Small-caliber cartridges, which professionals call "small", have been used by hunters for several decades. This type of ammunition is especially appreciated by shooters who are engaged in commercial hunting. Small-caliber cartridges are successfully used by both novice hunters and experienced professionals, and even special services in many countries of the world.
Why do we need a small caliber
Small caliber weapons are a good example of how the main factor in shooting accuracy is not the weapon, but the type of ammunition. The development of the.22 LR cartridge led to a significant reduction in the cost of a shot, and the structural feature of the side-ignition cartridge case allowed engineers to create more than 10 types of cartridges, for which special guns were later created.
Types of cartridges caliber 5, 6 mm
For all its variety, the most popular small-bore rimfire cartridges are the.22 LR and.22 WMR. The first type was invented and first released over a century ago. During this time, he gained worldwide popularity, becoming the record holder for the number of shots fired. His completethe name can be represented as follows: a cartridge of 22 caliber, with a bullet diameter of 5.6 mm, L - long, R - rifle, as it has a rim on the bottom of the sleeve.
Since the energy generated after the shot is rather low in the “small” cartridges, and the trajectory of the bullet's flight varies greatly, they are used for firing at a short distance from the target. Mostly professional hunters shoot small animals (rodents and birds) with them.
In Russia, sables and squirrels are hunted with the help of "small" cartridges, in the United States they shoot gophers.
A lot of different types of weapons are produced under the.22 LR caliber - carbines, pistols, and even machine guns.
The second popular "small" cartridge -.22 LR (full name.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire) - is produced for civilian use. This caliber was especially loved in the USA. This cartridge was invented in 1959 for hunting larger animals, such as coyotes or jackals. The use of such a cartridge for smaller animals does not make sense, since the ammunition severely damages the victim's body.
Also, both types of “small things” are actively used in teaching shooting to beginners, since ammunition of this type is of low cost.
Permit to fire.22 LR cartridge
Obtaining a permit to shoot small-caliber weapons is no different from obtaining a permit to use a rifled barrel. The hunter needs to collect and submit the following documents to the LRO:
- Hunterticket.
- Certificate of medical examination.
- Report prepared by the local police, which contains information about the conditions of storage of firearms.
Also, do not forget that only those persons who have five years of experience with a smoothbore gun can obtain a permit for rifled weapons.
Advantages and disadvantages of "little things"
Among the main advantages of using "small" cartridges are the following factors:
- minor recoil;
- a small hole in the body of the victim, which allows you to keep the integrity of the skin;
- low noise during shot;
- possibility of using silencer;
- low price and availability of ammunition, allowing hunters to hone their shooting skills.
Cons cartridge "small things" 5, 6 mm:
- low lethal force;
- the ability to hit only close targets.
Chuck feature 5.6mm
The 5.6 mm (.22 LR) small-caliber cartridge got its name because its bullet diameter is 0.22 inches (5.6 mm). This type of ammunition does not have a primer. To make a shot, the firing pin strikes the side of the bottom of the cartridge case, therefore it is called a side-fire cartridge.
A 5.6 mm "small" cartridge has a percussion (also called a primer) composition pressed into the rim of the sleeve. When the shooter presses the trigger guard, the firing mechanism of the gun crushesrim, the capsule composition ignites. As a result of detonation, the main powder charge is ignited.
Due to the special design, the rim of the "small" cartridge 5, 6 mm is easily crushed by the impact of the striker. The walls of the case must have a thin layer of metal, which limits the maximum pressure generated by the ignition of the powder. If the charge in the cartridge is too powerful, the cartridge case may break during firing.
Characteristics of.22 LongRifle ammunition
- Caliber - 5.66 mm
- Bullet weight ranges from 1.9 to 2.6 g.
- Bullet weight - 2.72g
- Maximum mass of gunpowder - 0.34 g.
- Muzzle velocity - from 325 to 345 m/s.
- The speed of a bullet at around 50 meters from the muzzle of the barrel is 295 m/s.
- Initial bullet energy - 135 J
- The energy of a bullet after 50 meters of flight is 110 J.
The dimensions of the small cartridge are as follows:
- chuck length - 25mm;
- sleeve length - 15.1 mm;
- diameter of the sleeve at the top - 5.75 mm;
- diameter of the sleeve at the bottom - 7.1 mm.
History of origin.22 LR
The 0.22-inch small-caliber cartridge was invented in the late 19th century by Stevens Arm & Tool Comp. It was equipped with a 40-grain (2.6 gram) bullet. The total weight of black powder was 0.324 grams. It was not possible to measure the speed of a bullet at that time.
Modern sample of ammunition fromStevens Arm & Tool Comp has not changed much. The sleeve is made of metal, the total length of the cartridge is 25.5 mm. The main difference between the modern cartridge and the 1887 model is only that now the lead bullet is wrapped in a special shell to improve the ballistic characteristics of the ammunition.
Unlike the first developments, the modern bullet used by hunters has a mass of 2.6 grams. When firing from weapons with a barrel length of 152 mm, the maximum bullet speed after firing reaches 345 m/s, and the muzzle energy is 140 J. When firing from a rifle with a longer barrel, the bullet speed increases by an average of 60 m/s.
