Heath
Member
What is the best ammo for 22 cal targrt shooting.
22 ammo
- Thread starter Heath
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Steve H
Member
First, Welcome to the board. As far as what is "best", that's a question that can have many different answers. How serious is your target shooting? Are you just plinking or are you in competition? How much do you want to spend on ammo? To me one of the most important questions is, what ammo does your gun like? What velocity do you want to be shooting at? There a probally a hundred different types of .22 long rifle available. The fun thing is finding which one fits your needs best.
Firehand
Member
That's going to depend both on what kind of shooting, and your firearm.
If you're going into serious competition, you'll need some of the match-grade ammo like Eley or Lapua for competition, but lots of people use their 'lower grade' ammo for practice(lower grade often only for cosmetic reasons, still very good stuff).
If you're talking general target shooting you won't have to have the top-grade stuff, what you find locally can work just fine.
In either case, lots of .22 firearms are known to be quite picky about what they actually shoot well with. Only way to find out what yours likes is to get a box each of a number of different types and try them. I've got an old BSA Martini rifle that, of everything I've tried, shoots the best with either Eley Sport(just about their lowest grade) and Federal Lightning(about $.90 a box at Academy), gets 1.5" groups at 100 yards with those. Others only get the best results with the very best ammo, which means around $10/box.
If you're going into serious competition, you'll need some of the match-grade ammo like Eley or Lapua for competition, but lots of people use their 'lower grade' ammo for practice(lower grade often only for cosmetic reasons, still very good stuff).
If you're talking general target shooting you won't have to have the top-grade stuff, what you find locally can work just fine.
In either case, lots of .22 firearms are known to be quite picky about what they actually shoot well with. Only way to find out what yours likes is to get a box each of a number of different types and try them. I've got an old BSA Martini rifle that, of everything I've tried, shoots the best with either Eley Sport(just about their lowest grade) and Federal Lightning(about $.90 a box at Academy), gets 1.5" groups at 100 yards with those. Others only get the best results with the very best ammo, which means around $10/box.
jmorris
Member
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I’ve tested many loadings and found Eley Tenex to be consistently a top performer, Federal Gold Match as well. A few years ago I stumbled across some Winchester Dynapoint (Wal-Mart bulk packs) that shot so close to the premium stuff that I bought all they had. As above, with 22 LR it pays to test as many different loads as possible to get optimum results, and every firearm is different.
Sunray
Member
What firearm? In any case, you'll have to try as many brands as you can to find the one or two your pistol will both shoot well and cycle the action. No two pistols or rifles will shoot the same ammo the same way. The price of said ammo means nothing either. .22's are just like that.
I recall this discussion came up a short time ago:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=249084&highlight=ammo
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=249084&highlight=ammo
ocabj
Member
Most of the guys at my club who shoot benchrest use Lapua Midas L and Midas M.
arcticap
Member
Generally, standard velocity ammo will be the most accurate. Some guns might like subsonic or high velocity better, but standard velocity is usually referred to as "target" ammo, and is also what is mostly used in rifle and pistol matches. 
sansone
Member
federal sells bulk (500) "gold" lookin bullets cheap and they shoot real consistent. depends on how perfect you need them to be. you can spend a lot on match .22's
KINGMAX
Member
REMINGTON
At WALLYWORLD - REMINGTON (in green & gold box) - 550 per box - My Ruger 10/22 say 'yumm yumm eat em up', my Walther P22 = yumm yumm, my daughters Remington 597 says yumm yumm,
Get the idea = JOMHO
All kidding aside - I have had the bet performance and the least amout of jams w/ Remington 22 lr's in my 22 toys.
I bought just one box of the federal in the blue box. I was glad when I had shot them all up. My Walther P22 puked em back. I don' know why.
At WALLYWORLD - REMINGTON (in green & gold box) - 550 per box - My Ruger 10/22 say 'yumm yumm eat em up', my Walther P22 = yumm yumm, my daughters Remington 597 says yumm yumm,
Get the idea = JOMHO
All kidding aside - I have had the bet performance and the least amout of jams w/ Remington 22 lr's in my 22 toys.
I bought just one box of the federal in the blue box. I was glad when I had shot them all up. My Walther P22 puked em back. I don' know why.
