An overview of rimfire cartridges, loads, and other comments. This does not include all the rimfire cartridges, but those I consider significant or interesting. I have not tested/researched the new "Green" ammunition enough to include it yet. They are listed in order by their energy/power level.
.22's pictured left to right: CCI Maxi Mag, CCI Stinger, CCI Mini Mag HP, CCI Shot Load, Aguila Super Colibri, CCI Short HP, CCI CB Cap, BB Cap
Note: The ballistics listed are "muzzle" and 20/375/6 is a 20 grain bullet @ 375 feet per. second with 6 foot pounds energy. The exception: there is no muzzle energy for the shot loads; it's #12 size shot. Most of the ballistic information is from CCI or Aguila. Winchester, Remington, Federal and others would be about the same for a similar bullet weight.
.22 Aguila Colibri 20/375/6 I believe this round has the lowest power of the rimfire cartridges made today. It is intended for handguns only, very low noise, very short range, indoor practice... I don't believe it would work in a rifle. Many pellet guns have more energy/power than this, but that's not a bad thing for the intended use.
.22 Aguila Super Colibri 20/575/11 Like the regular Colibri this cartridge is intended for handguns, but has a little more power, and some use it in rifles. I wrote several makers of rimfire cartridges years ago requesting a cartridge like this. A pellet gun alternative. I wanted something quieter and safer than the CB round. I've taken sparrows, and two skunks with it. Note: Intended for handguns. See my page on this cartridge:
Super Colibri
.22 BB Cap 18/780/ 24 One of the oldest rimfire cartridges; I have a few, but I don't know if they are still made. No powder, only primer powered, but they are fairly noisy to shoot. They were originally made for gallery shooting.
.22 CB 29/727/33 This low powered round is intended for short range plinking and pest control. When compared with the Super Colibri the CB is generally more accurate, has more range (still short), considerably louder in a rifle, and more dangerous (faster, heavier bullet) than the Super Colibri.
22 CB Long is exactly the same cartridge as the CB Short (CCI brand), but with the longer case it will function better in repeating actions. I once shot these rimfire cartridges often but like the Super Colibri better for my uses today. Note: all of these low power rimfire cartridges must be manually chambered and ejected in a semi-auto gun.
.22 Short 29/1080/75 I've always liked the cute little .22 short, but I seldom shoot them. The little round can actually do almost anything the long rifle can do at a little less range. It is harder to find, and often more expensive. These short rimfire cartridges are most popular with rapid fire target pistol shooters. Listed is the high velocity solid load, but it is also made with a 27 grain hollow point bullet. Other standard velocity loads, and some different target loads are made.
.22 Long 29/1240/99 This round has the bullet of the short, and the case of the long rifle. Some still like it, but it's about to join the rimfire cartridges which are history.
.22 Long Rifle 40/1235/135 Easily the most popular cartridge of all time. "The .22" is easy to shoot, not too loud, almost no recoil, accurate, effective on smaller critters, and most important, can cost less to shoot. There are many variations in bullets and loads: high velocity hollow points, low velocity/sub-sonic, target, and others. Bullets from 30 grains to 60 grains in weight. The load listed is a typical high velocity solid bullet load. My advice: find a low price load that fits your needs, is accurate in your gun, and stay with it. Even similar loads often shoot differently.
.22 Long Rifle Shotshell 31/1000/#12 When I was a kid we called it "rat shot". I have shot quite a few of these CCI loads. CCI uses a plastic bullet capsule for tiny #12 shot and it doesn't foul the barrel much. They will kill a bird, snake, mouse, rat, but only at a few feet. Years ago I did kill a dove flying over at close range using a Contender handgun. The small load of tiny pellets runs out of energy and spreads quickly after spinning down a rifled barrel. Winchester and Federal still make shot loads which have crimped brass ends. A few 'smooth bore' .22 shotguns have been made and they are said to shoot these crimped rimfire cartridges fairly well.
.22 Stinger 32/1640/191 The Stinger was the first (non-magnum) rimfire to move well past the speed of sound. It's faster, but uses a smaller lighter bullet. I remember the first black bird I shot with one. I was surprised when the bird seemed to explode. Like many new cartridges it was "the bomb" for a while. It was fun because it had a much more explosive effect on what it hit than an ordinary .22 round. But! It cost more to shoot, and I soon learned that it was less accurate (in my guns). Out past 50 yards the lighter bullet looses speed quickly and is probably less effective than an ordinary high velocity round.
.22 Aguila Supermaximum 30/1750/204 This hot little number is sort of a super Stinger, and I imagine it will preform in a similar way. It is available in a solid or hollow point.
.22 WMR 40/1875/312 The .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire is not new, it doesn't have a reputation for accuracy, but in my opinion it's the most reliably deadly rimfire. No rimfire would be my first choice for stopping a larger critter, but of the rimfires I'd choose this one. I have a page on it:
The .22 Magnum
.22 WMR "Hyper" 30/2200/322 CCI and others started making what I think of as the ".22 Magnum Stinger Rounds". As with the original Stinger, the main difference is using a lighter bullet so that it has a higher velocity. This lighter bullet magnum will preform in a way similar to what I said about the Stinger: It will have more explosive results out to about 50 yards or a little more. At longer range the standard 40 grain mag. may be more effective.
.22 WMR Shotshell 52/1000/#12 As far as I know only CCI makes a mag. shot load. These are still not a shotgun replacement, but I have taken a few birds on the wing at maybe 15 yards. They are a little more serious load than the very similar .22 long rifle version. Still only reliable killers at very short range because of the tiny shot size.
Pictured left to right: .22 Short, .22 L. R., .22 Mag., .17 HM2, .17 HMR
.17 HM2 17/2100/166 In my opinion this round has the most potential of the new rimfire cartridges for small game and pest! It uses the .22 long rifle case (actually the slightly longer Stinger case). It's said to be very accurate. It could be easier to shoot accurately because of its higher velocity. Potentially a better ".22"! But! It can't compete with the standard .22's cheap plinking loads. The present loads cost is nearer to the .22 WMR or .17 HMR. I think it only needs an additional less expensive lead bullet load for plinking. Even a pellet gun alternative load might be possible. I think it's too late, and sometimes the good die young.
.17 HMR 17/2550/245 This little fire-cracker has made a lot of noise in the gun press. It's fast, cute, and accurate, but not very versatile, no plinking loads, not good for larger critters in my opinion. The best "long range rimfire" for smaller pest. I have a page with more about this cartridge:
The .17 HMR Almost
5 mm Remington Mag. 38/2100/372 This "dead" cartridge was interesting, but for Remington it was too little, and too late. It was only a little faster, and late on the market after the .22 WMR. The .20 caliber is not very different than a .22, and it used the same .22 WMR case.
Simply using a metric designation could have been part of the problem. Some think it's Un-American. Thinking about that led me to realize that Remington has had few really successful cartridges. Winchester the .22 magnum, and the .30-30, .243, .270, .308, .300 mag. .338 mag. and .458 mag. centerfires.
I'm a fan of Winchester and Remington, but the 7 mm Remington Magnum is their only real "metric" success. There is the .22-250 Remington, "but it ain't metric":-)
