Experience with using Aguila .22LR ammo?

[susieqz]

thanks tons, ptar. i needed that.
looks like i screwed up. i bot a case of super extra sv but your numbers say they are really not sv.
that sucks because i only get great groups with sv which is around 1080fps.
everything else is plinking ammo.

 

[Ptarmigan]

thanks tons, ptar. i needed that.
looks like i screwed up. i bot a case of super extra sv but your numbers say they are really not sv.
that sucks because i only get great groups with sv which is around 1080fps.
everything else is plinking ammo.

Susie, their standard velocity is slightly hotter than the typical American SV (1050 to 1080). However, if you are shooting it out of a handgun, it will never reach the 1130 fps. In some rifles it will never reach the 1130 fps. Although technically 1130 fps is slightly supersonic, depending on temp and location, it may not make any difference for your application. It's only an extra 50 fps.

 

[susieqz]

do you think the supersonic part is what's important?
i shoot bulls eye n only get good results with real sv.
but from a pistol, 5 1/2'' barrel,, i'm not sure if even hv rounds are supersonic.

 

[Wise_A]

Bear in mind, .22s are finicky. Even different examples of the same model can have different preferences.

Aguila SuperExtra is indeed a quality ammunition for target work. Used it exclusively for several seasons in my Ruger Mk III and then some more in my Nelson Custom for practice. It is indeed subsonic, with no more felt recoil than comparable target ammo.

I would consider the reliability to be on-par with CCI Standard. I don't think I ever had one misfire with a solid primer strike--and that's saying something, as I go through at least 1800 rounds a year. Similar record with malfunctions--plenty of 600-round seasons without a single failure. Accuracy isn't noticeably better or worse.

I would not use any Remington or Winchester ammunition, myself.

I still prefer CCI Standard Velocity, but if all I had to shoot was Aguila SuperExtra, I wouldn't get bent out of shape.

 

[cmansguns]

During the ammo shortage of 3 years or so ago, it was not uncommon to travel 20 miles to stand in line and have a fellow stick 50 loose rounds of Winchester bulk in a plastic baggie and sell out at $8.00 to $9.00 a bag!!

Anyway...during this time period I came on some Aguila during a local show at $45.00 a brick, bought as many as I could (I think 5 was all he had).

My 1986 slab side Buckmark would simply not eat any Winchester at all...at least one misfire, or stove pipe with every mag, Remington was actually worse....got so bad I thought the gun needed a complete overhaul. Daughter had a brand new Ruger Mark III and it also acted up with Win and Rem.

Tried the Aguila and..........not a misfire in 3 bricks over the last few years shooting sessions (spinners, paper, Gel balls).

What's left of the Win and Rem goes only through Ruger Super Six, or my other wheel guns, and it does go bang, but that's it.

Still like CCI Mini the best, but it is still top price around here.

I would buy Aguila again when stocking needs dictate.

 

[susieqz]

well, i bot a case of this stuff before i rea here that it's really not SV.
so i decided to find out what i had.

AGUILA RANGE REPORT
day 1, accuracy
using my bulls eye gun, at 25 yards i got groups of around 2 1/2''
compare to:
wolf- 1'' all other SVs- under 2''
federal bulk-3''
so, good for plinking ammo
day2, function
using a single 10, i had terrible results
first, it's dirtier than federal bulk, which is dirty
worse, i got 30% FTF.
that caused me to do another test, because i do get boxes of fed bulk that have up to 15% FTF
day 3
i picked 2 random bricks to test
brick 1 had 30%FTF
brick 2 had 10%
CONCLUSION
i got screwed. i paid more for these than federal, because it said SV.
the fact is, this is a poor grade of plinking ammo.

 

[retiredbadge8091]

During the shortage I traded a box of .380 ACP for some, and when I went to the range I was less than impressed... Sorry.

 

[drmweaver2]

I'm somewhat surprised to see this thread still alive. Quick update of my own experiences since I "left" the thread.

With my S&W M&P .22LR Fullsize, I've shot 4 different types of Aquila now, 300-1500 rounds each of SE/SV, SE/HV, Target Competition and Pistol Match. My misfire, FTF(eed), FTE(ject) and stovepipe malfunction rates are well under 1% with all of these; I might get 1 per 2 or 300 rounds. They've proven to be the most reliable of all the ammo types I have shot since I purchased the pistol early this summer.

Accuracy-wise, they're definitely able to out-shoot my current capability. The only times my groups at 20' are larger than 1.5" is when I screw up, jerk the trigger or blink. I'm still working on being accurate at 30' - but, again, it seems to be my technique, not the ammo.

I won't hesitate to buy Aquila again... reliable, inexpensive and seems cleaner than the other ammo I'm able to get through the local stores.

