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View Full Version : .22 LR ammo - what do you use?



jbeintherockies
12-28-2011, 09:30 PM
Hello,

I just bought a .22 pistol for target shooting and I was wondering what .22 LR ammo the members of this forum use for:
- sighting-in (match ammo?)
- basic target shooting

I'm not sure what more to ask on the subject. I bought the Winchester 36 grain hollow point rounds for my first time around with this gun. So far so good; no misfires. The last ammo that I used in another .22 was the CCL (I think) and I had a bunch of misfires. So, based on that experience, I think I will stay away from CCL.

Any advice would be helpful. Thank you in advance.

Jon

Argus
12-28-2011, 09:41 PM
I have a Walther P22 that is kind of finicky, so it only gets Mini Mags. For my other .22's, I go with the Federal bulk pack; it is inexpensive and meets my needs (punching paper and the occasional tree rat).

peterb
12-28-2011, 10:25 PM
I usually use the CCI standard velocity for basic target shooting with my Ruger Mk II. It also likes the Mini-Mag solids.

seabiscuit
12-28-2011, 11:28 PM
Federal bulk for plinking, CCI Mini-Mags when I want more accuracy/reliability. Our. Shooting an M&P 15 - 22.

Odin Bravo One
12-28-2011, 11:31 PM
I would sight in with what you intend to shoot. No point in trying to use match grade .22 ammo if you are going to shoot cheapo crap. It will very likely print to a different POI.

Remington rimfire ammo sucks.

Aguilla is filthy, and often sucks.

Federal is pretty decent, though I have had some functioning issues with the bulk packs.

Winchester, pretty much the same experiences as with Federal.

Lapua is good, reliable, and very accurate. And you pay for it.

CCI, while you had a bad experience, is the standard by which I judge fodder rimfire ammo by. I use the HP Subs for suppressed shooting, and Mini-Mags for general plinking, and Stingers (or mini's) if there is a gun that is not getting enough power to cycle the action.

Everyone makes crap once in awhile, and I suspect that is the case with a bad batch of CCI. That is the exception, rather than the rule. It is at least worth another look.

Some argue that the CCI Mini's, Stingers, Subs, etc are expensive, defeating or minimizing the idea behind rimfire training. Yeah, they are a bit more expensive, but I buy in massive bulk, and the reliability they provide offsets my cost concerns. If you are serious about .22 rimfire training, plinking, varminting, whatever, it really is worthwhile to look at buying bulk. I buy 5-10k at a time, and the per box cost of CCI premium rimfire ends up comparable to commercial, retail prices of the el-cheapo crap from the local shop.

TGS
12-29-2011, 12:36 AM
I love shooting CCI Stingers. I made a 1 hole group at 100 yards with those out of my Remington 552 Speedmaster. I've found CCI ammo to be superlative quality (for a .22).

Both my 552 and Mauser Es340b have been more accurate with CCI Stingers than anything else, including RWS Target and RWS Special Match.

I like their Long's as well.

I don't fixate too much on the price. Shooting the A-54 frame Ruger Mk1 or Mauser Es340b is waaaaay cheaper than 9mm out of the P2000 or 7.5 Swiss out of the K31, so I'm happy even with the price of Stingers.

Jimichanga
12-29-2011, 01:26 AM
I shoot CCI Stingers in my Glock pistol conversion.

In my bolt action trainer, I shoot Wolf match target. The stuff is fantastic and very reasonably priced.

Mitchell, Esq.
12-29-2011, 08:14 AM
CCI Mini Mag in my AA Glock .22lr kits.

Federal 36 grain 550 pack in my .22lr spike's bolt for the AR (CCI 40 grain mini mag and the spikes do not get along...)

Till I started playing with .22lr I never noticed a difference between ammo in terms of POA-POI. Wakeup call...

NETim
12-29-2011, 08:23 AM
Anything in the 22/45. Likewise the GSG1911. S&W Outdoorsman... heh...
Cute little Wilson conversion kit runs best on CCI-Mini Mags. AA conversion kit feels the same way (although it's not nearly as reliable even with Mini-Mags as the Wilson kit.)

Only one long gun I own is any kind of finicky, an old Remmy Fieldmaster. It doesn't extract the cheap stuff reliably, so it gets fed Mini-Mags.

Al T.
12-29-2011, 09:51 AM
Another vote for CCI here. I like the Blazers for my "understudy" firearms for drills, other flavors as appropriate.

