Low-recoiling and highly affordable, the .22LR cartridge has a ridiculously wide array of uses for shooters from all different sorts of backgrounds. Let’s take a look at some of these here.
Small Game Hunting
Not only is .22LR good for hunting small game, including but not limited to squirrels, rabbits, woodchucks, raccoons, opossums, foxes, coyotes, and groundhogs, but it will produce far less meat and hide damage than other more powerful cartridges.
Varmint Control
Got a lot of prairie dogs or woodchucks? Get rid of them easily with a boatload of .22LR. The best thing about .22LR for this purpose is that it is accurate, low-recoiling, quiet, and has plenty of power for the job. But the best part is the cost – you can clear out a field of prairie dogs for a few dollars with a pocketful of .22LR.
Working Traplines
Basically the same thing goes here, just as it does for varmint control. This cartridge is cheap, widely affordable, won’t chew up a pelt, and will get the job done effectively, making it a prime choice as a trapline cartridge.
Plinking
If you shoot spinner targets or the other odds and ends that people throw downrange for fun, .22LR is the top cartridge to plink with. A whole lot of it is very affordable, it produces little recoil so you can shoot it all day long, and you can get it pretty much anywhere.
Training
You can shoot .22LR all day long with little fatigue, unlike plenty of other calibers. If all you’re doing is training, it’s a great cartridge for that application.
Teaching New Shooters
There is no better cartridge for introducing new shooters to the sport than .22LR. It is not intimidating and produces little recoil and noise, making it perfect for instruction. Starting a kid or a new shooter off on a heavier round is a good way to turn them off of the sport, but this is a solid introductory option.
Flinch Mitigation
If you have a bad habit of flinching, it can be hard to tell just when it happens – that is, how long before the trigger breaks. The report of the gun and the recoil can make it hard to spot. But with a .22LR, it can be easier to see just how and when you’re flinching – and then correct it.
Competition
There are all sorts of competitions you can partake in if you are a fan of .22LR, including but not limited to silhouette shooting, bullseye shooting, and rifle marksmanship. The truth is there are probably more disciplines associated with .22LR than there are with any other caliber or cartridge.
Survival Prep
This cartridge is easily the top survival cartridge out there. It is low cost, highly capable (you can kill large game animals with it, just don’t repeat that publicly), low-recoil, and doesn’t produce a loud muzzle blast that will spook game. Also, it is accurate and fairly reliable. But the most important arguments of all are these: it is cheap, it is widely available, and you can carry hundreds of rounds in a pocket, if not thousands of rounds in a pack or bug out bag.
The only bad thing about it is that it’s basically impossible to reload. But, given all the rest of these advantages, it’s hard to take that as an issue.
Where to Get .22LR Bulk Ammo
Need to stock up on .22LR bulk ammo? Get it online at Bucking Horse Outpost. They carry a wide range of brands including Remington, CCI, Federal and others. Check out their website along with their police trade-in specials and other deals.
