How Fast Is .22LR Bullet?

The .22LR cartridge is the most-fired rifle round on Earth and the cheapest. Bullet velocity is just below the speed of sound — chosen deliberately to avoid the supersonic crack, making the .22 a quiet round for small-game hunting.

A .22LR's quiet sound is partly because the bullet doesn't break the sound barrier — eliminating the supersonic crack that makes most rounds loud.

• Just below the speed of sound
• Most-fired round in history