Best ammo M&P 22 Compact/M&P 15-22
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Ranger17
Member
I dont own either but did have a compact 22 and my son in law/grandson have a 15/22.
When i had my compact, i ran thru over 1k rounds with zero ammo issues. Included Federal Champ and various Cci rounds.
On their 15/22, they have shot asst Remington, Federal and Cci with again no issues. So based on that my limited opinion would say most ammo seems good but still try different brands/rounds to see if yours have any issues with one over the other.
I can say in general I try to stick with Cci mini mags and Standard Velocity for my 22's as I have a Buckmark thats "finicky" and those cci rounds run great in that, my Victory and my Tcr 22 rifle.
But these days, you may have to grab what you can and go from there.
When i had my compact, i ran thru over 1k rounds with zero ammo issues. Included Federal Champ and various Cci rounds.
On their 15/22, they have shot asst Remington, Federal and Cci with again no issues. So based on that my limited opinion would say most ammo seems good but still try different brands/rounds to see if yours have any issues with one over the other.
I can say in general I try to stick with Cci mini mags and Standard Velocity for my 22's as I have a Buckmark thats "finicky" and those cci rounds run great in that, my Victory and my Tcr 22 rifle.
But these days, you may have to grab what you can and go from there.
Duckfood
Member
In the current ammunition environment, you likely will not be able to be too picky about what kind of ammo is available... Fortunately, my M&P 15-22 has had positive results with any ammo that I have put through it... I cannot speak for the M&P 22 pistol...
Had about 500 rounds with a 22c. No problems with high and standard velocity Aguila ammo, and Federal champion. Had one 1 failure to fire with Armscor, and 1 failure to extract with Norma USA.
I just shoot whatever brand I can find in stores or at the range. I heard that different guns of the same model may like different ammo, so what works for 1 person might not work for others.
I just shoot whatever brand I can find in stores or at the range. I heard that different guns of the same model may like different ammo, so what works for 1 person might not work for others.
2ndtimer
Member
One of the best features of my M&P 15-22 rifle is its ability to reliably function with just about every kind of ammo I have tried in it. Happily, my M&P 22 Compact shares that trait, as well. I don't use my more accurate (expensive) ammo in the 15-22, since it lacks the precision accuracy to take advantage of it, reserving that ammo for the CZ-455 bolt guns. My favorite ammo for the Smiths is CCI MiniMag, followed closely by Federal bulk, CCI Blazer and Aguila Super Extra 38 gr HP. Heck, they both run happily on Remington Golden Bullet or even Thunderbolts.
Like someone else said, take what you can find these days.
Like someone else said, take what you can find these days.
Ranger17
Member
If I may add, if one is not sure on what ammo may or may not work, I would maybe suggest not grabbing a case (example only) of brand X ammo only to find it doesnt perform as needed or expected. Yes grab a few hundred rounds if able (of different brands if able) to see if any stand out as better. Then thats the ammo to focus on as things calm down out in retail. Though I guess if you are lucky enough to find and buy a larger amount if whatever, if it doesnt work I bet someone in your circle will gladly take it.
Just a thought.
Just a thought.
Thanks for the help
I was able to pick up 700 CCI mini mag rounds. I'm trying to purchase 1500 loose bulk CCI Blazer High Velosity rounds. Are those rounds safe for both guns. Sorry my first time with 22cal. My wife loves these lower powered guns. Thanks
I was able to pick up 700 CCI mini mag rounds. I'm trying to purchase 1500 loose bulk CCI Blazer High Velosity rounds. Are those rounds safe for both guns. Sorry my first time with 22cal. My wife loves these lower powered guns. Thanks
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Ranger17
Member
I dont see any reason they both wont work in both guns, i have used mini mags in my compact and my SIL's 15/22 and they cycled and performed well. And I'm thinking the blazer are lead nosed, somewhat similar to Federal automatch which can function well. If anything you may just find the barrels may be a bit dirtier after using the blazer ammo.
Edit to add: if shooting paper targets both are ok but if using metal spinners you may want to limit the mini mag use. Metal targets are usually noted for the softer lead nose rounds and not hollow point or plated rounds. Just an fyi
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Bozz10mm
US Veteran
In my S&W 22 Compact, I've shot CCI Mini Mags, CCI Standard Velocity, Aguila Super Xtra, Remington Standard Velocity Match, and Federal Gold Medal HV Match with no problems.
