22 LR vs. 22 Mag: Knights of the Rimfire Round Table

The 22 Long Rifle (22 LR) is one of the most popular cartridges across North America and the world. Its low recoil and extremely low cost per round make it ideal for training new shooters or spending a whole afternoon at the range plinking.

The 22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (22 WMR, or 22 Mag) is the rimfire cartridge hunters need to take on larger pests at greater ranges than the 22 LR can.

In this article, we will compare the 22LR vs 22 Mag so you can better understand each cartridge's capabilities and which better suits your needs.

How We Tested The Cartridges

I grew up running around on the farm with a 22 LR. After I proved I could be trusted with it, my grandpa introduced me to his 22 Mag. No rabbit or coyote on the property was safe after that.

Though the 22 LR and 22 WMR are rimfire cartridges, they have some differences. This article compares the differences in recoil, ballistics, hunting capabilities, defense, and more!

What Is the Difference Between 22 LR and 22 WMR?

The difference between the 22LR and 22WMR is that the 22 WMR has a larger case and higher muzzle velocity and kinetic energy than the 22 Long Rifle, even though they fire similar bullet weights.

Can You Fire 22 Magnum in a 22 Long Rifle Firearm?

No, you cannot fire a 22 Magnum (22 WMR) cartridge in a firearm chambered for .22 LR. Furthermore, you should NOT fire a 22 LR in a 22 Mag firearm. Doing so could damage the firearm and injure the shooter.

A 22 Magnum is too large to fit into a 22 LR chamber and, therefore, cannot be fired. A 22 LR can fit in a 22 WMR chamber, but it fits loosely as it is thinner than the 22 WMR. If fired, a case rupture might occur, severely damaging the firearm and potentially injuring the shooter as well.

Cartridge Specs of 22 LR & 22 Mag

When evaluating rimfire cartridges, it’s a good idea to analyze the cartridge specs to gain more knowledge of each.

Putting the two cartridges side-by-side really showcases the difference between these two rimfire rounds. The 22 Mag is considerably longer than the 22 LR, with an overall length of 1.35” for the 22 WMR and 1” for the .22LR.

Furthermore, the 22 WMR is slightly wider than the 22 LR, as the 22 Mag has a base diameter of 0.242” compared to 0.226” for .22LR.

The longer and wider case of the 22 WMR can pack in more powder, therefore increasing muzzle velocity and kinetic energy of the bullets that it fires.

Although both cartridges are considered 22-caliber, the 22 LR fires 0.223” diameter bullets while the 22 WMR fires a 0.224” bullet diameter.

Even though the 22 Magnum can pack in more powder than the 22LR, both cartridges fire similar bullet weights between 30 and 50 grains. The 40 and 45 grain offerings are some of the most popular for both cartridges.

Likewise, both rimfire cartridges have similar SAAMI standardized maximum pressures around 24,000 psi.

Recoil: 22 Mag vs. 22 LR

Both the 22 LR and 22 WMR have very little felt recoil, though the 22 LR has less.

Recoil is an important consideration when purchasing a new firearm, as a round with heavy recoil will be more difficult to control and will slow the rate of accurate follow-up shots.

Recoil energy is determined by four factors: muzzle velocity (measured in feet per second, or fps), propellant charge weight, bullet weight, and firearm weight.

When fired from a 6-pound rifle, a 22 LR has around 0.19 ft-lbs of free recoil energy; less than one third that of 22 WMR at 0.62 ft-lbs.

Despite this apparent disparity, no one would argue that 22 WMR has high recoil. Both rimfire cartridges register less than 1 ft-lb of free recoil. That’s negligible, which is why the majority of shooters will have no problem handling 22 WMR.

Muzzle Velocity

The 22 Mag is the clear winner in terms of downrange performance. It dominates the 22 LR in terms of muzzle velocity, kinetic energy, and trajectory.

Many manufacturers offer both cartridges with a variety of bullet weights. For this example, we will compare CCI Mini-Mag 22 LR 40 grain CPRN and CCI Maxi-Mag 22 WMR JHP.

For its size, the 22 LR has a respectable muzzle velocity of 1,235 fps. However, it simply cannot keep up with the larger 22 Magnum's higher 1,875 fps muzzle velocity.

Some varieties of 22 LR ammo push the limits of the cartridge's muzzle velocity, such as CCI Stinger which fires a 32 grain bullet at 1,640 fps. Even so, a Hornady Varmint Express 22 WMR 30 grain V-MAX significantly outshines CCI Stinger with its substantially higher 2,200 fps muzzle velocity.

Check out our Hornady 22 Mag ammo to see your options.

The bottom line is that the smaller .22LR cartridge simply cannot keep up with the 22 WMR and its larger case capacity.

Muzzle Energy

Like velocity, the larger 22 WMR Maxi-Mag can dish out over double the muzzle energy of the 22 LR Mini-Mag, 312 ft-lbs vs 135 foot-pounds, respectively.

