Montenegrin
Member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2011
- Messages
- 85
Why people love it?It's very simple.It eats MUCH MORE ammo than bigger calibers for the same price.
What's So Special About .22lr?
- Thread starter Mr.Blue
- Start date
- Status
Shooting well offhand, either with rifle or handgun, takes much more practice than supported positions. I practice mostly with my .22LRs having bolt, semi, and lever rifles as well as revolver and semi-auto .22LR handguns.
People who are not into competitive benchrest .22LR shooting sometimes don't find shooting from a bench with a .22LR very interesting long-term. Getting groups of 1" or more at 50 yards with cheap ammo and out-of-the-box semi-autos can get old really fast.
Some of the most fun is shooting steel silhouettes and other reactive targets offhand, out to 100 yards.
I test my centerfire rifles/handguns factory and reloads, but, except for my Tikka .223, don't shoot them for fun at the range as much as I used to. After switching to non-lead bullets for hunting, cleaning the .270 and .243 is not as easy as it used to be. Also, ammo prices are disproportionately higher.
The exception is shooting home-cast bullets in my handguns. I use light loads in both .38/357 and .45 ACP and that's really fun! Cost isn't much more than .22s, since I have a lot of old wheelweight/linotype ingots.
People who are not into competitive benchrest .22LR shooting sometimes don't find shooting from a bench with a .22LR very interesting long-term. Getting groups of 1" or more at 50 yards with cheap ammo and out-of-the-box semi-autos can get old really fast.
Some of the most fun is shooting steel silhouettes and other reactive targets offhand, out to 100 yards.
I test my centerfire rifles/handguns factory and reloads, but, except for my Tikka .223, don't shoot them for fun at the range as much as I used to. After switching to non-lead bullets for hunting, cleaning the .270 and .243 is not as easy as it used to be. Also, ammo prices are disproportionately higher.
The exception is shooting home-cast bullets in my handguns. I use light loads in both .38/357 and .45 ACP and that's really fun! Cost isn't much more than .22s, since I have a lot of old wheelweight/linotype ingots.
Sav .250
Member
If you don`t know by now............to late. 
You talk about recoil. Get a 12 ga and fire 2 boxes of slugs from it. There`s your .......recoil!
You talk about recoil. Get a 12 ga and fire 2 boxes of slugs from it. There`s your .......recoil!
You can buy a really nice rifle, but it is still cheap to shoot. They can be very accurate. They are not so loud, so there are more places to shoot them. The bullets are not as powerful, so they won't travel as far, nor will they penetrate as much. You can hunt squirrels with them.
What is NOT to like about .22LR?
What is NOT to like about .22LR?
CTPhil
Member
It's quiet! I can shoot off the porch all day long. Centerfire would annoy the neighbors in no time flat and I can't say I'd blame them.
I am an old man now, but when I was younger I was a fighter pilot in USAF. I carried a .22lr pistol for survival. The advantage is that I could carry 50 rounds in a sleeve pocket of my flight suit and 9 rounds in the gun.
I took the gun hunting with me often just to make sure I remained able to bag game. The revolver was inexpensive, a Hi Standard Sentinel. Accuracy was as good I am.
Naturally, I didn't take the .22lr to combat, but it was handy on all other missions.
I took the gun hunting with me often just to make sure I remained able to bag game. The revolver was inexpensive, a Hi Standard Sentinel. Accuracy was as good I am.
Naturally, I didn't take the .22lr to combat, but it was handy on all other missions.
ForumSurfer
Member
Some of us are lucky enough to be able to shoot on private land. Shooting reactive targets with a 22 is ridiculously fun.
Give me a few spinner targets, race trees and a few of these:
and bring along $30 worth of ammo and myself, my girlfriend and my kids can be occupied for an entire afternoon.
Practice for other weapons....check.
Trigger time...check.
Shameless fun plinking around and making memories...priceless.
