{"id":6338,"date":"2022-03-09T10:26:59","date_gmt":"2022-03-09T10:26:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/?p=6338"},"modified":"2022-02-21T16:29:35","modified_gmt":"2022-02-21T16:29:35","slug":"22lr-vs-223","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/22lr-vs-223\/","title":{"rendered":"22LR vs 223"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re remotely familiar with firearms, then we can already imagine what you\u2019re probably thinking: \u201cWhy in the Sam Hill is this fine website wasting time comparing two such radically different rounds of ammunition?\u201d While they both might start with &#8220;22&#8221; there isn&#8217;t a ton in common between 22LR vs 223 ammo.<\/p>\n<p>But, in our defense, we would only offer that not everyone has honed as much expertise as you. Truth be told, many people who are just beginning to learn about guns ask about the difference between 22 Long Rifle vs 223 Remington. This is understandable, as the cartridges share virtually identical bullet diameters \u2013 and indeed often have the same bullet weights.<\/p>\n<p>So what distinguishes the 22 LR from the 223 Rem? Power, primarily. The 223 Rem sends its bullet out of the barrel at more than three times the velocity of the 22 LR, which has dramatic implications for performance. Although both cartridges can be useful for hunting, target shooting and even self-defense, their muzzle velocities are so disparate that they\u2019re essentially incomparable.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s compare them anyway as we observe how the 22 LR and 223 Rem differ in terms of ballistics, stopping power and recoil. But first, lets see what we can learn by comparing the rounds side by side.<\/p>\n<h3>Cartridge Dimensions 22LR vs 223<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-6527 size-full\" title=\"22lr vs 223 ammo side by side\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-ammo-side-by-side-with-223-ammo.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-ammo-side-by-side-with-223-ammo.jpg\" alt=\"22 long rifle ammo versus 223 rem ammo\" width=\"1501\" height=\"778\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271501%27%20height%3D%27778%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201501%20778%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271501%27%20height%3D%27778%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-ammo-side-by-side-with-223-ammo-200x104.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-ammo-side-by-side-with-223-ammo-300x155.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-ammo-side-by-side-with-223-ammo-400x207.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-ammo-side-by-side-with-223-ammo-600x311.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-ammo-side-by-side-with-223-ammo-768x398.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-ammo-side-by-side-with-223-ammo-800x415.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-ammo-side-by-side-with-223-ammo-1024x531.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-ammo-side-by-side-with-223-ammo-1200x622.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-ammo-side-by-side-with-223-ammo.jpg 1501w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1501px) 100vw, 1501px\" \/><\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-210\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-210\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><\/td><th class=\"column-2\">22 LR<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">223 Rem<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Parent case<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">22 Long<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">222 Rem<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Case type<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Rimmed, straight<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Rimless, bottleneck<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Bullet diameter<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">0.223 in<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">0.224 in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Neck diameter<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">0.226 in<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">0.253 in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Base diameter<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">0.226 in<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">0.376 in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Rim diameter<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">0.278 in<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">0.378 in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Case length<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">0.613 in<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1.760 in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-9\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Overall length<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1.000 in<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">2.260 in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-10\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Maximum pressure<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">24,656 psi<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">55,000 psi<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-210 from cache -->\n<p>You\u2019ll notice right away that the 223 Rem is the much larger cartridge. Its case and its overall length are both greater than those of the 22 LR. Its much larger case naturally holds more propellant \u2013 the stuff that explodes to propel the projectile. The 223 Rem can easily have 12 times more powder than the 22 LR!<\/p>\n<p>The two rounds\u2019 bullet diameters are in fact virtually identical, but they don\u2019t have the exact same bullet. The 22 LR is most commonly loaded with a 40 grain bullet. (For reference, 1 grain equals 1\/437.5 ounces.) The 22 LR is an economical cartridge, so its bullet is never jacketed with copper. It usually has a solid lead bullet, or one that is plated with a very thin layer of copper.<\/p>\n<p>The 223 Rem, on the other hand, is most frequently loaded with a 55 grain bullet. Because the 223 Rem was conceived as a cartridge for semi-automatic rifles, its bullet is always jacketed with copper (which strengthens it enough to prevent deformation that could cause a jam during feeding).<\/p>\n<p>The 22 LR has a rimfire primer. This is the patent of a relatively weak cartridge, as the case brass must be thin enough for the firing pin to make a dent deep enough to crush the primer inside. With few exceptions, rimfire-primed ammo is always weaker than Boxer-primed ammo. You\u2019ll find no such exceptions here.