.22 Winchester Rimfire
.22 Long Rifle (left) and .22 Winchester Rimfire (right).
TypeRifle
Place of originUnited States
Production history
Designed1890
Produced1890–present
Specifications
Case typeRimmed, straight
Bullet diameter.2285 in (5.80 mm)
Neck diameter.2435 in (6.18 mm)
Base diameter.2455 in (6.24 mm)
Rim diameter.300 in (7.6 mm)
Rim thickness.050 in (1.3 mm)
Case length.965 in (24.5 mm)
Overall length1.180 in (30.0 mm)
Rifling twist1-14 in (360 mm)
Primer typeRimfire
Maximum pressure19,000 psi (130 MPa)
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/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) solid lead 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 or less commonly known as the .22 Remington Special) is an American rimfire rifle cartridge.[1]

History

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).[2] It uses a flat-based, inside-lubricated bullet, which differs from the outside-lube heeled bullet of the .22 Short, Long, Long Rifle, and Extra Long rounds.[2]

When introduced, the .22 WRF "was the first notable improvement in the killing power" over the .22 LR,[3] and was able to kill cleaner at up to 75 yd (70 m). It is somewhat less accurate than the .22 LR[2] and is most suited to hunting small game such as rabbits or prairie dogs.[3]

Shortly before World War II, propellants were developed that greatly increased the effectiveness of the .22 LR. These new "High Velocity" loadings offered a nearly 300fps increase in velocity over the original 1050fps .22 LR load. This increase in power of the smaller round, coupled with its cheaper price and sheer number of rifles already owned in .22 LR, effectively killed the .22 WRF.

A variety of Winchester, Remington, and Stevens single-shot 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.[2] It can be fired in any rifle chambered for the more powerful .22 WMR.[2] The shorter WRF cartridge may be limited to single shot use in WMR rifles, since it may not feed from WMR-length magazines, depending on design.

Dimensions

Cartridge dimensions as specified by ANSI/SAAMI.[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ .22 WRF (.22 rem. special). (n.d.). https://chuckhawks.com/22WRF.htm
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Barnes, p.275, ".22 Winchester Rimfire (WRF)".
  3. 1 2 Barnes, p.275, ".22 Winchester Rimfire (WRF).
  4. ↑ "22 WINCHESTER RIMFIRE" (PDF). SAAMI. 2015-08-31. p. 17. Retrieved 2021-06-10.

Notes

  • 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.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to .22 WRF.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.