My sons will gain skills from making their groups of holes on pieces of paper ever smaller...but they will gain memories that will last a lifetime will shooting tin cans, steel spinners and those crazy dancing orange balls. In my youth, we used 22 shorts and pine cones...but those $20 orange balls (now available at gander or walmart) are admittedly much easier to see and much more fun. Shooting it with a 22 autoloading pistol and keeping it rolling through the entire mag (and do a mag change and get back on target before it stops) is so much fun that I worry the government is gonna start regulating them.
Give me a few spinner targets, race trees and a few of these:
and bring along $30 worth of ammo and myself, my girlfriend and my kids can be occupied for an entire afternoon.
Practice for other weapons....check.
Trigger time...check.
Shameless fun plinking around and making memories...priceless.
My sons will gain skills from making their groups of holes on pieces of paper ever smaller...but they will gain memories that will last a lifetime will shooting tin cans, steel spinners and those crazy dancing orange balls. In my youth, we used 22 shorts and pine cones...but those $20 orange balls (now available at gander or walmart) are admittedly much easier to see and much more fun. Shooting it with a 22 autoloading pistol and keeping it rolling through the entire mag (and do a mag change and get back on target before it stops) is so much fun that I worry the government is gonna start regulating them.
JohnBT
Member
You equate shooting a rifle with recoil.
I equate it with hitting the target repeatedly. It doesn't matter what caliber is used. You simply need to adjust your expectations.
Americans are, at heart, a nation of squirrel hunters. We love accuracy and hitting a squirrel in the head is a little harder than hitting a deer.
"Getting groups of 1" or more at 50 yards with cheap ammo and out-of-the-box semi-autos can get old really fast."
I agree, get a better rifle.
I equate it with hitting the target repeatedly. It doesn't matter what caliber is used. You simply need to adjust your expectations.
Americans are, at heart, a nation of squirrel hunters. We love accuracy and hitting a squirrel in the head is a little harder than hitting a deer.
"Getting groups of 1" or more at 50 yards with cheap ammo and out-of-the-box semi-autos can get old really fast."
I agree, get a better rifle.
As those who have posted before; it is a much under appreciated round for those who have not needed one for varmint control. Like many I have seen horses dispatched with a single .22lr round. There is a thread someplace where a woman dispatched a Grizzly with a 22lr. The secret was she got him to hold still long enough to place the muzzle in his ear!! No small feat when he is determined to break in your front door for something to eat. So lack of recoil yet able to dispatch all kinds of critters with shot placement; cheap ammo and many times a light weapon you can carry all day to boot. What is there to not like??
In today's world it appears the ammo manufactures are starting to pay a little more attention and are offering more of a variable 22.lr round. Sub sonic up to a blistering 1720fps.
I was out yesterday and had three Rem Viper rounds left in a mag. I shot one shot at a target that was 325 yards away. The round impacted about 60 yards short when aiming at the top of the 14" target. Next shot was aimed with a 2' holdover. Dunno where the round went? The last shot was 1' holdover and the round hit (kinda) center of mass but behind, and to the right in the berm.
I had forgotten how much fun a 22 can be without hunting. Hunting does not equate to a lot of rounds fired on a monthly basis. Seems the only round count for me is when a new optic is installed and I am zeroing or getting familiar with a new optic/weapon. In hind sight I realise now I have/had cut back on my shooting due to cost of centerfire ammo and not being motivated to go out and waste ( for me ) $50 to $100 bucks of ammo punching paper. The 22lr and a couple of CMMG uppers have rekindled my long forgotten interest in the platform. Everyone should have a .22!!
Price of ammo, weight of said ammo, range, and ease of use for many make the 22 a keeper. Everyone should have a .22!!
In today's world it appears the ammo manufactures are starting to pay a little more attention and are offering more of a variable 22.lr round. Sub sonic up to a blistering 1720fps.
I was out yesterday and had three Rem Viper rounds left in a mag. I shot one shot at a target that was 325 yards away. The round impacted about 60 yards short when aiming at the top of the 14" target. Next shot was aimed with a 2' holdover. Dunno where the round went? The last shot was 1' holdover and the round hit (kinda) center of mass but behind, and to the right in the berm.
I had forgotten how much fun a 22 can be without hunting. Hunting does not equate to a lot of rounds fired on a monthly basis. Seems the only round count for me is when a new optic is installed and I am zeroing or getting familiar with a new optic/weapon. In hind sight I realise now I have/had cut back on my shooting due to cost of centerfire ammo and not being motivated to go out and waste ( for me ) $50 to $100 bucks of ammo punching paper. The 22lr and a couple of CMMG uppers have rekindled my long forgotten interest in the platform. Everyone should have a .22!!
Price of ammo, weight of said ammo, range, and ease of use for many make the 22 a keeper. Everyone should have a .22!!
Last edited:
Jonah71
Member
I'm 58 and the guns I miss firing the most would be my old .22LR rifles. (only have sight in one eye) If this sounds a lot like bragging that's because it is, but truthfully, I was the best shot of anyone I personally knew with the .22LR. Most of my allowance from about the age of 9-14 went on .22lr and .22shorts. I shot as many rounds as possible as often as I could. (chores came first) When we moved to town I mowed yards to get ammo $$. The .22lr is the best round imo for teaching kids (and anyone else) the basics of shooting. And in the hands of someone who knows how to use it, a 22lr is a very effective defensive round.
You just have to have been there and done that too appreciate the lowly old .22 rimfire. This round has been around sense the 1850`s when it was developed for one of the first S&W revolvers, it was basically developed for self defense, and then someone said hey lets put this in a little rifle & use it to put dinner on the table & now we have.
.22 Short
.22 Long
.22 Extra Long
.22 Long Rifle
.22 WMR
.22WRF
.22 ILARCO
.22 CB
.22 CB cap
.22 BB
.22 Remington Automatic
.22 Winchester Automatic
Well there you have it, I guess it`s just a freaking good little round !!!!!!!!!!!
.22 Short
.22 Long
.22 Extra Long
.22 Long Rifle
.22 WMR
.22WRF
.22 ILARCO
.22 CB
.22 CB cap
.22 BB
.22 Remington Automatic
.22 Winchester Automatic
Well there you have it, I guess it`s just a freaking good little round !!!!!!!!!!!
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
There is simply no better tool for improving shooting skill than a .22LR. The common belief that the lack of recoil is "unrealistic practice" is completely false. I don't like to assume. However, when I hear that your average shooter does not take the .22LR seriously or considers it only viable for women and children, I automatically assume they are not a very serious shooter and that their shooting skill is probably lacking.
Competitive shooters who shoot tens of thousands of rounds of centerfire every year are a little different.
Competitive shooters who shoot tens of thousands of rounds of centerfire every year are a little different.
Inebriated
Member
It's cheap, fun, quiet, put food on the table for a ton of people, and it is "just" enough gun to get non-gun people into shooting.
22-rimfire
Member
Recoil isn't everything. I felt the same way about recoil and a "real gun" kind of thought pattern when I was in my 20's. That changed with maturity. It is a real gun!
Shooting 22's can be quite challenging. It really depends on what you are trying to get out of the shooting experience. Sure it's fun to plink with center fire rifles and handguns, but unless you are will to blow a few 100 dollars just to plink for a couple hours or an hour, it doesn't take me long to appreciate the 22 again. For me, shooting away $150 worth of ammo in a morning hurts. I don't like to hurt financially. But you can shoot up $150 worth of 22LR ammo too in a shooting session too depending on what you shoot. But it that was a centerfire, it would likely be 3x that cost or more even if you reload. I shoot some centerfire and shoot a lot more rimfire to balance things out.
