hypervelocity loadings of the .22 Long Rifle use bullets as light as 30 grains (1.9 g), and special blends of powder to make full use of a rifle barrel to generate velocities far higher than normal loads, and chamber pressures high enough to cycle semi-automatic firearms reliably. The most well known of these is the CCI Stinger, which actually goes so far as to stretch the case length slightly, so that with the short, light bullet, the overall length is still within the max overall length for the .22 Long Rifle.

Specifications

Length:
- Case: 0.595 in (15.1 mm)
- Overall: 0.880 in (22.4 mm)
Bullet weight: 29 gr (1.88 g)

References

^ ^a ^b Cartridges of the World 11th Edition, Book by Frank C. Barnes, Edited by Stan Skinner, Gun Digest Books, 2006, ISBN 0-89689-297-2 pp. 490, 492

.22 Magnum

.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from .22 Magnum)

Jump to: navigation, search

For other .22 caliber variants, see .22 (disambiguation).

.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire
.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire
Type	Rimfire
Place of origin	USA
Production history
Designer	Winchester
Designed	1959
Manufacturer	Winchester
Produced	1960–Present
Specifications
Parent case	.22 WRF
Bullet diameter	.224 in (5.7 mm)
Neck diameter	.240 in (6.1 mm)
Base diameter	.241 in (6.1 mm)
Rim diameter	.291 in (7.4 mm)
Rim thickness	.046 in (1.2 mm)
Case length	1.052 in (26.7 mm)
Overall length	1.35 in (34 mm)
Primer type	Rimfire
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type	Velocity	Energy
30 gr (1.9 g) HP	2,200 ft/s (670 m/s)	322 ft·lbf (437 J)
40 gr (2.6 g) JHP	1,910 ft/s (580 m/s)	324 ft·lbf (439 J)
50 gr (3.2 g) JHP	1,650 ft/s (500 m/s)	300 ft·lbf (410 J)
Source(s): Cartridges of the World ^[1]

The .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire, more commonly called .22 WMR, .22 Magnum, or simply .22 Mag, is a rimfire rifle cartridge. Originally loaded with a bullet weight of 40 grains (2.6 g) delivering velocities in the 2,000 feet per second (610 m/s) range from a rifle barrel, .22 WMR has also been loaded with bullet weights of 50 grains (3.2 g) at 1,530 feet per second (470 m/s) and 30 grains (1.9 g) at 2,200 feet per second (670 m/s).

History

The .22 WMR was introduced in 1959 by Winchester, but was not used by Winchester until the venerable Model 61 slide rifle could be chambered for it, well into 1960.^[2] By that time, Smith and Wesson and Ruger had revolvers for it, and Savage had come out with the Model 24, a .22/.410 combination rifle. It was the only successful rimfire cartridge introduced in the 20th Century.^[3]
The .22 WMR uses a larger case than the more popular .22 Long Rifle, both in diameter and length. The .22 WMR case is a lengthened version of the older .22 WRF (.22 WRF may be fired in a .22 WMR but not vice versa). The .22 WMR's case is thicker than that of the .22 LR, allowing higher pressures. The combination of more powder and higher pressures gives velocities over 2,000 feet per second (610 m/s) from a rifle using a 30-grain (1.9 g) bullet, and 1,500 feet (460 m) per second (460 m/s) from a handgun. A .22 WMR round will not fit into the chamber of a .22 LR firearm but is possible to chamber and fire .22 LR rounds in a .22 WMR firearm. This is potentially hazardous due to the difference in case diameter. When fired, the .22 LR case expands in the chamber, which can cause the case to split open or become stuck. Also, the long rifle bullet will travel in the magnum chamber unsupported for .4" before entering the barrel causing leading in the chamber.

Uses

Since the .22 WMR generally uses the same weight bullets as the .22 Long Rifle, it is generally used in similar situations. The 40-grain (2.6 g) .22 WMR at 100 yards (91 m) still retains the velocity of a .22 LR at the muzzle, which can provide improved penetration at all ranges, and more reliable expansion at longer ranges with expanding bullets.
If sighted in for maximum point blank range on a 3-inch (76 mm) high target, the 40-grain (2.6 g) .22 WMR can reach ranges of nearly 125 yards (114 m). This makes the .22 WMR an effective short to medium range varmint rifle cartridge. The relatively quiet sound of firing (with hearing protection) and negligible recoil also make it a very pleasant round to shoot for extensive periods.

