Since 1960, hunters have the opportunity to hunt animals through ammunition 22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire. In the technical documentation, they are still listed as 22 Magnum or 22 Mag. Information on the creation history, features and technical characteristics of the 22 WMR caliber cartridges is contained in this article.
Acquaintance
22 WMR caliber ammunition is a low-pulse ring ignition cartridge. It is very popular among civilian consumers. Designed 5.6 mm cartridges caliber 22 WMR for hunting. Also, these ammunition can equip rifle units for self-defense.
About the history of creation
The developer of the 22 WMR caliber was the American arms company Winchester Repeating Arms Company. The cartridge was designed back in 1959, but the company organized mass production in 1960. At this time, began to produce weapons of caliber 22 WMR, using this ammunition. Soon, the release of rifle units for this caliber was established by other leading American arms companies. According to experts, the 22 WMR caliber is the first ring-ignition cartridge that was mass-produced in the 19th century. Other ammunition of this type appeared only in the XX century.
Description
22 Mag is slightly different from other small-caliber ammunition. Unlike the cartridges 22 Long, 22 Short, 22 Long Rifle and others, 22 WMR is slightly longer (26.7 mm), and its sleeve with thick walls.
In addition, a larger diameter (6.1 mm) is provided for the sleeve. Thus, the use of this ammunition suggests the presence of increased pressure inside the cartridge. For this reason, 22 WMRs cannot equip weapons adapted for firing with other small-caliber ammunition. Otherwise, the rifle unit will become unusable and injure the owner.
At the same time, 22 WMR caliber weapons are adapted to fire with other 5.6 mm ammunition. However, in this case, the shooter may have difficulties with the extraction of the already shot sleeve. The fact is that if you equip a 22 WMR shotgun with a short cartridge, it will inflate the sleeve and it will be difficult to get it. For this reason, some manufacturers have established the production of replaceable drums. As a result, the owner has the opportunity to shoot a shotgun with a chamber under the caliber 22 WMR small-caliber 22 Long, 22 Short, 22 Long Rifle. It is enough to install the desired drum.
About Shells for 22 Mag
Unlike other small-caliber ammunition in 22 WMR, lead salted bullets are not used. At 22 Magnum, the manufacturer is forced to use copper-plated. The fact is that 22 WMR is much more powerful. If you shoot a cartridge with a lead non-shell bullet, having developed a speed of up to 600 m / s, it will fly off the grooves in the barrel channel. Also, due to high friction, it can simply melt. The head parts in copper-plated shells in 22 Magnum have expansive cavities. In specialized stores, you can also get special 22 WMR cartridges. Their feature is that in place of the bullet there is a capsule, inside which there is a small fraction. These ammunition is effective for shooting rats and mice.
About technical specifications
22 WMR has the following options:
- By type, it relates to cartridges of annular ignition.
- It is equipped with a 5.6 mm bullet, weighing from 1.9 to 3.2 g.
- Within a second, the projectile can cover a distance of 500 to 670 m.
- The muzzle energy is 450 J.
- The sleeve is equipped with a flange with a diameter of 7.4 mm.
About application features
If you compare the 22 WMR with the cartridge 22 Long Rifle, the "Winchester" is much more powerful. This is explained by the fact that in the sleeve 22 WMR of the powder charge fits one and a half times more, which significantly affects the combat range. For example, the projectile has a rather high initial speed (over 650 m / s), and the effective range varies from 180 to 200 m. Despite the high performance, when firing from a 22 WMR carbine, the recoil is very weak. Judging by the reviews of the owners, it is so minimal that it is not felt at all. The sound of the shot is low, which is also highly appreciated by consumers.
Who uses the 22 WMR ammunition?
According to experts, 5.6 mm cartridges are ideal for individual shooting training. For training firing ammunition is good because they are relatively cheap. Due to the fact that during training newcomers consume a large number of rounds, their low price is undoubtedly a plus. Due to the increased speed of the bullet, sport shooting did not become an area in which 22 WMR would be in demand. According to experts, to hit a target, enough ballistic indicators that 22 Long Rifle can provide, and not a more powerful cartridge.
For this reason, the manufacturer is primarily focused on hunters. They realized all the strengths inherent in 22 WMR. Judging by the reviews, the “Winchester” is one of the few rimfire ammunition that is often used for hunting purposes. The target for shooting are small rodents, rabbits and birds. Using 22 WMR, the hunter should take into account the fact that at close range a shell can damage the carcass of a game. If you charge a weapon with a bullet in which there is an expansive cavity, then the 22 WMR muzzle energy is enough to hit a coyote or jackal.
