SO MANY CHOICES OF 22LR AMMO WHICH ONE IS THE BEST FOR THE PRICE ?

[THE PILGRIM]

Shoot a lot of MiniMags. Have had FTF in small Autos.
Beretta 21A and Ruger LCP. No problems in Beretta 70S, Smith 63, etc.
Tried the Cabala House 22.
Got so many FTF that I retired it for the Zombie Apocalypse.
Stingers no Problemo in several guns.
Ruger 10-22? Load it, shoot it.
So I’m a thinking that with todays ammo, they tend to function best in strong primer hitting guns like rifles.

 

[fiasconva]

I'm just a plinker so the Fed Auto match works great in my Victory. Walmart has some good prices on it and I am pleased with it.

 

[Papa Lee]

I've had good luck with most CCI .22lr and Remington Golden Bullet 22lr.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

The only .22 LR caliber cartridges that I will use have to have jacketed bullets. No lead bullets. Filthy things. Ugh!

 

[rockquarry]

The only .22 LR caliber cartridges that I will use have to have jacketed bullets. No lead bullets. Filthy things. Ugh!

Do they make .22 LR with jacketed bullets? The only .22 LR I've used have had lead bullets, but some have a light copper coat, no jacket.

 

[GypsmJim]

I'm just a plinker so the Fed Auto match works great in my Victory. Walmart has some good prices on it and I am pleased with it.

When I shot Bullseye with a '70's vintage Model 41 I shot Mini Mags exclusively. Std. Velocity anything would yield too many alibis. The other thing was that at the time that was the best I could afford.

After the last .22 crisis was over I tried the Fed bulk Auto Match. I have found it to be 100% reliable, plus it functions reliably in every single semi-auto that I own. My SR22 is the most finicky, but it likes this brand.

 

[twodog max]

I am also mostly a plinker and I buy ammo on the price point for the most part. I have bought some real cheap stuff at times and have had FTF but never at the percentages some report. Lately I have been bulk buying Aquila and so far it is 100%. It is a little waxy and smells odd when fired but it shoots accurately and functions in all my rifles and a Model 34 and 617.
For those into tight groups and precision I understand your priorities just different than mine.

 

[coltle6920]

Thread should be more specific as to particular firearms. Obviously what works in a Ruger Sp101 22lr wont necessarily function well in a lot of 22lr semis.

I have numerous rifles and revolvers in 22lr. Any quality ammo should function flawlessly. Cheaper ammo will suffice if you're only plinking tin cans in the backyard. Expect a few duds but who cares. You get what you pay for. Accuracy and quality is a big factor but only if you are a serious shooter.

Over the past year I bought 3 pocket carry 22lr semis. All were brand new and a little "tight" so I went with CCI Stingers to help with the breakin. CCI Stingers are IMHO the equivalent of 22WMR for regular 22lr firearms.

Buying and shooting firearms is a journey filled with joy and sometimes disappointment. It wasn't meant to be easy.

 

[chief38]

Each firearm shoots ammo differently. What works well for someone may not work for you. When I buy 22 ammo I buy what works well for me in my guns. I will list in order what I buy and what I use it in. It may or may not be the same for you. Since I like accuracy and precision, that trumps the cost for me.

CCI standard velocity 40 grain - used on target pistols like a M41

CCI Mini-mag High velocity - used in revolvers and long guns

CCI 40 grain Velocitor - used in rifles for small game hunting or pest control.

CCI Quite 40 grain - sounds like a pellet rifle if noise trumps great accuracy. Good ar short range only.

Federal Blue Box #510 and American Eagle 40 grain - used in rifles, almost as accurate as CCI but a little less $$ for general plinking at steel plates outdoors.

Winchester Wildcat 40 grain high velocity - not tack driving, but cheap and reliable enough for a days shooting outdoors when used by shooters not looking at tack driving accuracy but still something descent.

That's about it for what I buy. I do have a bunch of misc.brands around that I burn through sometimes when testing a repair or rough sighting in a scope.

 

[AJ]

Each firearm shoots ammo differently. What works well for someone may not work for you. When I buy 22 ammo I buy what works well for me in my guns. I will list in order what I buy and what I use it in. It may or may not be the same for you. Since I like accuracy and precision, that trumps the cost for me.

CCI standard velocity 40 grain - used on target pistols like a M41

CCI Mini-mag High velocity - used in revolvers and long guns

CCI 40 grain Velocitor - used in rifles for small game hunting or pest control.

CCI Quite 40 grain - sounds like a pellet rifle if noise trumps great accuracy. Good ar short range only.

Federal Blue Box #510 and American Eagle 40 grain - used in rifles, almost as accurate as CCI but a little less $$ for general plinking at steel plates outdoors.

Winchester Wildcat 40 grain high velocity - not tack driving, but cheap and reliable enough for a days shooting outdoors when used by shooters not looking at tack driving accuracy but still something descent.

That's about it for what I buy. I do have a bunch of misc.brands around that I burn through sometimes when testing a repair or rough sighting in a scope.