Firearms using .22 WMR

The .22 WMR operates at pressures beyond what normal blowback actions typically handle. It first appeared in the Savage Model 24 combination rifle, followed by Winchester's own Model 61. A number of single-shots and repeaters were offered in .22WMR, and the self-loading Jefferson Model 159.^[2] Until the 1990s, most .22 WMR firearms were bolt action rifles. In the 1990s semi-automatic .22 WMR rifles were introduced by Sturm Ruger, Savage, and Marlin, and more recently Remington. .22 WMR revolvers are made by by Taurus, North American Arms, Tanfoglio, Heritage Arms, and Sturm Ruger. .22 WMR semi-automatic pistols were produced by Grendel, AMT and Kel-Tec the former two now defunct (AMT has been since resurrected by High Standard). The Grendel, AMT and Kel-Tec designs used specially designed chambers with flutes or gas ports, designed to lubricate the long, thin cartridge with gases from the chamber, overcoming the Blish effect and allowing easy extraction of the cartridge.^[4]

Ammunition

.22 WMR Ratshot

The .22WMR is little more than an enlarged, more powerful version of the much earlier .22 WRF^[2] (which can also be fired in any weapon chambered for .22WMR).^[5] It was for a time the most powerful rimfire round available,^[6] and even outperformed the .22 WCF.^[7]
While more powerful than the .22 Long Rifle, ammunition is not available in as large a variety as .22 LR. Availability is also not as great, either; while the .22 WMR is by no means hard to find, nearly every retailer that sells ammunition will carry .22 LR. The price of .22 WMR is substantially higher than almost all .22 LR, though it is less expensive than the new .17 Rimfire calibers. Since many of the rifles that chamber the .22 WMR use tubular magazines, bullet noses are generally flat or blunt to allow smooth feeding.^[8] Recently, new bullets have emerged from Remington, CCI, and Hornady and have 30 or 33-grain (2.1 g) polymer plastic ballistic tips.^[9]^[10]^[11]

.22 Long, .22 LR, and .22 Winchester Magnum, respectively.

While a pointed bullet is not going to rest against the primer of the round in front of it (as in a centerfire cartridge), a pointed bullet could still hang on the manufacturer's stamp, which is found in the middle of the base of the cartridge.
Bullets for the .22 WMR are generally unlubricated lead with heavy copper plating, in either solid nose or hollow point style designed for small game hunting or pest control (varmint hunting).
Due to the limited selection of commercial ammunition, the .22 WMR was the case used by a small but dedicated group of wildcatters for handloading high performance rimfire ammunition. Generally these loads would use more aerodynamic pointed bullets, the same type used by .22 caliber centerfire cartridges. While often heavier than standard .22 WMR bullets, the sharp nose and tapered tail retained velocity better, and delivered more energy downrange. Other wildcatters would neck the .22 WMR down to smaller calibers, such as .20 (5 mm) and .17 (4.5 mm) or even smaller, in an attempt to get maximum velocity and the flattest possible trajectory.^{[citation needed]}

Applications

The .22 WMR is effective out to 125 yd (115 m) on varmints such as fox or coyotes, but may be too destructive for small game (under 50 yd [45 m]), such as rabbits or prairie dogs or anything intended for eating, unless full metal jacketed or similar non-expanding bullets are used.^[2]

References

^ Cartridges of the World 11th Edition, Book by Frank C. Barnes, Edited by Stan Skinner, Gun Digest Books, 2006, ISBN 0-89689-297-2 pp. 490, 492
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Barnes 1972, p.275, ".22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire".
^ Frank C. Barnes, ed. Stan Skinner. Cartridges of the World, 10th Ed.. Krause Publications. ISBN 0-87349-605-1.
^ "AMT AutoMag". http://www.highstandard.com/amt_automag.html.
^ Barnes 1972, p.275, ".22 Winchester Rimfire (WRF)".
^ Barnes, p.275, ".22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire".
^ Barnes 1972, p.275, ".22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire".
^ Sparano, Vin (2000). The Complete Outdoors Encyclopedia. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 9780312267223.
^ "Remington Magnum Rimfire: 22 Win Mag PR22M1 33-grain AccuTip-V". Remington Arms Company, Inc.. Archived from the original on 2008-05-30. http://web.archive.org/web/20080530170242/http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/rimfire/magnum_rimfire.asp. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
^ "CCI: Varmint 0073 22 Magnum RF V-MAX 30-grain poly-tip". CCI. http://www.cci-ammunition.com/ballistics/rimfire.aspx. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
^ "Hornady: 22 WMR 30-grain V-MAX". Hornady Manufacturing, Inc.. http://www.hornady.com/shop/?page=shop%2Fbrowse&category_id=9b26ee2729baf268e4ae1c61acde17cc. Retrieved 2008-06-17. ^{[dead link]}

Barnes, Frank C., ed. by John T. Amber. ".22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire", in Cartridges of the World, pp. 275. Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972. ISBN 0-695-80326-3.
Cartridges of the World 11th Edition, Book by Frank C. Barnes, Edited by Stan Skinner, Gun Digest Books, 2006, ISBN 0-89689-297-2 p. 479

External links

Chuck Hawks' page on the .22 WMR
Chuck Hawks on .22 WMR ammunition selection
The .22 WMR TODAY, Guns Magazine, June, 2001 by C. Rodney James
Three .22 WMR Loads From Remington, Handguns Magazine, by Phil W. Johnston
Reloading Techniques: .22 Win. Magnum Rimfire, Performance Shooter, April 1996