The Rimfire Report: Federal 22 WMR 45 gr Punch - A Look At The Numbers

Hello and welcome back to another edition of The Rimfire Report! This ongoing series is all about the rimfire firearm world and all of the different types of guns, shooting sports, history lessons, and ammunition you can think of! Last week we talked about a neat little aftermarket Ruger BX-1 mod I was able to pick up that allowed you to reliably feed CCI CB 22 Shorts out of a 10/22 rifle. While it’s not everyone’s first choice for a garden gun, it’s a lot cheaper than purchasing an entirely new firearm just to shoot shorts. This week we’re getting back into some more potent ammo - a lot more potent. This week’s rimfire ammo specimen is none other than Federal’s 22 WMR 45 grain Punch ammo.

Launched officially in 2020 and purpose-built for defensive civilian shooters, punch has expanded to encompass almost every type of ammunition out there including rimfire cartridges like 22 WMR. Today we’ll be going through our usual gamut of ammunition tests and observations to give you guys a good read on whether or not this ammo is a good choice for you and your needs.

More Rimfire Report @ TFB:

• The Rimfire Report: A Neat CB 22 Short Ruger 10/22 Magazine Conversion
• The Rimfire Report: CCI's Maxi-Mag 40 gr JHP .22 WMR
• The Rimfire Report: The "Gill Gun" - Springfield Model 87A .22 Rifle

The Rimfire Report: Federal 22 WMR 45 gr Punch - A Look At The Numbers

Personal Defense Punch Rimfire 22 WMR 45 Grain

Product Link: https://www.federalpremium.com/rimfire/personal-defense-punch-rimfire/11-PD22WMR1.html

Product Overview

Different shooters have different needs, limitations and firearms. Yet for all of those variables, rimfire has never been a practical option for self-defense—until now. Introducing Punch™ Personal Defense® rimfire from Federal Premium®. The loads’ nickel-plated lead-core bullet is propelled at extreme velocities and engineered to minimize expansion to hit critical penetration depths through short-barrel handguns. Stringent function testing also ensures the most reliable ignition, cycling and overall performance. So, whether you want to carry a backup gun, don’t feel comfortable with centerfires, or simply want to get more versatility from your rimfire pistol, Punch makes these cartridges viable choices for the first time ever.

• Nickel-plated lead-core bullet
• Projectile profile and composition optimized for the deepest penetration through short-barrel handguns
• Rigorous function testing ensures reliability
• Nickel-plated case for ease of extraction and corrosion resistance
• 50-count boxes
• Maximum velocity for energy and penetration: 22 WMR offers 1,000 fps muzzle velocity through 2-inch barrel, 1,800 fps through rifle barrels

Specs:

• Caliber: 22 WMR
• Grain Weight: 45
• Muzzle Velocity: 1000 (2in bbl) 1,800 (“rifle” bbl)
• Bullet Style: Punch JHP
• Ballistic Coefficient: .136
• Package Quantity: 50
• Price Per Box: $26.99 ($0.54 cents per round)

In my initial testing of this ammunition, I was able to run almost an entire box just trying to figure out where the chronograph needed to be for it to work, and to zero the rifle. 22 Punch is a heavier round than a lot of other 22 WMR cartridges, but its advertised velocity isn’t much slower meaning we should be seeing about the same level of kinetic energy downrange. How well that kinetic energy is transferred will be entirely up to the design of the bullet. Out of the 150 rounds of 22 WMR Punch I fired that day, one single round had a feeding issue and the bullet was pushed back into the case. This was the only type of malfunction I’ve run into with this ammo.

Velocity Data

The primary goal of the entire Punch line is reliable expansion and penetration. These two qualities combined are what make for some of the best defensive loads by combining a greater potential for lethal wounds with a hollow point bullet, with a reliable penetration metric for consistent terminal results. Federal Punch 22 WMR is engineered to meet the FBI’s penetration standards. It is designed to penetrate deep enough to reach vital organs, even after passing through barriers such as clothing, and then expand even at velocities as low as 1,000 fps. Both of these important defensive factors rely almost entirely on the bullet's velocity. For our series of 22WMR tests, I’ve been using my Bear Creek Arsenal 22 WMR 16” upper which should give us some great starting data before we move into the gel testing of this ammo.

This is some surprising data. If we compare this set of data to our last 22 WMR variant (CCI Maxi-Mags) we’re seeing a much higher extreme spread in addition to a higher standard deviation with the Federal Punch. Between the two rounds, we’re also seeing the same average kinetic energy with punch only outperforming the Maxi Mag by about 2 fps. That tiny bit of extra mass combined with about the same velocity should mean that the heavier Punch projectile will penetrate deeper, reinforcing the idea that 22 WMR Punch is a dedicated self-defense cartridge.

Accuracy Data

In contrast to what I expected after seeing the velocity data, the accuracy data I gathered was quite promising. The 45-grain Jacketed Hollow Point Punch bullet has a slightly higher ballistic coefficient which should translate to better accuracy at range - and that’s exactly what we were seeing. Instead of groups reaching into 3 and 4-inch territory at 50 yards on the upper end, Punch saw its largest group at right around 2 inches at the same distance. The best group I was able to manage out of the BCA/Punch combo was under an inch in size - close to 1MOA.

Thoughts Going Forward

Aside from slight trepidation about the velocity consistencies out of the rifle, I think Federal’s 22 WMR Punch is a solid offering if not just for its supreme accuracy out of an auto-loading 22 WMR rifle. Right now I won’t make any solid determinations about its efficacy as a self-defense round, but we will for sure be revisiting this specific ammo in our next set of tests involving ballistic gelatin. We’ll also be reevaluating this set of tests with a pistol, to see if the metrics improve or worsen out of the shorter barrels. I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments on this ammunition. Do any of you carry 22 WMR for self-defense, and if you don’t, would you ever? Thanks as always for stopping by to read The Rimfire Report, we’ll see you again next week!