Hunting Squirrels: Which .22 is for You? Lever-action, single-shot, bolt-action, semi-automatic and pump. When we picture a .22-caliber rifle in our mind, one of these traditional guns is sure to appear. However, a new style is emerging as a great sporting tool. Lately, .22-caliber rifles are being built on tactical rifle frames. These guns may look a lot different, but when it comes to putting a round in a squirrel’s ear they all work the same. With squirrel season in full swing in the Midwest, what better time to take a look at America’s favorite rifle caliber. Literally billions of rounds of .22-caliber rimfire ammunition are fired each year. Most of it is shot while plinking and hunting squirrels and rabbits, though small varmints like groundhogs are also heavily hunted with rimfire guns Today, almost all rimfire ammo in common use is of .22-caliber, with only a few limited exceptions (like the .17 HMR). This was not always the case, however. One of the most sought-after "Yankee" guns of the Civil War was a Spencer carbine. An incredibly large magazine capacity and the fixed cartridge it used made it a very desirable rifle, but the cartridge used in the Spencer was a rimfire cartridge of about .52 caliber. There were also many rimfire handguns in this era, for instance, those of .30 and.38 caliber. Even the .44-caliber Henry rifle was a rimfire gun. This aside made, the rimfire ammo being used today is primarily as follows: .22 Short, .22 Long, .22 Long Rifle and .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire. There are a number of variations which include standard velocity, high velocity, solid bullets and hollow-point bullets. One or more of these variations can be found in a single cartridge: for example, a .22 Long Rifle, high-velocity, hollow-point. (As a side note for any 5mm fans out there: the 5mm Remington Magnum never really caught on, and it is probably not unfair to say that, even though it is a relatively recent introduction, it is already a dying cartridge. The other, more popular rimfires will for sure be with us for as long as we have the right to bear arms.) The lifespan of the various .22-caliber rimfires is assured by their comparatively low cost, low noise level, good accuracy and sufficient energy for taking small varmint and small game at ranges out to 50 yards. Under certain circumstances the ranges can be stretched to 75 or 100 yards, but the use of any rimfire cartridges at ranges beyond 100 yards falls into the stunt category, and will generally result in the loss of a lot of crippled game.