Lindcott Armory Rimfire · SAAMI
.22 Winchester Rimfire
Winchester's original high-performance .22 rimfire, introduced for the iconic Model 1890 pump-action rifle.
- Caliber
- 0.2285″ · 5.804 mm
- Introduced
- 1890
- Case
- Rimfire
- Primary use
- Hunting, Target
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 1890
- Type
- Rimfire
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Winchester Repeating Arms
- Manufacturer
- Winchester / CCI
- Standard
- SAAMI
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Specialty
- Case capacity
- 5 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:16
- Primer
- Rimfire
- Case type
- Rimfire
- Max pressure
- 24,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 100 yd
- Max range
- 250 yd
- Recoil
- 0.3–0.6 ft·lb
- Subsonic
- Capable
Ballistics
- By real loads
- 995–1,450 fps · 8 loads
- Parent case
- —
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Performance
Buy links open .22 Winchester Rimfire ammunition at Rivertown Munitions.
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 ⌀ | 5.80 | 0.229 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 6.18 | 0.243 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 6.24 | 0.246 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 7.62 | 0.300 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.27 | 0.050 | ✓ |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| Case length | 24.51 | 0.965 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 29.97 | 1.180 | ✓ |
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 Rimfire is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 8 active loads across 8 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 20 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lapua | Lapua Tenex | 45 | LRN | 1,450 | 210 | — |
| Sellier & Bellot | S&B WRF | 45 | LRN | 1,450 | 210 | — |
| CCI | Lead FP | 45 | Lead FP | 1,300 | 169 | — |
| Aguila | Lead FP | 45 | Lead FP | 1,300 | 169 | — |
| Norma | Classic | 45 | Lead FP | 1,000 | 100 | — |
| RWS | Rimfire | 45 | Lead RN | 1,000 | 100 | — |
| Federal | Champion | 45 | Lead FP | 1,000 | 100 | — |
| Eley | Sport | 45 | Lead FP | 995 | 99 | — |
| UMC | Lead FP | 45 | Lead FP | 1,300 | 169 | — |
| Winchester | Lead FP | 45 | Lead FP | 1,300 | 169 | — |
| Remington | Lead FP | 45 | Lead FP | 1,300 | 169 | — |
| PPU | Standard | 45 | Lead Round Nose | 1,300 | 169 | — |
| Norma | Classic | 45 | Lead Round Nose | 1,300 | 169 | — |
| Remington | Golden Bullet | 45 | Lead Round Nose | 1,300 | 169 | — |
| Peters | Lead FP | 45 | Lead FP | 1,300 | 169 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Connected reference
History
Winchester introduced the .22 WRF in 1890 alongside the Model 1890 slide-action rifle — the first successful pump-action .22 and a staple of shooting galleries across America. The cartridge uses a slightly larger case diameter than the .22 LR family, making them incompatible; a firearm chambered in .22 WRF cannot safely fire .22 LR. Remington chambered their Model 12 pump rifle in .22 WRF as well, calling the cartridge the '.22 Remington Special.' The introduction of the .22 WMR in 1959 largely supplanted it in the marketplace, but Winchester and CCI continued producing it for the large installed base of Model 1890 and Model 12 rifles. It remains available today — a 135-year-old cartridge still in active production.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .22 Winchester Rimfire use?
- .22 Winchester Rimfire typically uses a 1:16 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .22 Winchester Rimfire?
- .22 Winchester Rimfire uses a 0.2285″ (5.804 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .22 Winchester Rimfire still in production?
- .22 Winchester Rimfire is active; typical availability is specialty.
- What is .22 Winchester Rimfire used for?
- .22 Winchester Rimfire is primarily used for hunting, target.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 8 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →