Is the Rimfire Rifle Revolution Here to Stay?

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In the October 1962 issue of Playboy, noted author Robert Ruark outlined “The Gentleman’s Hunting Arsenal.” His article described a battery of long arms suited for a variety of tasks and ranged widely in price and practicality. Much of what he wrote six decades ago holds up today, particularly his praise of the .22 rimfire.

“The .22 rimfire is indispensable to the big-game hunter because the spit of a .22 makes no more noise than a snapped stick, making it invaluable as a meat gun and particularly priceless for finishing off wounded animals without rousing the neighborhood.” Imagine if Ruark had a suppressor on safari?

Whether we’re talking about hunting small game, shooting varmints, practicing or simply plinking for fun, a rimfire is ideal. The rimfire rifle remains, in Ruark’s words, indispensable. While some of the guns that he mentioned in his classic piece are still produced today, we certainly have newer and more-capable designs available to us now. With the price of centerfire ammo and the scarcity of powder for handloading these days, I’m shooting more rimfire guns than ever.

For many years, rimfire choices were a bit stagnant but that is changing fast. In the past year we have seen the introduction of several new rimfire models and even some new cartridges. We combed through each company’s offerings and identified eight models that are worth checking-out.

Hammerli Force B1

The term “innovative” gets overused, but this rifle deserves it. The manual toggle-style action is fast to operate, but is not ammo sensitive like some rimfires and is quieter when a suppressor is mounted. Since I almost always use a suppressor on a rimfire rifle these days, this matters. The barrel pops on and off like an air hose with a quick-release coupler which means that the rig can break down for travel in seconds. The Hammerli Force B1 uses Ruger 10/22 magazines which are widely available. Mine is very accurate, printing half-inch five-shot groups at 50 yards. Wood-stocked versions are now available as well. $649; hammerliarms.com

Winchester Ranger

For an attractive yet utilitarian rimfire rifle, the Winchester Ranger is tough to beat. The tubular magazine holds 15 rounds and the rifle weighs only 5 pounds, 4 ounces thanks to its aluminum receiver. The Ranger breaks down easily into two pieces, making it easy to stash in a pack or under a seat. The simple sights are adjustable, and a dovetailed receiver allows for the mounting of an optic. $420; winchesterguns.com

Savage Revel

Savage has jumped back into the lever-action market with the Revel, a takedown rimfire. The Revel is currently available in .22 LR but .17 HMR and .22 WMR versions will be available this Spring. The Revel Classic has a Turkish walnut stock and a large lever loop, giving it a traditional appearance. The barrel is 18 inches and the magazine tube holds 12 rounds. There is also a Revel Modern which offers some additional features including a threaded barrel. $439; savagearms.com

Springfield Armory Model 2020

When Springfield Armory launched its successful 2020 centerfire rifle, it also released its rimfire little brother as well. This bolt-action .22 LR is available in both synthetic and wood-stocked versions. The rifle is available with four grades of wood ranging from a simple satin finished stock to an attractive grade AAA Turkish walnut. The Target version uses a heavy-profile 20-inch barrel that is threaded ½-28 at the muzzle while sporter variants use a slimmer barrel contour without threads. All versions come with a Picatinny receiver rail and are compatible with 10/22 magazines. Both of the examples I tested shot well. $434-$1,099; springfield-armory.com

Christensen Modern Precision Rimfire

This rifle is a scaled-down version of the company’s Modern Precision rifle, dragging the classic rimfire into the 21st Century. This rifle is built around a modular billet aluminum chassis with a side-folding stock and a free-floating carbon fiber forend with M-LOK attachment points. The stock is adjustable for length-of-pull as well as comb height. The rifle is available in .22 LR, .17 HMR and .22 WMR. The carbon-fiber-wrapped barrel, which the company pioneered back in the 1990s, is available in three lengths from 16 to 20 inches. $1,250; christensenarms.com

Ruger 75th Anniversary 10/22 sporter

Ruger’s 10/22 is the rimfire rifle against which all others are judged. The 10/22 has been in production for 60 years but this version celebrates the company’s 75th Anniversary, which occured last year. Like all 10/22s, this anniversary model combines the simple blowback action with the often-imitated rotary magazine. This version has a stainless-steel barrel and a raw aluminum receiver along with a walnut-stained hardwood stock. The anniversary logo is engraved on the bolt and the carbine comes in a throwback-styled box. $399; ruger.com

Vudoo Gun Works Sinister Altitude

I never knew that I wanted or needed a .22 that costs more than three grand until I shot a Vudoo. The Sinister Altitude is a serious rimfire rifle built for competition as well as field use. This rifle uses a premium 20-inch barrel that is threaded ½-28 and coated in Sniper Gray Cerakote. The scope base has a 30 MOA taper to allow for maximum ranges. The Pure Precision Altitude stock has an adjustable comb and a shredded Anthracite camo pattern. A TriggerTech Primary trigger with a curved bow is used. The AICS-pattern magazine is secured with a Hawkins Precision Hunter SA DBM bottom metal setup. At this price, the rifle is not for everyone but, if you have the means, you won’t be disappointed. $3,240; vudoogunworks.com

Rock River Arms LAR-15M

I bought my first Rock River Arms carbine 20 years ago and have tested many over the years. Each of them has two things in common: excellent accuracy and reliability. RRA’s rimfire AR is available in .17 HMR, making it one of very few .17 HMR semi-autos on the market. It sports an 18-inch barrel threaded ½-28, an M-LOK compatible free-float rail and Magpul MOE furniture. The trigger is a two-stage ultra match. If you are a centerfire AR shooter, one of the true benefits of this carbine is the fact that the controls and manual of arms are identical. I can’t think of many things that would be more fun than sneaking up on a prairie dog town with an accurate semi-auto such as this one. $1,190; rockriverarms.com

Winchester .21 Sharp Cartridge

Since 1887, the .22 LR has been America’s go-to rimfire round. Can it be improved upon? Winchester thought it was worth a try. Since the .22 LR’s bullet diameter is the same as the case, the bullet has a smaller “heel” that fits inside the case. This design is cheap to produce but doesn’t do much for its ballistic profile. With the .21 Sharp, Winchester engineers created a comparably-sized round that incorporates a more modern bullet without the troublesome heel.

The .21 sharp uses a slightly narrower diameter bullet (.2105 vs. .2255) that sits inside the case mouth just as it would on a modern cartridge. This means more aerodynamic bullets can be used and better options for non-toxic bullets mandated in places such as California and Europe. This also allows the cartridge to be loaded with a wider range of bullet weights. Currently, the cartridge is offered with 25-, 34-, 27- and 42-grain bullets. Rifles from both Winchester and Savage are available.

Will the .21 Sharp supplant the .22 LR? That’s a hard “no” but that doesn’t mean it won’t be successful. I see value in jurisdictions that restrict lead ammo and I suspect it will gain quick acceptance in long-range rimfire competitive circles where the ballistic advantage could mean the difference between a trophy and a long ride home. Either way, I’m glad to see the industry pushing the boundaries in search of a better mouse trap. Cost is around $0.19 per round - slightly more expensive than premium .22 LR ammunition.

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