Lindcott Armory Rifle · Obsolete
.22 Winchester Automatic
Winchester's proprietary semi-rimmed rimfire cartridge developed for the Model 1903 semi-automatic rifle.
- Caliber
- 0.222″ · 5.639 mm
- Introduced
- 1903
- Case
- Rimfire
- Primary use
- Small Game, Target
- Status
- Discontinued
- Introduced
- 1903
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Winchester
- Manufacturer
- Winchester
- Standard
- Obsolete
- Status
- Discontinued
- Availability
- Collector
- Case capacity
- 8.5 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:16
- Primer
- Rimfire
- Case type
- Rimfire
- Max pressure
- 14,500 psi
- Eff. range
- 75 yd
- Max range
- 150 yd
- Recoil
- 0.2–0.4 ft·lb
- Subsonic
- Capable
Ballistics
- Parent case
- —
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 · verified| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 5.64 | 0.222 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 6.35 | 0.250 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 6.35 | 0.250 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 7.87 | 0.310 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | — | — | |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| Case length | 16.89 | 0.665 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 23.24 | 0.915 | ✓ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .22 Winchester Automatic is highlighted below.
Factory loads
20 catalogued loads. Top 15 shown · see all 20 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remington | Standard | 45 | LRN | 1,055 | 111 | — |
| Graf | Standard | 45 | Lead Round Nose | 1,055 | 111 | — |
| Norma | Sport | 45 | Lead Round Nose | 1,055 | 111 | — |
| RWS | Classic | 45 | Lead Round Nose | 1,055 | 111 | — |
| UMC | Lead RN | 45 | Lead RN | 1,055 | 111 | — |
| Winchester | Lead RN Original | 45 | Lead RN | 1,055 | 111 | — |
| Remington | Lead RN | 45 | Lead RN | 1,055 | 111 | — |
| PPU | Standard | 45 | Lead Round Nose | 1,055 | 111 | — |
| Western Cartridge Co. | Lead RN | 45 | Lead RN | 1,055 | 111 | — |
| UMC | Standard | 45 | LRN | 1,055 | 111 | — |
| Aguila | Standard | 45 | Lead Round Nose | 1,055 | 111 | — |
| Eley | Sport | 45 | Lead Round Nose | 1,055 | 111 | — |
| Winchester | Standard | 45 | LRN | 1,055 | 111 | — |
| Federal | Game-Shok | 45 | Lead Round Nose | 1,055 | 111 | — |
| Sellier & Bellot | Standard | 45 | Lead Round Nose | 1,055 | 111 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Connected reference
History
Introduced in 1903 alongside the Winchester Model 1903, America's first semi-automatic .22 rimfire rifle. Winchester's engineers designed a unique cartridge to ensure proper feeding in the new action. Production ended mid-20th century as .22 LR dominance made proprietary cartridges uneconomical.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .22 Winchester Automatic use?
- .22 Winchester Automatic typically uses a 1:16 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .22 Winchester Automatic?
- .22 Winchester Automatic uses a 0.222″ (5.639 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .22 Winchester Automatic still in production?
- .22 Winchester Automatic is discontinued; typical availability is collector.
- What is .22 Winchester Automatic used for?
- .22 Winchester Automatic is primarily used for small game, target.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 20 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →