The 22LR

[opsspec1991]

The 22LR

Every Thursday we'll share an article from the American Rifleman archives. In this week's article, originally posted here in Sept. 2010 and now seemingly more timely than ever, we look at why the most popular round in the world is more difficult to manufacture than most realize.

By Michael Bussard

Four years ago, the notion that .22 rimfire ammo would soon be harder to find than hen's teeth would have been deemed ludicrous. After all, in this "Throwback Thursday" from 2010 in which former NRA Publications Technical Editor Michael Bussard sheds light on the .22 rimfire manufacturing process, he begins his second sentence with, "Their ubiquitous availability...." OK, weak psychic abilities notwithstanding, Bussard details the incredible amount of work it actually takes to produce each little round. It doesn’t enlighten us with new answers to "Where's the Ammo?" but it gives us a better appreciation of the fact that this round exists at all.

In the subconscious mind of most shooters, the .22 Short, Long and Long Rifle rimfire cartridges form part of the bedrock of shooting sports. Their ubiquitous availability, affordable price, consistent quality and wide product range are taken for granted. Few shooters stop to consider the many difficulties inherent in the design and manufacture of these cartridges.

If you set out to design a self-contained cartridge that is difficult to make and suffers from numerous design shortcomings, it would be the humble .22 Short, Long and Long Rifle (.22 rimfire).

Read More:
Throwback Thursday: The Impossible .22 Rimfire - American Rifleman

 

[SR9]

Yesterday I went to 3 places looking for .22LR's They were all out. Big box sporting goods, no better. Today I found a little store in the boonies not too far from me. I called and they said I could get 2 boxes. I hurried up and got there and what they had was Federal American Eagle 40 Grains. I asked the guy if he had much of the ammo and he said actually I had 3 boxes and you got 2 of them. I talks with him a little longer and we seemed to hit it off, both being country guys, and he said hell, do you want the other one, I said damn right. Walked out with 150 rounds. It may be the last 22LR ammo in this part of the state. I will not waste it. I'll save it for the upcoming hunting season. Not like the chuckle heads that go out an blast away at targets for the "sport" of it. I can't eat targets.

 

[aacx22]

Yesterday I went to 3 places looking for .22LR's They were all out. Big box sporting goods, no better. Today I found a little store in the boonies not too far from me. I called and they said I could get 2 boxes. I hurried up and got there and what they had was Federal American Eagle 40 Grains. I asked the guy if he had much of the ammo and he said actually I had 3 boxes and you got 2 of them. I talks with him a little longer and we seemed to hit it off, both being country guys, and he said hell, do you want the other one, I said damn right. Walked out with 150 rounds. It may be the last 22LR ammo in this part of the state. I will not waste it. I'll save it for the upcoming hunting season. Not like the chuckle heads that go out an blast away at targets for the "sport" of it. I can't eat targets.

I've never failed to get 22lr when using ammoseek.com . The price fluctuates, but as far as I can tell, its always there.

 

[aacx22]

The 22LR

Every Thursday we'll share an article from the American Rifleman archives. In this week's article, originally posted here in Sept. 2010 and now seemingly more timely than ever, we look at why the most popular round in the world is more difficult to manufacture than most realize.

By Michael Bussard

Four years ago, the notion that .22 rimfire ammo would soon be harder to find than hen's teeth would have been deemed ludicrous. After all, in this "Throwback Thursday" from 2010 in which former NRA Publications Technical Editor Michael Bussard sheds light on the .22 rimfire manufacturing process, he begins his second sentence with, "Their ubiquitous availability...." OK, weak psychic abilities notwithstanding, Bussard details the incredible amount of work it actually takes to produce each little round. It doesn’t enlighten us with new answers to "Where's the Ammo?" but it gives us a better appreciation of the fact that this round exists at all.

In the subconscious mind of most shooters, the .22 Short, Long and Long Rifle rimfire cartridges form part of the bedrock of shooting sports. Their ubiquitous availability, affordable price, consistent quality and wide product range are taken for granted. Few shooters stop to consider the many difficulties inherent in the design and manufacture of these cartridges.

If you set out to design a self-contained cartridge that is difficult to make and suffers from numerous design shortcomings, it would be the humble .22 Short, Long and Long Rifle (.22 rimfire).

Read More:
Throwback Thursday: The Impossible .22 Rimfire - American Rifleman

It would be interesting if they came out with a .25lr and phased new plinking/small game rifles into a centerfire cartridge.