Shooting 22's can be quite challenging. It really depends on what you are trying to get out of the shooting experience. Sure it's fun to plink with center fire rifles and handguns, but unless you are will to blow a few 100 dollars just to plink for a couple hours or an hour, it doesn't take me long to appreciate the 22 again. For me, shooting away $150 worth of ammo in a morning hurts. I don't like to hurt financially. But you can shoot up $150 worth of 22LR ammo too in a shooting session too depending on what you shoot. But it that was a centerfire, it would likely be 3x that cost or more even if you reload. I shoot some centerfire and shoot a lot more rimfire to balance things out.
Mike1234567
member
For me it's...
1. cheap / common ammo
2. can shoot suppressed with Aguila SSS
3. good option for... umm... "emergency situations"
1. cheap / common ammo
2. can shoot suppressed with Aguila SSS
3. good option for... umm... "emergency situations"
Furncliff
Member
If you like variety... you can buy more guns for $ spent if they are rim fire.
sixgunner455
Member
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2006
- Messages
- 3,052
Last weekend, I shot 30 rounds of hunting rifle ammo that I loaded in my garage. I hit targets way out yonder, and had a heck of a fun time. The bullets cost me $20/100, the cases cost $20/50 (but they're reusable - took some time to prep before I could use them, and I'll have to spend time prepping them before I can use them again), and the powder cost $20/1lb. Primers were <$5/100.
So, I spent (actual dollars on ammo to actually shoot that rifle that day) $65.00. I'll spend significantly less next time, because I won't have to buy the brass again, and I certainly didn't use up the powder, and I still have 70 bullets in that box, so I can technically shoot 70 more rounds without spending any money, just time.
Still, that's $65/100 rounds of ammo. If I buy 100 more bullets and 100 more primers, that's ~$25 more. That's ~$90 for 200 rounds (I'm assuming I haven't used up the powder yet). I'm discounting the dies, because they're a buy once/cry once non-consumable, just like the press I use them in. Over time, it amortizes to basically nothing on the equipment if you buy quality and use it for a long time.
Still, over the course of 200 rounds, I've spend a touch under $.50/round. That beats heck out of $1-$3/round for commercial ammo, but ...
I shot 50 rounds of .22 through my Single Six, plinking steel at 100 yards. Two bucks. No hassle, no fuss, no loading, just sweep up the brass and toss it. If I shoot 200 through it, it's only $8 or so. I have .22 rifle, too. I get way more scope time through that stupid Tasco on my 10/22 than I can afford to on my hunting rifle. Sub 1" groups at 50 yards with the .22 means that when I stretched my new hunting rifle out to 200 yards, I had developed and maintained the basic skills needed to shoot it for groups. When I decided to try the steel at 400, and nailed it every time, it kind of showed that the thousands of cheap rounds I've spent with the .22 on Saturdays at dirt bank ranges since I was a little kid have paid off. (I used to hunt with a muzzleloader -- this is my first deer season with a scoped hunting rifle, so it's kind of a new thing for me).
My wife will only go shooting with me a couple of times per year, and I have to bring .22 pistols, or she won't go. She has a 9mm, and carries it occasionally, but only really likes shooting the .22 pistols. If I ever buy one of those cute little Bersa .22 pistols that look like a PPK, she'll probably adopt it for her very own and never carry the 9mm again. My daughter loves her .22 rifle, and .22 semiauto pistols. My son and nephew had a great time shooting big holes in the center of their targets a few weeks ago, just chewing through a brick of .22.
We have a lot more .22 around here, ammo and guns, than anything else. Probably going to stay that way, too, since we can actually afford to shoot the things.
Perspective is an interesting thing, no?
So, I spent (actual dollars on ammo to actually shoot that rifle that day) $65.00. I'll spend significantly less next time, because I won't have to buy the brass again, and I certainly didn't use up the powder, and I still have 70 bullets in that box, so I can technically shoot 70 more rounds without spending any money, just time.
