.22 Long Rifle
Rimfire for small game and plinking: squirrels, rabbits, and pests out to about 75 yards. Not for deer.
Good for: Small game, Varmint
A typical factory load is a 40 gr round nose bullet at about 1,235 ft/s, with roughly 135 ft-lbs of energy at the muzzle.
Typical load
40 grround noseMuzzle speed
1,235 ft/sMuzzle energy
135 ft-lbsTypical BC (G1)
≈ 0.12typical, varies by brandTwist rate
1:16Practical range
50–75 yd small gamePoint-blank range
80 yd2" vital zoneRecommended platform
Any rifle, ultralights includedVery light recoilOn the Hunting Rifle Cartridges chart
Made to hunt
Rimfire for small game and plinking: squirrels, rabbits, and pests out to about 75 yards. Not for deer.
Typical load
40 grround nose
Typical muzzle fps
1,235ft/s
Typical muzzle energy
135ft-lbs
Typical BC (G1)
≈ 0.12typical, varies by brand
Twist rate for typical load
1:16
Effective ethical range
50–75 yd small game
MPBR
80 yd2" vital zone · Near zero 16 yd · Far zero 69 yd · Min PBR 5 yd · Max PBR 80 yd · Sight-in @100 4.00" low
Recommended platform
Any rifle, ultralights includedVery light recoil
Open the full Hunting Rifle Cartridges chart →
On the Rimfire chart
Listed there as .22 LR.
Made for
The most popular cartridge in the world. Squirrels, rabbits, pests and cheap practice.
Typical load
40 grhigh velocity
Typical muzzle fps
1,235ft/s
Typical muzzle energy
135ft-lbs
Typical BC (G1)
≈ 0.12typical, varies by brand
Twist rate for typical load
1:16
Practical range
75 yd
MPBR
80 yd2" vital zone · Near zero 16 yd · Far zero 69 yd · Min PBR 5 yd · Max PBR 80 yd · Sight-in @50 0.94" high
On the Handgun Cartridges chart
Made for
Plinking, training and small game. Cheap, quiet and almost no recoil; the best round for learning to shoot a handgun.
Typical load
40 grround nose · 6" barrel
Typical muzzle fps
1,070ft/s
Typical muzzle energy
102ft-lbs
Typical BC (G1)
≈ 0.12typical, varies by brand
Twist rate for typical load
1:16
Practical range
25 yd small game
MPBR (iron sights)
65 yd2" vital zone · Near zero 7 yd · Far zero 55 yd · Min PBR 0 yd · Max PBR 65 yd · Sight-in @25 0.94" high
Recommended platform
Any pistol or revolverNo real recoil; best for learning
Open the full Handgun Cartridges chart →
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Speed, energy and BC are typical figures for the listed load; real numbers vary by brand, lot and barrel length. Always check the ammo maker's data for your exact load.