Don't Sleep on the 22 WMR Cartridge

"You are never going to get it to shoot accurately and furthermore you'll never get it to function!"

It has been more than 20 years but I remember it almost like it was yesterday. It was SHOT Show 1997 and in passing had mentioned to an "industry guy" that we were working on a semi-auto 22 WMR rifle and the response we received is something I will never forget.

It lit a fire within us that would soon become our first, complete Volquartsen Firearms manufactured rifle.

These "words of wisdom" came back to me as we were building not only a Deluxe 22 WMR Rifle but also a Scorpion 22 WMR Pistol for a recent fundraiser.

As I looked at some test targets brought in from the rifle it made me realize how far the 22 WMR cartridge has come in the 60 years since it was introduced. Like you, I always grew up hearing how inherently inaccurate the caliber was. It had come a long way by the time we introduced our new semi-auto 22 WMR rifle line back in 1997 but it has come that much further since that time.

Too many people overlook the versatility and performance of the 22 WMR cartridge. It's available in everything from a 30 grain polymer tip bullet with a velocty of 2200 fps to a 50 grain JHP at over 1500 fps and everything in between. Its versatility has always made it an ideal choice for small game but recent improvements in accuracy have made it maybe the most versatile of all rimfire calibers.

CCI, Federal, Hornady and Winchester have all upped their game on the 22 WMR and we thank them for that. The unnamed "industry guy" referenced above also deserves a heartfelt thank you as there were a lot of challenges in getting the 22 WMR to function and perform up to our standards and without that voice in the back of our heads we may have given up. That doubting voice meant that quitting wasn't an option.

As a rimfire enthusiast, do yourself a favor and check out the impressive capabilities of the 22 WMR! It's an extremely effective round on small varmints and predators out to 125-150 yards. The 22 WMR delivers imporoved ballstics with no noticeable increase in recoil over a 22 LR.

Not sure which is one right for you, check out our complete line of 22 WMR rifles and pistols.

Committed to Building it Better,