S+W 15-22 New Owner Ammo questions

[davidki]

Ok, so, I have taken a couple of days to look thru the threads on Ammo suggestions and I am ready to double down and buy a bunch.... but Hopefully this question won't cause a Stir. I just purchased the gun last week and additional S+W 25 round magazines to load up. I have several other 22's but I want to focus on this one for now only because it is new. Saying that I have several rounds of 22LR ammo on hand but I want to stock up a bunch more.

In reading I"ve narrowed it down to the CCI Mini-Mag 40Grain HV (CCI0030) but I am wondering if I should also include some CCI Mini-mag HP version, both about the same price, or just stick with the Round Nose for this gun? I have seen and read about the AR Tactical which sells in 300 packs are 40GR RN but a little less velocity than the HV... Why would I want to buy the AR Tactical is it just a marketing game, at 5,000 rounds the difference is only about 1 cent per round... but if it cycles better in the gun would I be better to (no pun) bit the bullet?

As for Plinking I see a bunch of comments on the CCI Blazer rounds, I see a bulk pack available in a Red-White box Is this the rounds folks talk about for "Bulk" low cost ammo?

I have a ton of the Federal Automatch 325 round boxes would these be about the same as the Blazer...

There are so many other options and I wanted to keep it narrowed down to these, I know that it can be limitless optoins and I sure have read alot of threads but my gun is a New Sport with a 04-18 mfg date weather that makes any difference or not but I'd say it is new production hopefully most of the tweaks over the years have been put in to this gun.

Sorry for "Another Ammo Question" but I'd like to get it on order so I can do lots of practice shooting.... I know if my wife ends up liking to shoot it... she will probably want one as well so, that will mean Lots more Ammo for the range :-)

Thanks in advance for any comments, suggestions and tips you can provide...

[typetwelve]

I've owned my 15-22 since 2011 and have ran 10's of thousands of rounds through it.

The Blazer everyone is talking about is this stuff:

5000 Round Case - 22 LR CCI Blazer 40 grain Lead Solid High Velocity Ammo - Load Number 21 | SGAmmo.com

...and it's superb plinking ammo. Very few fail to fire/feed...often less than 2-3/1000rds. When the getting is good, I buy it up.$194/5000 really is a pretty solid price, adjusted for the current market. Before the silliness, I could get that case for $150 or so.

Since the big "scare" of 2012, about all I could find was this stuff here:

Federal AutoMatch Target Ammo 22 Long Rifle 40 Grain Lead Round Nose

On the high side, I was giving $20 for a 325 box...not great but beggars can't be choosers. It cycles pretty solid in the 15-22. More fails than the Blazer, but nothing like some of the garbage brands.

I've never ran hotter CCI stuff through mine...like the Stinger or Velocitor, but I'm sure they'd run fine.

Stuff to stay away from? My 15-22 despised truncated cone stuff like the Remington Viper, it hates anything from Winchester (as do all my 22's) and according to the S&W manual, never run Golden Bullets (which I refuse to buy anyway).

[b_san]

You're overthinking this, my 15-22 feeds anything I've run through it from Rem Golden bullets to CCI Blazer to Federal match. Whatever you find cheap in bulk should be good to go. That said, I mostly run CCI 0074 as it's 1050 fps copper and I shoot suppressed but don't like to clean lead out of the suppressor and let my daughter run Golden Bullets (I got a couple cases dirt cheap awhile back) as she'd rather shoot unsuppressed since she wants it to "actually sound like a gun" when she shoots.

I did install the Volquartsen 15-22 extractor right when I bought the gun, it's cheap and an easy install and I've never had any jams with it (I may not have with the stock piece either though).

[Kp321]

My 15-22 has eaten everything I have put through it. Largest quantities are Federal Automatch and Eley from CMP.

[TX-Dennis]

Just stay away from Winchester and you'll be fine. Golden Bullets work well in the 15-22, They are somewhat inconsistent both in terms of accuracy and velocity, but they do work. CCI Blazer, MIni Mag (solid or hp makes no difference), Standard Velocity, and AR22 all work well. Federal Auto Match is okay, but nowhere near the CCI stuff in terms of reliability. Aguila Super Extra is good too as is Fiocchi.

[davidki]

Thanks so much for the replies, I appreciate the suggestions and information. So, I just checked my ammo inventory and I have quite a few CCI Mini-Mag 030 or the 40Gr round nose rounds already, but today I found what I thought was a good deal and bought another 5000 rounds for $299.00 free shipping and No Tax, which was not bad.... At the local gun show this weekend they were all close to $8.00 per 100 Round box so at $5.98 per 100 free shipping and no tax... that seemed very fair.

