22LR ammo debate-discourse

[FatBoy85]

Mine seems to really like Wolf Match…which is apparently made on old Eley machinery. 5 shot 50 yards:
View attachment 1113988

I have yet to find Wolf Match ammo. Plus when I think of wolf in general, I think of some of the cheapest ammo but the .22LR niche for them is higher quality. Hope some shows up for a test or might have to order it.

 

[FatBoy85]

I like CCI standard and Blazer brass best. Federal and Aguila have also performed well.

The one I won't buy under any circumstances is Winchester.

Aguila is one that turned my head. It's apparently a very decent ammo that had a very low price. At least it did when I bought it, now it's quite a hike. In fact it's doubled, I bought at a black Friday sale some at 12.50 for a 250 count box, then went up around 15 dollars. Then now same box count is around 30.

 

[The Heretic]

SGAmmo has wolf match right now. $100 per 500. I'm thinking of picking up a brick.

If I am going to pay 20 CPR it will be for real Eley.

 

[Hueco]

I have yet to find Wolf Match ammo. Plus when I think of wolf in general, I think of some of the cheapest ammo but the .22LR niche for them is higher quality. Hope some shows up for a test or might have to order it.

TargetSports had Wolf Match Target and Match Extra a while back for wayyyyy too much cost. Still, I wanted to try it.

I also associate wolf with cheap of the cheap ammo…but learned that they are using Eley machinery to make it…which to me makes it seem like it's just rebranded Eley.

The rounds are still headstamped with an E:

 

[tac]

Well, it might come as a surprise to learn that here in England I have seven .22LR rifles.

However, because I don't actually shoot much by way of competition, I don;t actually shoot much, although, of course I could. Pal Jon gets through about a thousand every Sunday with his innumerable 30rd mags for his .22LR AR look-alikes from Daniel Defense and Lantac. He derives get satisfaction from emptying three or four mags just as fast as he can squeeze the trigger.

Not my style, but each to his own.

It has to be said that he is a part-time Firearms Enquiries Officer, working for the tri-county police authority. A former full-timer, you can bet your life that he got on the ammunition-holding bandwagon well before the inevitable clamp-down back in 1997 after the Dunblane Massacre,

I am only allowed to have 500 in my possession at any one time. For most of you, that's a warmup session. Here,' it's all I can have before I go buy some more by means of a face-to-face transaction at a LGS that involves producing my Firearms Certificate to the dealer so that he can see my allowance, and after selling me the correct amount, he has to sign in the 'ammunition acquired' section just how much I bought and when...

No wonder I get peeved when I read about you buying 5000 or 10000 at a time while you STILL have ten or twenty thousand hanging around.........

 

[OutwardHound]

I have a Henry .22 lever action. I have yet to find ammo it won't shoot well.

 

[Lennie]

I have yet to find Wolf Match ammo. Plus when I think of wolf in general, I think of some of the cheapest ammo but the .22LR niche for them is higher quality. Hope some shows up for a test or might have to order it.

The wolf match ammo has usually been loaded by either Lapua or Eley. Wolf is not an ammo manufacturer. Wolf redistributes and sells ammo that is produced for them by different manufacturers around the world. Wolf's ammo has come from Russia, former eastern block countries, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Taiwan, Israel and other places.

 

[Lennie]

Regarding the rants on some Federal and Remington ammo. Historically these comments were true. However with Vista Group owning Federal, Remington and CCI-it is hard to know which of Vista's plants produced the ammo. I know the CCI in Lewiston has produced ammo packaged as Federal ammo.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

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.

Here is where I would rank based on reliability (most important to me), consistency (2nd for me and consistency actually translates to "accuracy"), cleanliness (3rd). Based on about 50-60 different guns over the last 30 years or so. 10 = best. These r only ones I've shot personally. Never shot brands like Norma, Tenex and others. These rankings are based mainly on recent use (ie probably current versions of the ammo but who knows, with exception of Winchester which I haven't shot for probably 20 years).

10 - Eley match
7.5 - American eagle suppressor
7 - cci mini mag
7- cci suppressor
7- cci stinger
7 - cci velocitor
6.5 - federal champion
6.5 - federal automatch
6.5 - federal gold medal match
6.5 - cci standard velocity
5.5 - American eagle
5 - cci blazer when new
5 - federal black pack old version
5 - cci short target
4 - Any aguila except subsonic
3.5 - Winchester white box
3.5 - Remington golden bullet
3 - aguila 60 grain subsonic
1.5 - cci quiet 710? Fps, (NOT quiet semi-auto)
1.5 - cci quiet segmented
1.5 - cci short cb
1.5 - cci long cb
1 - aguila very low velocity (colibre I think?)
1 - federal value pack (NOT value pack champion)
1 - cci blazer when old especially if jostled around a lot and old
1 - Remington thunder bolt

I'm probably missing a bunch but those are off the top of my head.