Still, that's $65/100 rounds of ammo. If I buy 100 more bullets and 100 more primers, that's ~$25 more. That's ~$90 for 200 rounds (I'm assuming I haven't used up the powder yet). I'm discounting the dies, because they're a buy once/cry once non-consumable, just like the press I use them in. Over time, it amortizes to basically nothing on the equipment if you buy quality and use it for a long time.
Still, over the course of 200 rounds, I've spend a touch under $.50/round. That beats heck out of $1-$3/round for commercial ammo, but ...
I shot 50 rounds of .22 through my Single Six, plinking steel at 100 yards. Two bucks. No hassle, no fuss, no loading, just sweep up the brass and toss it. If I shoot 200 through it, it's only $8 or so. I have .22 rifle, too. I get way more scope time through that stupid Tasco on my 10/22 than I can afford to on my hunting rifle. Sub 1" groups at 50 yards with the .22 means that when I stretched my new hunting rifle out to 200 yards, I had developed and maintained the basic skills needed to shoot it for groups. When I decided to try the steel at 400, and nailed it every time, it kind of showed that the thousands of cheap rounds I've spent with the .22 on Saturdays at dirt bank ranges since I was a little kid have paid off. (I used to hunt with a muzzleloader -- this is my first deer season with a scoped hunting rifle, so it's kind of a new thing for me).
My wife will only go shooting with me a couple of times per year, and I have to bring .22 pistols, or she won't go. She has a 9mm, and carries it occasionally, but only really likes shooting the .22 pistols. If I ever buy one of those cute little Bersa .22 pistols that look like a PPK, she'll probably adopt it for her very own and never carry the 9mm again. My daughter loves her .22 rifle, and .22 semiauto pistols. My son and nephew had a great time shooting big holes in the center of their targets a few weeks ago, just chewing through a brick of .22.
We have a lot more .22 around here, ammo and guns, than anything else. Probably going to stay that way, too, since we can actually afford to shoot the things.
Perspective is an interesting thing, no?
PX15
Member
JMOfartO:
Well, I'm old.. I'll be 69 in Dec, and have owned a 22 rifle or pistol of some description since I was 12 when my grandmother gave me a ss bolt action 22 cal. rifle for my birthday.
In the ensuing decades I pretty much put the 22 aside.. I got "into" centerfire pistols (never cared much for centerfire rifles, but that's just a personal preference).
I enjoyed casual target plinking with my 38's/9's/45's for a long, long time.. But then for a long, long time it was AFFORDABLE...
It's not now. At least not affordable for this senior citizen living on a fixed income.
Add pricey ammo, and poor eyesight and less than steady hands and it was obvious that my centerfire plinking days were gone.
Because of those facts I took another look at the lowly 22cal rifles I had loved so much as a young man..
Rimfire ammo, while not dirt cheap, is still pretty affordable.. I can use the Wally World bulk packs of 550 (Federals preferred) just fine in all my 22 cal firearms, and I can do that for around $20.00..
Or less than one box of 50 centerfire rounds.
So, I sought out some 22cal rifles that were d&t for a scope (or had a grooved receiver), and bought a couple.
I enjoyed plinking so much I bought a couple more, then a couple more... Well, you get my drift?
Like you, I don't kill anything unless it has rattles on the end of it's tail and scares me real badly.... If I have time to think, generally, I'll let a viper go on about his/her way when possible.
I enjoy some time shooting my SA22 with open sights, my 1996 Marlin 39A with a 3X9 scope, and my Winchester 63 with a 4 power scope.
Then, unexpectedly, thru the miracle of cataract surgery, my distance vision is once again 20/20.. So I added a couple of 22 cal rifles with peep sights (1975 39A, 1970 Marlin 39A Century Limited) and those are a joy to shoot..
