Rimfire Ammo
Find the right rimfire ammunition by browsing by caliber below. Rimfire cartridges are used for everything from introductory shooting and small game hunting to competitive rimfire matches and suppressor use. Each caliber page covers in-stock loads—bulk practice options, hunting hollow points, and match-grade loads—along with compatible platforms and guidance on choosing the right load for your use case.
Read our full Rimfire Ammunition Buying Guide ↓
Rimfire vs. Centerfire
Rimfire cartridges have their primer compound embedded in the rim of the case, which is struck by the firing pin to ignite the powder charge. This design is simple and inexpensive to manufacture but means rimfire cases cannot be reloaded—once fired, they’re spent. Rimfire calibers are generally lower-pressure and lower-powered than centerfire, making them ideal for small game, introductory shooting, and practice. The .22 LR is by far the most popular rimfire caliber; .22 WMR, .17 HMR, and .17 WSM offer meaningfully higher velocity for extended small game range.
Choosing a Rimfire Caliber
The .22 LR is the right choice for most shooters—it’s the most affordable, most widely available, and chambers in the widest selection of rifles and pistols. The .22 WMR (Magnum) offers more power and range for small game at a higher per-round cost. The .17 HMR and .17 WSM are purpose-built varmint cartridges, firing a very light, fast bullet with a flat trajectory out to 200 yards. If your primary use is practice and general plinking, .22 LR wins on cost and platform selection. If you’re hunting prairie dogs or squirrels at distance, .17 HMR or .17 WSM is worth the premium.
Suppressor Use
Rimfire calibers—particularly .22 LR—are extremely popular for suppressor use. Standard velocity and subsonic .22 LR loads are already below the speed of sound from most rifle barrels and produce minimal noise when suppressed, making the combination one of the most accessible suppressed shooting setups available. The .22 WMR and .17 HMR are supersonic by design and cannot be loaded subsonic, so they produce a supersonic crack even when suppressed—suppression reduces muzzle blast but not the ballistic crack.
Reliability and Semi-Auto Cycling
Rimfire ammunition is inherently less reliable than centerfire due to the rim-priming design and lower pressures involved. Most quality rimfire loads function reliably in well-maintained firearms, but occasional misfires are more common than with centerfire ammunition. For semi-automatic rimfire rifles and pistols, standard velocity or high velocity loads from CCI, Federal, and Winchester cycle reliably in most platforms. Bulk budget loads are more prone to cycling failures in picky semi-autos; CCI Mini-Mag is the most widely recommended load for reliable semi-auto cycling.
Match Rimfire
Rimfire competition is a significant and growing discipline, with precision rimfire matches at distances from 50 yards to 300 yards growing rapidly. Match-grade .22 LR from Eley, Lapua, RWS, and CCI Custom Grade is purpose-built for these applications, offering velocity consistency and bullet quality that bulk ammunition cannot approach. Match rimfire performance is highly rifle-dependent—a premium lot that shoots superbly in one barrel may perform only modestly in another. Serious competitors test multiple lots and manufacturers to identify the best combination for their specific rifle.
Related Pages
Browse our full ammunition selection for all in-stock options, or visit our .22 rifles page to find a rimfire rifle. See our handgun ammo and rifle ammo pages for centerfire calibers.
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