 

[ma96782]

Imagine......
Finding THAT particular brand of ammo (and particular flavor) at an affordable price yet "good enough" to pass the accuracy and reliability standards set by the OP (for his firearm).

Then maybe one day.....
The OP (or someone else) will be asking questions of everyone about which particular lot number is "The Best"?

IMHO....
Bottom Line : You picked Fed Auto Match and have stocked up. So then.....

UP TO YOU

Aloha, Mark

 

[FatBoy85]

Imagine......
Finding THAT particular brand of ammo (and particular flavor) at an affordable price yet "good enough" to pass the accuracy and reliability standards set by the OP (for his firearm).

Then maybe one day.....
The OP (or someone else) will be asking questions of everyone about which particular lot number is "The Best"?

IMHO....
Bottom Line : You picked Fed Auto Match and have stocked up. So then.....

UP TO YOU

Aloha, Mark

That be heck of a find. Am I Ok with things that just fire and hit something relatively close to what I was aiming at? Absolutely. I don't take part in others but I respect what they say. Everyone who shoots this on the norm has some kind of gripe about it, despite it being the lowest cost round you can buy. Rimfire is just finicky so I'm less holding of expectations and more like you can be very lucky or not so much based on bulk ammo vs precision. Mainly the reason why I want the bulk because I'm not shooting holes the size of pencil erasers in the same place again and again but if it were to happen, it's kinda a rare thing but whatever works. Yes do expect duds to happen and other failures, all part of the fun.
It's not a study I intend to do but so far the trend isn't changing despite ammo that people shot decades and decades ago isn't any better or worse than the stuff made today. Brands will have their own discrepancies of QC. My only slight disappointment is I haven't yet talked to someone who had shot them in the first half of the last century we were in and heard their thoughts. Those folks are gone now.

 

[FatBoy85]

Here is where I would rank based on reliability (most important to me), consistency (2nd for me and consistency actually translates to "accuracy"), cleanliness (3rd). Based on about 50-60 different guns over the last 30 years or so. 10 = best. These r only ones I've shot personally. Never shot brands like Norma, Tenex and others. These rankings are based mainly on recent use (ie probably current versions of the ammo but who knows, with exception of Winchester which I haven't shot for probably 20 years).

10 - Eley match
7.5 - American eagle suppressor
7 - cci mini mag
7- cci suppressor
7- cci stinger
7 - cci velocitor
6.5 - federal champion
6.5 - federal automatch
6.5 - federal gold medal match
6.5 - cci standard velocity
5.5 - American eagle
5 - cci blazer when new
5 - federal black pack old version
5 - cci short target
4 - Any aguila except subsonic
3.5 - Winchester white box
3.5 - Remington golden bullet
3 - aguila 60 grain subsonic
1.5 - cci quiet 710? Fps, (NOT quiet semi-auto)
1.5 - cci quiet segmented
1.5 - cci short cb
1.5 - cci long cb
1 - aguila very low velocity (colibre I think?)
1 - federal value pack (NOT value pack champion)
1 - cci blazer when old especially if jostled around a lot and old
1 - Remington thunder bolt

I'm probably missing a bunch but those are off the top of my head.

Nobody's come in 9 or 8 for ya. Your testing rubric is high standard. Can I ask what guns you were shooting these out of?

 

[deadeye]

I have yet to find Wolf Match ammo. Plus when I think of wolf in general, I think of some of the cheapest ammo but the .22LR niche for them is higher quality. Hope some shows up for a test or might have to order it.

Kinda spendy right now

Wolf Match Target 22 LR Ammo 40 Gr LRN - Ammo Deals

Wolf Match Target 22 Long Rifle Ammo 40 Grain LRN at Target Sports USA. Enjoy free shipping on bulk 22LR ammunition for sale online.

www.targetsportsusa.com

SGAmmo has wolf match right now. $100 per 500. I'm thinking of picking up a brick.

Wolf Match Target 22 LR Ammo 40 Gr LRN - Ammo Deals

Wolf Match Target 22 Long Rifle Ammo 40 Grain LRN at Target Sports USA. Enjoy free shipping on bulk 22LR ammunition for sale online.

www.targetsportsusa.com

Aguila is one that turned my head. It's apparently a very decent ammo that had a very low price. At least it did when I bought it, now it's quite a hike. In fact it's doubled, I bought at a black Friday sale some at 12.50 for a 250 count box, then went up around 15 dollars. Then now same box count is around 30.