I mentioned i also have quite a few rounds of the Federal Automatch (about 4000 rounds)

I bought both of the above because I have the Glock 26 and 27 compact pistols, I purchased the Advantage arms conversion kit some years back and both of the rounds above were suggested as reliable for the AA conversion. I have also just bought a AA Glock 17/22 conversion for my Glock 22's and that is the same that suggests the above rounds.

I have several other rounds of various manufactures that some are a lower velocity and I use them in a 22LR Revolver I have.

I've read so much about the Blazers I guess I'll have to look for a sale ... 199.00 for 5,000 would be a heck of a bargain for some serious plinking!

I had purchased some CCI 22lr HP but the AA conversion does not suggest the use of HP rounds so, I have them sitting in the safe!

I guess over the years I've just been a collector and have several rounds of several calibers... as I do guns...

At the gun show I was looking at several 22LR pistols for my wife and I... several of the vendors really talked up the Ruger SR22 but the gun I had wanted to check out was the Smith and Wesson Compact M+P22 as a companion gun to the 15-22... There seems to be quite a few more 22LR pistols on the market and I can only think it is for economical plinking rather than self defense.. Anyway, that's getting off track...

Thanks for the input.. I'm looking forward to going to the round with the SW 15-22 and shooting a bunch of rounds thru it... hopefully I've got a reliable one!

[Kp321]

I see that TX-Dennis has had reliability problems with Automatch, brings up my Automatch story. We have an informal 22 steel match every week, pistol and rifle, 80 rounds each so we go through a lot of ammo. There are from 12 to 18 shooters each week and 90%+ are using 15-22's. Most shooters were using Automatch with mixed results. I personally had very few ftf's but some were having several per 40 round stage. All came down to luck of the draw on lot #'s. We complained to the Federal rep at the NRA show in Dallas. He admitted they had some reliability problems last year but now had everything worked out. A couple of months later, a case of fresh Automatch showed up at the house.

[davidki]

Kp321, thanks for that information, I am sure that the 9 Boxes I bought at Walmart during the big 22LR scare of a few years back. With out pulling the receipts I can only guess it's in the area of 3 or 4 years ago... and, I don't think I have shot any of the rounds at all so, it will be interesting to pull the box's out and find the date codes.

In reading the various comments it comes down to more than just the ammo from time to time.. the Magazines, ejectors and other parts folks seem to change out to fix a number of issues.... I"m sure I'll run in to a number of hiccups with any 22LR one buys and exactly the luck of the Draw... Given mine is a mfg date of 4-18 I hope a lot of the issues over the years have been taken care of...

Good thing is that I have several rounds of many different manufactures and I"m sure as I pull them out I"ll find a few duds here and there!

I"m looking forward to getting the new 15-22 out for a run.. it will be fun and interesting!

[VaTom]

At the gun show I was looking at several 22LR pistols for my wife and I... several of the vendors really talked up the Ruger SR22 but the gun I had wanted to check out was the Smith and Wesson Compact M+P22 as a companion gun to the 15-22... There seems to be quite a few more 22LR pistols on the market and I can only think it is for economical plinking rather than self defense.. Anyway, that's getting off track...

Thanks for the input.. I'm looking forward to going to the round with the SW 15-22 and shooting a bunch of rounds thru it... hopefully I've got a reliable one![/QUOTE]

I have had my 15-22 for 5 years. Most accurate with the CCI Tactical 40 grain round nose but shoots other ammo well. I do have the Ruger SR22 - have had it for about 7 years. Bought it when they first came out. At that time other similar .22 pistols reviews indicated that other brands were picking on ammo. It is a great pistol. Shoots anything you feed it with no problems. I have the original with the shorter barrel - they make one with a longer barrel now.

[davidki]

VaTom, Thanks for the info on the SR22, One of the gun dealers at the show had them for I think $409.00 and they were pushing it, but, then again, they didn't have the M+P22 compact (which is what I'd buy). The dealer felt that with the additional magazine, Mag bottoms and the extra grip that the SR22 was quite a option... I guess since I have 2 ruger 556 and a 10/22 I could justify that as the "companion gun" :-)

I am waiting for delivery of 5,000 rounds of the 40grain round nose CCI from Targetsports.. .I ordered them on Monday evening ... and, I do have about 1800 rounds already ... so, if that is what what the gun needs, I"ll have plenty.