VARifleman
Member
Heath, you really have to tell us what kind of target shooting. Is it 3p or prone, ISSF, NRA, sporter, what? What gun are you using.
For 3p and prone precision .22 rifle, I find that good practice ammo would be RWS Target Rifle, Lapua Super Club, or SK Standard Plus. I DO NOT recomend Eley Target as it doesn't seem to be too accurate and is dirtier than I'd ever want to believe an ammo could be. I use an Anschutz 2013 for comparison. For Match ammo I've had good luck with all the major top lots, and some of the lower ones too. Old RWS (nickle cased) is amazing stuff in my gun. Best thing I ever did for one prone match was forget to bring ammo and come home with half a brick of that stuff. Amazing groups at a hundred, but right now, I'm finishing up a lot of Eley Tennex, 1074 velocity, and going onto a case of Lapua Midas M. Eley Semi-Auto and Lapua Midas L are for slightly larger chambers and I find them to be troublesome to load into my rifle. The key is to test lots when you're up at Perry and buy a case or two of the best stuff.
For 3p and prone precision .22 rifle, I find that good practice ammo would be RWS Target Rifle, Lapua Super Club, or SK Standard Plus. I DO NOT recomend Eley Target as it doesn't seem to be too accurate and is dirtier than I'd ever want to believe an ammo could be. I use an Anschutz 2013 for comparison. For Match ammo I've had good luck with all the major top lots, and some of the lower ones too. Old RWS (nickle cased) is amazing stuff in my gun. Best thing I ever did for one prone match was forget to bring ammo and come home with half a brick of that stuff. Amazing groups at a hundred, but right now, I'm finishing up a lot of Eley Tennex, 1074 velocity, and going onto a case of Lapua Midas M. Eley Semi-Auto and Lapua Midas L are for slightly larger chambers and I find them to be troublesome to load into my rifle. The key is to test lots when you're up at Perry and buy a case or two of the best stuff.
DWARREN123
Member
Each firearm is an individual. You will have to try them to find out what your firearm likes best. With that said there are some to start with such as Eley and other match type ammo. Ask others what they use and check out rimfire forums.
testar77
Member
.22 ammo
Well it depends on what you call "target shooting" Are you shooting a discipline, or just plinking and punchin paper? If you are shooting a discipline like Bullseye for instance, I have not seen anything in a "Bulk" 550 pack, or a Wally World special anywhere near worthy of shooting a discipline like that. Like Bdutton says click on that link, there is a lot of good info there.
Well it depends on what you call "target shooting" Are you shooting a discipline, or just plinking and punchin paper? If you are shooting a discipline like Bullseye for instance, I have not seen anything in a "Bulk" 550 pack, or a Wally World special anywhere near worthy of shooting a discipline like that. Like Bdutton says click on that link, there is a lot of good info there.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
I was going to post a link to the thread I started a while back but "bdutton" got to it first.
Health,
There is a lot of good information on .22LR ammo in that thread, you should look there.
Since then I have found that CCI Standard Velocity (#0032) and CCI Pistol Match (#0051) seem to work best in my .22 Pistol. I'm sure Eley ammo is better but I can't afford that ammo.
If you are asking about a rifle, that would change the answers. CCI Green Tag (#0033) is very accurate in rifles. I found that Fiocchi, Super Match is very accurate too. Again, Eley is great ammo but very expensive.
Health,
There is a lot of good information on .22LR ammo in that thread, you should look there.
Since then I have found that CCI Standard Velocity (#0032) and CCI Pistol Match (#0051) seem to work best in my .22 Pistol. I'm sure Eley ammo is better but I can't afford that ammo.
If you are asking about a rifle, that would change the answers. CCI Green Tag (#0033) is very accurate in rifles. I found that Fiocchi, Super Match is very accurate too. Again, Eley is great ammo but very expensive.
Sven
Senior Member
Depends on the model, finish, and serial number on your gun. You gotta buy a bunch and try it out, you may be surprised.
Myself, I'm partial to Wolf Match... shoots great and smells sweet, too.
You gotta buy a bunch and try it out, you may be surprised.Myself, I'm partial to Wolf Match... shoots great and smells sweet, too.
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