 

[johnnywitt]

I have to say that my newest Aguila is circa 2008. I tend to buy a couple of 50rd boxes & then go for a full 5000rd case. I have experienced good results out of my 41 with the Bully Barrel especially with the 60gr SSS which the Bully with its 1:9 twist rate shoots beautifully (dime size groups at 20yds). I also have good luck with the Aguila SV & Subs out of various other RF weapons that I own.
However, it's very possible that the QC has changed in the interim years since I bought all my Aguila.
For defense in a RF revolver (I wouldn't use a RF Pistol for defense), I like their 40gr hypervelocity HP round (yeah I know, .22 for defense, right).

 

[Ptarmigan]

AGUILA RANGE REPORT
day2, function
using a single 10, i had terrible results
first, it's dirtier than federal bulk, which is dirty
worse, i got 30% FTF.

day 3
i picked 2 random bricks to test
brick 1 had 30%FTF
brick 2 had 10%
CONCLUSION
i got screwed. i paid more for these than federal, because it said SV.
the fact is, this is a poor grade of plinking ammo.

I have never yet had an FTF with Aguila SV. Ever. And that's shooting rounds out of at least a half dozen different bricks. I buy most of it from Academy. My shooting buddies and I like it and out of my Savage Mark II it is highly accurate.

You may not have had luck with it for some unknown reason, but it is not poor ammo. Did you get a bad batch? Possibly, but that is the outlier if you did. I just put two boxes through my S&W M&P .22 Compact today. It performs well in both my Savages, my Compact and my S&W Victory.

Sorry you didn't have good luck with it, but I stand by my earlier posts that Aguila is right up there as good ammo, and in my opinion and experiences, it is light years better than almost all Winchester and Remington .22 ammo.

 

[wood714]

I've never had a problem with any FTF with 3 different 10/22's, a 22/45, or a dedicated CMMG 22 11.5" AR upper.

I shoot them all suppressed and it's pretty dirty, but nothing like Remington sub sonics with is the dirtiest ammo I've ever shot, and I have about 7K rounds of.

I stocked up on CCI SV and sub's a while back and it's the cleanest 22 ammo I've ever shot. It seems 50 rounds of Remington will lead up my suppressor more than 500 rounds of CCI. Glad I got a all stainless one I can clean with the dip.

This past summer PSA has had 500 round bricks of CCI SV for about $50 including shipping.

 

[drmweaver2]

This past summer PSA has had 500 round bricks of CCI SV for about $50 including shipping.

PSA? Sorry...what is PSA? Link?

 

[67tempest]

Had a buddy who bought a brick of Aguila not realizing it was subsonic. It wouldn't function at all in his Walther pistol. He gave it to me and I shot it all up in a Marlin lever gun with no issues.

 

[FlyFish]

PSA? Sorry...what is PSA? Link?

Ammunition, AR15 Parts, Magazines, Bulk Ammo - Palmetto State Armory

 

[susieqz]

i'm glad you guys had good luck with aguila.
but my case sucks.
this says they are inconsistent.
be careful.

 

[wood714]

Ammunition, AR15 Parts, Magazines, Bulk Ammo - Palmetto State Armory

Just checked and their out of stock now, but unlike a lot of companies they usually get them back pretty fast. When I want them I'll check every day.

Last time I bought any from them was this past May, I bought 3 CCI SV 500 round bricks and with shipping it was $150.47. They have a 10 brick limit.

 

[revolver_ph]

I use their Match grade with good results.

 

[mrrick]

My shooting club has bricks of 500 for $36.50 OTD. thought that was a fair deal, bought 4 bricks. So far have shot them in Colt Service Ace and Beretta 70S with no problems. Have Aquila .22 shorts that work fine on my Beretta 950BS. All my experiences with Aquila have been positive.

 

[Ptarmigan]

I first became familiar with Aguila sometime during this last .22 ammo shortage when it was hard to find anything. I don't know if it was around in the American markets prior to that, but it wasn't in my circles so my association with it is fairly recent. I have to assume the distributors started sourcing it seriously due to the drought. And I say good for them.

As I have posted previously, I shoot and like Aguila and I think we are lucky to have it. My first choice for non-match ammo is still CCI, but it is not always available. Many online sellers are chronically out of it.

Aguila has not only become a good reliable and affordable substitute, I think it could eventually move in front of Remington and Winchester in popularity as more people start accepting it. And that, my friends, could be the catalyst to finally make Remington and Winchester get off their lazy apathetic fannies and up their game. They have been giving us junk for .22 ammo for far to long. So you go, Aguila. Light a fire under them. It'll be good for everybody.

 

[Fishslayer]

So you go, Aguila. Light a fire under them. It'll be good for everybody.

I read that they significantly upped their production capacity a year or two ago. I'm seeing the stuff a number of places. I think we've been conditioned to accept $40/brick for .22.

I've never been overly happy with anything Federal. Makes for good trade bait, though. Other people seem to love the stuff. I kinda shake my head when I see "Target Grade" ammo packed in a loose bulk box....