.22 Long Rifle
Cheap, quiet, and nearly recoilless — the cartridge everyone learns on and nobody outgrows, though bulk-pack reliability varies box to box.
Family
Rimfire
Introduced
1887
Origin
J. Stevens Arms & Tool Company, USA
History
Stevens created the .22 Long Rifle in 1887 by pairing the .22 Long case with a heavier 40-grain bullet, and it quickly displaced its rimfire ancestors. It became the world's most produced cartridge, the default trainer for generations of American shooters, and the backbone of smallbore competition including Olympic events. More than a century on it remains the first cartridge most people ever fire.
What it's used for
Iconic platforms
Ruger 10/22, Marlin Model 60, Smith & Wesson M&P 22 and countless conversion kits, plus target rifles from Anschutz and CZ.
Common load types
Lead round nose, copper-plated round nose, hollow point, subsonic, and match-grade target loads.
Reference only — not loading data, not ballistics advice, and KitID links to no ammunition sellers. Know your local law before you buy anything that goes bang.