That amount of kinetic energy out of a rimfire round is rather impressive, which is why many varmint hunters favor the 22 WMR over the 22 LR for larger critters like coyotes and groundhogs.

Trajectory

When it comes to bullet drop, the high velocity of the 22 WMR gives it a flatter trajectory and a longer effective range than the 22 LR.

Considering a 50-yard zero for both cartridges, the 22 LR will have around 6” of bullet drop at 100 yards compared to 2” for the 22 WMR.

Hunting

When it comes to hunting, the 22 LR is at its best taking on small game like rabbits, squirrels, and raccoons while the 22 WMR is adept at taking larger varmints like coyotes and woodchucks or longer range targets like prairie dogs.

Both rounds are excellent options for pest control, as a rimfire cartridge offers shooters a low recoil option at taking on smaller game animals while preserving the meat, if you’re into eating what you kill.

Though many shooters will attest that they consistently take coyotes with their beloved 22 Long Rifle (and you most certainly can), it does not mean that it is the best option for these varmints. Most 22 LR ammo lacks the downrange kinetic energy to harvest larger game animals ethically and consistently. This is why many shooters prefer the 22 WMR for coyotes.

The improved trajectory of the 22 Magnum also favors longer range shots for animals like prairie dogs, as these shots are typically taken at 100 yards or more.

Although very powerful, the 22 WMR is typically not used for small game like squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits. There’s nothing to say you can’t use a 22 Mag on these critters, but there won’t be much left of them either.

For those varmint hunters who prefer to preserve the meat of their targets, the 22 LR makes the better choice for small game.

Rimfire for Self-Defense/Home Defense?

The debate over whether 22 LR and 22 WMR cartridges are capable enough for self-defense has raged on for well over a century.

To add fuel to the fire, several ammo manufacturers now offer self-defense rimfire ammo options such as Federal Punch, Hornady Critical Defense, and Speer Gold Dot.

The 22 WMR has more kinetic energy than many 380 ACP loads, and the rimfire cartridge has considerably less felt recoil. This leads many shooters to be more accurate with a rimfire handgun, and putting shots on target is the key to ending a gunfight.

The anti-rimfire crowd will tell you that small-diameter bullets rimfire cartridges fire do not create a wide enough wound channel nor penetrate deep enough to incapacitate a threat.

Furthermore, modern defensive ammo is tailored for optimal penetration through multiple layers of clothing that rimfire ammo might be unable to punch through effectively.

Despite all the ballistic advantages of centerfire ammo, the one indisputable benefit is reliability. Rimfire ammo, particularly 22 LR, is notorious for having reliability issues due to inconsistent priming compound levels inside the cartridge's rim. As it is a thoroughly mass-produced round, sometimes the priming compound is slightly thinner than it should be. If the firing pin pinches the round in an area with less-than-optimal amounts of primer, you may get a “click” when you expect a “bang.”

A few dead rounds are not an issue when you’re on the range or out plinking at the farm. However, when your life is on the line, the last thing you need to worry about is whether your ammo will fire.

Centerfire primers, on the other hand, are extremely reliable, and misfires are exponentially less frequent with this type of priming system.

Therefore, we recommend centerfire ammo for self-defense. Yes, a rimfire round can protect your home and family if needed. Still, centerfire ammo offers deeper penetration, larger wound channels, and enhanced reliability to end any self-defense situation.

Ballistics: 22 LR vs. 22 WMR

Our team here at Ammo.com has spent countless hours scouring the Internet to bring you extremely comprehensive ballistics tables for both calibers. Below are tables that compare bullet weight to muzzle velocity, kinetic energy, and trajectory for both 22LR vs 22WMR.

22 WMR Ballistics

Note: This information comes from ammo manufacturers. The actual ballistics obtained with your firearm can vary considerably from the advertised ballistics. Also, ballistics can vary from lot to lot with the same brand and type load.

22 Long Rifle Ballistics

Note: This information comes from ammo manufacturers. The actual ballistics obtained with your firearm can vary considerably from the advertised ballistics. Also, ballistics can vary from lot to lot with the same brand and type load.

Final Shots: 22 LR vs. 22 WMR

The 22 Long Rifle and the 22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire are two exceptional rimfire cartridges that are perfect for training young shooters, plinking, target shooting, and varmint hunting.

The 22 LR has been the most popular cartridge in North America for over a century and doesn’t show any signs of weakening. It is the cartridge most new shooters fire their first shots with as it has virtually no recoil and is extremely economical to shoot.

The 22 WMR is a definitive step up in power level compared to the 22 LR and excels at pest control. Designed to take on larger game and extend a shooter's effective range, the 22 Magnum hits twice as hard as a 22 LR at only a minimal increase in recoil.

Although the 22 Mag has superior ballistics compared to the 22 LR, most shooters will opt for the Long Rifle as its low cost per round and ease of sourcing ammunition makes it extremely appealing to weekend plinkers or target shooters.

No matter which cartridge you choose, make sure you stock up on ammunition here at Ammo.com and I’ll see you on the range!