Can Winchester's New Rimfire Cartridge Equal the 22 Long Rifle?

Welcome to Ron Spomer Outdoors! This week, Ron’s got a surprise: a new Rimfire cartridge from Winchester, the 21 Sharp. Time to investigate what this thing’s all about!

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Who is Ron Spomer

For 44 years I’ve had the good fortune to photograph and write about my passion – the outdoor life. Wild creatures and wild places have always stirred me – from the first flushing pheasant that frightened me out of my socks in grandpa’s cornfield to the last whitetail that dismissed me with a wag of its tail. In my attempts to connect with this natural wonder, to become an integral part of our ecosystem and capture a bit of its mystery, I’ve photographed, hiked, hunted, birded, and fished across much of this planet. I've seen the beauty that everyone should see, survived adventures that everyone should experience. I may not have climbed the highest mountains, canoed the wildest rivers, caught the largest fish or shot the biggest bucks, but I’ve tried. Perhaps you have, too. And that’s the essential thing. Being out there, an active participant in our outdoor world.





Disclaimer

All loading, handloading, gunsmithing, shooting and associated activities and demonstrations depicted in our videos are conducted by trained, certified, professional gun handlers, instructors, and shooters for instructional and entertainment purposes only with emphasis on safety and responsible gun handling. Always check at least 3 industry handloading manuals for handloading data, 2 or 3 online ballistic calculators for ballistic data. Do not modify any cartridge or firearm beyond what the manufacturer recommends. Do not attempt to duplicate, mimic, or replicate anything you see in our videos. Firearms, ammunition, and constituent parts can be extremely dangerous if not used safely.

[saltymofo]

the 17 super mag is still warm in the grave, and Winchester is going to send this one in right behind it. Here is an idea, make cheaper, faster and more accurate ammo for the 100 million .22s that are out there. Now that will be a game changer

[RustyShackleford]

"It's like 22LR but expensive" lol I think I'll pass

[alhorn]

It will have to overcome nearly 140 years of 22 LR popularity, and that is not likely.

[bnwww]

5 Reasons 21 Sharp will fail:

1. Ammo costs more than .22LR
2. Ammo costs more than .22LR
3. Cannot be shot out of the bajillion .22LR rifles already owned
4. Ammo costs more than .22LR
5. .17HMR

[Anthony-wb]

I don't know Ron. I call BS on the Ammo manufacture's saying they can't make a decent bullet for the 22lr at a cost-effective price. Winchester doesn't seem to be able to make a decent 22lr cartridge full stop.

[endofyourlive]

Back in the 60's
The new .22 Winchester Magnum rimfire will make all ur .22 LR guns obsolete!!!
Improved ballistics with jacketed bullets, no heel, more speed, more power, flatter trajectory...
Almost 70 years after
We STILL cant see .22 WMR as prolific as the .22 LR and without being 3 times the price

[robertdinicola]

I've got so much .22 I'll never run out! Funny thing is, i have not bought any since i was in my 20s! Im 61 now. People have given me all of it.

[greg_mid_tn]

So re-barrel all my .22s just to satisfy CA? Hard no.

[brandiwynter]

They should have named it the ".21 New Coke" since it's going to go over about as well.

[jakeoutdoors]

I was mildly impressed when I thought that target was 100 yards away. that cartridge is going the way of the 30 Super carry, 308 Marlin Express, 45 Gap and so many other cartridges that were answers to questions no one asked.

[MrGsteele]

Tens of thousands of rifles and handguns in .22 LR, machinery long since amortized to manufacture .22 LR cartridges, loads of experience with .22 LR for every shooter that's ever pulled a trigger, and inventory of .22 LR in every bait shop, drug store, soda fountain, and shoe store in the nation (well, almost) is nearly impossible to overcome unless you have .220 Swift performance at the cost of a CB cap (well, almost again - but you get the idea).

We all love a better mousetrap, but it's almost unimaginable that an interloper will displace the .22 rimfire's established base. I'm really looking forward to the argument on its behalf, especially considering that the Norma .22 ECO-Speed round hits about 1, 700 f/s in a standard bolt action or semi-auto .22 LR chamber with the same weight bullet.

[benjaminbradley]

Ill stick with my 22LR. Thanks for giving it a review, but im pretty sure its gonna flop.
Oh and btw,
The Government can pound sand.

[GunGuyMatt]

Oh great, a new rimfire that will have zero ammo support. No thanks.

[raylowry]

Myra Gun Shop in Broken Hill NSW Australia experimented with .22 LR in 21 cal barrels. He claimed the set up produced velocities and performances similar to a 22 Magnum. This was 50 years ago. He also purchased primed 22 mag cases from the Winchester factory and necked them down to .17 when the cal was unheard of in Australia. He was at the forefront in the 17 K Hornet development for our fox shooters, some of whom shot up to 50 foxes a night.

[WayStedYou]

Norma Eco power is 24 grains at 1706 fps already and still has a 0.80 B.C so its right on the heels of it, cheaper to buy at 9.99 for 50 and you don't need a new rifle.

[DonaldRussell-gt]

CCI makes a 22 bullet that is not lead it's 21 grains and it's going 1850 FPS.

[brendanloconnell]

The California condor thing is highly questionable. The lab that published the report that claim is based on refuses to release their raw data. I used to work in the same department, and all I can say is I'm dubious in the absence of the raw data.

[joesebia]

I think the 22 lr owners can sleep well tonight. This gun will be obsolete in 5 years. Ypu can get better accuracy in a nicer rifle and cheaper ammo by looking at the high end pellet rifles.

[wildweasel]

I live in CA. This state used to be a paradise. Sucks now😢

[scenicdriveways]

Ron,
You compared the .21S at 60 yards, to the .22lr at 50 yards for the energy. The 21S was actually 107 at 50 yrds, not 97.