I bought 5,000 of the high velocity/ super extra hollow point for $170 in between this and the last shortage. I still have CCI 100 count mini mags from Bi-Mart when it was always on sale at 2 for $5. Been a big user of CCI brand copper plated since I was a kid, it is cleaner and more reliable then alot of the others. A wide selection of rimfire is never a bad thing especially when you buy a new firearm and need to see what it likes.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Nobody's come in 9 or 8 for ya. Your testing rubric is high standard. Can I ask what guns you were shooting these out of?

Just a guess but I would imagine if I tried the SK/Eley (other than match)/tenex stuff those may be 8's or 9's but I have never tried them.

Guns would be various bolt action 16"-24"
Various semi auto subguns and rifles mostly 8", 10", and 16" (most); one 22"
Very large range of pistols from 2"-16", revolvers and semi autos

 

[Burpboxhero]

Factoria Walmart hasn't had 22 ammo on the shelves going on two years now. They regularly don't have any caliber on the shelves.

 

[41mag]

You mention the best way
I've got Russian Junior bricks I wanna try out that are like this but have no idea if they'll do well. They are probably from the 60s and likely some of the oldest .22 ammo I've got.

Beware, that Junior Roosian stuff may be actual Black Powder. Filthiest 22 ammo I've ever seen.

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

I have a Henry .22 lever action. I have yet to find ammo it won't shoot well.

Plus you can use 22 shorts as well as the LR of course but haven't seen 22 short in a few years lol.

 

[Spitpatch]

My .22's (if you count how many you have a problem) are intended for hunting. Yes, even the Government Contract H & R target rifle.

I DO keep high grade target ammo on hand for testing, and also "econo-grade" for kids that want to plink, but in overall experiments for hunting ammo (high velocity hollowpoints), I not only test for accuracy and reliability, I also test for expansion and cleanliness in the gun.

I was shocked when I did expansion tests of .22lr hollowpoints. Most were glaringly inconsistent in various media of capture. Even some respected, accurate versions like Federal Hi-Power failed to expand at all; at an alarming rate enough to raise concern about game loss.

My .22lr ammo of choice for some years has been CCI Mini Mag Hollowpoints. (36grain). They are clean, consistent, and none of my .22's (handguns included) "dislikes" them. In some rifles, they rival the accuracy of the high-dollar target ammo. Expansion is predictable, reliable, and very effective on critters. Without fail, that bullet will mushroom in textbook fashion, not fragment, and on a treed 'coon will stop inside the far edge of the brain pan. On squirrels, it is "Big Medicine".

There may be a reason that the Ciener .22lr conversion kits (and the Kimber version) for the Model 1911's specify this ammunition as a portion of the function guarantee.

To answer the OP's question, my radar went up when this ammo started showing up in "bulk packs" (often with a Southern Gentleman TV star on the package). I have some vintage Mini Mags on hand, tested velocities, expansion and all else, and concluded the quality and consistency is still there.

All my .22's (save one "kitchen gun" sighted for Short Hollowpoints: also CCI) are sighted for this exceptionally good ammo.

 

[Hueco]

My .22's (if you count how many you have a problem) are intended for hunting. Yes, even the Government Contract H & R target rifle.

I DO keep high grade target ammo on hand for testing, and also "econo-grade" for kids that want to plink, but in overall experiments for hunting ammo (high velocity hollowpoints), I not only test for accuracy and reliability, I also test for expansion and cleanliness in the gun.

I was shocked when I did expansion tests of .22lr hollowpoints. Most were glaringly inconsistent in various media of capture. Even some respected, accurate versions like Federal Hi-Power failed to expand at all; at an alarming rate enough to raise concern about game loss.

My .22lr ammo of choice for some years has been CCI Mini Mag Hollowpoints. (36grain). They are clean, consistent, and none of my .22's (handguns included) "dislikes" them. In some rifles, they rival the accuracy of the high-dollar target ammo. Expansion is predictable, reliable, and very effective on critters. Without fail, that bullet will mushroom in textbook fashion, not fragment, and on a treed 'coon will stop inside the far edge of the brain pan. On squirrels, it is "Big Medicine".

There may be a reason that the Ciener .22lr conversion kits (and the Kimber version) for the Model 1911's specify this ammunition as a portion of the function guarantee.

To answer the OP's question, my radar went up when this ammo started showing up in "bulk packs" (often with a Southern Gentleman TV star on the package). I have some vintage Mini Mags on hand, tested velocities, expansion and all else, and concluded the quality and consistency is still there.

All my .22's (save one "kitchen gun" sighted for Short Hollowpoints: also CCI) are sighted for this exceptionally good ammo.

Have you done any tests with velocitors? My 10/22 very much preferred them at 100yds.

 

[Spitpatch]

I have not, and that is impressive.