I've got a bunch of Winchester Super X that I bought 7 years ago. I can't seem to get it to shoot in any semi auto I have, including the 22 Compact.
I've got a bunch of Winchester Super X that I bought 7 years ago. I can't seem to get it to shoot in any semi auto I have, including the 22 Compact.
I have the 15-22, 15-22 pistol gen1, and the 22 compact. Federal auto match has given me the best accuracy in all the platforms. Federal, Cci, Aguila are my go to ammo. I stay away from Remington and Winchester. But in these current times you have to use what's available.
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My 22 compact is the most reliable and least ammo sensitive 22 I have ever owned. There have been times when it seems like the cases just barely dribbled out when shooting standard velocity but the gun still worked. High velocity is much more common and the gun was designed for it so given a choice that is what I would recommend.
In my experience if a 22 will not work reliably with MiniMags it will not work well with anything else. But it is more expensive than bulk ammo and the 22 compact works as well as can be expected with bulk ammo. But some types of bulk ammo will choke any gun and duds are much, much more common than with centerfire ammo. CCI, even the bulk pack Blazer, has a very good reputation for going bang when it gets a good hit from the firing pin. Remington Thunderbolts not so much. But for shooting at the range the cost advantage of bulk packed ammo is worth the occasional misfire or weak round IMO. I have also had good results with Federal Automatch. I have heard good things about Aguila but haven't used enough of it to really know.
In my experience if a 22 will not work reliably with MiniMags it will not work well with anything else. But it is more expensive than bulk ammo and the 22 compact works as well as can be expected with bulk ammo. But some types of bulk ammo will choke any gun and duds are much, much more common than with centerfire ammo. CCI, even the bulk pack Blazer, has a very good reputation for going bang when it gets a good hit from the firing pin. Remington Thunderbolts not so much. But for shooting at the range the cost advantage of bulk packed ammo is worth the occasional misfire or weak round IMO. I have also had good results with Federal Automatch. I have heard good things about Aguila but haven't used enough of it to really know.
I was very successful with CCI MiniMag and Aguila Super Extra.
What I noticed at very beginning - I've got a lot of "failure-to-feed", on every kind of .22RL ammo and found that projectiles were cut at the top part. I polished the chamber's face/entrance and no more problems...
But still these two above are my favourite - never experienced any issues with them.
What I noticed at very beginning - I've got a lot of "failure-to-feed", on every kind of .22RL ammo and found that projectiles were cut at the top part. I polished the chamber's face/entrance and no more problems...
But still these two above are my favourite - never experienced any issues with them.
Erich
Member
Sorry to bring this back after a couple months, but I ran a bunch of different ammo types through an M&P Compact .22 LR yesterday at the Albuquerque City Shooting Range (81°F and around 25% humidity at 5950 feet above sea level, and almost no wind) and thought the data might be of interest to some folks here.
I wound up shooting a number of rounds over the chronograph and then many rounds of Federal Automatch 40-gr RNLs offhand (and strong hand and weak hand). It was a lot of fun. The only issues were that CCI Quiet 40-gr RNL will not cycle the action (when you see the numbers, you'll see why) and the very first round of the first loading I shot after those CCI Quiet rounds (which was an Aguila Super Extra RNL) didn't cycle the action, either - I don't know whether it had anything to do with the CCIs or whether it was a fluke. A few hundred rounds of every other thing I had with me worked fine, though. Toward the end of the shooting, I noted how most of the groups were notably below the POA and adjusted the elevation, and I noticed how this left-handed shooter's oafish trigger finger was placing all of the rounds to the right of the POA so I adjusted the windage - for me. Most of the five-shot groups were in the 1" to 1.5" range at 10 yards - NOT super-accurate (my Ruger Mk II would be half that size with most of them, and even less with some) but WAY more reliable than I would have expected. Ten-shot groups offhand were (usually) bigger, but not by much - and sometimes smaller.