In the modern world, 4 rimfire cartridges are produced:
- The most powerful ammo is called Hyper-velocity. When fired, the bullet reaches an ultra-high speed of 425 m/s.
- The second most powerful cartridge is High-velocity. Maximum speed - 400 m/s.
- Side-fire ammunition with a standard bullet speed (about 343 m/s) is called Standard-velocity.
- Small-caliber cartridge with subsonic bullet speed (335 m/s) is called Subsonic.
Many factors affect the speed of a bullet, for example, the manufacturer of the ammunition, as well as the length of the barrel.
Domestic cartridges of caliber 5.6 mm
Since the.22 LR cartridge is widely used in sports shooting and hunting, domestic cartridge factories have also taken up its production. Russian-made small-caliber rifle cartridges have various names:
- "Pace".
- "Marmot".
- "Extra".
- "Sable".
- "Junior".
- "Olympus".
Also, for those who like to shoot at the shooting range, they produce 4.5 mm cartridges for "small things" made of lead. Their design does not provide for a powder charge, respectively, they do not need a sleeve. Cartridges "small things" 4, 5 mm during the shot are activated due to the powerful impact of the striker on the back of the ammunition.
Sports small caliber cartridges
The general rules of international competition require that athletes have equal conditions. Weapons and ammunition must comply with accepted standards. The use of the.22 LR cartridge in sports is explained by its low noise, low power, good penetration at short distances, low recoil, high accuracy and reliability. In addition, it is considered one of the cheapest cartridges with a powder charge.
When shooting at a distance of 25 meters from the target, the aiming point must be raised by 2 cm. At a distance of 75 meters, the bullet drops from the aiming point by 7 cm. At a distance of 100 meters, the bullet deviates from the target by 25 cm. Smallest diameter (9 mm at a distance of 50 meters) dispersions have domestic cartridges "Olimp-R".
The cartridges used by athletes in competitions have a solid metal bullet made of lead (the photo of the “small” cartridge confirms this). The mass of such ammunition is about 2.55 grams. Initi althe speed measured from the muzzle of the barrel is 330 m/s. At this speed, lead bullets stabilize due to the rifling in the barrel. The best result in accuracy can be achieved by shooting indoors at a constant room temperature and normal humidity.
Sports and hunting cartridges
Sports and hunting small-caliber ammunition have similar characteristics (cartridge weight, speed, muzzle energy) with cartridges for sports competitions, but the former are inferior in quality, as the manufacturer reduces the cost of their products to increase demand. For a shooter who is just learning how to shoot from a rifled firearm, it is important that the cartridges are of relatively high quality, but most importantly, cheap. To learn how to shoot accurately and aim quickly, you need to hone your skills and abilities for several months.
There are two types of bullets for hunters:
- Full metal.
- With a hole in the head.
Weapons for small things
A large number of different firearms with rifled barrels are produced for shooting from the.22 LR caliber. These are pistols, revolvers, single-shot and multi-shot rifles with various reloading schemes, carbines and devices for automatic firing (machine guns).
TOZ guns
Today, Russian hunters have access to a large selection of small-caliber guns. The most popular brand among professional shootersis a rifle of the TOZ family.
The first rifle called TOZ-8 was developed by the Soviet designer from the city of Tula Kochetov D. M. in 1932. This weapon is famous for its simplicity of design, reliability and reliability. It was widely used for training beginner shooters. Its main purpose is hunting small animals. Thanks to its accuracy, TOZ-8 weapons are loved by professional athletes and hunters.
Modern weapons of the brand TOZ under the cartridge "small" has many modifications:
- TOZ-16 is a modern rifle. It occupies a leading position in terms of the number of sales in Russia.
- TOZ-17 is a modern modification of the outdated TOZ-8.
- Sable carbine. A sample of firearms was created on the basis of the Biathlon rifle. It is equipped with two types of stores with a capacity of 5 and 10 rounds. You can also install an optical sight on it.
- TOZ-78 is a fairly accurate and silent weapon.
- TOZ-78-04M - a modified sample of the TOZ-78 rifle.
- TOZ-78-01M is another modification of TOZ-78 weapons. The main difference is the ability to install additional equipment for accurate and silent shooting.
The design of TOZ rifles
In the receiver, the designer decided to place the bolt and trigger mechanism. A sliding rotary bolt is needed to send ammunition into the chamber, close the barrel when fired, fire a shot, and also eject a spent cartridge case.
Earlier rifles do not have magazines. The stock connects all parts of the rifle. Alsothe weapon has a buttstock and a handguard.
Using "little things" for training
Practical or dynamic shooting was first invented in the 50s of the last century by California shooters. The first athletes were former military men with combat experience in hot spots. Thanks to the experience gained in the war, the rules of the competition were constantly improved.
The.22 LR cartridge was used for sport shooting. Shotguns were used both single-shot and multi-shot. In some disciplines it was possible to carry out various modifications of the gun, in others the athlete had to use the factory version of the weapon.
Due to the low energy of the bullet after the shot, it is possible to train and hold competitions in ordinary shooting ranges. For shooting from such a small caliber, it is not necessary to rent shooting ranges remote from settlements or specialized mines with bullet traps.
