History
The .22 Long Rifle, introduced in 1887, is the most-produced cartridge in the world. It put the .22 Long case behind a 40 grain bullet and became the universal trainer, plinker, and small-game round. It is a rimfire: the priming compound is spun into the hollow rim and crushed by the firing pin, so there is no primer pocket and the case cannot be reloaded.
For Damnosus it is also the purest expression of the Relative Long Range idea. A subsonic .22 LR pushed to its practical ceiling is the cheapest, most honest way to build the skills that matter at distance. Out past 300 yards it stays subsonic the whole way, and wind reading is everything. World-class shooting with budget ammunition, in miniature.
Lineage
The .22 LR is the senior member of the .22 rimfire family, lengthening the .22 Long case behind a 40 grain bullet. That bullet is heeled and outside-lubricated, .224 inch (5.69mm): the exposed shank matches the case body, with a reduced heel seated inside. Its relatives are the shorter .22 Short and .22 Long, and the higher-pressure .22 WMR magnum. Its rival at distance is the .17 HMR, which trades the .22's cheap, plentiful ammunition for a flatter, faster trajectory.
Specifications
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Case type | Rimmed, straight-walled (heeled bullet) |
| Bullet diameter | 5.69 mm (.224 in) |
| Body diameter | 5.72 mm (.225 in) |
| Rim diameter | 6.91 mm (.272 in) |
| Rim thickness | 1.02 mm (.040 in) |
| Case length | 14.99 mm (.590 in) |
| Overall length | 25.02 mm (.985 in) |
| Priming | Rimfire (no primer pocket) |
| Belted | No |
| Rifling twist | 1 in 16 in (standard) |
| Max pressure | SAAMI 24,000 psi |
| Recommended barrel | 26 in, 1:16 twist |
Barrel Design
Rimfire inverts the usual barrel logic. The twist is effectively fixed: 1 in 16 is the universal standard and stabilizes the 40 grain bullet, so there is no twist decision to make. Barrel length barely matters for average velocity either, and past roughly 16 to 18 inches a longer barrel adds almost nothing and can even cost a little speed. What it does give is consistency: a longer barrel that burns the charge more completely tightens standard deviation and extreme spread, and that shot-to-shot velocity consistency holds elevation at distance far better than a few fps of average speed. The 26 inch baseline I'd choose is a target length chosen for that steadiness and a settled hold, not for raw velocity.
What actually drives .22 LR accuracy is the ammunition and the chamber. Match lots are tested and selected for consistency, and a quality match chamber cut to that ammunition matters far more than barrel length. For distance work, subsonic match ammunition is the choice: staying under the speed of sound the entire flight avoids the transonic upset that wrecks groups when a faster load slows back through the sound barrier downrange. The tables below run a 26 inch barrel with a 50 yard zero, the sensible rimfire standard; since velocity varies meaningfully between lots, confirm your own on a chronograph.
Range Ammo Performance
Remington · 40 gr Thunderbolt LRN $0.08/rd
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Elevation (mil) | Energy (ft-lb) | Windage (mil) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1255 | -1.5 | 140 | 1.5 |
| 50 | 1117 | 0.0 | 111 | 0.8 |
| 100 | 1024 | -1.5 | 93 | 1.5 |
| 150 | 956 | -3.6 | 81 | 2.1 |
| 200 | 902 | -6.0 | 72 | 2.6 |
| 250 | 855 | -8.6 | 65 | 3.2 |
| 300 | 814 | -11.5 | 59 | 3.7 |
| 350 | 776 | -14.6 | 53 | 4.2 |
| 400 | 741 | -18.0 | 49 | 4.7 |
Muzzle velocity 1255 fps is the factory figure from a 26 in test barrel. Expect your own barrel to read a little differently. Velocity is color coded green supersonic, yellow transonic, red subsonic; treat transonic and subsonic rows as approximate.
Match Ammo Performance
Eley · 40 gr Tenex $0.42/rd
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Elevation (mil) | Energy (ft-lb) | Windage (mil) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1085 | -2.0 | 105 | 1.0 |
| 50 | 1013 | 0.0 | 91 | 0.5 |
| 100 | 957 | -2.0 | 81 | 1.0 |
| 150 | 910 | -4.4 | 74 | 1.5 |
| 200 | 870 | -7.1 | 67 | 1.9 |
| 250 | 833 | -10.0 | 62 | 2.3 |
| 300 | 799 | -13.2 | 57 | 2.7 |
| 350 | 768 | -16.5 | 52 | 3.2 |
| 400 | 739 | -20.1 | 48 | 3.6 |
Muzzle velocity 1085 fps is the factory figure from a 26 in test barrel. Expect your own barrel to read a little differently. Velocity is color coded green supersonic, yellow transonic, red subsonic; treat transonic and subsonic rows as approximate.
Trajectory
FAQ
What barrel length and twist should I run?
A 1 in 16 twist, the universal .22 LR standard, paired with whatever barrel length suits the rifle's purpose, since length has little effect on velocity. Accuracy comes from match ammunition and a good chamber, not from a long barrel. The 26 inch baseline I'd choose is a target length chosen for a steady, balanced hold, not for velocity.
Is the .22 LR a SAAMI cartridge?
Yes. The .22 LR is a SAAMI-standardized rimfire cartridge. Being rimfire, it is primed in the rim rather than a central pocket and cannot be reloaded. The dimensions on this page follow a supplied case print; the SAAMI maxima are a touch larger (rim .278 inch, case .613 inch).
Should I use standard velocity or high velocity?
For precision, the choice is subsonic match ammunition: Eley Tenex, Lapua Center-X, SK and the like at roughly 1,050 to 1,085 fps. It is built for lot-to-lot consistency and stays subsonic the whole way, avoiding the transonic instability that opens groups. High-velocity loads like Remington Thunderbolt at about 1,255 fps are for plinking and small game, where flat-shooting convenience beats match consistency.
How far is the .22 LR good for?
For small game and casual work, inside about 75 to 100 yards. But precision rimfire, in NRL22 and rimfire ELR, regularly pushes it to 300 yards and beyond. That is the Relative Long Range game: a subsonic round where wind reading, not the cartridge, sets the limit, and where cheap ammunition builds expensive skill.