For sheer accuracy across a lot of platforms, Wolf seems to work well.

Ditto the problems with Remington .22 LR ammo. :(

seabiscuit
12-29-2011, 12:13 PM
Yeah, I've had a lot of failures to fire in my Marlin bolt with Remington ammo. Open the bolt, rotate the case, try again. Usually goes on the second or third time.

I just stay away from it now.

digiadaamore
12-29-2011, 05:18 PM
Blazer .22 they are mini mags but sold in bulk much better price:cool:

Al T.
12-29-2011, 06:13 PM
Blazer .22 they are mini mags but sold in bulk much better price

No. Mini Mags are very different. On average, Mini Mags group better for me, but Blazer is my 1st choice for bulk ammo.

jbeintherockies
12-29-2011, 07:04 PM
Where are you guys (and gals) purchasing your ammo from? In particular, where do you buy ammo in bulks larger than 500 rounds? I went to Walmart to buy and got 555 rounds of the Winchester 36 grain. I was at Sportsman's Warehouse today but, the bulk was only in 500 and more expensive (Federal) than the Winchester.

Odin Bravo One
12-29-2011, 09:28 PM
Big box stores, and local gun shops are not the place to go shopping for ammo. Generally speaking...........my local shop happens to be a huge internet ammo dealer as well, so obviously there are exceptions.

If you want bulk ammo, get out and use the same thing you are using now. The internet.

Here is but one example of a place that sells in quantities beyond 500 round bricks.

http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/index.php/cName/22-long-rifle-ammo-solid-point

jbeintherockies
12-30-2011, 10:18 AM
Big box stores, and local gun shops are not the place to go shopping for ammo. Generally speaking...........my local shop happens to be a huge internet ammo dealer as well, so obviously there are exceptions.

If you want bulk ammo, get out and use the same thing you are using now. The internet.

Here is but one example of a place that sells in quantities beyond 500 round bricks.

http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/index.php/cName/22-long-rifle-ammo-solid-point


Thank you for the link. I found that website last night when I was searching for 22LR ammo. On that website, I wonder what the difference is (besides the price) between the CCI Blazer, the Winchester Wildcat and the Federal Champion in terms of misfires and accuracy? They all use 40 grain.

Al T.
12-30-2011, 11:05 AM
Blazer is very reliable, not sure on the others. Best bet is to try before you buy a large quantity. .22s can be picky about what they like.

seabiscuit
12-30-2011, 11:26 AM
Federal champion is accurate enough for plinking. I'd buy a box of each at Walmart and see what works well in your gun.

ACP230
12-30-2011, 01:55 PM
I use a lot of Remington Thunderbolts. Even used to shoot Bullseye matches with them some years back. Very few problems for me, despite all the complaints I see about them.

Also Federal 36 grain hollowpoints in the bulk packs.

For .22 benchrest rifle matches with a Remington 40X I have used Aquila Rifle Match and Wolf Match Target. Wolf Match Target shoots well in almost everything. Too bad the Obama economy has made it so expensive.

Had some problems in a Beretta 21A with keyholing Stingers. Works well in other guns. Not much of it left in my accumulation these days.

jbeintherockies
12-30-2011, 04:38 PM
I think I will buy a hundred rounds or so of the popular rounds listed on this thread and see how that goes. The Winchesters that I am currently using are hollow points and I wonder if that leads to inaccuracy at 25 yards or more?

jar
12-30-2011, 05:11 PM
I use Federal Bulk pack from Walmart for plinking and general practice. I've found it to be the most reliable of the cheap bulk ammo. My bullseye gun (Ruger Mk3) gets the Aguila SVSE from the CMP. Off the bench, it shoots a ragged hole at 50 feet and it doesn't cost that much. (I think prices have gone up, but I bought 3 cases at $200/case so I'm set for years.

Al T.
12-30-2011, 05:25 PM
Hollow points won't effect accuracy. The brand/flavor of the cartridge is much more sensitive in individual .22s.

Strong second to the idea of testing ammo before buying a large quantity.

TGS
12-30-2011, 05:33 PM
Strong second to the idea of testing ammo before buying a large quantity.

This is usually a good thing to do.