So, I can shoot my various 22's with open sights, scopes, or peep sights.. Just depending on the mood..
And I can do so all day long, and longer, with one box of 550rds, all for less than $20.00..
Can't do that with a centerfire "anything"...
The paper targets are just as "dead" with small 22cal holes in them as they would be with 45ACP holes in them.. But my wallet might still have a buck or two left in it that wouldn't be present if I were not a fan of the lowly rimfire round.
Another consideration.
For those "survivalists", or "doomsday" types, a good 22 cal. rifle can put a lot of meat in the pot in a pinch, cheaply if bad times come a callin'..
I believe everyone is well served by having at least one good 22cal. rifle in the gun safe, no matter how much money they might have to blow on ammo.
Just personal opinion, no offense to those who might not see it my way.
Jesse
P.S. And I have a new puppy too as a companion when I'm shooting out back.. (Who surprisingly is not afraid of the noise of gunfire..)
Well, I'm old.. I'll be 69 in Dec, and have owned a 22 rifle or pistol of some description since I was 12 when my grandmother gave me a ss bolt action 22 cal. rifle for my birthday.
In the ensuing decades I pretty much put the 22 aside.. I got "into" centerfire pistols (never cared much for centerfire rifles, but that's just a personal preference).
I enjoyed casual target plinking with my 38's/9's/45's for a long, long time.. But then for a long, long time it was AFFORDABLE...
It's not now. At least not affordable for this senior citizen living on a fixed income.
Add pricey ammo, and poor eyesight and less than steady hands and it was obvious that my centerfire plinking days were gone.
Because of those facts I took another look at the lowly 22cal rifles I had loved so much as a young man..
Rimfire ammo, while not dirt cheap, is still pretty affordable.. I can use the Wally World bulk packs of 550 (Federals preferred) just fine in all my 22 cal firearms, and I can do that for around $20.00..
Or less than one box of 50 centerfire rounds.
So, I sought out some 22cal rifles that were d&t for a scope (or had a grooved receiver), and bought a couple.
I enjoyed plinking so much I bought a couple more, then a couple more... Well, you get my drift?
Like you, I don't kill anything unless it has rattles on the end of it's tail and scares me real badly.... If I have time to think, generally, I'll let a viper go on about his/her way when possible.
I enjoy some time shooting my SA22 with open sights, my 1996 Marlin 39A with a 3X9 scope, and my Winchester 63 with a 4 power scope.
Then, unexpectedly, thru the miracle of cataract surgery, my distance vision is once again 20/20.. So I added a couple of 22 cal rifles with peep sights (1975 39A, 1970 Marlin 39A Century Limited) and those are a joy to shoot..
So, I can shoot my various 22's with open sights, scopes, or peep sights.. Just depending on the mood..
And I can do so all day long, and longer, with one box of 550rds, all for less than $20.00..
Can't do that with a centerfire "anything"...
The paper targets are just as "dead" with small 22cal holes in them as they would be with 45ACP holes in them.. But my wallet might still have a buck or two left in it that wouldn't be present if I were not a fan of the lowly rimfire round.
Another consideration.
For those "survivalists", or "doomsday" types, a good 22 cal. rifle can put a lot of meat in the pot in a pinch, cheaply if bad times come a callin'..
I believe everyone is well served by having at least one good 22cal. rifle in the gun safe, no matter how much money they might have to blow on ammo.
Just personal opinion, no offense to those who might not see it my way.
Jesse
P.S. And I have a new puppy too as a companion when I'm shooting out back.. (Who surprisingly is not afraid of the noise of gunfire..)
Carl N. Brown
Member
What's So Special About .22lr?
As Charlie said to Roop in Mad Max "You're blaspheming again."
Otherwise, the other posters have covered all I had to say in defense of .22LR.
As Charlie said to Roop in Mad Max "You're blaspheming again."
Otherwise, the other posters have covered all I had to say in defense of .22LR.
