Five .22 Cartridge Velocities as Advertised, in Rifle, in Three Pistols

AmmoLand ^ | March 9, 2023 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

The Kel-Tec P17 barrel was measured at 3.814 inches.

Published Velocities for .22 cartridges are easily available, and are usually measured in rifle-length test barrels. Lapau reportedly uses a 660mm (26 inch) test barrel for .22 rimfire rifle ammunition.  RWS uses a 650mm (25 inch) test barrel for rimfire rifle ammunition.  US manufacturers are said to use 24-inch test barrels. It makes sense manufacturers would use the longest commonly available barrel to test their ammunition.  Velocities of .22 ammunition in the US is seldom given for pistol barrels.

In a previous article, information was published about the velocities of three pistols for five subsonic and suppressor-ready loads.  KevinC, in a comment, asked for a test of common rounds in the advertised 1200 fps range. This correspondent had a number of them handy, as well as some older (1970) Remington Standard Velocity ammunition, recently tested for a different article.

One difference in this article is the reported length of the barrel on the Kel-Tec P17. Earlier, it was reported as 3.93 inches. References to the 3.93-inch length are still found on the Internet. References to the barrel length as 3.8 inches were found as well. The 3.8″ barrel length is now on the Kel-Tec website. Measurement beats speculation. The Kel-Tec P-17 barrel measured 3.814.  Measuring a pistol barrel to the hundredth of an inch seems overkill. 3.8 inches will be used going forward. The pistols were fired with a suppressor.

The results are shown in the chart.

There are sufficient differences in barrels to affect velocities from firearm to firearm. However, the results, in the aggregate, are reasonable.

[marktwain]

Velocity testing of some common ammunition in pistols.

About what would be expected. The Remington Golden Bullets produced one sonic crack in the 5.5 inch barrel.

[NFHale]

I still love shooting .22s. My old Ruger 10/22 carbine and Mk I pistol are always with me when I go to the range.

[Psalm 73]

Always searching for the hardest-hitting .22 LR round.

Wife (petite with thin wrists), carries a Ruger .22 revolver - this caliber is the extent of what she seems able to control.

Not optimal, but better than nothing (and frankly, it LOOKS like a .38 Sp - you have to look close before you realize it's only a .22).

[Blue Highway]

I wonder why CCI’s Minimag 22s didn’t make the list. They are the gold standard for 22s.

[mad_as_he$$]

A friend of mine with a dubious past says: “Hit someone in the eye with any .22 and they will decided to do something else.”

We even practice that strategy at the range.

[marktwain]

Did not have any to test. Velocity is advertises at 1,235.

Take 20 fps off of the Remington Golden bullet velocities, and you will likely be very close.

[Red Badger]

[AnglePark]

A friend of mine with a dubious past says: “Hit someone in the eye with any .22 and they will decided to do something else.”

I've always said no one is going to stand around to find out what caliber you're shooting at them. Similar, but not as clever as your friend's saying. Besides, when you shoot CCI Stingers it even sounds like a larger caliber.

Had a guy at the range stop me just last week and ask what I was shooting when I switched from Min-Mags to Stingers.

[marktwain]

Have you tried the CCI Velocitor or the Aguila Interceptor? The produce close to regular rifle velocities out of a 4" pistol barrel.

[Bob434]

Rapid fire marlin .22

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY9yoDQ8OYw

[marktwain]

Besides, when you shoot CCI Stingers it even sounds like a larger caliber.

.22 pistols are very loud. Even more so with the hyper velocity rounds such as Stingers, Velocitors, Interceptors, Winchester Hyper-Velocity. Lots of pressure hitting the air from short barrels.

[Psalm 73]

"...CCI Velocitor or the Aguila Interceptor..."

Thanks for the heads-up.

[Brooklyn Attitude]

“Wife (petite with thin wrists), carries a Ruger .22 revolver - this caliber is the extent of what she seems able to control.”

Tell her to be like Thor, and go for the head.

[GranTorino]

Is the .22 long rifle more powerful then .25APC out of a pistol?

[crusty old prospector]

I shot several hogs with my Hammerli yesterday with some CCI’s. Choot ‘em.

[marktwain]

Is the .22 long rifle more powerful then .25APC out of a pistol?

It depends. Out of the same barrel length, the higher powered .22 LR cartridges are very close to the same power as the .25 ACP.

Both have surprisingly good penetration using solid bullets.

Both are deadly with good bullet placement.

[Notthemomma]

2 things, and I hope this is not too far off-thread—

1) Ignore the fps listings and lore, and try each cartridge (regardless of caliber) in your desired gun. I’ve found that some of the hypervelocity cartridges swell up tremendously in the chamber after firing and cause FTE (in some handguns and rifles, esp. in semi-autos). There also seems to be a slight case length difference in some of the rounds, especially the aluminum cases, that causes FTF in some of my semi-autos. For self-defense, it is important to use ammo that actually works and is dependable, not just looks good on paper.

2) Your mileage may vary, but I really like 22WMR for a little extra ooopmh. Now if you’re discussing subsonics and suppressed shooting, that might not fit the bill, but one of my fav concealed carry revolvers is a S&W lightweight 22WMR, the 351PD. That might be an option for a lady with small hands that wants more firepower than 22LR. Another option in that regard might be the Baretta tip-up semi-autos (22LR Bobcat, and 32acp Tomcat), where the first round can be put directly into the chamber by the tip-up barrel, and then the gun fired by DA or SA (external hammer cocked), with SA firing on second and subsequent shots of the semi-auto, eliminating the need to “rack” the slide to load a round into the chamber to start, and allowing for unloading of chambered rounds similarly—my youngest daughter really likes that tip-up option, and so will many with “weak” wrist/grip strength.

[GranTorino]

7-8” of penetration seems good at up close.
Was wondering about barrel length in testing. .22 usually tested in rifle length barrels.
They seem so close I would go with the .22 just because of availability.
My .25APC Mauser sure is accurate and fun to shoot.

[PROCON]

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[KC Burke]

I have a few different 22WMR weapons. I like them. I have wanted a Keltec PMR30 since it was debugged and have not been able to justify its purchase in retirement — but I still want it.