I kinda took a chance today, though. I ordered 5000 rounds of Fiocchi, but am not too worried because all the Fiocchi 9mm, .38, .357 and .32 ACP I've fired has been top-notch stuff, and the reviews on ATG were only positive (admittedly limited in quantity, though).

digiadaamore
12-30-2011, 07:59 PM
No. Mini Mags are very different. On average, Mini Mags group better for me, but Blazer is my 1st choice for bulk ammo.

do you shoot the jacketed mini mags? thats probably where you difference comes from

Al T.
12-30-2011, 08:55 PM
No such thing as jacketed .22LR. It's a copper wash. .22LR uses a heel to fit the bullet to the case. Be darned expensive to make jacketed bullets for it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvK9QlQtrKI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdNkfTS0lOQ&feature=related

jbeintherockies
12-30-2011, 09:04 PM
That was the one brand that I found when searching the internet which was not mentioned on this thread. Did they just start manufacturing .22LR? They appear to be a little more expensive than the more mainstream stuff.

What is the difference between the "copper plated" solid point and the basic lead solid point ammo? Why do they make both?

Odin Bravo One
12-30-2011, 09:19 PM
I can't help but re-emphasize what the others have mentioned about trying before buying in bulk. I have several .22's, and unfortunately, they don't all like the same stuff which forces me to have to buy 2 types of bulk .22 ammo. It took a couple of years to sort out which gun liked what, but I would suggest buying 50/100 round boxes before going any further. Even a 500 round brick, while not bank breaking, can be frustrating when you have 485 rounds of it lying around, and not one of your guns will shoot it.

seabiscuit
12-30-2011, 09:39 PM
I have seen a lot of inconsistency in the size/shape of Federal hollow points, which could contribute to their lower accuracy. CCI hollow points appear much more consistent.

digiadaamore
12-31-2011, 01:07 AM
No such thing as jacketed .22LR. It's a copper wash. .22LR uses a heel to fit the bullet to the case. Be darned expensive to make jacketed bullets for it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvK9QlQtrKI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdNkfTS0lOQ&feature=related

At least you knew what i meant

Al T.
12-31-2011, 09:43 AM
digiadaamore, no problem. I don't mind making corrections as needed. :)



Fiochhi: That was the one brand that I found when searching the internet which was not mentioned on this thread. Did they just start manufacturing .22LR? They appear to be a little more expensive than the more mainstream stuff.

What is the difference between the "copper plated" solid point and the basic lead solid point ammo? Why do they make both?

I played with a couple of bricks of Fiochhi. Shot fine, though not good enough in my firearms to be a bulk buy.

As for copper washed vrs. plain lead, very, very generally, copper washed bullets are super-sonic while plain lead is not. The copper washing cuts down on lead fouling when the bullet is fired.

Little Creek
12-31-2011, 11:59 AM
I have found that the new this year Winchester M-22 runs great in my S&W15-22. I am up to 550 rounds without a malfunction in the 15-22. It also runs great in my Ruger 10/22 and my Ruger 22/45. Super-X in 40 grain loaded to 1255 fps also runs good. The "plated" or "copper washed" bullets work better for me than those rounds that have bullets with just a wax lube. The M-22 is in a 1,000 round pack. I bought my M-22 at the local Academy Sports for $45.99 per 1000.

Al T.
01-05-2012, 08:06 PM
$45.99 per 1000.

In comparison, CCI Blazer here is 15 bucks per 550 and CCI Mini-Mags are 8 bucks per 100. Looks like an interesting mid price point ammo.

The Fiochhi was about 45 bucks per 500.

Ga Shooter
01-06-2012, 05:29 PM
Has anybody tried this

http://www.cci-ammunition.com/products/detail.aspx?use=5&loadNo=0953

I just got a great deal on a 15-22 by trading some old ammo and I saw this in my cabelas book (i am sure I can get it cheaper somewhere else) but this was made specifically for the S&W. Are the 15-22s picky about what you feed them?

Al T.
01-06-2012, 08:53 PM
Ga Shooter, not more than other .22s, but the manual states that no subsonic ammo or several Remington products (+ Winchester Wildcats) should be used. Acquaintance of mine bought a 15-22, went to the range, came back and complained that his 15-22 busted the extractor while shooting. Yep, Remington ammo. :mad:

I put one K of Mini-mags down range, then started using Blazer. No issues, though Blazer is a 3 inch (group) round at 50 yards with a cheap RDS.

:)

agent-smith
01-06-2012, 10:16 PM
I've always thought using bottom end ammo was a false economy.

