22 LR ammo

[nuclear_shooter]

There are literally over 9000 kinds of 22 LR ammo. I'm just getting started, and want to see what shoots good in my gun. Took a look what was available on ammoseek, and there are tons of brands, types... subsonic, high velocity (I assume this has a lighter bullet), et cetera. If you were to recommend a few good starting places that would be good. My friend really like CCI minimag in his 22 LR, thats about the extent of my knowledge. Thanks!

Edit: I'll be shooting out of a Savage Mark II BV, shooting prone at 50 and 100 yards.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Shooting prone 50-100yds isn't very specific but lets see if we can help. Depends entirely on what you want to do and how accurate you want to pay for, that's right I said how accurate you want to pay, and pay you will for accurate ammo. Real potential and real accuracy will not come from a bulk box, if that is all the accuracy you need then try Federal Auto Match. It is the most accurate bulk I ever tried out to 100yds. You are gonna run into real accuracy problems using high velocity stuff at 100yds. Don't try to get faster and faster ammo, it defeats the purpose and still can't defeat the transonic turbulence.that happens between 70-85yds. Many have tried and many have failed.
For the most accurate ammo you can get try the stuff listed around 1050-1080fps, that is the bread and butter for a 22lr, even out past 200yds believe it or not. This ammo is usually pricey so get ready to pay. RWS(which includes Federal 922A and Ultramatch), Eley(not necessarily Sport),Lapua(which includes Wolf,SK,and of course Lapua, POlar Biathlon is a whole nother animal and will only give you results under about 50-55degrees).
Expect to get what you pay for, but just because it is expensive doesn't mean your gun will automatically like the stuff. What is sure is they don't live up to their potential with cheap ammo.

 

[STR]

I, like you am very new to rimfire, and quickly found out there is a reason for the big difference in price between bulk ammo and match ammo. If you want to shoot cans at 25 to 50 yards in your back yard, then bulk will work fine, and it's cheap. If you want to shoot little groups at 50 to 100 yards, then only match has worked for me. So far Wolf Extra, Wolf Match, and Eley Edge is all I've been able to find for sale. I have others like Eley match on back order just to try. The Wolf Extra has worked best for me so far in most of my rifles. I just don't care too much for that oily stuff they use to coat their cases with. I also tried a little SK ammo a guy at the range gave me to try, and again, it shot very well.

I can say that with a limit of 100 yards at our local range, that it has become quite an addiction for me lately. I now save my center fire rifles for when I can take the drive to a range worthy of them.

 

[nuclear_shooter]

Thank you both for the input! There are so many different types of 22 LR that I just wasn't sure where to start. That said, I think I'm going to be stuck with Federal Auto Match for unreasonably high prices until 22 LR starts becoming available. Unless you know of a good online supplier of 22 LR...

 

[nuclear_shooter]

I grabbed 10 boxes Eley Target for 70 bucks shipped. I checked around at that seems like a good price for 500 rounds. After paying 1.25 for crappy 300 win mag ammo (for brass), ITS CHEAP! Thanks guys, will have a post about my rifle and how it shoots when I get it glassed.

 

[shibby575]

I shoot the crap out of eley sport. It's real accurate out of my volquartsen, but every now and then there's a flyer. I wouldn't compete with it, but it takes care f the day to day needs. Then cci mini mag, and fed bulk packs. For comp. results I'd consider some of the eley or lapua higher end fare.

 

[nuclear_shooter]

I shoot the crap out of eley sport. It's real accurate out of my volquartsen, but every now and then there's a flyer. I wouldn't compete with it, but it takes care f the day to day needs. Then cci mini mag, and fed bulk packs. For comp. results I'd consider some of the eley or lapua higher end fare.

Yeah, I'm not going to compete with it (for now anyway), I'm just gonna use it as a trainer. I really just need to get a lot of trigger time, and it will be a lot cheaper shooting 22 LR than 300 win mag. Plus I think my SO will enjoy it .

 

[justin amateur]

Pardon my rant....
Ammunition quality has dropped over the past 10 months.
Don't know if the rest of ya'll have noticed, but it appears to me
that quality control has taken the back seat to production volume.
My last couple orders of mid to upper level 22lr are not as consistent
as my older bricks of Wolf, Lapua and Eley. More flyers and squibs,
the targets don't lie. It's not me or the rifle as boxes from bricks
purchased pre-panic, still produce tight groups. Only high spot has been
recent purchases of RWS 50. That stuff has been seriously consistent.

 

[JoeMartin]

Pardon my rant....
Ammunition quality has dropped over the past 10 months.
Don't know if the rest of ya'll have noticed, but it appears to me
that quality control has taken the back seat to production volume.
My last couple orders of mid to upper level 22lr are not as consistent
as my older bricks of Wolf, Lapua and Eley. More flyers and squibs,
the targets don't lie. It's not me or the rifle as boxes from bricks
purchased pre-panic, still produce tight groups. Only high spot has been
recent purchases of RWS 50. That stuff has been seriously consistent.

This doesn't surprise me in the least.