The chrono data:
Winchester 40-gr Power Point plated hollow point
M 986.1 fps/S 86.38/D 31.87
CCI 40-gr Velocitor plated hollow point
M 1006/S 69.28/D 34.51
Aguila 40-gr Interceptor plated solid
M 1067/S 96.32/D 48.12
CCI 32-gr Stinger plated hollow point
M 1201/S 52.57/D 21.70 - decent group
Federal 40-gr Game-Shok plated solid
M 1079/S 44.14/D 18.16 - small group
CCI 40-gr Christmas 2016 packaging standard velocity lead solid
M 890.2/S 69.93/D 25.69 - vertical string
CCI 20-gr Copper solid
M 1174/S 157.5/D 62.73 - small group with one flyer
CCI 40-gr Quiet lead solid
M 598.9/S 40.23/D 18.94 - these would not cycle the action
Aguila 40-gr Super Extra lead solid
M 914.9/S 37.40/D 15.68 - first round of ten failed to cycle action; shots went into 2 small groups
CCI 40-gr SGB lead flat-point solid
M 986.0/S 90.1/D 32.74 - small group
Federal 40-gr Automatch lead solid - check out the consistency in these strings - small groups
Five-shot M 997.5/S 56.38/D 23.62
Ten-shot (standing) M 980.5/S 49.76/D 19.92
Ten-shot (standing) M 979.5/S 48.03/D 18.00
Aguila 40-gr Super Extra plated solid - shots also went into 2 small groups
M 957.8/S 51.6/D 16.55
Sellier & Bellot 40-gr HV lead hollow point - Man, I wish I had more of this; I might need to check!
M 985.6/S 23.53/D 10.67
SK 40-gr Pistol Match lead solid
M 880.5/S 35.55/D 14.14
I shot WAY more of the Federal Automatch (a fresh box from a while back, when the stuff was good stuff) than anything else, with the Winchester Power Point plated hollow points behind that.
I wound up shooting a number of rounds over the chronograph and then many rounds of Federal Automatch 40-gr RNLs offhand (and strong hand and weak hand). It was a lot of fun. The only issues were that CCI Quiet 40-gr RNL will not cycle the action (when you see the numbers, you'll see why) and the very first round of the first loading I shot after those CCI Quiet rounds (which was an Aguila Super Extra RNL) didn't cycle the action, either - I don't know whether it had anything to do with the CCIs or whether it was a fluke. A few hundred rounds of every other thing I had with me worked fine, though. Toward the end of the shooting, I noted how most of the groups were notably below the POA and adjusted the elevation, and I noticed how this left-handed shooter's oafish trigger finger was placing all of the rounds to the right of the POA so I adjusted the windage - for me. Most of the five-shot groups were in the 1" to 1.5" range at 10 yards - NOT super-accurate (my Ruger Mk II would be half that size with most of them, and even less with some) but WAY more reliable than I would have expected. Ten-shot groups offhand were (usually) bigger, but not by much - and sometimes smaller.
The chrono data:
Winchester 40-gr Power Point plated hollow point
M 986.1 fps/S 86.38/D 31.87
CCI 40-gr Velocitor plated hollow point
M 1006/S 69.28/D 34.51
Aguila 40-gr Interceptor plated solid
M 1067/S 96.32/D 48.12
CCI 32-gr Stinger plated hollow point
M 1201/S 52.57/D 21.70 - decent group
Federal 40-gr Game-Shok plated solid
M 1079/S 44.14/D 18.16 - small group
CCI 40-gr Christmas 2016 packaging standard velocity lead solid
M 890.2/S 69.93/D 25.69 - vertical string
CCI 20-gr Copper solid
M 1174/S 157.5/D 62.73 - small group with one flyer
CCI 40-gr Quiet lead solid
M 598.9/S 40.23/D 18.94 - these would not cycle the action
Aguila 40-gr Super Extra lead solid
M 914.9/S 37.40/D 15.68 - first round of ten failed to cycle action; shots went into 2 small groups
CCI 40-gr SGB lead flat-point solid
M 986.0/S 90.1/D 32.74 - small group
Federal 40-gr Automatch lead solid - check out the consistency in these strings - small groups
Five-shot M 997.5/S 56.38/D 23.62
Ten-shot (standing) M 980.5/S 49.76/D 19.92
Ten-shot (standing) M 979.5/S 48.03/D 18.00
Aguila 40-gr Super Extra plated solid - shots also went into 2 small groups
M 957.8/S 51.6/D 16.55
Sellier & Bellot 40-gr HV lead hollow point - Man, I wish I had more of this; I might need to check!
M 985.6/S 23.53/D 10.67
SK 40-gr Pistol Match lead solid
M 880.5/S 35.55/D 14.14
I shot WAY more of the Federal Automatch (a fresh box from a while back, when the stuff was good stuff) than anything else, with the Winchester Power Point plated hollow points behind that.
