Testing Winchester's New 21 Sharp Rimfire Cartridge

Does the world really need another rimfire? That’s the question I was asking when Winchester’s Jake Wallace handed me a sample of their all-new 21 Sharp rimfire round on a windy spring day here in Nebraska. We were searching out prairie dogs, which were in short supply as one of the state’s blustery cold winds blew across the High Plains. Still, we were there to test and review the 21 Sharp, to see if this diminutive round could really be better than a classic .22.

To be fair, the 21 Sharp isn’t looking to overtake the .22 in terms of rounds sold. However, the new idea in rimfires does present a solution to a few of the problems inherent to the classic .22 LR. Honestly, I really didn’t think there were any problems with the .22 (other than the cheap rounds are dirty and chasing same-hole accuracy is sometimes futile), but I was quickly schooled otherwise. Turns out, the design of the .22 is antiquated, which shouldn’t be a surprise as there haven’t been any groundbreaking advancements in the round since it was introduced in 1887.

The main issue is the heeled design of the bullet, which I honestly hadn’t really thought about. If you look at a .22 bullet in profile, you’ll notice the rear section is a slightly smaller diameter. This allows it to fit into the case, which has a diameter of .225 – the exact same diameter as the exposed portion of the .22 bullet. The 21 Sharp uses that same case, but loads it with a ballistically better bullet with a diameter of .2105.

Obviously, this heeled design hasn’t caused any issues with the popularity of the .22 LR. It does, however, restrict the ability to create a modern, jacketed bullet for the caliber. Sure, there are some great bullets available for the .22 LR, but they aren’t inexpensive. And, more notably, it’s difficult to manufacturer a non-lead bullet in .22 LR, which is why there are so few of them.

The Crux of the Future

So therein lies the real answer to my question if the world needed another rimfire round. Looking into my crystal ball, I see a world filled with increasing restrictions on lead bullets; an affordable, non-toxic rimfire is just what the world is going to need. California already restricts the use of lead ammo by hunters, and there’s an ongoing push to ban it from public lands at the state and federal level. I expect we’ll see more of the same sooner rather than later.

While Wallace wouldn’t come right out and say it, Winchester’s press release announcing the 21 Sharp doesn’t deny this is one of the primary reasons for its introduction.

“Ammo manufacturers have tried with little success to incorporate lead-free projectiles into use in the venerable .22 Long Rifle (LR) cartridge. While those products are available, none have ever met the accuracy and on-target performance that a lead projectile can provide due to the original 2.2 LR design. The new 21 Sharp rimfire cartridge from Winchester was purposefully designed by Winchester to provide top performance with lead-free projectiles rather than accommodating them later.”

One of the first rounds available for the 21 Sharp is their 25-grain Copper Matrix Game & Target load, which Winchester boasts sub 1.5 MOA groups at 50 yards. That’s pretty good for a non-lead rimfire. Other offerings will include a 37-grain copper-plate lead bullet, a 42-grain FMJ and, under their Super X banner, a 34-grain jacketed hollowpoint for premium performance on rabbit, squirrels, varmints and other small game.

Terminal Performance

On that windy day in Nebraska, I put the Copper Matrix to the test. Though prairie dogs were scarce, there were enough to send a few boxes of 21 Sharp downrange.

Terminal performance was as expected with a rimfire round – a solid thump that tipped the prairie dogs right over. In the stiff breeze it did take some “walking in” to get the right windage, but the streamlined copper bullet, with velocities in excess of 1,700 fps, did resist wind drift more than I expected. While the 21 Sharp isn’t meant to be a long-range round, fellow gunwriter Jeff Johnston was able to stretch its legs with confirmed kills out to 150 yards. Notably, he wouldn’t share what his holdover was at that range. Inside 100 yards, the 21 Sharp dropped very little.

Currently, both Winchester and Savage are on board with the launch of the 21 Sharp. I’ve tested it with the Winchester Xpert, and experienced no issues cycling the bolt action. Winchester doesn’t advertise it, but the 21 Sharp seemed to shoot cleaner than your typical .22. The company expects more gun manufacturers to introduce 21 Sharp chambered rifles after the launch, noting that, other than the barrel diameter, all the other components are the same as rimfire rifles currently being manufactured.

21 Sharp Ammunition Offerings:

•  Game & Target 25 grain, Copper Matrix – The Winchester designed, lead-free, rimfire bullet produces sub 1.5 MOA groups at 50 yards, outperforming all lead-free .22 LR offerings available today.
•  Game & Target 37 grain, Black Copper Plated – This bullet is the most comparable to a standard .22 LR offering with improved accuracy and offers an economical round for plinking applications.
•  Game & Target 42 grain, FMJ – Winchester designed this high- performance full metal jacket (FMJ) bullet for those high-volume range sessions with less frequent cleanings and more time for shooting.
•  Super X® 34 grain, JHP – The jacketed hollow point (JHP) bullet outperforms its rival, the .22 LR, in terms of accuracy, expansion, and impact energy on small game.

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