The .22 Winchester Rimfire (commonly called the .22 WRF or .22 Remington Special) is an American rimfire rifle cartridge..22 WRF (.22 rem. special). (n.d.). https://chuckhawks.com/22WRF.htmSaami rimfire cartridge catalog: The Ballistic assistant. The Ballistic Assistant | An Ammunition, Component, and Technical Resource for Ballisticians, Commercial Loaders, Hobby Handloaders, and Firearm Enthusiasts. (2021, January 17). https://www.theballisticassistant.com/saami-rimfire-cartridge-catalog/
History Introduced in the Winchester M1890 slide rifle, it had a flat-nose slug, and is identical to the .22 Remington Special (which differs only in having a round nosed bullet).Barnes, p.275, ".22 Winchester Rimfire (WRF)". It uses a flat-based, inside-lubricated bullet, which differs from the outside-lube heeled bullet of the .22 BB, .22 CB, .22 Short, .22 Long, .22 Long Rifle, and .22 Extra Long cartridges.
When introduced, the .22 WRF "was the first notable improvement in the killing power" over the .22 LR,Barnes, p.275, ".22 Winchester Rimfire (WRF). and was very capable of taking small game at up to . It is somewhat less accurate than the .22 LR and is most suited to hunting small game such as rabbits or prairie dogs.
Shortly before World War II, propellants were developed that greatly increased the effectiveness of the .22 LR. These new "high velocity" loadings offered a nearly increase in velocity over the original .22 LR load. This increase in power of the smaller round, coupled with its cheaper price and sheer number of rifles already owned in .22 LR, effectively diminished the popularity of the .22 WRF.
A variety of Winchester, Remington, and Stevens single-shot and repeating rifles were offered from 1890 onward, but new rifles are not made for this cartridge. The .22 WRF ammunition is periodically offered by commercial manufacturers for use in the old firearms. It can be fired in any rifle chambered for the more powerful and longer .22 WMR. The shorter .22 WRF cartridge may be limited to .22 WMR revolvers or single-shot usage in .22 WMR rifles, since it may not feed correctly from the longer .22 WMR-length magazines, depending on its design.
Dimensions Cartridge dimensions as specified by ANSI/SAAMI.
See also List of cartridges by caliber List of rifle cartridges List of rimfire cartridges 5 mm caliber
References
Notes Barnes, Frank C., ed. by John T. Amber. ".22 Winchester Rimfire", in Cartridges of the World, pp. 275 & 282-3. Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972. .
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