.22 LONG RIFLE
Rimfire training and small game cartridge
The .22 Long Rifle is the most widely produced cartridge in the world and the standard rimfire round for marksmanship training, cadet rifles, small game and Olympic, biathlon and silhouette competition. Its low cost, negligible recoil and quiet subsonic loadings also make it the classic suppressed special-purpose cartridge. The priming compound sits in the case rim; there is no separate primer.
Full Specifications
Cartridge dimensions
| Designation | .22 Long Rifle / .22 LR / 5.7 × 15 mmR |
|---|---|
| Case type | Rimmed, straight |
| Bullet diameter | 5.7–5.73 mm (0.223–0.2255 in) |
| Neck diameter | 5.7 mm (0.226 in) |
| Base diameter | 5.7 mm (0.226 in) |
| Rim diameter | 7.1 mm (0.278 in) |
| Headspace (rim thickness) | 1.092–1.295 mm (0.0430–0.0510 in) SAAMI |
| Case length | 15.6 mm (0.613 in) |
| Overall length | 25.4 mm (1.000 in) |
Ballistics
| 40 gr (2.6 g) solid | 370 m/s (1,200 ft/s), 178 J |
|---|---|
| 38 gr (2.5 g) plated HP | 380 m/s (1,260 ft/s), 182 J |
| 32 gr (2.1 g) hyper-velocity HP | 440 m/s (1,430 ft/s), 191–259 J |
| Subsonic reference | 40 gr lead at 330 m/s (1,082 ft/s) |
| Test barrel length | 470 mm (18.5 in); SAAMI test barrel 610 mm (24 in) |
| Rifling twist | 406.4 mm (1 in 16 in), six grooves RH |
Standards & pressure
| SAAMI MAP | 24,000 psi |
|---|---|
| C.I.P. Pmax | 170.00 MPa (24,656 psi) |
| Primer | Rimfire — priming compound in the case rim |
Service context
| Introduced | 1887, J. Stevens Arms & Tool Company, United States |
|---|---|
| Effective range | 150 yd (140 m); maximum carry up to 1,800 m |
| Typical platforms | Training and cadet rifles, target pistols, conversion kits, suppressed weapons |
Dimensional, ballistic and pressure figures are the published C.I.P., NATO and SAAMI reference values for the .22 Long Rifle cartridge (reference data; ANSI/SAAMI Z299.1 rimfire standard). Steadfast production lots are proof tested and certified against the applicable standard. Product imagery is an in-house Steadfast studio visualisation and is indicative only; actual finish, headstamp and lot markings follow the applicable standard and the customer order.
