A Vindication of .22LR Ammo

You’ve Got the Pistol Frame, Now Downsize

We have a lot of pistol frames in stock here at SARCO, Inc., and there’s a good chance that many of you that buy them go on to make 1911-style pistols chambered in .45 ACP or 9mm with them.

That’s reasonable, and it makes sense.

But it’s not the only thing you can do with a pistol frame. This thing is just a blank and depending on the type of frame you start with, you might be able to build a rimfire pistol.

With that said, here are some reasons you might want to do so.

Why .22LR?

The .22 Long Rifle cartridge, which has been around for well more than 100 years and which originally started out as a black powder cartridge, has a lot going for it.

Expect it to be around for 100 years more, if not longer. Here’s why.

Low Cost

How much are you paying per-round for 9mm or .45, even on the low end. It is 25 cents? How about 30? We wouldn’t be surprised if the answer were closer to 50 cents.

Those figures don’t really exist for .22LR. Granted, you can’t do the things with .22 that you can do with bigger (dare we say, better?) centerfire cartridges, but for better or for worse, .22LR is fantastically cheap.

You can get a brick of .22LR or buy some special surplus deal or something like that, lowering the per-round cost to as little as 5 cents, perhaps even cheaper in some cases, and that speaks for itself.

Available Everywhere

As long as you’re in reasonable areas of the country, you can get .22LR pretty much anywhere, and in some cases that means hardware stores and convenience stores. Sometimes even places that don’t sell ammo have .22.

That’s the flipside of the cost - not only is it cheap as dirt, but you’re never really going to be far from some rimfire ammo.

Low-Recoil

A .22LR cartridge can produce recoil as low as .2 ft-lbs, and perhaps even lower in some subsonic loads.

That’s practically nonexistent, and so low when firing through a shoulder mounted arm that you more often than not cannot feel it at all.

This makes .22LR a great choice for teaching greenhorns the ups and downs of safe and responsible firearm handling and shooting, and since recoil is so low, it’s not an intimidating cartridge to work with.

Also, because recoil is low, you can shoot it all day and barely even notice it.

Silent

Not technically silent, but about as close as any cartridge gets, and no suppressor is needed. Shooting a subsonic .22 is basically like snapping your fingers - an exaggeration, but you get the point.

This is beneficial not only for you and your range mates, but good news if you hunt with this rimfire cartridge, as it is less likely to spook wary small game (like groundhogs or squirrels) than a shotgun would be.

Perfect for Pest Control

Do you live on a farm? Then .22 is your friend. You can use it to dispatch pretty much any small game quickly, effectively, and ethically, even at semi-extended ranges.

Truth is, you can use .22 for medium sized game like coyotes, too. They say .223 is the king of coyote rounds, but .22 works for small predator control, too, and it’s quieter and cheaper.

Small Game Handgun Hunting

For what it’s worth, .22LR is an incredibly versatile hunting round. You can use it effectively on squirrels, rabbits, hares, groundhogs, foxes, coyotes, prairie dogs, and other small and small to medium-sized game.

It’s also an effective round for dispatching trapped furbearers like beavers, nutria, muskrats, skunks, possums, and raccoons - where legal of course.

And, it’s accurate. An accurized .22LR rifle is a thing of beauty, and can be a true tack-driver with the right loads.

Dedicated Rimfire Competition

There are groups that hold dedicated rimfire competitions, and if you’re really into it you can custom build a pistol or rifle, get really selective with your loads, and compete.

Ideal for Training and High-Volume Shooting

Because .22LR produces basically no recoil and is very cheap, it makes the ideal high-volume target round. If you blaze through a lot of brass at the range, keep costs down by being pragmatic about chambering. The steel and paper targets don’t care if you’re hitting them with a .223 or a 9mm or even a .22LR, so why not go with the cheapest option?

One Caliber, Many Platforms

While you can build a .22 handgun with an appropriate pistol frame, as you know there are so many other platforms chambered in .22LR. If you have a rimfire in the safe already, then you don’t need to get too creative with ammo sourcing. Heck, you can even use the same ammo in both if you wanted to.

Start Here

Whether you’re looking for a pistol frame to make your own build, or just parts for a rifle or handgun, we are here to help. Visit us in Easton, Pennsylvania if you can, and if not, take a look through our collection and contact us at 610-250-3960 if you have any questions.