22LR ammo debate-discourse

[FatBoy85]

After reading several what seems like novels of forums and other articles that were replied by many, I thought how the individuals would have reported on a certain ammo of 22LR and then either proceeded to rant about its peculiarities or found their gun liked it and bought a whole store worth of it at a time when this was possible. Now much less so but you can find it more likely online. My poring over these answers didn't define a certain ammo was better or worse but performed in guns that were compatible since no two barrels are really ever the same and it's more than encouraged to buy multiple lots in case one doesn't work as well as another and includes brands as well.

Now I gotta wonder if today's made ammo shoots OK based on the volume of it coming out to satisfy the demand. (Which seems to have shown some kind of tapering off which is more likely due to prices not availability). Has anyone shot some of the stuff they've bought today (within the year 2020-21) and compared it with some of the same labeled stuff they bought say within the last 5-10 years? Any real test of reliability you can make note of? Any concerns? You're more than welcome to put any kind of ammo you have found available.

Most commonly I've found is the bulk Federal Automatch, nothing concerns me nor do I want to influence anyone's contributions with mentioning this ammo. I just bought enough that it does make up a significant amount of my 22LR ammo bank and have yet to test it and hope to do so soon. Lots of ammo has been purchased by myself is less varied than what I saw in 2020. Its a far cry from being available the same way it once was but we know why it exits shelves more quickly. It does look like the labels I didn't see in the last couple years are finally making their appearance again and thus beginning a latitude of testing on QC.

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[boattail]

I haven't bought any rimfire in at least four years. I am sitting on 14k or so. Remington Golden Bullet and Thunderbolt have to be the worst on the market....pop, puff, bang, pew, ping, bop, piff, etc....no two sound the same. I also get rounds that will not chamber. Federal Auto match and the bulk Winchesters work well for me as do the smaller batch CCI. I have mostly bulk Winchester with Federal next. The few bricks of Remington I have are pure range fodder in revolvers.

For decades I have always shot one bought two to build up my stash and never panic bought any. I have enough to wait out shortages and high prices. I just finished up one of my last two bricks I bought in the 80's.

 

[The Heretic]

I have enough different .22 rimfire guns and enough different kinds/brands and levels of quality of .22 ammo (from crap to Eley match ammo), that what doesn't work in one gun will probably work in another. About 70% my ammo is what I call "bulk", the rest ranges from decent to pretty good.

The best IMO is the Federal Hunter Match and the Eley Subsonic HP. - which is noticeably better with regards to group size (about half the size). Then there is the CCI MiniMag level of ammo (different kinds), and on down.

The "bulk" ammo I don't mind shooting up (having 20-30K rounds of it), I use it to practice technique, caring less about group size than about how I felt about my technique/breathing/stability/etc.

As for latest quality, I bought the Federal and Eley last year and it is good ammo - the rest I bought mostly pre-pandemic.

 

[Member 34319]

If anything the loading technique and equipment is getting better over the years. Except maybe for a few manufacturers that have been using the same machines for decades.

If you are buying bulk simply to store it for some random reason? What's that reason? Look there and then decide what ammo to store. If it's defense, buy defense ammo to store. If it's for hunting, buy hunting.

22 is capable of defense and hunting, but it's more a practice/training round if anything else. So if that's the main reason to buy a bunch to store, just get whatever.

I tend to buy whatever is cheapest. I shoot as much as I put as used usually. I shoot what I put aside during times I can't buy more. Then again, I'm a rimfire guy and my thoughts and reasons may be completely different than many.

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

I have enough different .22 rimfire guns and enough different kinds/brands and levels of quality of .22 ammo (from crap to Eley match ammo), that what doesn't work in one gun will probably work in another. About 70% my ammo is what I call "bulk", the rest ranges from decent to pretty good.

The best IMO is the Federal Hunter Match and the Eley Subsonic HP. - which is noticeably better with regards to group size (about half the size). Then there is the CCI MiniMag level of ammo (different kinds), and on down.

The "bulk" ammo I don't mind shooting up (having 20-30K rounds of it), I use it to practice technique, caring less about group size than about how I felt about my technique/breathing/stability/etc.

As for latest quality, I bought the Federal and Eley last year and it is good ammo - the rest I bought mostly pre-pandemic.

The Ely Subsonic and the Biathlon love love love it !

 

[The Heretic]

If you are buying bulk simply to store it for some random reason? What's that reason?

