Does The US Military Use .22LR?

.22LR’s Surprising US Military History and Early Trainers

The video opens with a lighthearted skit where one host teases the other for getting a .22 ready, joking that it is a caliber for kids and asking what kind of military would use it. The punchline is that .22 Long Rifle actually has more than a hundred years of history with the US military. Matt and Kyle from Classic Firearms then shift into a more serious discussion, listing the cartridges most viewers associate with American forces—7.62x51 (.308), 5.56 NATO, 9mm, .45 ACP in the 1911, and .50 BMG—before revealing that .22 Long Rifle is also an official US military caliber. They explain that its low cost, mild recoil, and reduced noise made it ideal for teaching basic marksmanship and safe gun handling to large numbers of new recruits. The hosts compare this to how civilian shooters often start family members on .22s to build confidence and fundamentals. As a key historical example, they describe the M1922 series of .22 trainers based on the M1903 Springfield rifle, including the M1 and M2 variants. These rifles were developed between World War I and World War II so the Army could economically train huge numbers of inductees. Even though the ammunition was cheap, the trainers themselves were relatively expensive, high‑quality precision firearms, especially when contrasted with later cost‑cutting designs that focused more on affordability than on matching the feel of a service rifle.

From Mossberg 44 US to M16 .22LR Conversion Kits

The discussion moves to how the US military transitioned from the M1922 Springfield‑based trainers to the Mossberg 44 US around 1942 in an effort to reduce expenses. The Mossberg 44 US incorporated several cost‑saving measures, such as using birch instead of walnut for the stock and simplifying the sighting system. One particularly notable feature was its plastic trigger guard, an unusual choice for the era that highlighted the drive to cut production costs wherever possible. The hosts emphasize the distinction between using .22 Long Rifle for teaching fundamentals—safe handling, sight alignment, and trigger control—and later training with full‑power service cartridges like .30‑06 to accustom soldiers to realistic recoil and muzzle blast. They then jump forward to the 1960s and 1970s to discuss the M261 .22 caliber conversion kit for the M16 and M16A1. This system used a replacement bolt carrier assembly and an insert‑style magazine, allowing standard 5.56/.223 rifles to fire .22 Long Rifle through their existing barrels while preserving the same magazine form factor and manual of arms. The idea was that troops could practice with their actual service rifles, keeping all the controls and ergonomics identical while dramatically lowering ammunition costs.

Spy Guns, the U-2 Incident, and Suppressed .22 Pistols

The hosts explain that .22 conversion kits for 5.56/.223 rifles, like the M261, let troops train with their real service weapons even though the barrel twist and dimensions are not perfectly optimized for rimfire ballistics. The benefit was maintaining identical controls, ergonomics, and magazine handling, making these kits superior training tools to older, dedicated .22 trainers that only approximated the feel of a service rifle. They note that the US military used such conversions at least into the 1980s, though they are unsure how widespread they remain today. The conversation then pivots to espionage history, focusing on the 1960 U‑2 incident. Pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union and captured with a High Standard HDM .22 pistol in his survival kit, which the Soviets cited as evidence of espionage. The High Standard HDM, originally developed for the OSS, was a suppressed .22 pistol adopted after a demonstration in the White House, where it was reportedly fired only a short distance from the president without being noticed. It was used for clandestine operations that required very quiet gunfire and precise application of force, and later saw service with MACV‑SOG and US Army Special Forces during the Vietnam War. The hosts note that similar roles today are often filled by suppressed Ruger Mark‑series .22 pistols.

Special Forces Uses and Pilot Survival Rifles

The video highlights how suppressed .22 pistols, from the High Standard HDM to modern Ruger Mark‑series designs, continue to serve in specialized roles. US special operations forces have used suppressed .22s for discreet tasks such as eliminating sentries, disabling guard dogs, shooting out lights, or puncturing vehicle tires, where low noise, controllability, and minimal risk of overpenetration are critical. The hosts acknowledge rimfire ignition’s reputation for occasional misfires but note that the military has mitigated this with careful ammunition selection and, in some cases, by adopting alternative small‑caliber cartridges. The US Air Force, for example, developed the AR5 bolt‑action rifle in .22 Hornet as a pilot survival weapon, using a small centerfire round intended to mimic the mild recoil and utility of .22 Long Rifle while offering greater reliability. Alongside it, the AR7 semi‑automatic rifle in .22 Long Rifle was created. The AR7’s barrel and receiver detach and stow inside its hollow buttstock, forming a compact, watertight package that floats, making it ideal for storage in aircraft and emergency survival kits. The hosts point out that these survival rifles were meant for hunting small game and basic defense in isolation scenarios rather than for front‑line combat.

The American 180 and .22LR’s Combat Reputation

Attention turns to the American 180, a distinctive .22 Long Rifle firearm that visually resembles a Thompson‑style gun but uses a horizontal, top‑mounted drum magazine. Depending on the drum, it can hold roughly 177 to about 254 rounds and fires at an extremely high rate of around 1,200 rounds per minute in full‑auto fire. Some US law enforcement agencies adopted the American 180 to defeat barriers such as glass or car bodies while limiting the risk of dangerous overpenetration beyond the target, relying on a very high volume of small, fast‑moving projectiles. The hosts mention reports that Marine Raiders in Vietnam may have fielded the weapon, and note that it was definitively issued to Rhodesian and South African reconnaissance units. They contrast these specialized roles with .22 Long Rifle’s generally poor reputation as a primary self‑defense caliber. While .22 Long Rifle can certainly be lethal, it is less reliable for rapid incapacitation compared to service calibers like 9mm, .45 ACP, or 5.56 NATO. This contrast underscores the irony of a cartridge often dismissed for personal defense yet repeatedly chosen for niche military and law‑enforcement applications where its unique combination of low recoil, low noise, and high capacity can be exploited.

Reflections, Viewer Input, and Takeaways

In the closing portion, the hosts invite viewers to suggest future topics in the comments, encouraging ideas for other overlooked calibers or unusual military firearms. One host remarks that he learned several new details during the discussion, especially about obscure training rifles, conversion kits, and covert .22 applications, and compliments the other host’s depth of technical and historical knowledge. They talk about how much they enjoy collaborating on videos like this, where one brings research and context and the other reacts with questions and commentary. One of them notes that he typically does not rewatch his own channel’s content because he just finished filming it, but says this episode is an exception he plans to revisit because he appears in it and finds the subject matter particularly engaging. The segment reinforces how .22 Long Rifle, often underestimated, has played a surprisingly diverse and enduring role in US military history, from basic training and pilot survival gear to clandestine pistols and highly specialized high‑capacity firearms.