.22 Rimfire Bullet Keyring | Real .22 LR Bullet Keychain – Keyring King
The World’s Most Popular Rimfire Cartridge
The .22 Long Rifle – commonly written .22 LR – is the single most produced cartridge in history. Billions are manufactured every year worldwide. It’s the round most new shooters first fire, the calibre used on more UK gallery rifle ranges than any other, and a firm favourite for pest control, small game, and target shooting at every level from beginner to national competitor.
Its appeal is simple: low recoil, low noise, low cost, and genuine accuracy at short to medium range. The .22 LR has been in continuous production since 1887 – longer than any other rimfire cartridge still in common use. Carrying one on your keys is a quiet nod to a round that has introduced more people to shooting than anything else.
What Is a Rimfire Cartridge?
Unlike centrefire rounds – where the primer sits in a cap at the centre of the case base – a rimfire cartridge has its priming compound distributed around the inside of the hollow rim. When the firing pin strikes the rim, it crushes and ignites the compound. You can see this clearly on a fired .22 case: the small dent left by the firing pin is on the rim rather than the centre.
This design makes rimfire casings unsuitable for reloading, which is why once-fired .22 cases are genuinely spent rather than reclaimed from a reloading bench. Each one has done its job exactly once.
Brass or Nickel – What’s the Difference?
The .22 rimfire keyring is cleaned and polished like the rest of the range. Depending on current stock, the casing will be either natural brass – a warm gold tone – or nickel-plated, which gives a brighter silver finish. Both are genuine once-fired .22 LR casings and both are polished to the same standard. The finish simply reflects what we have available at the time of your order.
If you have a strong preference for one over the other, get in touch before ordering and we’ll let you know what’s currently in stock.
The Smallest Keyring in the Range
At 25.4mm long and 5.7mm in diameter, the .22 rimfire is significantly smaller than any of our centrefire rifle keyrings. To put it in context – it fits comfortably in the palm of your hand alongside a 50 pence piece. It adds virtually no bulk to a keyring and sits flat in a pocket without snagging.
If you want something subtle – a keyring that only shooters will identify – this is the one. It’s also the most accessible price point in the range, which makes it a natural choice as a stocking filler, a small accompanying gift, or a first bullet keyring for someone new to the hobby.
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FAQ
Q: Is this made from a real .22 rimfire casing? Yes – every keyring is handcrafted from a genuine once-fired .22 LR rimfire cartridge casing. It is not a replica. The casing has been fired, cleaned, resized, and fitted with a professionally seated bullet.
Q: Is it safe to carry? Completely. The keyring is 100% inert – there are no live components, no primer compound remaining, no powder. It is legal to own and carry anywhere in the UK without any licence.
Q: Will mine be brass or nickel? It depends on current stock. Both are genuine .22 LR casings – brass gives a warm gold tone, nickel gives a silver tone. Both are cleaned and polished to the same standard. If you have a preference, contact us before ordering and we’ll let you know what’s available.
Q: How small is the .22 rimfire keyring compared to your other keyrings? It’s the smallest in the range by a significant margin. At 25.4mm long and 5.7mm across, it’s roughly the size of a large drawing pin. The .303 British, for comparison, is around 78mm long. The .22 rimfire adds almost no bulk to a keyring and sits completely flat in a pocket.
Q: What is a rimfire cartridge? A rimfire cartridge has its primer compound distributed around the hollow rim of the case base, rather than in a central cap like a centrefire round. The firing pin strikes the rim to ignite it. This design has been used for the .22 LR since 1887 and is one of the reasons these casings can’t be reloaded – each one has genuinely been fired once.
Q: Is this a good gift for someone new to shooting? It’s one of the best options at this price point – compact, genuinely authentic, and the .22 LR is the round most beginners will have started on. It’s also available at a price that works as a stocking filler or a small add-on alongside another gift from the range.
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