Say hello to 21 Sharp, the new rimfire cartridge with an innovative design that Winchester Ammunition has just introduced. The first rumors surfaced in the summer of 2023, when SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute) published the cartridge and chamber drawings, but now it's officially out. Winchester's 21 Sharp is claimed to provide significant benefits for recreational shooters and small game hunters. “The next step in rimfire evolution,” the 21 Sharp is “built from the ground up for enhanced accuracy and on-target performance with both lead and lead-free projectiles” and is available with bullet options like FMJ, copper matrix, and even jacketed hollow point (JHP).
In more detail, 21 Sharp ammunition offerings from Wincherster are:
Game & Target 25 grain, Copper Matrix – A Winchester designed, lead-free, rimfire bullet with sub 1.5 MOA accuracy at 50 yards.
Game & Target 37 grain, Black Copper Plated – Comparable to a standard .22 LR with improved accuracy. An economical round for plinking applications.
Game & Target 42 grain, FMJ – A high- performance full metal jacket (FMJ) bullet for high-volume range sessions with less frequent cleanings.
Super X 34 grain, JHP – The jacketed hollow point (JHP) bullet option, for more expansion and impact energy on small game.
What about prices? MSRP in the US is $15-$25 per 100-round box.
Winchester 21 Sharp ammo options and technical specifications
| Brand: | USA | USA | USA | Super X |
| Bullet Weight: | 25 grain | 37 grain | 42 grain | 34 grain |
| Bullet Type: | Copper Matrix | Black Copper Plated | Full Metal Jacket | Jacketed |
Muzzle Velocity: | 1,750 fps | 1,335 fps | 1,330 fps | 1,500 fps |
| Energy: | 170 ft-lbs | 146 ft-lbs | 165 ft-lbs | 170 ft-lbs |
| Box Size: | 100 rounds | 100 rounds | 100 rounds | 100 rounds |
Is there market space for the 21 Sharp? Some considerations from all4shooters.com
A sign of the times, even in the manufacturer's words the stress is on the lead-free feature, explaining how the 21 Sharp rimfire cartridge from Winchester was purposefully designed to provide top performance with lead-free projectiles rather than accommodating them later, as ammo manufacturers have tried with little success to do with the .22 Long Rifle cartridge.
A new rimfire cartridge built from the ground up for enhanced accuracy and on-target performance, available with both lead and lead-free projectiles, even with a jacketed hollow point (JHP) option: meet the Winchester 21 Sharp, designed for recreational shooters and small game hunters. But is there any space for such a cartridge in a world dominated by .22 Long Rifle ammo?
But in a world where roughly 2.5 billion rounds of .22 LR are manufactured each year, is there space for a new rimfire cartridge like the 21 Sharp? Winchester seems pretty confident. The .22 LR – they explain – is a 19th century design with a case diameter and bullet diameter that were exactly equal, which means that the bullet cannot be seated in its case without the rear of the bullet being “heeled,” or of lesser diameter than the exposed frontal portion of the bullet. Heeled bullets are ballistically inferior compared to modern bullet designs, have limitations in terms of terminal performance, and are difficult to mass manufacture. With the 21 Sharp, we basically have a smaller-diameter bullet fitted in a standard .22 LR case so that the chambers of .22 rifles would not have to be altered by their makers – only the barrels. Winchester claims that chamber pressures and overall case dimensions are exactly the same as the .22 LR, but performance is quite different: gelatin tests revealed that the 34-grain JHP bullet expanded in a consistent manner to 173% of its original size while retaining 99% of its weight, while the all-copper load penetrated nearly three feet of gelatin.
We don't know if this will be enough to carve out a niche in a .22 LR-dominated market. In any case, Winchester's courage and spirit of innovation should be recognized.