<\/p>\n<p>The 22 LR has a rimmed case. This helps the cartridge chamber correctly in firearms like bolt-actions, lever-actions and revolvers. Rims do complicate rapid cycling of a firearm, however. There are indeed semi-autos which can fire ammo with rimmed cases, yet cartridges that were designed specifically for semi-autos never have rims.<\/p>\n<p>The 223 Rem has a bottlenecked case. Without getting too deep into the subject, a bottlenecked case helps the cartridge put more energy behind its bullet. This is not the sole reason for the 223 Rem\u2019s higher velocity (see: more powder), but it certainly doesn\u2019t hurt!<\/p>\n<h2>Ballistic Performance of 22 LR vs 223 Rem<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-6528 size-full\" title=\"Shooting a 22LR rifle\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-22lr-at-the-range.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-22lr-at-the-range.jpg\" alt=\"The author shooting a 22LR rifle at the range\" width=\"1500\" height=\"795\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271500%27%20height%3D%27795%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201500%20795%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271500%27%20height%3D%27795%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-22lr-at-the-range-200x106.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-22lr-at-the-range-300x159.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-22lr-at-the-range-400x212.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-22lr-at-the-range-600x318.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-22lr-at-the-range-768x407.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-22lr-at-the-range-800x424.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-22lr-at-the-range-1024x543.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-22lr-at-the-range-1200x636.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-22lr-at-the-range.jpg 1500w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-213\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-213\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><\/td><th class=\"column-2\">22 LR - CCI 40gr LRN<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">223 - Hornady TAP 60gr Polymer Tip<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">G1 ballistic coefficient<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">0.123<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">0.203<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 25 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">2.22<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-0.86<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 50 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">3.83<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-0.39<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 75 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">3.16<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-0.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 100 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">0.03<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 125 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">-5.72<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-0.12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 150 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">-14.26<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-0.47<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-9\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 200 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">-40.45<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-1.93<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-10\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 250 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">-79.96<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-4.56<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-11\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 300 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">-134.29<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-8.57<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-12\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 350 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">-205.07<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-14.23<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-13\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 400 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">-294.37<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-21.86<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-14\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 450 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">-403.5<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-31.88<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-15\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 500 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">-535.27<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-44.78<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-16\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">G1 ballistic coefficient<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">0.123<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">0.203<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-213 from cache -->\n<p>It\u2019s difficult to create an apples-to-apples comparison when it comes to such radically different cartridges. The 223 Rem\u2019s bullet, even when it is as heavy as the 22 LR\u2019s, has a much different shape. It\u2019s not only traveling faster \u2013 it\u2019s pointed, which decreases the amount of drag it will stir up in flight. This is one of the reasons why the 223 Rem rounds have higher ballistic coefficients (a measurement of a bullet\u2019s ability to overcome air resistance in flight, where a higher number is better).<\/p>\n<h3>Velocity Comparison of 22LR vs 223<\/h3>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-211\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-211\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><\/td><th class=\"column-2\">22 LR - CCI 40gr LRN<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">223 - Hornady TAP 60gr Polymer Tip<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Muzzle velocity (fps)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1070<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">2623<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 25 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1019<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">2541<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 50 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">977<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">2461<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 75 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">941<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">2382<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 100 