Rimfire Ammunition

Rimfire ammunition — almost always .22 LR, along with .22 WMR, .17 HMR, and similar cartridges — is the most-fired ammunition in the country for good reason: it's cheap to shoot, has minimal recoil, and is the standard for training, plinking, small-game hunting, and pest control. Extreme Reloading stocks rimfire ammunition across common calibers and bullet types, in stock and shipping in 24 hours from a veteran-owned shop.

Rimfire vs. centerfire — why it matters for reloading

Rimfire cartridges ignite when the firing pin strikes the rim of the case rather than a separate primer in the center, which is why rimfire cases can't be reloaded — the priming compound is set into the rim during manufacturing and isn't replaceable. This is different from every centerfire cartridge on this site, which can be reloaded. Rimfire is buy-and-shoot only; there's no handloading path for it.

Standard velocity vs. high velocity vs. subsonic

Standard velocity .22 LR loads are optimized for accuracy and consistency, common in target and competition use. High velocity loads trade a little consistency for more energy, useful for small-game hunting where terminal effect matters more than the last fraction of group size. Subsonic loads stay below the speed of sound to avoid the "crack" of a supersonic round breaking the sound barrier — useful with a suppressor, where a supersonic round will still be loud even suppressed because of that sonic crack. Match load type to purpose rather than assuming any .22 LR box performs the same as another.

Bullet type: solid, hollow point, and specialty

Solid-point (often round-nose) rimfire bullets are standard for target and plinking use. Hollow points are built for expansion, common for small-game and pest-control hunting where a quick, humane result matters. Some rimfire lines also offer specialty coatings or constructions aimed at reduced fouling or specific hunting applications — check the box's stated use case rather than assuming all hollow points perform identically across brands.

.22 LR vs. .22 WMR vs. .17 HMR

.22 LR is the most common, most affordable, and lowest-recoil of the three — the default for training and general plinking. .22 WMR (Winchester Magnum Rimfire) steps up velocity and energy for slightly larger small game and longer effective range, at a higher cost per round. .17 HMR trades case capacity for a smaller, faster bullet with a flatter trajectory, popular for varmint hunting at moderate range. These are not interchangeable — each requires a firearm chambered specifically for it.

Brands we carry

CCI and Federal for broad rimfire coverage across standard and specialty loads, Hornady for their well-regarded rimfire hunting lines, Winchester, Aguila, Remington, Fiocchi, Frontier Cartridge, Armscor, and DoubleTap. Filter by manufacturer on this page to find the right rimfire load for your firearm and purpose.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my rifle only shoot well with certain brands of .22 LR? Rimfire ammunition has more lot-to-lot and brand-to-brand velocity/consistency variation than centerfire, and individual rifles often show a strong preference for a specific load. Testing a few brands to find what your rifle groups best with is standard practice, not a sign anything's wrong.

Can I reload rimfire brass? No — the priming compound is set into the case rim at the factory and isn't replaceable, which is why rimfire is not a reloadable cartridge type, unlike every centerfire round.

What's the point of subsonic .22 LR if I don't have a suppressor? Subsonic loads reduce the sonic crack that happens even without a suppressor, so they're quieter than standard velocity loads on their own, though the difference is most noticeable when paired with a suppressor.

Not sure which rimfire load fits your firearm or use case? Reach out — we're happy to help you find the right ammunition.