Talk to a Lapua rep sometime - you can get an education.

22 is made in bulk and cheaply - so tolerances creep a bit on the machines that stamp the cases, etc.

The cheap bulk stuff can be had for $15/500 rounds- what, 3c?

The top lapua rifle ammo is $249/500 - 50c each. Does it make a difference?

In a $99 22lr probably not much. In a $2500+ Anschutz, yes it will. The top lapua ammo in a quality gun will do nearly same hole groups all day long. Put the Federal stuff in there and you'll see that group open up a great deal.

Bulk ammo is tossed in a box..it gets shaken and stirred by the time it gets to you. Better ammo comes with each bullet individually held in the box. Less 'bent' and nicked bullets, powder is all in the same place, etc.

I've read that you can take you cheap bullets and measure the rims and sort by size. Then in each thickness weigh the rounds and again group them by weight. Now to test shoot these sorted bullets by each 'pile; and you should get more consistent groups from each than you get grabbing random rounds from the box.

Each gun has it's tolerances and will shoot much better with the right ammo (tolerances, bullet weight, powder (not that you have much choice on that one), and it will change with the dirtyness of the gun, temperate in the air, as the gun ages, harmonics of the barrel, etc.

CCI stingers do well in my 15-22 ( 1.2" groups prone at 50 yards by an 11 year old) and winchester super x in my Glenfield (a $79 gun from the 70s - I can do 2.2" groups kneeling with my old eyes and the old scope). Swap ammo and each will group 3" high...odd, but the reality of 22 ammo.

Get into reloading for accuracy and you'll learn the variables are practically never ending.

What you need to ask yourself is this - how much accuracy do you need? Are you trying to kill chipmunks at 150 yards or rabbits at 40 yards?