Because this:

22 is capable of defense and hunting, but it's more a practice/training round if anything else. So if that's the main reason to buy a bunch to store, just get whatever.

Being a prepper, .22 rimfire is also good barter ammo.

Beyond that, I buy it because of ammo shortages - when they happen, I don't need to buy it at a high price if I have a lot put back.

 

[FatBoy85]

Because this:

Being a prepper, .22 rimfire is also good barter ammo.

Beyond that, I buy it because of ammo shortages - when they happen, I don't need to buy it at a high price if I have a lot put back.

I'm prepper-lite. I'm open to collection of odds and ends that would prove some value in cases but I'm cheap. So free or the best deal one can get is the aim. I'm also one to have variety, mostly to know how it shoots. I've got two guns in .22. A Henry and a Savage 64f. The lever action has barely 100 rounds through it. Same for the savage, I am looking into a pistol or two but not sure what. Plenty of options and it helps to get a few that'll shoot the things that won't in certain guns.

 

[The Heretic]

I'm prepper-lite. I'm open to collection of odds and ends that would prove some value in cases but I'm cheap. So free or the best deal one can get is the aim. I'm also one to have variety, mostly to know how it shoots. I've got two guns in .22. A Henry and a Savage 64f. The lever action has barely 100 rounds through it. Same for the savage, I am looking into a pistol or two but not sure what. Plenty of options and it helps to get a few that'll shoot the things that won't in certain guns.

I have more .22 rimfire guns than anything else (even my SIGs), so like I said, there is a chance that what doesn't work in one will work in another. Also, neighbors/etc., will likely have .22 rimfire guns too, and as mentioned, they are picky about ammo with not a lot of consistency - what fails in one can easily be great in another, so having different brands/etc. is not a bad idea.

And there is training; I have .22 conversions for some of my SIGs, so besides being cheap training ammo, if the ammo malfunctions, it is a good way to train for handling malfunctions.

 

[FatBoy85]

If anything the loading technique and equipment is getting better over the years. Except maybe for a few manufacturers that have been using the same machines for decades.

If you are buying bulk simply to store it for some random reason? What's that reason? Look there and then decide what ammo to store. If it's defense, buy defense ammo to store. If it's for hunting, buy hunting.

22 is capable of defense and hunting, but it's more a practice/training round if anything else. So if that's the main reason to buy a bunch to store, just get whatever.

I tend to buy whatever is cheapest. I shoot as much as I put as used usually. I shoot what I put aside during times I can't buy more. Then again, I'm a rimfire guy and my thoughts and reasons may be completely different than many.

I couldn't think of a better reason to buy a few boxes and keep them for later. Im not talking a case at a time but closer to 500-1K at a time.and building up. My best ammo is probably about 1K-2K whereas the bulk is mostly 25k+ , def would be using for barter if needed to.

 

[40Garand]

In semis I've always had good luck with CCI Standard Velocity, Winchester, and Federal value packs. I normally steer clear of Remington and Federal American Eagle but have run it in my revolvers, pumps, and bolt guns.

 

[FatBoy85]

I have more .22 rimfire guns than anything else (even my SIGs), so like I said, there is a chance that what doesn't work in one will work in another. Also, neighbors/etc., will likely have .22 rimfire guns too, and as mentioned, they are picky about ammo with not a lot of consistency - what fails in one can easily be great in another, so having different brands/etc. is not a bad idea.

And there is training; I have .22 conversions for some of my SIGs, so besides being cheap training ammo, if the ammo malfunctions, it is a good way to train for handling malfunctions.

I concur. I guess with enough reading I've got the gist of all these factors. Aging ammos (15+ years old) and then now, best to keep storage methods consistent with rimfires as they are finicky and more sensitive. That being said, they get a bad rep....which I don't feel is right or deserved. Sure I've got Remington golden bullets. Golden Turds by others but the guns that fire them are going to play a good part in their consistency. Kinda the reason why I don't want to bad-mouth ammo, it might come in handy when I really need it and I haven't shot it enough. .22 may be small but it gets credit where it's due and should.

 

[Member 34319]

Because this:

Being a prepper, .22 rimfire is also good barter ammo.

Beyond that, I buy it because of ammo shortages - when they happen, I don't need to buy it at a high price if I have a lot put back.

If you own mostly 22 this makes sense.

It's those that own one and have 20,000 stored thinking that that's the best thing for an event that irks me.