I don't use Eley Tenex for plinking or anything, but about as low as I'll go is CCI Mini-Mags.

Usually, I'll shoot inexpensive "match" ammo like SK or the like (I really don't ever "plink").

Ga Shooter
01-07-2012, 08:27 AM
Ga Shooter, not more than other .22s, but the manual states that no subsonic ammo or several Remington products (+ Winchester Wildcats) should be used. Acquaintance of mine bought a 15-22, went to the range, came back and complained that his 15-22 busted the extractor while shooting. Yep, Remington ammo. :mad:

I put one K of Mini-mags down range, then started using Blazer. No issues, though Blazer is a 3 inch (group) round at 50 yards with a cheap RDS.

:)

Thanks for the heads up. I did not get the box or any papers with the gun. I am really bummed about no subsonic I was planning on putting a can on it down the road.:(

Stuffbreaker
01-07-2012, 10:59 AM
CCI Mini Mags and Stingers have been the most reliable in my semi-auto .22s, but the Stingers are a little hot. I believe they are the cause of the cracked slide in the Walther P22 I once owned. Federal Auto Match are a close second to Mini Mags in reliability, but they are not plated and may not be allowed at some ranges.

Federal bulk and Winchester 333/555 from a big-box store are my preferred practice fodder in my Buck Mark. They function more than 98% of the time and are reasonably accurate. They will generally hold a 1-inch group at 7 yards, which is adequate for my training needs. Missfires are rare.

Remington Golden Bullets are by far the least reliable of the bulk ammo I've run. They are pretty peppy, but they missfire so frequently that I won't buy them.

Al T.
01-08-2012, 08:44 AM
I am really bummed about no subsonic I was planning on putting a can on it down the road.

My take was "no ammo marketed as subsonic" like the Remington brand. I don't think the Fiocchi target ammo went super sonic out of my 15-22.

agent-smith
01-08-2012, 08:57 AM
Ga Shooter, not more than other .22s, but the manual states that no subsonic ammo or several Remington products (+ Winchester Wildcats) should be used. Acquaintance of mine bought a 15-22, went to the range, came back and complained that his 15-22 busted the extractor while shooting. Yep, Remington ammo. :mad:

How long ago? The "early" M&P15-22 rifles were known to have extractor issues regards of ammo used.

I've shot a LOT of sub-sonic ammo out of mine (SBR'd and suppressed) without issue.

My guess is that S&W just meant that they can't "guarantee" if the rifle will function with sub-sonics (not enough ass to cycle the bolt) but it works fine.

Well, at least mine does (and the several people I know that shoot sub-sonics from theirs all report good results).

Al T.
01-08-2012, 09:12 AM
A/S, got mine in 2009. So his was from ~ late 2009 to 2010ish. Yes, his extractor blew out.

I may throw a scope on my 15-22 and see what sort of groups I can get with various types of ammo. I stuck a RDS on mine and never looked back.

agent-smith
01-08-2012, 09:46 AM
A/S, got mine in 2009. So his was from ~ late 2009 to 2010ish. Yes, his extractor blew out.

Hmmm...I'd be surprised if the extractor failure was a direct result of the ammo; of course, I can't say for sure.


I may throw a scope on my 15-22 and see what sort of groups I can get with various types of ammo. I stuck a RDS on mine and never looked back.

I started out with a cheap red dot on mine, but once I saw how well the rifle shot (~2MOA) I went with a Leupold 1.5-4x and never looked back.

Nephrology
01-15-2012, 10:44 PM
Not sure if this has been mentinoed yet, but Wolf .22 is actually really good stuff. That and their 12ga are manufactured by some Western European country whose name escapes me. The rest of their ammo typically comes swept up off the floor of an eastern european cartridge plant but their .22 is really quite accurate and very reliable.

agent-smith
01-18-2012, 05:42 PM
Not sure if this has been mentinoed yet, but Wolf .22 is actually really good stuff. That and their 12ga are manufactured by some Western European country whose name escapes me.

Wolf .22LR is manufactured by SK.

(Not really important; just passing-on the info)

agksimon
01-21-2012, 04:15 PM
I did a sandbag test with my Ruger 22/45 with 2MOA red dot at 25 yards and found the following:
Remington Gold bulk averaged 2" groups and about one in 75 were duds that would fire on the second try.
Federal bulk averaged just slightly over 2" and no duds.
CCI Mini-Mags 36gr HP averaged 1 1/4" and no duds.
I practice with the bulk and shoot plated matches with the CCI Mini-Mags.

derekb
01-22-2012, 09:47 AM
CCI Blazer is probably my favorite for general shooting. Their more expensive offerings (mini-mags, stingers etc) would be my go-to for hunting or pest control.