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">910<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">2304<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 125 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">881<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">2228<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 150 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">855<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">2154<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-9\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 200 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">808<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">2009<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-10\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 250 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">766<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1870<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-11\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 300 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">727<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1738<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-12\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 350 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">691<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1613<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-13\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 400 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">657<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1496<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-14\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 450 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">625<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1388<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-15\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 500 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">595<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1291<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-211 from cache -->\n<p>We have to point out that the 22 LR is not effective beyond 150 yards. Certainly, a skilled marksman may hit a more distant target than that with a 22 LR, but the takeaway here is that the 223 Rem has a far longer reach.<\/p>\n<p>And it\u2019s easy to see why. The 22 LR bullet moves relatively slowly. It takes much more time to reach 150 yards, which in turn gives gravity that much more opportunity to exert its influence on the bullet. Yet the 223 Rem\u2019s bullet is traveling at such a fast velocity that its trajectory barely has to arch at all en route to a 150-yard target!<\/p>\n<p>None of this is to say that the 22 LR is inaccurate. Take it from us \u2013 a decent 22 LR rifle can drive tacks at 100 yards, and nip even the skinniest squirrel out of a tree branch. You just can\u2019t expect it to perform well outside of 150 yards. But the 223 Rem, that\u2019s going to let you reliably hit a human-sized target at 600 yards (assuming you\u2019re a good shot, needless to say).<\/p>\n<h3>Stopping Power \/ Energy<\/h3>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-212\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-212\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><\/td><th class=\"column-2\">22 LR - CCI 40gr LRN<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">223 - Hornady TAP 60gr Polymer Tip<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Muzzle energy (ft lbs)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">102<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1243<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 25 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">92<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1150<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 50 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">85<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1065<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 75 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">79<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">986<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 100 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">74<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">912<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 125 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">69<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">843<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 150 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">65<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">778<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-9\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 200 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">58<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">662<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-10\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 250 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">52<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">560<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-11\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 300 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">47<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">470<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-12\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 350 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">42<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">393<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-13\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 400 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">38<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">325<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-14\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 450 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">35<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">268<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-15\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 500 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">31<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">220<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-212 from cache -->\n<p>The 223 Rem is a commercial cartridge, but the nearly identical 5.56&#215;45 is a combat round. In other words, the 223 Rem was specifically designed to neutralize a human-sized target. Moreso, the general consensus is that the 223 Rem delivers adequate stopping power for hunting medium-size game at 250 yards.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chuckhawks.com\/history_rimfire_ammo.htm\">22 LR was never designed with combat in mind<\/a>. It\u2019s a target shooting, plinking and varmint hunting round. Its small size does make the 22 LR a viable choice for self-defense, albeit not the best one. Anyone who would use the 22 LR in self-defense has chosen it because (A) it produces next to zero recoil, or (B) they want to carry an extremely small handgun.