AR-15 .22 LR Conversion Kit vs. Dedicated Upper: What Fits Your Use
Shooting .22 LR through an AR-15 can save real money on ammo, but AmmoLand's rundown of a Brownells video makes clear the cheapest route and the best-performing route aren't the same thing.
Snapshot
AmmoLand covers a Brownells video comparing two ways to run .22 LR through an AR-15: the CMMG Bravo drop-in conversion kit and a dedicated rimfire upper. The piece, built around Brownells presenter Caleb's walkthrough, frames the choice as cost versus consistency rather than one option being flatly better.
Key points
- Conversion kit basics: The CMMG Bravo swaps in a blowback-operated bolt assembly and chamber adapter, letting an existing centerfire upper fire .22 LR through dedicated magazines without buying a second upper.
- Cost advantage: Caleb points to .22 LR running roughly seven to eight cents a round as the main draw, and AmmoLand notes prior CMMG Bravo testing by contributor Jim Grant found zero malfunctions across 600 rounds in three different AR platforms, with groups around 1.6 inches at 50 yards.
- Why Brownells favors a dedicated upper: A purpose-built rimfire barrel and matching bolt are designed around .22 LR from the start, which Brownells says offers greater accuracy potential than adapting a centerfire barrel.
- Fouling and maintenance: Running rimfire rounds through a centerfire barrel and gas area can leave lead and powder residue behind; Brownells recommends copper-plated bullets with the kit and notes a dedicated upper avoids the issue entirely.
- Point of impact: Both setups shift zero compared with 5.56 NATO, so a dedicated upper lets shooters keep a separate optic dialed in specifically for rimfire.
Quick take
For occasional practice on a budget, the conversion kit is the obvious pick and AmmoLand's own testing backs its reliability. If .22 LR is becoming a regular habit, Brownells' case for a dedicated upper, cleaner barrel, better accuracy ceiling, holds up as the more durable long-term setup.
Read the full story: ammoland.com