22 Short bullets are made of lead (usually coated with grease or wax, or copper) in round nose or hollow point styles. 22 Short cartridge North American Arms model NAA22S mini-revolver, chambered in. 22 Short was used for the Olympic 25 meter rapid fire pistol event until 2004, and they were allowed in the shooting part of modern pentathlon competitions before they switched to air pistols. Due to its low recoil and good inherent accuracy, the. 22 Short was popularly used in shooting galleries at fairs and arcades several rifle makers produced ' gallery' models for. 22 Short, though still used in a few pocket pistols and mini-revolvers, is mainly used as a quiet round for practice by the recreational shooter. 22 rimfire was the first American metallic cartridge. Developed in 1857 for the first Smith & Wesson revolver, the.