22-rimfire
Member
This is very true and as you said, all shooters should own at least one 22 rifle and probably a handgun. You can become pretty proficient with a 22 anything if you try. That is a good thing! You can also use the 22 for self defense in a pinch regardless of what many say in the threads.
Nice pup, PX15.
BigDaddyNEB
Member
I'm pretty sure that no one has mentioned another obvious fact.....22lr is a great round to use to "get back to basics." What do i mean by that? I for one have found that my shooting skills have declined over the years. Before I even think about shooting a high caliber rifle, I pull out the little ol' Marlin 60 and practice my breathing, trigger pull, sight picture, etc. Its a lot cheaper to blow through 50 rounds of .22 than even 10 rounds of .308 or .45-70.
mdauben
Member
Honestly, you have just listed all the reasons why so many people like the .22 cartridge (low cost, low recoil, quick follow up, good for training, good for small game). If you are not moved by them, nothing we say is going to convince you.
Here , Here !!!!!!!!!!
Dr T
Member
There is one other reason that has not yet been mentioned:
Sometimes anything larger than a 22 rimfire is just too much gun. (my comments include both the 22 lr and 22 WRM).
I have a fair number of rimfire rifles and handguns. When I go to the ranch, one almost always goes along, even though I am carrying something heavier.
For example: Why carry a 22 revolver if you are also taking a 44 Magnum SuperBlackhawk? Well, if you need to kill a rattlesnake that is coiled up in the corner of the corral and there are livestock around, the cows, sheep, and horses don't get as upset. If the varmint is inside the barn (and the barn has a dirt floor, you won't get deaf. If you are about to lay out the sheep shearing boards and a snake is coiled up between the boards, you don't have to worry about tearing up the boards. If you are walking the draw looking for deer and hear the little click-click-click of a rattler that is about to hit his stride on his way to your leg, you can take care of the problem and not ruin your day of hunting...
In general, I have more real world uses for the 22 than all of my other toys put together. I even have a rifle that I have printed 1" groups at 100 yards with (but it was a very still day), The last gun I purchased was a S&W 351PD 22 WRM with a 2" barrel. I expect it will be taking a lot of field trips with me when hunting and Bill Jordan liked it as a self-defense gun (even though the configuration was not made during his lifetime). I would much rather use a 22 WRM solid point jacketed bullet for administering the coup de grace from 6 feet on a wounded animal than, say, a 300 Wthy Mag.
The relatively low power and low noise just make the 22's more useful.
Sometimes anything larger than a 22 rimfire is just too much gun. (my comments include both the 22 lr and 22 WRM).
I have a fair number of rimfire rifles and handguns. When I go to the ranch, one almost always goes along, even though I am carrying something heavier.
For example: Why carry a 22 revolver if you are also taking a 44 Magnum SuperBlackhawk? Well, if you need to kill a rattlesnake that is coiled up in the corner of the corral and there are livestock around, the cows, sheep, and horses don't get as upset. If the varmint is inside the barn (and the barn has a dirt floor, you won't get deaf. If you are about to lay out the sheep shearing boards and a snake is coiled up between the boards, you don't have to worry about tearing up the boards. If you are walking the draw looking for deer and hear the little click-click-click of a rattler that is about to hit his stride on his way to your leg, you can take care of the problem and not ruin your day of hunting...
In general, I have more real world uses for the 22 than all of my other toys put together. I even have a rifle that I have printed 1" groups at 100 yards with (but it was a very still day), The last gun I purchased was a S&W 351PD 22 WRM with a 2" barrel. I expect it will be taking a lot of field trips with me when hunting and Bill Jordan liked it as a self-defense gun (even though the configuration was not made during his lifetime). I would much rather use a 22 WRM solid point jacketed bullet for administering the coup de grace from 6 feet on a wounded animal than, say, a 300 Wthy Mag.
The relatively low power and low noise just make the 22's more useful.
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