.22 Long Rifle

The .22 Long Rifle has taught more people to shoot than every other cartridge combined - and it never stops being useful. For squirrels, rabbits and pest control it remains the standard: accurate, nearly recoilless, cheap enough to practice with all afternoon, and quiet enough (especially in subsonic loadings) to hunt without emptying the woods.

What it is

A rimfire cartridge from the 1880s firing a 36-40 grain bullet around 1,100-1,300 fps - tiny by centerfire standards, perfectly scaled to small game and new shooters.

What it hunts best

Squirrels, rabbits, and pests. Head shots on small game inside 75 yards are its craft. It is NOT a deer cartridge anywhere, and most jurisdictions rightly prohibit it for big game - check your regs, always.

Trajectory & energy

Zeroed at 50 yards it drops fast beyond 75 - learn the rainbow and range your shots. Energy (~100-140 ft-lb) suits small game precisely; that modesty is the point.

Recoil & shootability

Essentially none - which is why marksmanship learned on a .22 is real marksmanship: no flinch, all fundamentals. Suppresses beautifully where legal; subsonics barely disturb a woodlot.

Rifles & ammo on the shelf

Every maker builds .22s - bolt, lever, semi-auto - and ammo is everywhere in bulk. Match-grade ammo turns cheap rifles into tack-drivers; hunt with the load your rifle groups best.

Bottom line

Own one regardless of what else you shoot: the trainer, the small-game tool, the ammo-budget saver. If a season of squirrels appeals, this IS the season.