When I was assigned to write this article, my initial thought was probably the same as your own. "22 LR vs. 223 Rem? It's a little strange to compare a rimfire to a centerfire cartridge, isn't it?"

But the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. The two rounds do share the same bullet diameter. You can fire either in a 5.56 AR-15 with minimal modification. They're both intensely popular. Yet despite these similarities, the two rounds have very different applications, ballistic performance, and stopping power.



Popular 22 Long Rifle Ammo Options & Uses

• Target Shooting: Eley Match 40 grain LFN
• Plinking: Remington Standard V 38 grain LRN
• Small Game Hunting: CCI Mini-Mag 36 grain CPHP; CCI 31 grain #12 Shot
• Self-Defense: Federal Punch 29 grain FN

Popular 223 Remington Ammo Options & Uses

• Target Shooting: PMC Bronze 55 grain FMJBT
• Plinking: Federal American Eagle 75 grain TMJ
• Varmint Hunting: Winchester Varmint X 40 grain Polymer Tipped
• Home Defense: Hornady Critical Defense 73 grain FTX

22 LR vs. 223 Rem



Cartridge Specs



Recoil

The 22 LR and 223 Rem have little recoil, making them excellent options for beginners who are learning proper shooting mechanics, as well as advanced shooters honing their craft. However, there is a drastic difference in recoil between the rimfire and centerfire cartridges.

Recoil is an important consideration when purchasing a new firearm (and cartridge). A round with heavy recoil is more difficult to control, and slows the rate of accurate follow-up shots.

Felt recoil is subjective. It varies from shooter to shooter, which is why we determine a cartridge's actual recoil by measuring its free recoil energy. It is determined by four factors: muzzle velocity, propellant charge weight, bullet weight, and firearm weight.

When fired from a 6 pound rifle at 1,255 fps muzzle velocity, a 40 grain 22 LR bullet generates ~0.19 ft-lbs of recoil energy. When a 62 grain 223 Rem bullet is fired from an 8 pound rifle at 3,025 fps muzzle velocity, it generates about 4 ft-lbs.

Despite this apparent large disparity, no one would argue that 223 Rem has high recoil. Anything under 15 ft-lbs is pretty manageable to most shooters. As one of the weakest cartridges, the 22 LR's recoil looks extremely low compared to pretty much anything.

Trajectory

The little 22 LR cartridge's bullet trajectory is satisfactorily flat over the short range it is intended for. The larger 223 Rem's trajectory is flatter to any distance, however, and makes long-range shots possible that the 22 LR cannot.

"Trajectory" describes a bullet's flight path over a given distance. Shooters can measure trajectory in inches of bullet drop, milliradians (MIL), and minute of angle (MOA). I used inches of drop in the following examples.

A flat-shooting cartridge is generally preferred for long-distance shooting because it requires fewer adjustments to compensate for bullet drop. It is also more forgiving of ranging mistakes.

The 22 LR is not a long-range cartridge. When zeroed at 50 yards, a 40 grain 22 LR bullet leaving the muzzle at 1,235 fps velocity will drop -5.8" at 100 yards, -45.0" at 200 yards, and a whopping -129.8" at 300 yards.

Here is a bullet drop chart to give you a general idea of the 22 LR's trajectory.



Note: The above chart shows the performance of one 22 LR load. Actual ballistic performance varies depending on bullet weight, lot number, barrel length, and environmental conditions.

When zeroed at the same range, a 40 grain 223 Rem bullet leaving the muzzle at 3,650 fps will rise 0.7" at 100 yards, drop -0.7" at 200 yards, and drop a mere -7.1" at 300 yards. Unsurprisingly, the 223 Remington has a mu

ch flatter trajectory than the 22 LR, making it the better choice for longer-range shooting.

Here is a bullet drop chart to give you a general idea of the 223 Rem's trajectory.


Note: The chart above shows the performance of one 223 Rem load. Actual ballistic performance varies depending on bullet weight, lot number, barrel length, and environmental conditions.

Accuracy

Accuracy is subjective; the sum of too many variables to calculate. The primary factor is the shooter, who cannot be measured completely. The firearm, the ammunition, and the environment also factor heavily into just how accurately one cartridge can perform.

Within 50 yards, the 22 LR and 223 Rem share similar accuracy. Firing the 22 LR beyond that range can prove very difficult for novice shooters. Conversely, few novices encounter any difficulty shooting past 50 yards the first time they pick up a 223 Rem rifle.

Read the full breakdown here: https://ammo.com/comparison/22lr-vs-223