Lindcott Armory Rifle · Wildcat
.22 Cheetah
A high-performance varmint wildcat pushing .224-caliber bullets past 4,000 fps from a .308 Winchester-based case — the fastest practical .22-caliber cartridge outside of experimental rounds..
- Caliber
- 0.224″ · 5.69 mm
- Introduced
- 1989
- Case
- Rimless
- Parent
- .308 Winchester
- Primary use
- Varmint, Target
- Status
- Limited
- Introduced
- 1989
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Jim Carmichael / Guns & Ammo
- Manufacturer
- Jim Carmichel / Marlin
- Standard
- Wildcat
- Status
- Limited
- Availability
- Scarce
- Case capacity
- 47 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:12
- Primer
- Large Rifle
- Case type
- Rimless
- Max pressure
- 62,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 400 yd
- Max range
- 800 yd
- Recoil
- 5–8 ft·lb
Ballistics
- Parent case
- .308 Winchester
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
SAAMI · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 5.69 | 0.224 | ~ |
| Neck ⌀ | 6.35 | 0.250 | ~ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | — | — | |
| Shoulder angle | 40° | — | ~ |
| Base ⌀ | 11.91 | 0.469 | ~ |
| Rim ⌀ | 12.01 | 0.473 | ~ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | — | — | |
| Neck length | — | — | |
| Case length | 44.83 | 1.765 | ~ |
| Overall length | 66.04 | 2.600 | ~ |
Missing a dimension for .22 Cheetah? Some case measurements aren't in a published SAAMI/CIP drawing yet. Have a factory or reamer print? Send it → — verified hard-to-find data earns a free Lindcott sticker.
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Developed around 1989 by Guns & Ammo's Jim Carmichael as an exploration of maximum .22-caliber performance. The Cheetah uses a shortened, blown-out .308 Winchester case with a steep 40-degree shoulder to maximize powder capacity while keeping the overall length manageable in a standard short action. At over 4,000 fps with a 50-grain bullet, it represents the practical velocity ceiling for .224-caliber projectiles before case capacity and pressure become limiting factors. Dies and custom brass are available from specialty suppliers. Never achieved mainstream status but remains a reference cartridge for maximum .22 performance.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .22 Cheetah use?
- .22 Cheetah typically uses a 1:12 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .22 Cheetah?
- .22 Cheetah uses a 0.224″ (5.69 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .22 Cheetah still in production?
- .22 Cheetah is limited; typical availability is scarce.
- What is .22 Cheetah used for?
- .22 Cheetah is primarily used for varmint, target.
- What is .22 Cheetah based on?
- .22 Cheetah is derived from the .308 Winchester case.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →