Best ammo for your M&P 22

[sdnet]

Guys,

Picked up an M&P 22 the other day - haven't shot it yet because ammo availability is awful in my area. Someone was able to find some Federal ammo in a store across the country, so they are shipping it my way - I know, Federal isn't the best, but I literally have no other choice at the moment.

For when ammo does eventually become available again, I'm looking for what the best is - for a practical use (not just practice ammo). If you had to carry the M&P 22 as your daily carry for self defense, what ammo would you select?

Thanks.

-- Steve

 

[kendak]

.22 not the best defense cal....shoot & enjoy the .22 but save up some jingles & get a 9, 40 or 45 for a daily carry weapon ....take care

 

[mb66]

To answer your question, CCI mini mags. They're the standard. Absent that, sticking with copper plated ammo will keep the feed mechanism cleaner.

All rimfire ammo is less reliable than center fire ammo. That's the main knock. Still lethal.

Suggestion: if possible, keep a webpage up for Palmettostatearmory.com and refresh it a few times a day. They'll have CCI ammo on once a week or so (home page). If you see it, be ready to grab whatever you can afford and do it quickly--it will be gone in 30 minutes or so. Hope this helps.

 

[mb66]

Excuse my manners...welcome to the forum! You'll enjoy that gun, and so will everyone you let shoot it.

 

[sdnet]

.22 not the best defense cal....shoot & enjoy the .22 but save up some jingles & get a 9, 40 or 45 for a daily carry weapon ....take care

This is my first weapon, so I'm starting small caliber until I get some experience, then will certainly upgrade to a 9mm. It's the only weapon I'll have for a few months and will still keep it around for the hobby type shooting on the cheap. I'm trying to learn using an inexpensive caliber before I start blowing through more expensive 9mm rounds.

 

[sdnet]

Excuse my manners...welcome to the forum! You'll enjoy that gun, and so will everyone you let shoot it.

Thank you, good sir. I've read and heard that the CCIs are pretty much what everyone wants to get, so I'm definitely on the look out for those at the moment. Will keep my eye on Palmettostatearmory.com - as well as a couple other web sites - for anything that might pop up. For now, I'm going to have to make due with Federal.

 

[George9]

yA JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT THE HIGH PRICED cci,sorry! ammo in 50 round boxes that is left in some places.. Stingers and there volositers, not sure of the spelling and they make at least one more very hot round in .22 not sure of the name I'm sure others will step in have help out.. I would use the highest velocities with a 40gr round nose for penetration if I was to fall back to my M&P 22 for defence.. I have see them available in Walmart and gun shops do to the price I think.. I should have got a few boxes for myself just to have.. I don't think I would target shoot any volume of them but that's what would be in my gun if need be.. and sure shoot a few mags just to make sure your gun like them.. HP's would be ok too if that's all you can find..oh 1280 fps is the magic number that works well with 36gr HP in the M&P .22.. If that's your only caliber for defence I would sure use it till you get something heaver.. 13 rounds of .22 well places will do the job! That's a fact! George

 

[snowman485]

CCI mini mags,I dont remember ever having a fire or eject problem.I have shot my ruger mkII so much I wore the ejector arm out and had to have it replaced.My mp22 dosent have as many rounds thru it but I have had no problems.

 

[Maddmax]

Welcome Aboard.

Copper coated/plated bullets work best over just plain lead (plain lead is dirtier). 1280+fps and above cycle the best. 36-40 grain for bullet weight. Mine eats 36grain Hollow Points (HP) or Round Nose just fine. Federal 550 bulk work great in mine along with a few others for plinking. CCI are the best,but also cost more. Good luck finding ammo. It's that way with just about all ammo. It'd be easier (and Cheaper) finding Easter Eggs right now. It'll all come back in time. Just remember,DON'T shoot all your ammo in one range trip until you can find more.

 

[VMaxSplat]

CCI Mini Mags or AR Tactical. The M&P22 eats them like candy.

 

[doakster]

I just bought the same gun at my local Academy! Also try these folks out








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[Bolton]

Talked with S&W CSR regarding Ammo and he strongly advised against using the hotter loads of the stinger, velocitor, etc. (check CCI specs on their ammo) stating that they could damage the slide. He said standard MV pistol loads should operate just fine. Even issued a milder warning on using steady diet of mini-mags. Did state though that CCI is a great round for this handgun

 

[avigar]

I've had execellent results with the Federal 36gr plated HPs in the bulk packs. I also have some Federal Lightning 40gr unjacketed that have yet to be tried.

