Up to what range are my .22 bullets still effective?

New CCI rimfire rounds

New CCI rimfire rounds

Q:  I see that CCI now produces 
a segmented .22 rimfire round that is meant to be safe because it splits into three pieces. Does it work and how good is it?

Bruce Potts comments.

A: True, one of the problems with all the rimfire .22-calibre loads is that they are made from lead and thus have 
a tendency to ricochet. Hollow points help the lead to expand and deliver greater energy to the game, but CCI 
has a new approach. Each round has 
an overall length of 0.9790in and 
the CCI has its own copper-clad or 
washed finish and dry lube.

The CCI weighs 40-gr and has only 0.8 grains of silver flake powder in the case. Compared with a conventional Eley Subsonic round that has a larger hollow point, the CCI’s hollow point 
is smaller, but the secret behind the 
CCI is that whereas the Eley bullet is designed to mushroom on impact, 
the CCI segmenting ammunition 
is, as you say, designed to break into three parts.

I have tested these rounds many times and here are my results. The control Eley Subsonic bullet when shot in the ballistic medium perfectly mushroomed and weighed 40.2-gr, so no loss in weight and it penetrated 3.5in. The CCI segmenting ammunition performed very well and did indeed separate into three parts that penetrated radially out into the medium up to 4in.

Each segment weighed 14.6-gr, 
11.6-gr and 13-gr for a total of 39.2-gr, 
so came very close to the original 
bullet weight.

Those are honest results and if 
the CCI shoots accurately in your 
rifle then yes, buy some.