ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I have a feeling the resent shortage has something to do with failures. Because of the rush to get more ammo out I think QC might be suffering across the board.
CCI Mini-Mag .22 LR Target
- Thread starter OLDSTER
- Start date
I've got several hundred rounds of mini mags that are a few years old ( maybe 4 or 5?). I shot 100 rounds through a single six a few weeks ago with no ftfs. And before y'all talk too bad about Thunderbolts, I had an Adams barreled 10/22 a few years back that preferred them to all else. In actual side by side range tests, they outshot Eley Tenex, Federal Match, and a couple of other match grade offerings for accuracy. Fluke maybe, but it was real and it wasn't even real close. Go figure...
Slicktop
Member
Kinda strange regarding thunderbolts. My experience is a 20" rockriver ar w/ ciener kit. Wife was at the helm and I noticed a squib.
Luckily I stopped her next shot.
Never thought about thunderjokes again.
OP
OLDSTER
Member
YEP. For years, Federal Auto Match has been my favorite- most reliable and most consistent in both my old 41 and Ruger MKIII. Believe it or not, Wal-Mart had the 325 bulk boxes of Auto Match ( $21) a couple weeks ago--limit 2 to a customer; my wife and I bought 4.
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At the range today, I ran 200 rounds of the stuff through my trusty Ruger MkIII. 18 duds !!I thought I must have broken the firing pin. So, just to be sure, I fired about 150 rounds of bulk Remington Thunderbolt . Zero duds. What the heck !!! Anyone else experienced less then stellar performance with the CCI ammo ??
Last season I shot the whole run with CCI Mini-Mag hollow points in my Model 41. This ammunition was 35+ years old. Very few failures to fire.
31FordA
Member
I was just shooting a new box of Mini Mags the other day and had several FTF in my K-22 and MkIV. In the past I never had any problems with Mini Mags, this most recent batch is very disappointing.
The most recent Mini-Mags I've bought, both HP and Target (solid) were from last summer, no misfires or other problems.
Sorry to hear that fresh stuff from CCI is not as stellar as it once was.
I used to like Federal Automatch, but new production has quite a few weak sounding rounds. Dang, and I bought 9 bricks of them a few months ago.
I also used to like the Winchester Super-X in the 100 round red plastic packs.
I was shooting them out of an accurate Winchester M 75 Sporting, and I'd have a good group going at 50 yards then several would hit way low.
Same with W-W M22, many of the rounds looked like they had been smashed with a hammer, many loose bullets in the bottom of the box, and bullets way canted in the case.
Never shot any Thunderbolts, they seem to be hated throughout the Galaxy. A few months ago Walmart had some Thunderbolts in and against my advice, a friend bought several bricks.
He said they seem a bit dirtier, but grouped decently and he had zero misfires. They were around $19 a brick of 500, and my friend doesn't regret the purchase.
People still rag on Remington Goldens, as stock from back more than a few years ago had misfire issues.
I bought a few bricks of Goldens in 2019, and have since bought and shot many more.
I've never had a misfire on any of this recent production. They are no dirtier that I can tell than anything else, and group (in all 6 of my rimfires) almost as well as Mini-Mags.
I have other ammo for hunting or target, but for plinking the Goldens are my go to.
Federal, Winchester and CCI seem to be slipping in their quality, but Remington has improved. Go figure.
The OPs experience with Thunderbolts being more reliable than Mini-Mags seems to bear this out.
Sorry to hear that fresh stuff from CCI is not as stellar as it once was.
I used to like Federal Automatch, but new production has quite a few weak sounding rounds. Dang, and I bought 9 bricks of them a few months ago.
I also used to like the Winchester Super-X in the 100 round red plastic packs.
I was shooting them out of an accurate Winchester M 75 Sporting, and I'd have a good group going at 50 yards then several would hit way low.
Same with W-W M22, many of the rounds looked like they had been smashed with a hammer, many loose bullets in the bottom of the box, and bullets way canted in the case.
Never shot any Thunderbolts, they seem to be hated throughout the Galaxy. A few months ago Walmart had some Thunderbolts in and against my advice, a friend bought several bricks.
He said they seem a bit dirtier, but grouped decently and he had zero misfires. They were around $19 a brick of 500, and my friend doesn't regret the purchase.
People still rag on Remington Goldens, as stock from back more than a few years ago had misfire issues.
I bought a few bricks of Goldens in 2019, and have since bought and shot many more.
I've never had a misfire on any of this recent production. They are no dirtier that I can tell than anything else, and group (in all 6 of my rimfires) almost as well as Mini-Mags.
I have other ammo for hunting or target, but for plinking the Goldens are my go to.
Federal, Winchester and CCI seem to be slipping in their quality, but Remington has improved. Go figure.
The OPs experience with Thunderbolts being more reliable than Mini-Mags seems to bear this out.
K-22
Member
CCI Problems
The gang over on Rimfire Central has also noted recent problems with CCI rimfire Ammo.
Let us hope the problems are soon ironed out.
Best,
Gary
At the range today, I ran 200 rounds of the stuff through my trusty Ruger MkIII. 18 duds !!
The gang over on Rimfire Central has also noted recent problems with CCI rimfire Ammo.
Let us hope the problems are soon ironed out.
Best,
Gary
I recently had several FTE out of my Marlin Model60 from Federal Black Pack 1100 ct I bought right before the pandemic. Couldn't get through 2 or 3 rounds without a FTE. Spent round would hang on the bolt. Loaded a tube of MiniMags and ran 100%. The other interesting thing is the Federal Black Pack ran 100% through mine and my son's 15-22s. That whole .22s are picky thing I guess. Just bought a 325ct box of Federal AutoMatch, will see if the Model 60 will run them.