What do you like specifically about the CCI Tactical (AR) over the NOn AR Tactical ... I"ve read good things about both and, Targetsports had a pretty good deal on the one's I bought.

Overall, it seems like there are plenty of 22lr in the market and that a lot of pistols in many configurations.. I"m not looking at this as a CCW, I have plenty of other options for that...

Thanks again for your input on both the SR22 and the ammo!

[VaTom]

There is a slight difference in the ve!ocity of the AR .22 ammo. Believe it is 1200 fps vs 1240 fps. When I started buying it it was the only copper plated round nose CCI i could find in My area.Just stayed with it. At 50 yards i have always felt round nose was more accurate than hollow points out of the 15-22. As for the SR22 i use the larger grip and the magazine floor plate. Like the safety/decocker feature. It is light enough to carry all day as a trail pistol when I go fly fishing in mountains. Easy to break down and clean and a good training pistol for new folks. When I carry on the trail i load with CCI velocitor ammo. When I first got it I contacted Ruger about shooting velocitors in it. They said ok as long as you don't make a steady diet of it. I don't ever recall a failure with it.

[Mike, SC Hunter]

Don't over complicate yourself. Most all quality.22 will work.......At least in mine.

[deadduck357]

I won't shoot straight lead through mine, not because of malfunctions but because of the build-up. Copper washed/plated only. CCI's always work great, I use the HPs on wabbits. For range and stocking I load up on WallyWorld Fed bulk packs. They work good for plinking; occasionally get a dud.

[Mike, SC Hunter]

Originally Posted by deadduck357

I won't shoot straight lead through mine, not because of malfunctions but because of the build-up. Copper washed/plated only. CCI's always work great, I use the HPs on wabbits. For range and stocking I load up on WallyWorld Fed bulk packs. They work good for plinking; occasionally get a dud.

For 50 years I've shot lead .22's through about 34 rimfire rifles and pistols. That "lead build up" is a MYTH. Malfunctions with plain lead .22's is a MYTH. Winchester Wildcats...bring "em" on........Federal Monarch's.......Good to go.
Lots of misinformation on the internet about what will and will not work with stuff.

[deadduck357]

Originally Posted by Mike, SC Hunter

For 50 years I've shot lead .22's through about 34 rimfire rifles and pistols. That "lead build up" is a MYTH. Malfunctions with plain lead .22's is a MYTH. Winchester Wildcats...bring "em" on........Federal Monarch's.......Good to go.
Lots of misinformation on the internet about what will and will not work with stuff.

I'm happy for you and your experiences but I've had and have seen others with lead squeezing out of the end of barrels.

If someone wants to shoot plain lead that's fine with me, I just prefer not to because of my experiences.

[Larry1945]

I’ve had my 15-22 for a couple of years, and like others have said, this gun will eat anything. Over time, though, I settled on CCI’s AR Tactical because of its accuracy. That stuff runs flawlessly through the gun and is the most accurate of anything I’ve tried, including Mini-Mags. Don’t know what it is about it, but my 15-22 loves AR Tactical and so do I...

[Wee Hooker]

Had my newish (ie very ow round count) PC 15-22 to the range three weeks back. For some reason it wouldn't cycle reliably with Fed Auto Match. ( If memory serves, it had before). It ate Mini-Mags (40 and 36gr) flawlessly though. When in doubt, I run Mini Mags . This is especially true to break a semi auto in.

[brute]

CCI Blazer, for whatever...CCI Blazer works, 1235 FPS is a dial in for this rifle, be it iron, red dot, sights etc. My go to for the range, and breaking in for a semi, bolt action gun, 25-50 yards the ammo is true and a teacher....

[Iain]

I’ve had my 15-22 for a couple of years, and like others have said, this gun will eat anything. Over time, though, I settled on CCI’s AR Tactical because of its accuracy. That stuff runs flawlessly through the gun and is the most accurate of anything I’ve tried, including Mini-Mags. Don’t know what it is about it, but my 15-22 loves AR Tactical and so do I...

I'm sure I've heard somewhere that CCI used the 15-22 platform when developing the AR tactical round.

I stand to be corrected, but it would go a long way to explaining why these rifles seem to like it.

Iain

[Larry1945]

That is correct, Iain. If you go to CCI’s website, you’ll find the following regarding their AR Tactical .22 ammo:

- Excellent accuracy in AR-style .22 LR firearms (1.5” at 100 yards in factory testing)

- Optimized for AR-style function and accuracy

- Specifically tested for S&W M&P 15-22