SHOT Show: Browning New .22 LR, 45 grain, Subsonic, Pistol Load

At the SHOT Show, Browning ammunition has introduced a subsonic, 45 grain, suppressor optimized .22 Long Rifle load for pistols. It uses the heavy, 45 grain bullet to increase energy from a pistol at subsonic velocities. It is loaded to reliably stay subsonic from pistols. If fired in rifle length barrels, it may reach supersonic velocities, with the resultant sonic barrier snap produced by bullets exceding the speed of sound.

Browning ammunition is produced by Winchester, which does the research, testing, marketing, and production, branded with the Browning name.  

This is the first introduction, of which the author is aware, of .22 Long Rifle rimfire being produced for optimum subsonic energy from pistols.  It is optimized for suppressor use, with black copper plated bullets to reduce fouling. According to this correspondent's calculations, a 45 grain bullet at 1060 feet per second, produces a bit more than 111 foot-pounds of energy. That is about 9% more energy than a CCI standard velocity 40 grain bullet produces at the muzzle of a .22 rifle.  On the boxes produced for the SHOT Show, the graphic designers mistakenly placed an energy number of 100 foot-pounds. The error will be corrected before the new ammunition is shipped out.

The energy level and bullet weight makes the cartridge an interesting contender as a self defense cartridge for .22 pistols. In this correspondent's opinion, what is wanted in a .22 for self defense, is penetration. The 45 grain bullet is 12.5% heavier than the standard 40 grain bullet. It is not a hollow point, so it should penetrate about 12.5% more than the 40 grain bullet, at the same velocity. Theory needs to be tested to validate the concept, of course.

Optimizing the round for suppressed pistols may mean the powder burns a little faster. This would help suppressors reduce the sound signature a bit. The concept behind the cartridge is sound, pun intended.

This correspondent looks forward to testing some of the ammunition, once it becomes available. A conversation with Jimmy Wilson, Winchester Product Manager, indicated it could reach dealers in early summer.

Winchester produces a similar product for rifles. It is a suppressor optimized .22 Long Rifle, 45 gr black copper plated, bullet, rated at 1060 fps from rifle barrels. The one box this correspondent obtained last year appeared promising, but no more has been seen. The product manager said they only do about one production run a year, and another is expected this spring. 

Suppressors are becoming more and more common in the United States, in spite of the heavy regulation and extreme taxes on these safety devices. The last data from the ATF, over two years old, showed about 2.5 million legal suppressors in the USA. There could easily be more than 3 million now. Once you have used a suppressed .22, the utility of these devices becomes obvious. They are excellent training devices for new shooters, and help preserve hearing throughout a lifetime.

©2023 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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