What I was saying in Post #18

Every gun shoots ammo differently. Round up all the different ammo that you can find and have a range day. Clean between the different ammo and just shoot for groups. If you hit dead center great, but grouping is what you are looking for. I usually start with about 10-15 different brands of ammo to see what the gun likes. Autos usually like faster ammo and bolt guns will like standard velocity. It does not necessarily work out that way as I have an Izhmash Biathlon 7-2-KO that likes the old PMC Zapper (36 grain) and of course they don't make that anymore. Did buy a case just for that rifle before it was all gone.

Most pistols will shoot most ammo decently for purposes not involving matches.

Rifles are a whole different ballgame. Also the type of rifle dictates what kind of ammo is needed.

Just try different ammo that works well in your gun. I have match rifles that will not shoot Eley Black Box EPS worth a darn, but will shoot SK Rifle Match like a dream.

 

[nll401]

Unless one has bought 22 ammo Lately not sure. CCI of any flavor is the Only 22 I’ve found NOT TO HAVE FTFs. Sadly Fed. tan box and every other mfg( excluding Eley) has way to many FTF. Shot all ammo in 10-22, MkII Ruger, Colt Woodsman and Mdl 17 S&W, same results, to many FTF.

I shoot CCI Standard Velocity in my S&W Model 41. I feel (at my 50 ft range) it is the sweet spot in terms of price and performance.

But I recently had issues with one batch; a few failure-to-fires in each box. Just that one lot. I contacted CCI and they sent a label to ship them back. They could not find issue with the ammo but sent me a check for the retail price.

I appreciate that kind of support.

 

[GypsmJim]

Expect a few duds but who cares. You get what you pay for. Accuracy and quality is a big factor but only if you are a serious shooter.

Maybe I'm blessed, but I haven't had a dud in recent years when using any of the Federal bulk .22's.

Just as a matter of routine, when I unpack a cardboard box, I transfer the rounds into old mini-mag plastic boxes. Thus, I inadvertently count the contents. Federals always add up.

In contrast, duds, empty brass and less than 500 in a box have been constant issues with anything Remington. Just after one of the last crises I had similar issues with Winchester ammo.

After having such good luck with the cheap Federals I stocked up while I could get them.

 

[505Gibbs]

"What is the best 22LR ammo?"

Well, here's my opinion: Federal Gold Medal Match, Series 900. The kind that they made around 25-30 years ago with the dimpled primers. It's no longer available and the stuff that Federal calls "Gold Medal" these days doesn't hold a candle to the old stuff. It was made to compete with Russian Olympic ammo (which also has dimpled primers) back in the 90's for the Olympics. It was too expensive to manufacture profitably, and they quickly abandoned making it, so good luck finding some. Here's the last of my stash:

That 'was' wonderful ammo! Depending on the gun, it was as good or better than the best the English or Germans offered - iMO. I think I still have a box or two.

 

[upcountry]

Years ago I shot .22 bullseye.
One day while practicing, I was using Remington, and got a "click".
I racked the slide and rotated the round slightly in the chamber. "Click" again.
I rotated the round 10 times, got 10 very clear pin hits on it, and it never went off.

 

[AJ]

Find an ammo that shoots well in your gun and that you can afford. Then have fun. How many here are shooting matches for score. I just shoot to please myself and no one else........

 

[oldrookey617]

Maybe I'm blessed, but I haven't had a dud in recent years when using any of the Federal bulk .22's.

Just as a matter of routine, when I unpack a cardboard box, I transfer the rounds into old mini-mag plastic boxes. Thus, I inadvertently count the contents. Federals always add up.

In contrast, duds, empty brass and less than 500 in a box have been constant issues with anything Remington. Just after one of the last crises I had similar issues with Winchester ammo.

After having such good luck with the cheap Federals I stocked up while I could get them.

Jim, I do the same thing, Those CCI plastic boxes are great, I have a 100 & 50 count box that is the amber color, not the clear ones, what was the last year for those ? I get around one dud out of 500 Federal 36 grain, about one bad one out of 1500 Federal AutoMatch 40 grain, Had no problem out of 400 Remington, Shot 100 yesterday, I think they had some trouble with the Remington 22LR a few years ago, I think they have improved them..

 

[Rpg]

I Prefer Remington standard velocity 22 ammo.

 

[oldrookey617]

When I pocket carry an SR22 I load it with pre pandemic stingers. At the range I load it with pre pandemic mini mags. Why pre pandemic; I have lots of them.
My S&W 15-22 likes the mini mags too.
Function doesn't always align with accuracy.

Just noticed a couple days ago, my old CCI Stingers was a lot better made, with a large hexagon shaped hollow point, in the old amber color box, K-mart sticker $1.49, My newer box has the regular small hollow point, don't know the year on those old ones, maybe 1975..

 

[oldrookey617]

I Prefer Remington standard velocity 22 ammo.

Yes. I need to try those, don't think I've seen those any place..

 

[GypsmJim]

I have a 100 & 50 count box that is the amber color, not the clear ones, what was the last year for those ?

I bought all my amber boxes for 99 cents a box from KMart back in the 1970's. By the 1980's I switched to bulk, so I don't know what CCI did.