EMC
01-25-2012, 10:39 PM
CCI mini-mag and Federal Automatch have been good to me.

Odin Bravo One
01-26-2012, 04:07 PM
GemTech has a custom .22LR load that shows some promise. Engineered for reliable and accurate use in suppressed pistols (probably the most finicky firearms in general), uses a 42gr projectile, clean burning powder, and max variation of less than 20fps through a 10 shot string.

Certainly not the cheapest .22LR out there, but I am willing to pay a little extra for reliability and accuracy.


I have a case on order. MTF once it arrives and I have had a chance to wring it out.

ETA......... GemTech also sells this by the case. Just so it is clear, as I have had numerous people asking where I buy my bulk .22 ammo. If this stuff is all it is claimed to be, I will be buying direct from GemTech by the case.

Odin Bravo One
05-14-2012, 10:15 PM
I am sold on the GemTech. It is more expensive than Blazer, but is also reliable and accurate in every single one of my numerous .22's, including my mostly problematic 1911 .22. It is also subsonic, making it ideal for suppressed weapons. I bought a case factory direct with dealer pricing, and it came in under $400 delivered.

I am also getting ready to make another 15k purchase of Blazer to feed the latest machinegun. At 1200 rounds per min, can't justify the premium ammo.

skoro
06-02-2012, 06:39 PM
Just about anything but Remington.

I've had the best results from CCI Mini-mags, Winchester Super-X, Federal Automatch, and Aguila Super.

The_Dave
06-02-2012, 09:45 PM
I picked up a Savage MK II recently and finally had a chance to put it through its paces today. The largest groups were shot with CCI Velocitor, but it extracted 100%. Groups were tighter with the Mini Mags, but I had serious extraction issues here. As in, one out of two would fail to extract first try. Drop the mag, run the bolt forward, and it would extract just fine on the second try. The award for smallest group goes the the CCI Standard Velocity that I also use for bulk/plinking. These also extracted 100%. The smallest group today was 1 1/4", but that doesn't mean much since I'm not sure of the distance. Probably between 100 and 110 yards.

I'm interested to try the Wolf Match stuff, since many folks have apparently used it to good effect in the MK II.

Corey
06-05-2012, 09:20 AM
Another vote for CCI. I use mini-mags or standard velocity in all my semi-autos, including with suppressors and it works great. Costs a little more than bulk, but not that much more if you stock up when there is a sale and it is worth it for the reliability.

My bolt action rifle takes Eley or RWS only. That costs a lot more, but with an Anschutz rifle the accuracy expectations change a little. :cool:

45lefty
07-01-2012, 05:03 PM
i use CCI .22lr ammo exclusively in my sig sauer 1911-22. especially stingers and mini-mags.

jsiberians
08-13-2012, 04:21 PM
In my lcr22 any 22 ammo works great.
In our Beretta 21a bobcat 22lr cci stingers and mini mags are the ccw ammo. (never failed). For target the Winchester dynapoints worked great but do to poor availability I am switching to winchester 555. They are a little more powerful suposedly and thats what the bobcat needs to cycle. (high velocity ammo).

Kimosabi
08-13-2012, 05:26 PM
CCI Mini Mag for the finicky Sig Mosquito.

shootist26
08-13-2012, 07:19 PM
Mostly Federal or Winchester bulk pack. Occasionally CCI as well. I think of CCI as the good stuff. I only have one plain jane 10/22 LTR, so no real point spending money for match grade stuff.

jsiberians
08-14-2012, 06:33 PM
I have the LCR22 and it fires all the 22 ammo just fine. For SD I load cci Stingers hp.
For my 21a bobcat SD I load cci Stingers also.
As for practice the bobcat is very fussy only high velocity ammo will cycle it properly.
I had good luck with Win. ZDynapoints but can't find them lately so I tried the Win. bulk ammo 555 from Walmart.
The number denotes the quantity in the bulk box. Some stores sell them as 225, 336 etc. They are
22lr 37gr hp 1250fps winchesters.
They cycle my 21a with no problem and shoot clean. They will be my new practice ammo, I like em.