Cleanest 22 Long Rifle Ammo you know of-

B

B.N.Real

New member
Well,I was scoping around for a nice small light 22 handgun to replace the massive 617 I just sold and I ran across a 22/45 Ruger 4 inch barrel blued fixed sights almost new (never fired by previous owner it appears) in the box for $225.

It pays to check by your local gun shop every so often especially when you are not in a hurry to buy a handgun-I literally was two steps in front of a guy that had'nt seen the same gun and was peering over my shoulder as I bought it.

Well,I have almost two bricks (1000) rounds of 14 years old lead bullet 22 (Thunderbolts) with lube on the bullets like glue.

I was kind of thinking instead of gumming up my new pride and joy with these molasses covered bullets ( with the super scrubber cleaning that will require) I'd go with nothing but copper plated rounds in my new to me Ruger.

But I was wondering from all of you who have fired 22's way more then me-

What's consistently the cleanest burning 22 rounds you've fired in your twenty two handguns and rifles?

I was thinking I could'nt do much better then CCI Mini Mags but heck,I'm open to suggestions if something else (cheaper:D) works just as well.

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.
 
CCI Blazers and federal bulk packs shoot very clean as far as bulk .22 rounds go although recently I got a box of the Blazers with an almost rubber cement glue type stuff all over the bullets, spent a while wiping each one down but it is the first time it has happened in maybe 50 bricks of the stuff so I wont complain. As for as those thunderbolts you have I would give them away or sell them that stuff is the worst.

Mini-mags are great .22 rounds but the 22/45 will feed the cheap stuff just fine. Cant justify the price of them unless I plan on varmint hunting with them.
 
Have only shot MiniMags in my Mosquito up until a couple days ago, then I began a quest to find a cheaper round that worked.

Shot a couple hundred CCI Blazers through my Mosquito today with no issues, and just now cleaned it. Wasn't any dirtier than it it usually is with the MiniMags. I was a little concerned that I'd get a little more lead fouling in the ramp with the non-jacketed round, but it didn't show up on the swabs. Same with the barrel.

Ps. It was 12°F at the range today, with a windchill of -20. Shot with windproof gloves and polypropylene liners, but still was hitting the knock downs at better than 95%. Kinda glad I only have two mags, since I had to go sit in the truck to reload after every 20 rounds.
 
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...an almost rubber cement glue type stuff all over the bullets, spent a while wiping each one down...
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...these molasses covered bullets...
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Are you guys talking about the bullet lube that's commonly found on .22LR rounds?

Removing it will cause the barrel to have more of a tendency to metal foul.
 
Are you guys talking about the bullet lube that's commonly found on .22LR rounds?
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If thats what it was I have never seen it in such abundance on any .22lr rounds as I did on that one particular brick. As I said I have easily gone through 50 bricks of the CCI Blazers alone and this was the first time I had seen the problem. The things werent just lightly coated with them it actually had enough of the stuff where it appeared to change the shape of the acutal projectile.
 
I was kind of thinking instead of gumming up my new pride and joy with these molasses covered bullets ( with the super scrubber cleaning that will require) I'd go with nothing but copper plated rounds in my new to me Ruger.
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Leave the lube on.
Like John says, taking it off will only net you more of a cleanup chorea due to leading.

A patch wetted with #9 through the bore will get rid of any mess in the barrel.

My best guess would be that of the 150,000 or so rounds that have gone through my .22/45, ~ 75% of them have been those nasty Thunderbolts.
The bore cleans up with ease & after all that shooting and cleaning, the bore looks like brand new.

Just be sure to take the gun down and insert the patch from the breech end so you avoid doing any damage to the muzzle crown.
I won't even try to kid you. Field stripping it will be a challange the first dozen or so times you do it.
It does get easier after that.
I got to the point that I could field strip my .22/45 and put it back together 3 times in 60 seconds, without even appearing to be in a hurry.

Also - stop fretting about the cleanest ammunition and focus on the most accurate instead.
.22's are notorious for their preference of one type of ammunition over another.
 
I shoot a Buckmark, 10/22, Winchester, Mossberg and Marlin .22s.

For me, the Remington Golden Bullet 525 ct bulk box has worked best from a stand point of accuracy and cleanliness.

The Federal bulk box seemed dirtier and also had more misfires, especially in the Marlin. The base is thinner, so I get a light primer strike.

Good luck!
 
My 22/45 does not like the Remington Vipers but likes the CCI brand which doesnt seem too dirty, but I clean mine after every range session which is usually around 200-250rds.
 
Are you guys talking about the bullet lube that's commonly found on .22LR rounds?

Removing it will cause the barrel to have more of a tendency to metal foul.
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That's what I was thinking, it's there for a reason.
 
Great answers all here,thanks for all the info.

Short group answer is:

1.don't clean off the 22 bullet lube,

2.clean your 22 handgun and you won't have to worry about it,

3.use copper plated bullets if that's what you think does a better job for you.

4.use the rounds that shoot the most reliably and accurate,don't worry about the other stuff as long as you clean it regularly.
 
I usually use Federal bulk but I never met a .22 that didn't like CCI and I've met a bunch of .22's.
 
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