Winchester Xpert
I guess this is my groundhog gun.
I have a Winchester Xpert in .21 Sharp, which is Winchester's mostly pointless rimfire cartridge that uses unheeled bullets. (It has a point, which is to support decent lead-free bullets.) The rifle uses a rotary magazine which is allegedly compatible with Ruger 10/22 magazines.
| Caliber: | .21 Sharp |
|---|---|
| Receiver: | Bolt-Action, Steel |
| Barrel: | 18" Steel, Matte Black, 1:12" Twist |
| Stock: | Composite |
| Magazine: | 10-rd Detachable Rotary, Ruger 10/22 Compatible |
| Overall Length: | 36¼" |
| Length of Pull: | 13½" |
| Weight: | 4½ lb. |
| Optic: | Vortex Crossfire II 2-7x32 Rimfire |
I purchased this rifle in 2025.
I kind of expect to have some trouble finding a good cleaning jag that works. A .20 caliber jag fits. .22 caliber rods are too tight.
Status
The scope is zeroed at 50 yards for 34 gr. Super-X JHP. This rifle is ready to use on groundhogs.
Ammo
Winchester was producing four different loads for .21 Sharp. So far, no one else has announced anything in this caliber. I have a box of the "Copper Matrix" and a box of the JHP.
- 25 gr. Copper Matrix
- This is the only non-lead option. Muzzle Velocity, Claimed: 1750 fps, Measured: 1815 fps. Winchester Part No: S21SLF. It is a solid copper "matrix" bullet, and it does not deform. The penetration is insane: Winchester claims 36 inches through ballistic gel, and I just watched a video where it penetrated through 48 inches, with very good straight-line penetration. The obvious hunting application here minimmizing pelt damage on furbearers.
- 34 gr. Jacketed Hollow Point (Super-X)
- My new favorite hunting load? Muzzle Velocity, Claimed: 1500 fps, Measured: 1620 fps. Winchester Part No: X21JHP. For years, I have preferred to hunt varmints with the Remington Golden Bullet HP, but this should blow the doors off that. I just watched a ballistic gel test showing 9 inches of penetration and a very impressive temporary wound cavity. The bullet expanded to nearly double its diameter, and it held together well.
- 37 gr. Full Metal Jacket
- The heaviest bullet available, and the least expensive plinking option. Muzzle velocity: 1370 fps. Winchester Part No: USA21. (Originally spec'd as 42 gr. and 1330 fps.) It probably doesn't deform and penetrates well, but I haven't seen any ballistic gel tests. The same hunting application as the solid copper bullet.
- 37 gr. Black Copper-Plated (Discontinued/Cancelled)
- This could have been the basic plinking load, but Winchester has already discontinued it, and it may never have existed. Muzzle velocity: 1335 fps. Winchester Part No: X21C.
I'll believe the lead-free justification when Winchester (or anyone) makes a lead-free hollow-point bullet and load for this caliber. Something like a Barnes X-bullet. The solid copper bullet is fine for target shooting, but there is still an unfilled gap for hunting.
I'm not sure any of these loads make sense for squirrel or rabbit, but the JHP should be hell on groundhogs. It yields almost 200 ft-lbs of energy, and ballistic gel tests show that the bullet expands well and dumps its energy in nine inches, with a massive temporary would cavity. My gun seems to like the JHP well enough, so I have acquired a stock of 500 rounds, knowing there is a high likelihood that this will end up being an orphan cartridge.