Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires New Rimfire on the horizon, the 21 Sharp

You need to get out more..... You'll see a whole lot more 17 mock2's than you'll EVER see 21 sharps.

Nope.

The reasoning behind a new caliber. The belief is they'll create a market to sell more guns. I bought a 17 HMR because it was new. It doesn't do anything I can do with my .22 LR or .223. If I build it they will come.

^ this pretty much.

I shoot mine a bunch. It's an exceptionally fun round to shoot with very good accuracy.

On this episode of forgotten weapons......

THAT would take way more time and money and expertise than they’s ever want to invest, or frankly IMO, have. If you take a sideways glance at their other newish offerings, the Whizzum and the Legend, they used existing basic cases, the .27 studgun and the .223 pulled after a couple or draws, to make them, minimizing costs. Even the new, improved .270 WTF, is only a slightly tweaked WSM. All three fill niches, but I’m betting the Legend is the one that sticks long-term. That one has probably exceeded all expectations.

There are already well-established makers of .22 match ammo. I really doubt WW could do it. One of the comments at the bottom of that link suggested they’re going after the non-toxic market. Maybe.

I think long range rimfire is more popular and the shooters are more serious than most folks realize. Most guys who are pushing the limits are handloading their ammo, so this may be game changer.

Not with a 27gr bullet……

They are handloading their ammo..... having a non-heel base bullet opens up a world of possibilities.

So what is the market niche that this cartridge is going to fill?

The last 2 rimfire cartridges that were introduced haven't been very successful, the 17HM2 in 2004 and the 17 WSM in 2012. The manufacturers seem to have overestimated the market demand for both of those cartridges.

The 17HM2 is a great cartridge for shooting squirrels if your rifle will shoot the ammo that is available. The Eley/Remington 17 grain ammo was great, but the CCI/Hornady 17 grain ammo not quite as accurate in any rifle that I've shot it in and the 15.5 grain NTX isn't accurate in any rifle that I've shot it in.

The only 17 WSM rifles that I've owned/shot have been Savage B-Mags and they left a lot to be desired. The ammo cost more than 223, so why bother with the 17 WSM when it cost more and provided a lower level of performance?

They may be looking at the precision shooting disciplines and longer-than-traditional rimfire varminting markets, areas where accuracy rules. Eliminating the heel probably makes it easier to make a more accurate bullet form. It will be interesting to see where it goes.

It just occurred to me that they already make a case for a .22 RF with jacketed bullets, two actually. Using those would require tweaking the firing pin location just a bit, I suppose.

I think the rifle manufacturers dropped the ball on the WSM. Or perhaps it's just a weird size that doesn't really fit any existing action. Either way, all that's out there is the too cheap BMag or the too expensive (for what you get) Ruger 77. Would have been good in .22 version for use on hogs here in SC on WMAs, as we can only use what's legal during the current season to hunt hogs. No problem during deer season, but with 3 months of small game after deer season, and only rimfire or shot less than BB being legal for small game on WMA, the options are limited. And they wonder why hogs are prevalent...

I seem to remember from around 1968 A 5mm Remington.

you'd shat yerself if you priced a RimX.......

Yep. Easy enough to change.

Enlighten us as to the purpose.

I’d like to see a HEAVY subsonic 22mag load. Like 60-80 grains.

That would probably require faster twists than any currently available in.22 WMR.

Only thing I can come up with is; it is designed from the beginning to use nonlead bullets, and still be reasonably accurate, which most of the lead free 22's can claim.