.22 LR

The .22 Long Rifle. Where it all starts. If you’ve ever fired a gun, there’s a better than average chance it was a .22 LR. This cartridge has been introducing people to shooting since 1887, and it has absolutely no intention of slowing down. It is the best-selling ammunition in the world, full stop. You can plink all afternoon for the cost of a fast-food lunch. You never outgrow it, you never get bored of it, and the day you say you’ve shot enough .22 LR is the day you’ve quit having fun.

The standard .22 LR pushes a 40-grain lead round-nose bullet at roughly 1,080 feet per second from a rifle barrel, generating about 100 ft-lbs of muzzle energy. High-velocity loads bump that up to 1,200-1,280 fps. Hyper-velocity loads like the CCI Stinger push 32-grain bullets past 1,640 fps. Subsonic loads run below 1,100 fps and are a dream through a suppressor — hearing-safe, Hollywood-quiet, and just as accurate.

The .22 Long Rifle was developed by J. Stevens Arms in 1887, combining the case of the .22 Long with a heavier 40-grain bullet. It caught on immediately and never looked back. By the 20th century it was the dominant small-bore cartridge worldwide. Military organizations used it for training. Olympic shooters compete with it. The fact that a cartridge designed in the 19th century is still the top-selling round in the world in the 21st century tells you everything you need to know.

Everything. Plinking. Small-game hunting — squirrels, rabbits, and similar quarry. Pest control on the farm. Olympic and competitive target shooting. Training new shooters. Running drills when you don’t want to burn through centerfire ammo. Suppressor shooting. If you can only have one firearm — and we hope you never have to make that choice — a quality .22 LR rifle covers more practical ground than almost anything else. It is the Swiss Army knife of the shooting world, except more reliable and more fun.

Because it’s the most fun you can have for five cents a round. Low recoil means new shooters focus on fundamentals instead of bracing for impact. The variety of platforms is staggering — bolt actions, semi-autos, revolvers, pistols, lever guns. Suppressed .22 LR is basically the perfect backyard-friendly shooting experience. And you never, ever outgrow it. Competitive shooters who own safes full of expensive rifles still grab the .22 when they want to just enjoy shooting.

You’ll find .22 LR made by virtually every ammunition manufacturer on earth. CCI Mini-Mags are the reliable standard for semi-autos. Eley and Lapua make match-grade ammunition that competitive shooters will pay real money for. Federal AutoMatch is a workhorse bulk option. During the ammo shortage years it was genuinely hard to find, which was a dark time for all of us. Availability is much better now. Buy a brick when you see it. You’ll use it.

Arms East loves .22 LR almost as much as our customers do. We carry a wide selection of rifles, pistols, and revolvers along with ammunition from the brands you trust. Whether you’re buying a first gun for a new shooter or adding a quality rimfire to a serious collection, we’ll help you find the right fit. Come in and let’s talk .22. We could do it all day, and honestly, we kind of do.