Maybe 5k is ok to keep stored. Still more than you'll likely ever use in an event things go bad. For barter, I wouldn't be trading 500 round bricks. More like 10 at a time if that. If someone is desperate for ammo, it's likely going to be for a caliber greater than 22lr. They will likely need 9mm or 556.

My point was, if you own an AR. Store that ammo. A 30-30 store that. 9mm pistol is your main gun, store that. It will be better at both mention above reasons and store better over longer periods of time. It will also hold more value over time too.

Buying 22 if it is outside your normal gear seems similar to me to those that bought 3 years worth of toilet paper last year. It's not truly needed unless you have some 50 22s to feed and you feed them regularly.

All of this is coarse is my opinion, others might vary.

 

[oremike]

I have lots of .22 ammo and have 4 guns to shoot it in. The Henry will shoot anything you can fit in the tube, The Savage bolt gun while it will shoot any ammo, really shoots standard velocity 40gr solids the best. Both the semi-auto pistols like the higher velocity stuff with the Victory having a preference for the heaver bullets. So for me having lots of 22 ammo isn't a one size fits all. it's more like 4 different guns with 4 different ammos. Now days when I see .22 ammo on the shelf I have a knee jerk reaction and buy my allotted 2 boxes and add them to the stash. Honestly I'm not buying it to keep for the EOTWAWKI event, I buy it because I'm a shooting enthusiast and don't want to run out. Honestly, when my kids and grand kids get to shooting the .22s it's pretty easy to go thru 1000 rounds in a day. That means 20,000 rounds is only 20 days of shooting. IMHO it's best to keep the pot full so to speak.

 

[The Heretic]

Well, I have 10+ rimfires (I have trouble keeping track - I don't like to write down what I have - plausible deniability and all) and I just got another one this week. They are relatively inexpensive to buy, own and run.

I also have somewhere between 35-40K round of ammo. More than I will ever need. But I do want to buy more - but smaller quantities of specialty ammo - like the Eley subsonic HP and the Federal Hunter Match.

I do have other ammo - my quantity of centerfire ammo is roughly as large as my rimfire ammo (I try to keep a somewhat accurate inventory now, but I could be off by a few thousand here or there). I have enough for three people (myself, my daughter, her husband) and then some. I have a few calibers where I want to get a few thousand more, but for most, I have more than I need.

It is the categories that are more important to me than calibers; i.e., I have much more defensive ammo than hunting ammo by an order of magnitude. I do not anticipate shooting a lot of .357 mag or .30-30 if SHTF - one hundred rounds of each would be enough to last me for some years, and if that was all the ammo I had in those calibers, I could use .44 mag, .460 mag, .45 LC, .45-70, 12 ga, 20 ga ammo and so on, before I had to use my 7.62x51/.308 or other defensive category ammo to hunt with.

When it comes to bartering, or just plain handing out free ammo - it will be mostly small quantities; enough to be useful if some neighbor simply has only 50 rounds or less, I maybe give them another 50 rounds, but I don't let them know that I could easily give them 500 rounds. Having the good will of my neighbors is important to me if SHTF; one is a surgeon, two are nurses, two are engineers, at least two are really good hunters, and they are all younger, several have young adult offspring, and in much better health than I am (so able and willing to help out with hard work).

 

[FatBoy85]

If you own mostly 22 this makes sense.

It's those that own one and have 20,000 stored thinking that that's the best thing for an event that irks me.

Maybe 5k is ok to keep stored. Still more than you'll likely ever use in an event things go bad. For barter, I wouldn't be trading 500 round bricks. More like 10 at a time if that. If someone is desperate for ammo, it's likely going to be for a caliber greater than 22lr. They will likely need 9mm or 556.

My point was, if you own an AR. Store that ammo. A 30-30 store that. 9mm pistol is your main gun, store that. It will be better at both mention above reasons and store better over longer periods of time. It will also hold more value over time too.

Buying 22 if it is outside your normal gear seems similar to me to those that bought 3 years worth of toilet paper last year. It's not truly needed unless you have some 50 22s to feed and you feed them regularly.

All of this is coarse is my opinion, others might vary.

All of this is a staple. I asked a specific level of questions but I didn't ask about a particular answer of supply. Just about how aging ammos have shot compared to ammos more recently bought. Could care less about how much personal supply Irks and quirks. Heck I'm probably going to listen to more who have older ammo, they'll know better nuances if they work better or best to toss in a wheel gun and shoot rotten eggs with em.

