M&P 22 pistol - don't use Hyper Velocity

[Louchia]

As we all know ,22lr ammo is in short supply. Most of the time we buy what we can. I had a chance to buy some Hyper Velocity 22lr. I turned it down. I contacted S&W to see if it would damage the gun and get their suggestion for best performing ammo.
The reply was that Hyper high velocity rounds will damage the gun. Suggested ammo, 22lr standard velocity 1070.
I wish they would put this info in the owners manual.

 

[shakyshoot]

From what I've heard, customer service reps will tell you not to use hyper velocity ammo in almost any .22. I don't own an MP-22, but I know many people use hyper velocity in them with no trouble. I would go by the manual before I would believe a customer service rep. I would say that recommending "standard" velocity is going overboard though. The vast majority of .22LR is high velocity, in the ballpark of 1200-1280 fps, and that's really going to be the most reliable ammo for any semi-auto, as well as the most available. If you want to err on the side of caution by rejecting Stingers and Vipers, that's fine, but definitely don't insist on "standard" at 1080 fps.

 

[handgunner356]

Usually in that short of a barrel there isn't all that much difference in velocity between Standard-to-Hyper rounds, just more muzzle flash. I'd be more surprised to see standard able to cycle the gun reliably. The thing about most Hyper-velocity is the bullet shape, most are a TC design that doesn't always feed the best in semi-auto handguns.

 

[PennGrizz]

Shoot whatever you can find "hyper" or not

 

[Tinn-Can]

I don't think standard velocity would even cycle... Velociters and segmented HPs work pretty well...

 

[fred5876r]

CCI Standard Velocity works perfectly in mine. So long as it cycles properly, I think logic suggests that it will be easier on the gun over time than high velocity rounds.

 

[Vinney47]

CCI Standard Velocity works perfectly in mine. So long as it cycles properly, I think logic suggests that it will be easier on the gun over time than high velocity rounds.

I would agree with this type of thinking in just about any other caliber - it's well known that +p rounds can shorten the life of a firearm.

But I don't think that's the case with .22lr. The pressures and velocities of that little round even at "hyper" velocity aren't enough to cause any ill effect to a pistol like the M&P22. While a lot of folks don't have issue with standard velocity (especially after break in), many semi-autos won't cycle as well with that ammo, and all but require high velocity to cycle reliably.

The thing that would keep me from shooting hyper velocity is cost, not any wear and tear on the gun.