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The .22 Long Rifle
 
Nation Year Max. press.
U.S.A. 1857
    There is no load data for this cartridge, because there is no reloading it, at least not in the common manner. This is an old round, going back to the cowboy days. In the old west, Indians were known to have reloaded this round using match heads, and black powder. These are rimfire rounds and have no primer as such. The brass is thin and easily crushed, so a liquid primer material is sprayed or dripped, and then spun directly into the rim of the case. There are some very powerful and very accurate rounds being put together in this caliber. This is the round used in the Olympics, and in most serious non-military competition. Notice how the energy levels compare with the .25, and even the .380, and some low power .38 Special loads. The hyper velocity rounds have almost identical muzzle energy to the .380

Standard Load
Bullet Velocity Energy Comment
40gr RNL 1140fps 115fp Standard
40gr RNL 1280fps 146fp High Velocity
34gr LHP 1500fps 170fp Hyper Velocity
Other .22 Rounds
    Besides the classic .22 LR, there are a number of special purpose rounds, including the .22 Magnum Rimfire. The .22 Long and Short, are still made but generally only chamber in revolvers and single shot rifles. The magnum round will not interchange with the standard long rifle except in certain revolvers, and is generally used in specially chambered rifles.
 
Round Bullet Velocity Energy  Comment
.22 Magnum 40gr 1910fps 324fp compare to .38 Special
.22 Long 29gr 1180fps 90fp
.22 Short 29gr 1045fps 70fp compare to .25 auto
.22 CB (short or long) 29gr 725fps 34fp compare to air rifle
Shorts and longs are the traditional shooting gallery rounds along with .22 BB caps.