 

[gnystrom]

You are doing well. As everyone agrees, the CCI mini mags will be a good load. As an instructor I have seen a lot of these guns brought in by new shooters. First, learn to (YouTube) field strip the gun. They generally come from the factory packed in heavy grease. One student had to use a hair dryer to soften it up just to clean the gun properly. After it is cleaned, rack the slide by hand a hundred times, (no trigger pulls), just to ease the break-in of the gun. From there it should feed and operate with pretty much any high velocity .22 ammo. I would avoid bulk boxes of Remington due to the high rate of misfires we see.
You bought a great gun. Learn to shoot it accurately, and if possible, under pressure, multiple targets, under a time restraint, etc. Personally I think it would work fine as a carry gun for a new shooter until you feel you are competent. Then you can advance to the next caliber using the same platform. Plus you have the cost benefits of shooting .22 ammo that costs 1/10th of what 9mm costs.

 

[sdnet]

Thanks everyone for your input here - definitely confirms what I've read here and elsewhere, that CCI mini mags generally work the best. Like I said before, will have to keep an eye out for those as ammo starts to become available again.

You are doing well. As everyone agrees, the CCI mini mags will be a good load. As an instructor I have seen a lot of these guns brought in by new shooters. First, learn to (YouTube) field strip the gun. They generally come from the factory packed in heavy grease. One student had to use a hair dryer to soften it up just to clean the gun properly. After it is cleaned, rack the slide by hand a hundred times, (no trigger pulls), just to ease the break-in of the gun. From there it should feed and operate with pretty much any high velocity .22 ammo. I would avoid bulk boxes of Remington due to the high rate of misfires we see.
You bought a great gun. Learn to shoot it accurately, and if possible, under pressure, multiple targets, under a time restraint, etc. Personally I think it would work fine as a carry gun for a new shooter until you feel you are competent. Then you can advance to the next caliber using the same platform. Plus you have the cost benefits of shooting .22 ammo that costs 1/10th of what 9mm costs.

Thanks for the feedback - I've watched a LOT of YouTube videos lately on how to clean the M&P 22, so I think I have a pretty good idea of what needs to be done. Mine came with grease, but it's not exactly caked on there so it could have been worse. Will still strip it down and give it a good clean. I haven't cleaned it yet since purchase (because I haven't shot it, either).

I will definitely give the slide some work before I bring it to the range. I saw a guy in a YouTube video release the magazine and rack the slide rapidly for several seconds. Is this what you mean, or are you talking about keeping the magazine in and bringing the slide back until it attaches to the slide stop, then releasing the slide stop, then repeat...?

My goal here is the learn the .22 well - well enough that I am more effective with it than a "normal" shooter with a 9mm. Then, I'll look into upgrading calibers.

 

[M&P Freak]

I saw a guy in a YouTube video release the magazine and rack the slide rapidly for several seconds. Is this what you mean...?

Yes, pulling straight back and letting go.

 

[sdnet]

Yes, pulling straight back and letting go.

Got it, thanks.

 

[Lineman73]

Welcome to the forum.

Smart thinking to learn with less expensive ammo. The more you shoot, the better you get. When the larger caliber comes around you will be that much farther ahead with your training.

As for the effectiveness of a .22 LR for personal defense...those who say it isn't any good have never tried to continue their normal daily functions with 5 or 6 40 grain bullets rattling around inside their skull, vying for space with their brain!!! That will definitely leave a mark and have detrimental effects!!!

BTW, CCI Mini Mags are the best there is for M&P .22 ammo. After you get some, then you can play around and see if an other ammo may also function well in your pistol. Just start with the CCI!

 

[sshakrr]

FWIW, I shoot the Federals or the Remington goldens bulk pack with a very, very low ftf or fte rate. With cheap ammo you are bound to get a few here and there. Doesnt bother me tho. Some people have issues with that. Shoot it and enjoy!!

 

[jayiw]

The best 'Bulk' .22 ammo I have used is Winchester M-22. They are HV 40 grain FMJ (black copper jacket). They are almost as good as CCI Mini-Mags. $45 for 1,000 at Walmart, much cheaper then CCI MM. Can't beat it. You are bound to get a dud or 2 ftf's out of 500 but it's way worth it. They're pretty damn clean and very accurate. Out of my first 500 from my brand new M&P 22, I got 2 ftf's. No stove piping, everything cleanly ejected. I use them for my Ruger sr22 as well.

Jay