 

[The Heretic]

All of this is a staple. I asked a specific level of questions but I didn't ask about a particular answer of supply. Just about how aging ammos have shot compared to ammos more recently bought. Could care less about how much personal supply Irks and quirks. Heck I'm probably going to listen to more who have older ammo, they'll know better nuances if they work better or best to toss in a wheel gun and shoot rotten eggs with em.

A good amount of my ammo is at least a decade old or two or three (I tend to not shoot a lot - I am a bit of a hoarder). I think I said in an earlier post, I have noticed no difference.

 

[Member 34319]

All of this is a staple. I asked a specific level of questions but I didn't ask about a particular answer of supply. Just about how aging ammos have shot compared to ammos more recently bought. Could care less about how much personal supply Irks and quirks. Heck I'm probably going to listen to more who have older ammo, they'll know better nuances if they work better or best to toss in a wheel gun and shoot rotten eggs with em.

Sorry, was trying to get an idea of why you want to store ammo in the first place.

If it helps, I've shot 22 over the last 15-20 years. Some older stuff shot just as good as the new stuff.

I've often wondered if the priming compound settles inside 22 cases over long periods of time. I haven't noticed such things. I figure it would become noticeable via increased amount of duds. The older stuff has about the same quantity of duds as the newer stuff.

 

[FatBoy85]

I have lots of .22 ammo and have 4 guns to shoot it in. The Henry will shoot anything you can fit in the tube, The Savage bolt gun while it will shoot any ammo, really shoots standard velocity 40gr solids the best. Both the semi-auto pistols like the higher velocity stuff with the Victory having a preference for the heaver bullets. So for me having lots of 22 ammo isn't a one size fits all. it's more like 4 different guns with 4 different ammos. Now days when I see .22 ammo on the shelf I have a knee jerk reaction and buy my allotted 2 boxes and add them to the stash. Honestly I'm not buying it to keep for the EOTWAWKI event, I buy it because I'm a shooting enthusiast and don't want to run out. Honestly, when my kids and grand kids get to shooting the .22s it's pretty easy to go thru 1000 rounds in a day. That means 20,000 rounds is only 20 days of shooting. IMHO it's best to keep the pot full so to speak.

Yesterday I got to watching a video on YT, called The Hide. He tested a Lever action Rossi. Shot all these ammos called "bubblegum" by most who shoot them: Federal 550 red box bulk, Rem Thunderbolts, Federal Automatch and Blazers. All of.them fired and at least 3 out of 4 were decent sized groups at 25 yards. Am I impressed, sure! Am I convinced? Probably. Is it gonna shoot EVERYTHING? Who knows but I was more than happy to consider that like you said, one can get carried away and shoot a thousand rounds in a day and not realize it, easily. Also I wanna take my daughter out to train her. So each box I take is another hour or two of fun times with her before other interests take hold...
.

 

[oremike]

All of this is a staple. I asked a specific level of questions but I didn't ask about a particular answer of supply. Just about how aging ammos have shot compared to ammos more recently bought. Could care less about how much personal supply Irks and quirks. Heck I'm probably going to listen to more who have older ammo, they'll know better nuances if they work better or best to toss in a wheel gun and shoot rotten eggs with em.

Fair enough, the only .22 I have that I pay attention to the gnats ask accuracy is my Savage bolt gun. I have shot CCI standard velocity match ammo that I bought in an estate sale that was from the '60's, bought the same ammo in the '80's when I was shooting reduced silhouette matches and the same ammo again more recently because it's always shot well for me. It is the one ammo I'll buy every time I see it.

 

[Koda]

Most commonly I've found is the bulk Federal Automatch, nothing concerns me nor do I want to influence anyone's contributions with mentioning this ammo. I just bought enough that it does make up a significant amount of my 22LR ammo bank and have yet to test it and hope to do so soon.

I don't shoot my 22 much but I I had lots of malfunctions with Federal Automatch that day though it grouped very good. Rem Golden bullet grouped the worst that day (prior its held 1/2" groups) and ironically it was the Remington Thunderbolt that grouped the best that day at 25 and 50yds. This was all older ammo I purchased maybe in the last 10 years or so. Recently I purchased some new CCI all copper and some Norma all copper for rabbit and grouse hunting (which I hardly ever do... ) but haven't tried them yet. As far as new production 22 being better than old stored ammo I don't think I could notice a difference for what I use 22 for. Somedays I shoot better than others and clean the gun better than other days.... I don't think that old stored ammo is less accurate. The thing about storing ammo for prepping is if that day came where you need it, you need it to all be the same brand to hold that zero.