22LR bucket o' bullets

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gman51

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I was in wally world today so I just had to see what their 22 ammo was going for.
I bought a Remington bucket o' bullets 22lr. 1400 rounds of 36gr plated hollow point 1280fps for $60 plus tax. The clerk said they had just dropped the price on them. I decided getting a bucket of bullets was a good idea.
I am not sure how much I paid for these at Academy during the 22lr shortage a couple years ago but I think it was over $100.
I checked just now online at Bass Pro/ Cabellas and their price is $84.99 for this same bucket o bullets. That's quite a saving at wally's.
 
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I buy Federal 550 round boxes from my local Wally for just under $20. They have Remington Thunderbolts even cheaper. I like the Federal best and buy 5 boxes at a time. The Federal are plated and cleaner shooting than the Remington. My wife and I have shot a half dozen boxes over the winter and only had 3 or 4 duds total. They’re pretty accurate too.
 
$60 bucks for the Bucket. Approximately $4 bucks in taxes in your area = $64.00 total.

$64 / 1400 bullets X 500 (one brick) = equivelent of $22.86 per Brick of 500.

Just so you are aware. much better ammo like Federal, American Eagle is currently selling for under $20 / brick. Target Sports charges no tax and no freight when a case is bought. Not so much just the savings ( $8 bucks) but Federal and AE is far and away better ammo than Remington - and it's 40 grain not 36 as is the Remington. Just saying......
 
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THE FOOD IS AWFUL, BUT YOU GET LOT'S OF IT THEORY.

The ammo is dirty. Cost savings is made up for in time spent cleaning. IMO Spend the extra $ for the federals or cci, almost anything else. Then the 20 minute wait for an associate, & another wait for THE ONE WITH THE KEYS.
 
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You didn't get gouged, but it isn't that great of a deal either. One thing to keep in mind, those kind of promotional bullets are usually factory seconds. Ammo from lots, that had too much variation in velocity, did not meed accuracy standards, or higher rate of misfires. The list of shortcomings goes on and on. The overall quality is hit or miss. OK for plinking, but less suitable for anything more demanding.

With the rimfire shortage over now, you can get first run quality ammo now, for the same price or less. Enjoy the bucket of bullets, but next time, consider the other options out there.
 
GBertolet said:
You didn't get gouged, but it isn't that great of a deal either. One thing to keep in mind, those kind of promotional bullets are usually factory seconds. Ammo from lots, that had too much variation in velocity, did not meed accuracy standards, or higher rate of misfires. The list of shortcomings goes on and on. The overall quality is hit or miss. OK for plinking, but less suitable for anything more demanding.

With the rimfire shortage over now, you can get first run quality ammo now, for the same price or less. Enjoy the bucket of bullets, but next time, consider the other options out there.
Click to expand...
How do you know that? Is that something that was put out by their factory and I missed it?
 
They've had 500 round boxes of Thunderbolts for $15. Dirty? Yes. But dang. Those same boxes were going for $39 during the last shortage.
After a box of those I'll field strip my Marlin, lay it over a paint roller tray, brush the guts out with kerosene, dry, and reassemble. All my 22 revolver requires is a 5 minute wipe-down with an oily rag and a brush through the cylinders.

Shoot, have fun, and be thankful for your bucket.
 
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.38SuperMan said:
I buy Federal 550 round boxes from my local Wally for just under $20. They have Remington Thunderbolts even cheaper. I like the Federal best and buy 5 boxes at a time. The Federal are plated and cleaner shooting than the Remington. My wife and I have shot a half dozen boxes over the winter and only had 3 or 4 duds total. They’re pretty accurate too.
Click to expand...

I'd stay away from those Remington Thunderbolts if you're shooting at an indoor range, unless you bring a respirator. After 10 rounds, it'll be so cloudy in there, you won't even be able to see your target.
 
Oh ****, he went and said it

My theory on the buckets...they gotta have someplace to dispose of all the rounds that fail quality control. :-b

The last, and I mean last ever, batch of bulk remington .22 ammo I had, 1 in 6 wouldn't chamber in my revolver (not a tight chamber either) without forcing it. And almost as many primer failures.
 
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You usually get what you pay for with .22 ammo. I had heard Thunderbolt was the very worst of the .22 LR ammo. I bought a carton about a year ago, fired it in a couple of rifles and several handguns. It wasn't nearly as bad as what some had said, but it's important to realize that there is little in the way of lot-to-lot consistency with the real cheap stuff. The next lot of Thunderbolt may be better or worse.

If you have minimal interest in accuracy and only want to hit cans at 25 yards on a fairly regular basis, there's no point in going beyond the lowest priced ammo you can find. If you want something that's reasonably accurate, functions reliably in semi-autos, and always fires, you have to spend a little more money.

I'd buy at least eight or ten (more is better) samples of various ammos. Shoot groups from a benchrest. This will tell you what need to know. Acceptable ammo for your gun or guns will be likely be more expensive than the bargain junk, but the extra cost is worth it.

All .22 rimfire ammo is dirty, but perhap some is dirtier than others; I've never really noticed. However, the cleaning time and effort is the about the same for all of it.
 
rockquarry said:
All .22 rimfire ammo is dirty, but perhap some is dirtier than others; I've never really noticed. However, the cleaning time and effort is the about the same for all of it.
Click to expand...

I shoot only Federal 36gr hp copper washed out of my Model 17. I shoot many 100's between cleanings.. and it's not bad when I do.

plus it has the best extraction of any ammo I have tried..
 
GBertolet said:
You didn't get gouged, but it isn't that great of a deal either. One thing to keep in mind, those kind of promotional bullets are usually factory seconds. Ammo from lots, that had too much variation in velocity, did not meed accuracy standards, or higher rate of misfires. The list of shortcomings goes on and on. The overall quality is hit or miss. OK for plinking, but less suitable for anything more demanding.

With the rimfire shortage over now, you can get first run quality ammo now, for the same price or less. Enjoy the bucket of bullets, but next time, consider the other options out there.
Click to expand...


Sounds like the same bucket o' bunk I heard about Ruger 10-22's and Remington 870's sold at Walmart as factory seconds. Don't believe it for a second!
 
I have found that CCI has the most consistant powder loads and priming of all the inexpensive rounds. Blazer or Standard Velocity are my go to of choice. FWIW, Blazer are subsonic in pistols because of barrel length, as are most HV 36 and 40 grain rounds. The hyper velocity are supersonic and not as accurate.

BBTI - Ballistics by the Inch :: .22 Results
 
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Just my opinion, but here's my .22 ammo ranking by brand.......

#1) CCI
#2) Federal and American Eagle
#3) Winchester
#4) anything else
#5) Remington
 
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