.22 WMR

Think of the .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire as the .22 LR’s older sibling who actually went to the gym and got serious. Same family, similar vibe, but the .22 WMR brings notably more power, more range, and more authority to the party. Introduced in 1959, it was Winchester’s answer to shooters who needed more than a .22 LR but weren’t ready to step up to a centerfire cartridge. It carved out a permanent niche that it still occupies today.

Winchester introduced the .22 WMR in 1959 to give rimfire shooters a meaningful step up in performance. The cartridge was developed around a new, longer case that couldn’t be confused with the .22 LR — an intentional safety design. Early adopters were mostly small-game hunters and pest-control shooters who needed more reach. When Hornady necked it down to create the .17 HMR in 2002, the .22 WMR case got a whole new generation of attention.

Small-game hunting is where the .22 WMR shines brightest. Rabbits, squirrels, and similar game at 50-125 yards are an ideal match. Pest control on the farm is another strong use case. Self-defense revolvers and semi-autos chambered in .22 WMR have their advocates, particularly for those sensitive to recoil. And there’s a solid contingent of shooters who just enjoy shooting it. It’s a fun, capable, affordable cartridge that doesn’t get the respect it deserves.

Standard .22 WMR loads push a 40-grain bullet at approximately 1,875 feet per second from a rifle barrel, generating around 324 ft-lbs of muzzle energy. That’s roughly three times the energy of a standard .22 LR load. At 100 yards it’s still moving fast enough to reliably expand hollow-point bullets. Effective range for small game pushes out to 125 yards or more with the right load.

CCI, Winchester, Federal, and Hornady all produce .22 WMR ammunition in a variety of bullet weights and styles. CCI’s Maxi-Mag is a classic. Hornady’s Critical Defense load has made it a more credible self-defense option. Prices are higher than .22 LR but still well below centerfire ammunition.

It fills a real gap. When .22 LR isn’t enough but centerfire feels like overkill, the .22 WMR is exactly right. More reach, more authority, still affordable. The kind of cartridge that earns quiet loyalty from the people who actually shoot it.

Arms East stocks .22 WMR rifles, revolvers, and ammunition for the shooters who know this round is worth keeping around. If you’re at the point where your .22 LR just isn’t cutting it at distance but you’re not ready to go full centerfire, come talk to us. We’ll show you what’s available and help you figure out which direction makes sense.