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s put it another way. You want your self-defense cartridge to transfer at least 220 to 300 ft lbs of energy to its target in order to have the best chance at quickly neutralizing the threat. The 223 Rem will easily retain the minimum amount of energy requisite for self-defense beyond 400 yards. The 22 LR will never, at any distance or under any circumstances, deliver 220 ft lbs or more energy to its target.<\/p>\n<h3>Recoil<\/h3>\n<p>Recoil describes how violently the firearm jerks backward when it is fired. Lower recoil offers two primary advantages: It makes target shooting more comfortable, and it reduces the amount of time you have to spend aiming in between each shot.<\/p>\n<p>Heavier recoil jerks the muzzle upward, which will increase the amount of time you have to spend restoring your aim on target. This is why extremely powerful cartridges generally aren\u2019t favored for self-defense: Miss, and the threat has too much time to retaliate.<\/p>\n<p>Calculating the above rounds\u2019 objective recoil energy is easy. We already have their bullet weights and muzzle velocities. The only other data we need are propellant weight and firearm weight. Let\u2019s assume all 22 LR rounds have 2 grains of powder and all 223 Rem rounds have 25. For the sake of keeping things apples-to-apples, let\u2019s fire all rounds out of 5 pound rifles.<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-214\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-214\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><\/td><th class=\"column-2\">Recoil Energy (ft lbs)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">CCI 22 LR 40gr LRN<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">0.18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Federal American Eagle Suppressor 22 LR 45gr CPRN<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">0.18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Aguila Sniper Subsonic 60gr LRN<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">0.28<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Norma 223 Rem 40gr V-MAX<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">4.78<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Winchester USA 223 Rem 45gr JHP<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">5.22<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Hornady TAP Urban 223 Rem 60gr Polymer Tip<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">5.06<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-214 from cache -->\n<p>The 223 Rem is not a relatively powerful rifle cartridge. Its recoil energy is thus not so great that you can quickly become fatigued while firing it. It will not even cause momentary discomfort.<\/p>\n<p>But the 22 LR is the king of the low-recoil cartridges. It only generates about 5% as much recoil as the 223 Rem! Alongside its low price and quiet report, the 22 LR owes much of its widespread popularity to its gentle recoil.<\/p>\n<h3>Price &amp; Availability<\/h3>\n<p>22 LR ammo is among the cheapest you can buy. So small a cartridge requires very little brass, powder and lead, so manufacturers don\u2019t have to commit very many raw materials to its production. It\u2019s also easy to find the world\u2019s most popular ammo in stores, not to mention rifles and handguns chambered for it.<\/p>\n<p>223 Rem ammo is more expensive, if only because it contains more materials and is also heavier. But this is America\u2019s favorite centerfire rifle cartridge (alongside its fraternal twin the 5.56&#215;45 NATO), and the standard cartridge for the ever-popular AR-15. You\u2019ll have zero difficulties locating 223 Rem ammo and firearms.<\/p>\n<p>In short, you can find and buy both 22 LR and 223 Rem easily enough! (You can find our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/.223-ammo-for-sale\">223 ammo for sale here<\/a> and our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/.22-lr-ammo-for-sale\">22LR here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<h3>Takeaway on 22LR vs 223<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-6529 size-full\" title=\"Bullets side by side\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-bullet-vs-223-bullet.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-bullet-vs-223-bullet.jpg\" alt=\"A pulled 22lr bullet next to a 223 bullet\" width=\"1058\" height=\"781\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271058%27%20height%3D%27781%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201058%20781%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271058%27%20height%3D%27781%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-bullet-vs-223-bullet-200x148.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-bullet-vs-223-bullet-300x221.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-bullet-vs-223-bullet-400x295.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-bullet-vs-223-bullet-600x443.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-bullet-vs-223-bullet-768x567.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-bullet-vs-223-bullet-800x591.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-bullet-vs-223-bullet-1024x756.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/22lr-bullet-vs-223-bullet.jpg 1058w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1058px) 100vw, 1058px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Let us underscore this point one more time: the 22 LR and 223 Rem are genuinely incomparable. The 223 Rem\u2019s effective range is four times longer (read more about the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/effective-range-of-5-56\/\">5.56 cartridge&#8217;s effective range here<\/a>.) Its muzzle energy is easily 12 times more powerful. For home defense with a rifle, it\u2019s superb. It\u2019s also great for plinking and varmint hunting.<\/p>\n<p>But the 22 LR is still awesome! Inexpensive, quiet and low-recoil, this little round deserves its popularity. If you only have one firearm, it should be something more suitable for self-defense. But if you were to get a second firearm, then there\u2019s a strong argument in favor of making it a 22 LR!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re remotely familiar with firearms, then we can already imagine what you\u2019re probably thinking: \u201cWhy in the Sam Hill is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":6526,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[109],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6338","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ammo-caliber"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>22LR vs 223 | Ballistics and Common Uses Compared<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A comparison of the two popular rifle cartridges - 22lr vs 223. 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