Which .22 WMR Product Lines Are Most Common?
Current observed prices are in the 30-day price summary at the top of this page, recomputed from tracked retailer listings. The table below lists common product lines by bullet type, weight, and intended use. It is a reference list, not a ranking.
| Product Line | Type | Grain | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCI Maxi-Mag | JHP | 40gr | Small Game / General |
| CCI Maxi-Mag | Solid (TMJ / JSP) | 40gr | Target / Small Game |
| CCI Maxi-Mag V-Max | Polymer Tip | 30gr | Varmint |
| CCI Gamepoint | Jacketed Soft Point | 40gr | Small Game |
| Hornady Varmint Express | V-Max | 30gr | Varmint |
| Hornady Critical Defense | FTX | 45gr | Short-Barrel Defense |
| Federal Punch | JHP | 45gr | Short-Barrel Defense |
| Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel | JHP | 40gr | Short-Barrel Defense |
| Winchester Super-X | JHP | 40gr | Small Game / General |
What Is .22 WMR?
The .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire was introduced by Winchester in 1959. It is a lengthened, strengthened rimfire case that fires a .224-inch bullet — the same diameter as most centerfire .22 rifle cartridges, and slightly larger than the heeled .22 LR bullet. The case is 1.055 inches long and loaded to an overall length of about 1.350 inches, and SAAMI lists its maximum average pressure at 24,000 psi.
Two names cause most of the confusion around this cartridge. Retailers and manufacturers sell it as ".22 WMR", ".22 Magnum", ".22 Mag", and ".22 Win Mag" interchangeably — all four describe the same round. It is not interchangeable with .22 LR: the WMR case is longer and wider, so it will not chamber in a .22 LR firearm, and .22 LR fired in a .22 WMR chamber can split its case. Only fire .22 WMR in a firearm marked for it.
How .22 WMR Compares With Other Rimfires
Factory .22 WMR loads span roughly 30 to 50 grains. A typical 30gr polymer-tipped varmint load leaves a rifle barrel at around 2,200–2,300 fps; 40gr loads run near 1,875 fps; and 50gr loads around 1,500 fps. That places it between .22 LR, which tops out near 1,200–1,300 fps with standard high-velocity loads, and the .17 HMR, which is built on a necked-down .22 WMR case and drives a lighter 17gr bullet faster and flatter.
The practical trade-off between the two magnum rimfires is bullet weight against trajectory. The .17 HMR shoots flatter and drifts differently in wind with its light bullet; the .22 WMR carries a heavier bullet and more energy into small game and coyote-sized varmints at moderate distances. Many shooters keep a rifle in each, and both remain far less expensive per round than any centerfire varmint cartridge. The 30-day summary at the top of this page shows where .22 WMR sits today; the .22 LR and .17 HMR pages show the same statistics for its neighbours.
Common .22 WMR Load Types
- Varmint (polymer tip): 30gr–33gr bullets such as CCI's V-Max and Hornady's Varmint Express. These fragment readily and are aimed at prairie dogs, ground squirrels, and similar pests.
- Small game (JHP / soft point): 40gr hollow points and soft points — CCI Maxi-Mag, CCI Gamepoint, Winchester Super-X. These expand less violently than the varmint tips and are the common choice for rabbits, squirrels, and turkey where rimfire is legal.
- Solids: 40gr jacketed solids (often labeled TMJ or FMJ) for target work and for game where minimal meat damage matters.
- Short-barrel defense: Hornady Critical Defense 45gr FTX, Federal Punch 45gr, and Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 40gr are loaded with powders chosen for revolver and pistol barrel lengths rather than rifles.
Rimfire ammunition is primed in the rim rather than with a separate primer, which is why it cannot be reloaded and why it is sold in 50-round boxes rather than the 20-round boxes common for centerfire hunting loads.
Firearms Chambered in .22 WMR
The cartridge has been chambered in a wide range of firearms since 1959:
- Bolt-action rifles from Savage, CZ, Ruger, Marlin, and others — the most common .22 WMR platform for varmint shooting.
- Semi-automatic rifles, including magnum-rimfire versions of the Ruger 10/22 family and the Savage A22 Magnum.
- Revolvers — many single-action and double-action revolvers are offered in .22 WMR, frequently with an extra .22 LR cylinder; the two cartridges share a bore size but not a chamber.
- Semi-automatic pistols such as the Kel-Tec PMR-30, which uses a high-capacity magazine.
- Combination guns pairing a .22 WMR rifle barrel with a .410 shotgun barrel.
Rimfire magnum cartridges are less tolerant of mixing brands in some semi-automatic actions, so manufacturers often list tested loads for a specific firearm. Check your owner's manual before relying on a load you have not fired in your gun.
.22 WMR Brands
- CCI — Maxi-Mag, V-Max, and Gamepoint loads.
- Hornady — Varmint Express V-Max and Critical Defense FTX.
- Federal — Punch defensive loads and other rimfire magnum offerings.
- Winchester — Super-X JHP and varmint loads; the company that introduced the cartridge.
- Speer — Gold Dot Short Barrel 40gr JHP for revolvers and pistols.
- Fiocchi — Imported rimfire magnum loads.
Where to Compare .22 WMR Prices
IronScout tracks in-stock .22 WMR listings across the retailers it covers and recomputes the 30-day summary daily. Because rimfire magnum loads are sold in different box sizes (50-round boxes, and larger packs from some makers), comparing by cost per round rather than box price is the reliable way to line listings up. Use the search button at the top of this page to see current listings sorted by cost per round, and set a free price alert if you want to be notified when a listing crosses a price you choose.
Shipping is the other variable. Rimfire boxes are small, so a single box often carries a disproportionate shipping charge relative to its price; free-shipping thresholds differ by retailer. See how to buy ammo online and why the same ammo is priced differently across retailers for how those costs add up.