Hello and welcome back to another edition of The Rimfire Report! This ongoing series is all about the rimfire firearm world and its many different types of guns, gear, shooting sports, ammunition, and history! When it comes to shooting .22LR ammunition, two popular options among AR-15 enthusiasts are dedicated .22LR AR-15 rifles and conversion kits. Each option has its merits but both have a very limited selection of options that cater to different needs and preferences and of course, have varying degrees of value depending on the situation you’re in. In this edition of The Rimfire Report, we will go over the advantages and disadvantages of both dedicated 22LR AR rifles and 22LR AR conversion kits, to help you make your decision based on your budget, shooting requirements, and overall firearm preferences.

More Rimfire Report @ TFB:

• The Rimfire Report: A First Look At Springfield’s New 2020 Rimfire Rifles
• The Rimfire Report: The PT22 – Taurus’ 22LR Pocket Rocket
• The Rimfire Report: An Accurately Priced 22LR Bolt Gun – Bergara BMR

Full-Size Rifle, Pint Sized Cartridge

The Rimfire Report: Conversion or Dedicated 22LR AR?

Dedicated 22LR Rifles

Dedicated .22LR AR-15 rifles, purpose-built for the .22LR caliber, offer several unique advantages that cater specifically to those who value reliability and precision. These firearms are manufactured with components optimized for the .22LR round and often with barrels and components scaled down specifically to fit in a smaller package – often for youth purposes. There are a lot more dedicated AR-15 style 22LR options on the market with lots of variety including Smith & Wesson’s M&P 15-22, Tippmann M4-22, H&K’s 22LR 416-D, and the somewhat goofy-looking Rock Island Armory TM22.

One of the primary benefits of dedicated .22LR AR-15 rifles is their inherent reliability. Since they are designed exclusively for the .22LR caliber, they tend to experience fewer issues with feeding, extraction, and ejection. This increased reliability can translate to more consistent shooting sessions and reduced frustration. Another significant advantage is the potential for improved accuracy. With dedicated barrels, chambers, and other components tailored to the .22LR round, these rifles can achieve impressive precision. For target shooting, plinking, or small game hunting, this enhanced accuracy can be a decisive factor.

The WEE-1 scaled down 22LR AR-15

Owning a dedicated .22LR AR-15 means having a separate firearm that complements your existing AR-15 configuration. This way, you can maintain your primary AR-15 setup for dedicated use and switch to the .22LR platform when desired without any additional conversion steps. However, this means more than just bringing an extra rifle, magazines, optics, and accessories to the range. One other notable downside is their cost. Due to their specialized construction, these rifles can be more expensive compared to conversion kits. The RIA TM22 being one of the least expensive options still comes in at about $100 or more than the newest 22LR conversion kits for AR-15s. If cost is a major factor for you, maybe consider picking up a conversion kit first before deciding if you want to make the commitment to buy a dedicated 22LR AR-15-style rifle or pistol.

Conversion Kits

The Rimfire Report: Conversion or Dedicated 22LR AR?

Conversion kits offer a cost-effective and convenient way to shoot .22LR ammunition with your existing AR-15 lower receiver and upper without having to purchase an additional firearm. These kits convert your standard AR-15 platform into a .22LR shooter by replacing the bolt carrier group and using dedicated .22LR magazines. The primary appeal of conversion kits is their affordability. The CMMG Conversion Kit is usually available for under $200 and comes with 3 magazines  – all you need to do is replace these items in your standard AR-15 and you’re ready to shoot.

The Rimfire Report: Conversion or Dedicated 22LR AR?

Aside from the obvious benefit of being quite affordable, 22LR conversion kits for AR-15 rifles also offer you better adaptability at the range without the need for an entire extra gun and also allow you to train much more affordably using the same stock, grip, and optic that are already on your AR-15. For that matter, you can drop one of these conversion kits into virtually any AR-15 regardless of its barrel length and these conversion kits should work just fine – especially if you’ve managed to get one dialed in and working almost perfectly – I know fellow writer Nick C has had encounters with some really weird specifies that work almost perfectly.

Nonetheless, conversion kits do have their downsides. While many work effectively, they may not match the reliability and accuracy of dedicated .22LR AR-15 rifles due to adapting existing components. While the CMMG Bravo 22LR Conversion Kit is undoubtedly the most popular option on the market, I’ve heard more than a few choke at the range.  Additionally, some conversion kits might require more frequent cleaning as .22LR ammunition tends to be dirtier than centerfire rounds which I’m sure any rimfire junkie worth their salt has learned by now – beware of running thousands and thousands of rounds through your AR-15 without cleaning.

The Rimfire Report: Conversion or Dedicated 22LR AR?

Adding It All Up – Final Considerations

Over the years, I’ve slowly converted (pun intended) to just using dedicated platforms. Conversion kits are still an awesome accessory to have around, but I find that the benefits of having a dedicated 22LR AR-15 rifle are not only worth the cost to me but also worth it in terms of the reduction of frustration when it comes to things just working. In addition to reliability, I don’t really use my AR-15 for the same duties as my 22LR AR rifles which more often than not are geared strictly towards competition in steel challenges (or action 22LR matches) rather than long-range shooting. However, 22LR conversions can still run nearly as well as the dedicated rifles, and they also don’t have the downside of taking up an entire set of accessories and optics that could be used on another rifle or put towards a single rifle that you may already own.

I’d obviously like to hear your thoughts on these two 22LR options. Which do you prefer? Are you of the mind that the more affordable conversion kit is the way to go for shooting on a budget or should people go through the extra effort and cost of purchasing a dedicated 22LR AR-15 rifle? Hopefully, soon we’ll have access to the newish ATI Schemisser 22LR Glock conversion kit so we can put that thing to the test! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments and thanks as always for stopping by to read The Rimfire Report! We’ll see you all next week!