 

[BigJimFish]

Pardon my rant....
Ammunition quality has dropped over the past 10 months.
Don't know if the rest of ya'll have noticed, but it appears to me
that quality control has taken the back seat to production volume.
My last couple orders of mid to upper level 22lr are not as consistent
as my older bricks of Wolf, Lapua and Eley. More flyers and squibs,
the targets don't lie. It's not me or the rifle as boxes from bricks
purchased pre-panic, still produce tight groups. Only high spot has been
recent purchases of RWS 50. That stuff has been seriously consistent.

I was expecting this. I expected it from the American makers who produce such widely divergent in quality lots anyway. I am sad to hear that Eley and Lapua are now implicated. My rifles don't seem to care for RWS so that is not much of a help for me. I wonder how long I will have to wait to buy to start to get good stuff again. I expect that I will run out long before that time comes.

 

[JoeMartin]

Your probably right, Big Jim! Whenever a manufacturer can get away with less quality control - yet sell a larger volume of their product in the process,,, I doubt we'll ever see any decent QT again for a very long time. Chances are, it won't happen in the rest of my lifetime. How sad... Not for me, but for the lack of pride in craftsmanship - no matter what the product.

 

[nuclear_shooter]

Pardon my rant....
Ammunition quality has dropped over the past 10 months.
Don't know if the rest of ya'll have noticed, but it appears to me
that quality control has taken the back seat to production volume.
My last couple orders of mid to upper level 22lr are not as consistent
as my older bricks of Wolf, Lapua and Eley. More flyers and squibs,
the targets don't lie. It's not me or the rifle as boxes from bricks
purchased pre-panic, still produce tight groups. Only high spot has been
recent purchases of RWS 50. That stuff has been seriously consistent.

Are the really high end Eley lines effected as well? I would imagine they wouldn't want their reputation with competition shooters to go bye bye.

 

[cjd223]

No, the Eley Match and Tenex are not affected. Eley, like all ammo, is Lot sensitive. Even Tenex must be Lot tested. It all depends on the accuracy you are expecting at 100 yds. If 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" groups work then several brands like Wolf, CCI SV and others will do just fine. If you want less than 1/2" then you will need a better rifle and ammo. I gave up on Wolf several years ago - too many flyers.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Funny I shoot a lot of premium ammo and I have not noticed anything like has been implicated here. I have noticed lot to lot VARIATIONS but all were what can be expected any time and all the time. If you have some R-50 that is very consistent good for you, hope you aren't hanging your hat on its stellar performance at 50-100yds though. I have yet to find a lot of R-50 that performs at 200yds. There was an awesome lot of Fed 922A(comes from the R-50 line) that was a barnburner out past 200yds but it went away and I have not seen any return that would equal it's show. There is one exception, I no longer recommend Lapua ammo, and if you can't figure out why...well then you ain't the sharpest pencil in the box. I believe what you THINK you are seeing is in direct relation to the fact that if you FIND any ammo in stock, the chances you can order more of that same lot are slim to none since most ammo sells out within hours now. Picking and choosing ammo lots has gotten impossible, I wonder if that ability will ever return. Many people are now shooting premium ammo simply because it has become a better value overall, as all prices have spiked to insane proportions.

 

[justin amateur]

armorpl8, I know you have way more time and experience behind the trigger than me,
but it's important to remember that to a rant-ee (me), it's the rant-ee's perception of reality
that's being expressed, and not necessarily reality itself. You're right, of course,
as to the diffficulty in obtaining any kind of decent ammo, let alone being able to buy
and test lots in order to obtain the best quality. You're probably also correct in the rest of your statements,
but as the rant-ee, allow me to express my complete dissatisfaction with your use of facts and logic,
and thereby ruining what was up until then, a very satisfying and emotionally fulfilling rant!

 

[nuclear_shooter]

I'm probably not a good enough shot to notice either way .

 

[thewileyone]

Winchester super X is good, 100 round packs like CCI but cheaper. Winchester M-22 is great for auto's. I do agree that ammo reliability has gone down hill over the past few years. Currently it is difficult to be picky on what you buy because you can only buy what is available and nothing seems to be in stock.

 

[nuclear_shooter]

Just an update on this, I followed armorpl8chikns advice and got some Eley ammo (some of the cheaper stuff since thats all that was available... Target and Club). Man does it shoot good. I was able to squeeze out my first ever 1moa groups at 50 yards (along with some not so good groups, I'm still a beginner!).

 

[cjd223]

Eley Tenex is pretty easy to find.

 

[Sweetyzfd]

Federal match target 325round box
Wolf match target
SK standard
CCI any type you can get your hands on

 

[peaceatwar]

As a Mark II shooter myself I went though testing with about 25 different types of .22 LR. Gemtech 42gr subsonic had the best 100 yard and 50 yard performance in my gun. Will update once I've compared them all at 200.

 

[cjd223]

I tested 4 different lots of Tenex today. I was afraid even Tenex was lot sensitive. Not so. All four lots grouped 1/2" or better at 100yds out of my 2007/Lilja and 1808/Shilen. I guess you do get what you pay for.

 

[nuclear_shooter]

I tested 4 different lots of Tenex today. I was afraid even Tenex was lot sensitive. Not so. All four lots grouped 1/2" or better at 100yds out of my 2007/Lilja and 1808/Shilen. I guess you do get what you pay for.

Yeah I've had pretty good experiances with Eley, even their cheaper stuff. Even if its not as cheap as the bulk crap, its still better than 308/300 win mag match ammo