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Also known as: .22 Magnum, .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire
Common uses: Small Game, Varmint
| Type | rifle (rimfire) |
| Typical load | 40gr CCI Maxi-Mag JHP |
| Muzzle velocity | 1875 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 312 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.114 |
| Case length | 26.8 mm |
| Overall length | 34.29 mm |
| SAAMI max pressure | 24000 PSI |
| Common twist rate | 1:16" |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1875 | 312 | -1.5 |
| 50 | 1567 | 218 | 0 |
| 100 | 1311 | 153 | -2.1 |
| 150 | 1122 | 112 | -9.3 |
| 200 | 1004 | 89 | -23.3 |
Small-game/varmint context — the deer- and elk-sized energy references aren't applicable to the cartridge's listed uses. When a downrange table is available, its retained-energy column can provide context; verify the exact load and follow local game regulations for legal methods.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own rifle.
The .22 WMR, commonly called the .22 Magnum or .22 Mag, is prized as a step up from the .22 LR that delivers meaningfully more velocity, energy, and effective range while keeping the low recoil and manageable report of a rimfire. It is a favorite for small game, predators, and pest control, cleanly handling animals like rabbits, squirrels, foxes, and groundhogs at ranges where the .22 LR runs out of authority, with practical performance generally out to around 125 to 150 yards; on coyote-sized predators it is marginal, calling for closer ranges and careful shot placement. Its main drawbacks are that ammunition costs considerably more than .22 LR and it produces more meat damage on small edible game, so many shooters reserve it for pests and varmints rather than casual plinking. The round is offered in a wide range of loadings, from full-metal-jacket and hollow-point hunting bullets to lighter high-velocity polymer-tipped varmint offerings. It occupies a well-defined niche between the .22 LR and the centerfire .22 Hornet, giving reliable rimfire performance with more punch than a standard .22.
The .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire was introduced by Winchester in 1959, created by lengthening and strengthening the older .22 WRF case to hold a heavier powder charge behind a jacketed bullet. It was the first commercially successful rimfire cartridge to significantly extend the reach and power of the rimfire category beyond the .22 Long Rifle. In the decades since, it has become a fixture in bolt-action, lever-action, and semi-automatic rifles as well as revolvers, and remains one of the most widely chambered magnum rimfire rounds in production.
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