Rimfire history: from Flobert's BB cap (1845) to the .21 Sharp (2024)
Written in our own words from the sources cited after each fact. We haven't run hands-on tests for this page; where sources disagree we say so. Prefer the primary source (SAAMI, the maker, the governing body) if anything here conflicts with it.
Timeline
| Year | Event | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 1845 | Louis-Nicolas Flobert's low-powered parlor cartridge, the forerunner of the .22 BB Cap. The ball was driven by priming mix alone[NIJ firearms examiner training]. | [Smith & Wesson][Wikipedia] |
| 1857 | Smith & Wesson's Model 1 revolver introduces the first American metallic cartridge, later called the .22 Short: 29 gr bullet, 4 gr black powder. | [Smith & Wesson][Wikipedia][American Rifleman] |
| 1871 | .22 Long: same bullet, longer case, 5 gr powder. | [Smith & Wesson][American Rifleman] |
| 1880 | .22 Extra Long, 6 gr powder; now obsolete. | [Smith & Wesson] |
| 1887 | J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. introduces the .22 Long Rifle: the .22 Long case with a 40 gr bullet. | [Smith & Wesson][American Rifleman][Wikipedia] |
| 1959 | Winchester introduces the .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire. Wikipedia notes the first rifle offered in it was a Marlin. | [Wikipedia][Chuck Hawks] |
| 1969/1970 | Remington 5mm Rimfire Magnum; rifles dropped after 1974 and the cartridge is now obsolete. | [Chuck Hawks][American Hunter][Wikipedia] |
| 2002 | Hornady introduces the .17 HMR, a .22 WMR case necked down to .17 caliber. | [Chuck Hawks][American Hunter] |
| 2004 | .17 HM2 (.17 Mach 2) from Hornady and CCI. | [American Hunter][Wikipedia] |
| 2012 | Winchester's .17 WSM (dated 2012 in Wikipedia's cartridge table). | [Wikipedia] |
| 2023–2024 | SAAMI publishes the 21 Sharp spec in June 2023; Winchester launches the ammunition and Savage announces rifles on Sept 18, 2024. | [SAAMI][Winchester][Savage] |
Where sources disagree
- 5mm Remington: American Hunter says 1969; Chuck Hawks and Wikipedia's table say 1970[American Hunter][Chuck Hawks][Wikipedia]. The announcement and the first sales probably fell either side of the new year; we show both.
- .17 WSM: Wikipedia's table lists 2012[Wikipedia]; Grokipedia's article says 2005[Grokipedia]. Winchester's own rimfire page doesn't give a year[Winchester rimfire ammunition]. We use 2012 and treat 2005 as an error.
- Who introduced the .22 Long: Grokipedia credits J. Stevens in 1871[Grokipedia]; Smith & Wesson and American Rifleman give 1871 without crediting Stevens[Smith & Wesson][American Rifleman]. Stevens is firmly credited with the .22 LR in 1887.
- Flobert: invented in 1845, but Grokipedia notes the French patent came in 1849[Grokipedia].
Why the .22 LR won
The .22 LR matched the old .22 Extra Long's performance in a shorter case[Smith & Wesson], and later switched to smokeless powder. American Rifleman calls it the most popular cartridge in the world[American Rifleman]. Wikipedia credits the Marlin 39A family with about 2.2 million rifles built between 1922 and 2007[Wikipedia].
Sources
- NIJ firearms examiner training: cartridge cases
- Smith & Wesson: History of .22
- Wikipedia: .22 Long Rifle
- Wikipedia: .22 Short
- American Rifleman: The .22 LR, history & performance
- Wikipedia: .22 WMR
- Chuck Hawks: .17 HMR, 5mm Rem and .22 WMR compared
- American Hunter: Top 7 rimfire cartridges
- Wikipedia: table of handgun and rifle cartridges
- SAAMI: 21 Sharp public introduction (June 2023)
- Winchester: 21 Sharp introduction (Sept 18, 2024)
- Savage: 21 Sharp rifle announcement
- Grokipedia: Rimfire ammunition
- Winchester rimfire ammunition
- Wikipedia: Marlin Golden 39A