A Lead Free Rimfire Ammunition list is finally available here on Varminter. Now that the trickle of new offerings of lead free rimfire ammunition to the market has all but dried up, I think it is important to go back through the years and put all the information we have found into one place.
As with any type of ammunition, people will experience different results from different firearms. This list will probably be most helpful to California hunters who hunt in the so-called “Condor Zone”. However, I have seen more hunters outside of California taking advantage of the lighter bullets and higher velocities found with lead free ammunition.
We are listing the ammunition name, catalog number and velocity. If there are related reviews, stories, hunt reports or videos that cover the specific cartridge, they will be linked below the ammunition information. There is a gallery at the bottom of the story with images of the rimfire ammunition listed below. By: Eric Mayer
.22 Long Rifle:
Winchester 26 grain HP – X22LRHLF
1650 Feet Per Second
Story and Video Link:
Going Green (Lead Free) for Ground Squirrels
Winchester 22 Lead Free Long Rifle Target Video
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CCI 21 grain Green HP – SRG-0952 (Short Range)
1650 Feet Per Second
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.22 Magnum Rimfire:
Hornady 25 grain V-Max – 83201
2200 Feet Per Second
Hunt & Range Report with Videos:
Hornady 22 Magnum NTX Hunt Damage Report with Video
Hornady NTX – Range Report – 17HM2 and 22 Magnum
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Winchester 28 grain HP – X22MHLF
2200 Feet Per Second
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CCI 30 grain TNT Green HP – TNTGREEN-060
2050 Feet Per Second
Story with Video:
CCI’s 22 Magnum – TNT Green Ammunition
CCI 22 Magnum – TNT Green Ammunition – Hunt Results
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.17 HM2 (.17 Mach2):
Hornady 15.5 grain V-Max NTX Lead-Free – 83176
2050 Feet Per Second
Range Report with Video:
Hornady NTX – Range Report – 17HM2 and 22 Magnum
Ground Squirrel Hunt Results – 17HM2
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.17 HMR (Hornady Rimfire Magnum):
Hornady 15.5 grain V-Max NTX Lead-Free – 83171
2525 Feet Per Second
Story with Video:
Hunt Report – 17HMR – CZ 452 and Hornady 15.5 grain NTX
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Winchester 15.5 grain NTX Lead-Free – S17HMR1LF
2525 Feet Per Second
Story with Ammo being used:
Bobcat Opportunity Hunt
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CCI 16 grain TNT Green HP – TNTGREEN-0951
2500 Feet Per Second
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