bullet has a velocity that is a slightly higher.
Introduced in 1887, the 22 Long Rifle (LR) is by far the most popular rimfire cartridge. However, another 22 rimfire cartridge appeared in the 30-year interval between the introduction of the Short and the Long Rifle cartridges. That cartridge, the 22 Long, was introduced in 1871 and made use of a 29-grain bullet propelled by a charge of 5 grains of black powder. Like other 22 rimfires, it eventually became loaded with smokeless powder. The current 22 Long high-velocity cartridge produced by CCI has an advertised muzzle velocity of 1,215 ft/sec, which is about 100 ft/sec higher than the 22 Short. Any difference in power is more imagined than real, and there is no logical reason for the 22 Long to survive. Most of the ammunition companies have ceased production of the 22 Long.
When we come to the 22 LR we arrive at a cartridge that is the most popular and widely used metallic cartridge that exists. It is used throughout the world for recreation, competition, and hunting. The original load consisted of a 40-grain bullet and a 5-grain charge of black powder. Ammunition in 22 LR caliber is loaded in many parts of the world and in some instances to the highest level of technical perfection. The accuracy capability built into a competition rifle chambered for the 22 LR is matched by several types of ammunition that are specifically designed for competition at the highest level. Such ammunition is a far cry from the old black powder loads with corrosive priming that appeared in the 1880s. In later chapters, some of the characteristics of the modern “high-velocity” 22 LR loads will be described. The 22 LR uses a bullet of 0.223 inch diameter that has a short section that is smaller in diameter (the heel) that fits inside the case. The lubricated portion of the bullet is outside the case.
While the target shooter has special ammunition available, the hunter of small game and pests has not been left out. The 22 LR high-speed solid uses a 40-grain bullet that has a muzzle velocity of approximately 1,235 ft/sec while the 36- to 38-grain hollow-points are about 40 to 50 ft/sec faster. Other specialty loads will be described elsewhere in this chapter and in several later chapters. The 22 LR is in many ways the most useful cartridge in existence. A rifle or handgun chambered for this round can be used for many purposes.
22 Winchester Rim Fire (WRF)
In 1890, Winchester introduced a pump-action rifle that is quite possibly the most famous 22 pump rifle ever produced. Designated as the Model 1890 (also known as the Model 90 and some rifles are so marked), the rifle chambered either the 22 Short or a new rimfire cartridge known as the 22 Winchester Rim Fire (WRF) or Winchester Special. The 45-grain flat-point bullet was offered in several loads, some of which gave a velocity as high as 1,400 ft/sec. The original load consisted of 7.5 grains of black powder and it had a muzzle velocity of 1,100 to 1,200 ft/sec. Remington used essentially the same case loaded with a round-nose bullet as the 22 Remington Special. The 22 WRF was popular for many years, but because it offered little advantage over the 22 LR, its popularity declined as the 22 LR became more highly developed.
The 22 WRF (right) is a shorter cartridge than the 22 WMR (left) but has almost identical case dimensions except for length.
The 22 WRF case is larger in diameter than that of the 22 LR. As a result, a bullet of 0.224” diameter fits inside the case mouth without having a section of smaller diameter at the base. This is also the situation with the 22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR) which has almost identical dimensions as the 22 WRF except for length. Therefore, the 22 WRF cartridges can be fired in rifles chambered for the 22 WMR, and they provide a lower-powered (if not lower priced) alternative to the magnum round. In my bolt-action Ruger 77/22M, the CCI 22 WRF ammunition delivers excellent accuracy as will be described in Chapter 15.
Other Early Rimfire Cartridges
Although current rimfire cartridges are all 22 or 17 caliber, many of the rimfire cartridges of historical significance were of larger caliber. One of the most important rimfire developments was the 44 Henry cartridge developed by B. Tyler Henry. It has the distinction of being the chambering for the first successful lever-action rifle. Imagine the effect of a few Union soldiers firing Henry lever-action rifles, which had tubular magazines that held 15 cartridges, on the Confederate soldiers who were using singleshot muzzle-loading rifles! Ballistics of the 44 Henry were not impressive by today’s standards (a 210-grain lead bullet propelled by a charge of 28 grains of black powder to give a velocity of 1,150 ft/sec), but the importance of rapid, sustained fire in military operations is obvious. The 44 Henry cartridge was in production from 1860 to 1934. Another large caliber rimfire cartridge used in the Civil War was the 56 Spencer. Incidentally, the Henry lever-action was produced from 1860-1866 and was no doubt a driving force which led to the development of the Winchester 73 which used the center fire 44-40 cartridge.
Several other rimfire cartridges were developed about the same time as the 44 Henry. As is now the case with 22 caliber cartridges having different lengths, larger caliber “short” and “long” rimfire cartridges were common in the latter half of the 1800s. Examples include the 30 Short and Long; the 32 Extra Short, Short, and Long; the 38 Extra Short, Short, and Long; and the 41 Short and Long among others. Revolvers were often designed with cylinders to accept the shorter cartridges while the extra long types were most often used in singleshot rifles. They were, of course, loaded with black powder. Although there is no need to review the development of all of these cartridges individually, it is necessary to mention several of them in order to trace the evolution of the rimfire cartridge design. It is interesting to note that of the approximately 75 rimfire cartridges that existed in the late 1800s, only about 10 remained in production after WW II.
Two cartridges that were developed somewhat later were the 25 Stevens Short and 25 Stevens Long (sometimes referred to as simply the 25 Stevens) that were introduced around 1900. These cartridges were produced until 1942, and they were popular in rifles like the Stevens single-shot models. Firing a 65- to 67-grain bullet that was driven at approximately 1,200 ft/sec by a charge of 11 grains of black powder, the 25 Stevens had a good reputation as a small game load. Compared to any of the 22 caliber rimfires, the larger diameter, heavier bullet of the 25 Stevens, which had a muzzle energy of approximately 208 ft lbs, dispatched many species more dependably. It would still be a useful cartridge, especially in a modern loading that would improve the ballistics.
It is easy to forget that rimfire cartridges were produced in shorter lengths for use in revolvers and longer versions for rifles in many calibers.
Note how the current 22 Short and Long Rifle have parallels in the 25 Short and Long cartridges of a century ago.
Propellants and Primers
As the quest for better ammunition continued, it was recognized that black powder left a residue that attracted moisture and led to corrosion. Barrel life of the firearm was nowhere near as long as it is today. In the late 1890s, a new type of propellant was developed by making use of an entirely different type of chemistry. When cotton is nitrated with a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids, the product is known as nitrocellulose, and it burns very rapidly when ignited. Moreover, the combustion produces very little smoke so this propellant is known as “smokeless” powder. This book is not the place for a review of propellant technology, but it should be mentioned that the burning rate of nitrocellulose can be controlled to a great extent by the particle size. Therefore, it is possible to produce nitrocellulose and tailor it for use in cartridges having different sizes. Another development in propellant technology resulted in a type of powder known as double-base powder. This type of propellant makes use of nitrocellulose to which has been added a small percentage of nitroglycerin. In addition to varying the particle size of the propellant, various additives are included to impart particular
