Best Value 22 LR Ammo?

A

AFman

New member
Looking for your experiences with 22 LR ammo. I know it varies per rifle, but are there some that are more consistent than others. Also, cost counts...I don't like the idea of spending $11 for 50 rounds of 22 LR.

I'm shooting a Savage Mk 2 BTV and have been experimenting with different makers of 22 LR ammo at 50 yds. Attached are pics of best groups with Win Super X Hi-vel, Federal Champion, and CCI Std Velocity. The Win Super X looks pretty good. Not sure if the one was a flyer of a cold barrel. More groups will tell.
 

Attachments

  • mar 12 050.jpg
    mar 12 050.jpg
    221.2 KB · Views: 105
  • mar 12 051.jpg
    mar 12 051.jpg
    218.8 KB · Views: 82
  • mar 12 052.jpg
    mar 12 052.jpg
    223.1 KB · Views: 76
Last edited:
AFman

I know the feeling about spending big bucks for 22LR ammo but, in my experience after testing 50 different ammos, I had to conclude that you get what you pay for. If you're shooting off hand or just plinking, I wouldn't spend that kind of money either, but when you are on an accuracy binge like I seem to be on, I find that an occasional shot of the high priced spread seems to help out.

Here are six 5-round groups at 50 yards with Lapua Center-X ammo @ 9.60 a box shot with my Kidd with a 20 inch Kidd barrel with 2 stage Kidd trigger from a bipod with a rear bag.

LapuaCenter-X-150yds071511-6groupstring.jpg


The same ammo shoots at 0.9 inches +/- 0.05 at 100 yards with a average just about 0.89.

Midas plus shoots even better but that is about 1.5x the price.

My bolt action Cooper shoots most of them slightly better. Every rifle has its own preferences. My Cooper seems to really like Eley Match also.

For a more reasonable cost, you might try Wolf Match Target at 4.90 a box or Wolf Match Extra or SK Rifle Match at 6.40 a box.
Those 4 all shoot well in my six rifles and, while not cheap, they average under 0.4 inchesat 50 yards.
 
The guy who oversees our NRA Silhouettes competition shoots
straights using Federal 550 bulk 36 grain. Yep. I prefer the Federal
40 grain Lightning. x40. It's more about you and the gun IMO.


.02 David :)
 
In terms of best .22 accuracy for the price, Im a big fan of federal's automatch and Aquila's match rifle or target loads.

Aquila's smell funny, but they group VERY consistently out of my CZ's.
 
IMHO I have no reason to buy anything other than a .22LR ammo made by Federal or CCI.

CCI is my absolute favorite and is what I would buy exclusively if money was no object. CCI Mini Mags are about the best overall ammo pound for pound IMHO. They make a 40 GR RN and a 36 GR HP for target or tactical/critter needs. CCI Standard Velocity is perfect for target shooting/extreme accuracy. And CCI Blazer is the best cheaper ammo IMHO.


Federal Champion value packs of 525 36 GR HP are the best package of rimfire ammo for the dollar in the world IMHO, I have 3 different rimfire rifles that eat this stuff like chicken chow mein. Federal Auto Match is an awesome upgraded ammo that isn't crazy expensive.

and both make specialty ammo for hyper velocity, target extreme accuracy, hunting, etc. if you need it and can pay for it.
 
I have eight .22 pistols and rifles. I'm lucky that ALL of my .22 guns shoots Federal 525 round bulk ammo fairly well. When I'm shooting for groups, I like Agullia Match, Federal Auto Match and Fiocchi Match.
 
I like CCI Mini-Mags and Aguila Standard Velocity (yellow box.) Everything else either has too many misfires or is too expensive.
 
My go to is CCI Standard Velocity and Federal Auto Match if we are talking about best value.

Of the cheaper stuff, I picked up the CCI Blazer and seems like this could be a good one as well.
 
Cheap, accurate, consistent...

AF Man--With store-boughten ammo, you can have CHEAP, ACCURATE, CONSISTENT. You get to pick any 2. Not all 3.

Really serious accuracy costs money, if that is where you are going.

And .22 rimfires are notoriously individualistic in their "likes" and "dislikes." To get satisfactory accuracy--however YOU define that--with YOUR rifle, you'll just have to bite the bullet (pun intended) and buy a box or 2 of every different .22 ammo you can lay your hands on. Some of these you will find will be more accurate than others, and some will be more, or less, expensive.

You will have to find a balance between expense and accuracy which works for YOUR rifle, and makes YOU happy.

Sorry, but there is no quick-and-easy, one-size-fits-all, answer to this question. Good luck in your search, and please keep us posted. :)
 
I prefer CCI Standard for the best value/accuracy, and it's near ballistic twin CCI Subsonic for hunting.

Stepping it up a notch, I'd go to $6 Eley Target or $6 SK Standard. I'm not an accurate enough shooter to use ammo much better than that.
 
CCI rules the inexpensive ammo area...

Federal Automatch is a close second...

After that, you go upwards in price for the Match-Grade ammo.

But, the two above will produce dime-sized groups at 25 yards without problem...
and many one-hole groups if the shooter is capable of it.
 
Thanks for all the responses. I'll have to try the federal automatch and wolf match for sure. I'm going to hold out on the real expensive stuff.
 
Wolf Match Target. I think the bricks I have I paid about $55/500. It seems to shoot well in everything I've tried it in, except that it won't reliably function some semi-atuos.

Also good, RWS Target Rifle, but I think this was $60/500. It actually outshoots the Wolf in my experience, though it's not as easy to find locally for me. And my S&W revolver did not agree with these.

For "bang-for-the-buck", CCI Standard Velocity gets my vote. I've cleaned the 50-ft NRA conventional small bore targer with it using a Winchester 52. I'm not 100% sure it will do it reliably, as bullet lube is very important in .22LR match ammo and I had been shooting Wolf right before trying the CCI. But it works in everything else I have and even functions the 10/22 reliably (the 22/45 is pickier for some reason). And if Dick's has this in stock, it's only $25/500, which is a good deal.
 
CCI Mini-Mags are very good but compared to bulk ammo, they're also very expensive. They make for a great field load but I wouldn't go blasting 500rds in an afternoon with the stuff. Federal bulk is very good for its modest cost. Although several of my autos don't function well on the stuff. They also have a dismal hollowpoint and make a poor field load. Despite internet rhetoric to the contrary, Remington GB's are my favorite bulk load. I use it from everything from plinking and practice to hunting. If I want more accuracy, Wolf MT gets the nod.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top