New rimfire cartridge 21 Sharp

[TheM1DoesMyTalking]

A new rimfire cartridge called 21 Sharp was officially introduced today by Wichester. There have been rumblings about it for several months as SAAMI data started to be published.

It sounds like their intent is to move away from the "heeled" 22LR lead bullets that are not optimized for manufacturing or ballistics and make it easier to produce copper/lead free bullets with slightly higher BC than 22LR.

Apparently they kept the brass and chambers the same size and reduced the bullet diameter to .2105. That way a rebarrel is all that's needed to switch.

Does anyone have experience with this new round? Is anyone rushing out to buy a barrel or new rifle? Have you seen 21 Sharp ammo on the shelves anywhere?

Do you think this is the beginning of a new era for rimfire, or do you think this will flop because it's too hard to compete with 125+ years of 22LR dominating the market?

 

[LeftyWilbury]

if winchester announced it yesterday, don't expect to see anything on a shelf for months, if not a year. and if it costs more than $3-5/box for 50 rounds, then it'll fail.

 

[PistolPete]

I read about it. Seems geared toward lead free, which really doesn't appeal to me in a rimfire, especially since they aren't fragmenting anyway. Heeled lead bullets never seemed to cause me an issue.

I am seeing (and fight at every turn in these meetings) more and more state and federal agency folks wanting a lead ammo ban for the sake of raptors. This 21 Sharp could be a response to the industry hearing those same rumblings.

I'd really love to see an extended 22 LR case, the length of a 22 mag, but which could also fire 22 LR, L, S. Then load a LR case with a fat 80 gr subsonic HP in a fast-twisted barrel... now that would get me excited.

 

[TheM1DoesMyTalking]

if winchester announced it yesterday, don't expect to see anything on a shelf for months, if not a year. and if it costs more than $3-5/box for 50 rounds, then it'll fail.

Yeah, I reach for rimfire because it's inexpensive, plentiful (except for shortages every so often) and fun. I agree that it will be hard for 21 Sharp to be successful if it doesn't have a lot in common with what has made 22LR so popular. Some shooters take rimfire much more seriously and compete in smallbore/NRL/etc with it. Their tolerance for pricing for match ammo is much higher than mine.

 

[MThuntr]

if winchester announced it yesterday, don't expect to see anything on a shelf for months, if not a year. and if it costs more than $3-5/box for 50 rounds, then it'll fail.

NRA American Hunter write up states MSRP: $15-25/100 rd box

 

[Pokerface]

Always love to see new cartridges and firearms, but I just can't see this making it very long . Any of the .17 rimfires out there need more support if anything like the .17 hm2 if you want a switch barrel or just go with the .22 WMR that already rules... Joe

 

[Axlrod]

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/21-sharp-i-was-wondering-when-someone-would-do-this.1310291/?post_id=13490236#post-13490236

Please Welcome the 21 Sharp | Winchester Ammunition

winchester.com

 

[TheM1DoesMyTalking]

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/21-sharp-i-was-wondering-when-someone-would-do-this.1310291/?post_id=13490236#post-13490236

Please Welcome the 21 Sharp | Winchester Ammunition

winchester.com

They really pat themselves on the back in that Winchester blog post.

The three initial ammo types are all supersonic, which immediately makes me lose interest because one of the best things about 22LR is accurate and quiet subsonic ammo for shooting suppressed.

 

[Reddish]

I wonder if Winchester has ever pulled a 17 MKII bullet out of a casing…

I don’t see this getting much traction. Especially in with their Wildcat rifles.

 

[taskswap]

Like a lot of others here, I shoot 22LR mostly because of cost. It's a great round for general trigger practice and introducing new (kid) shooters, and has side uses like hunting squirrels. And I have probably all the firearms I would want in a "tiny cartridge" (a pistol and 2 rifles) plus thousands of rounds of ammo (before the pandemic, I would chuck some 22LR into my cart if it was on sale any time I bought something else. And Midway was always putting those "buckets o' bullets" or "Choot Em" 500-ct bricks on discount...).

I would never sneer at somebody that picked one up, and it might be fun to shoot. But if you posted looking for data point, count me in the NOT "rushing out to buy a barrel or new rifle" camp.

 

[BLJ]

NRA American Hunter write up states MSRP: $15-25/100 rd box

I’m out.

 

[Robinhood21]

I wonder if Winchester has ever pulled a 17 MKII bullet out of a casing…

I don’t see this getting much traction. Especially in with their Wildcat rifles.

I swear they had 10 year olds design the stock on that thing

 

[TxLite]

I don’t see a world where this takes off when 22lr exists but I’ve been wrong before. It sounds like the main benefit over 22lr is that it’s cheaper for them to produce. Maybe the rimfire prs crowd will enjoy it?

 

[TaperPin]

I don’t see anyone picking that over the 17 hmr for hunting or plinking.

I’m out.

 

[ozyclint]

It sounds like the main benefit over 22lr is that it’s cheaper for them to produce.

Cheaper to produce.........ammo costs more............increased profit margin.

A lot of things in this world exist for no other reason than to make money.

 

[TheM1DoesMyTalking]

Cheaper to produce.........ammo costs more............increased profit margin.

A lot of things in this world exist for no other reason than to make money.

Bingo!

Maybe 21 Sharp solves a problem for some other corner of the market, but I'm just not seeing it.

 

[SC HUNTER]

I won't switch from 22 long rifle. I've got ~30k rounds of 22 lr and about 3k 17hmr. My rimfire needs are more than covered I enjoy seeing new calibers and such but this one doesn't do anything for me.

 

[B23]

Hey Winchester, if you're listening or care for that matter, instead of creating something new that I'm not sure anyone is even asking for how about you just support one of your creations you've already made and start producing some 17 WSM ammo. I'm sure this is a crazy request but maybe you could tighten up the QC on that 17 WSM ammo as well.

 

[JPC6000]

More interested in 5mm Remington Magnum in the original loadings.

 

[Bugger]

I bet there’s tens of people super excited for this to come out! Probably the same ones rocking a 300 stupid carry