Accurate Best Bang For The Buck .22LR Ammo

[LiveLife]

Eley primed standard velocity Aguila ... read they purchased the rights/equipment from them but the new “Aguila prime” they currently offer isn’t the same

did not even know Eley Primed was an option. Definitely worth exploring at the price point.

Aguila 22LR were all "ELEY Prime" before but several years ago, transition to "Aguila Prime" and we saw both ELEY and Aguila primed ammunition for sale.

Now, it's all "Aguila Prime" for if you see any "ELEY Prime", it's new old stock as I am not aware of Aguila making any ELEY primed 22LR currently.

During my 40,000+ round 22LR testing the past several years, I did initial comparison testing and Aguila primed did not match the groups produced by Eley primed. But several years later, new lots of boxed (Not loose bulk) Aguila primed, particularly 40 gr Lead RN are producing comparable if not slightly smaller groups compared to ELEY primed stock I have on hand - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/affordable-22lr-lowest-shipped-pricing.902560/page-5

And for me, Eley/Aguila primed 40 gr LRN always produced slightly smaller groups with less flyers than Aguila Pistol Match 40 gr LRN.

These are from my recent 10,000+ round testing with new 10/22 and T/CR22 from smaller to larger groups - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...t-shipped-pricing.902560/page-5#post-12304852

• Aguila 40 gr LRN (ELEY Prime) - Boxed - Consistent group size (No longer produced)
• Aguila 40 gr LRN (Aguila Prime, New) - Boxed - Consistent group size (Larger than 1/2" to 3/4")
• Aguila 40 gr LRN (Aguila Prime, Old) - Boxed - Consistent group size (Larger than 1/2" to 3/4")
• Aguila 40 gr CPRN (ELEY Prime) - Boxed - Consistent group size (No longer produced)
• Aguila 40 gr CPRN (Aguila Prime) - Boxed - Consistent group size (3/4"-1")
• Aguila 40 gr LRN Pistol Match (ELEY Prime) - Boxed, Consistent group size around (3/4"-1")
• Aguila 40 gr CPRN (Aguila Prime) - 250/500 round Loose Bulk - 1"+ with elongation (I attribute this to greater velocity variation)
• Aguila 38 gr CPRN (Aguila Prime) - 250/500 round Loose Bulk - 1"+ with elongation (I attribute this to greater velocity variation)

 

[DMW1116]

I’ve had good accuracy from most of my 22s with CCI SV. It’s something I feel has to be disqualified from a rifle or pistol rather than qualified. It’s not always the best, but it’s nearly always good.

I’ve been playing with my Henry lately and it appears to like the Aguila Super Extra high velocity, Aguila SE Standard Velocity, and Federal Automatch in that order. The CCI offerings are just a bit behind the Aguila ones. It also shoots Norma Tac target (1080 fps) about the same as Automatch.

I tried some SK target ammo but it seems meant for rifles. I was using it in my Victory pistol. Accuracy was good but the lube seemed excessive.

 

[I6turbo]

Couple things....

It was common knowledge a few years back the Wolf Match Extra was hands down the ammo of choice for CZ’s. If this question was asked then, it was nearly always the overwhelming favorite. It was made by one of the common companies, SK maybe. Disremember. I believe Wolf has changed suppliers since. At the time I bought several bricks and still have most of it.

Wolf Match Target used to be the same as SK Standard Plus (made by the same group that makes Lapua). As you said, it was commonly the best performing for a lot of CZ owners, along with its twin, SK Standard Plus, for mid grade target ammo. The right higher end ammo in a given rifle is definitely going to shoot better than mid- or lower-grade ammo, other than perhaps a few cherry-picked groups. The insurmountable handicap that mid- and lower-end ammo has is that the muzzle velocities are not consistent enough to avoid flyers. If a shooter finds one of these that suits your rifle, you can get some good groups. But, there will be enough deviants mixed in that it generally can't compete with higher-precison loadings like Center-X, Midas, etc. when the rifle and shooter are both capable of really tight groups.

A few years ago (2018 +/-) Wolf switched suppliers and started sourcing from Eley. I forget which Eley lines people now say = the Wolf products. I've seen reports from people who compared the old vs. new Wolf (Laupa vs. Eley). I think more of them felt the old stuff worked better, but it was mixed to some extent, which one would expect knowing how individual .22 LR rifles tend to have their own favorites.

 

[LiveLife]

Eventually I will spend the +20 cents a round but for now I just want a good 10/12 cent round that shoots well for practice and plinking.

I thought OP was looking for 10-12 cents a round ammunition?

Most "match grade" ammunition like cheapest Wolf Match are north of 15 cents a round - https://ammoseek.com/ammo/22lr?ekw=Federal AutoMatch&ikw=Match

Under 10 cents a round, OP is essentially looking at boxed CCI, Blazer, Aguila and Norma.

 

[wcwhitey]

I thought OP was looking for 10-12 cents a round ammunition?

Most "match grade" ammunition like cheapest Wolf Match are north of 15 cents a round - https://ammoseek.com/ammo/22lr?ekw=Federal AutoMatch&ikw=Match

Under 10 cents a round, OP is essentially looking at boxed CCI, Blazer, Aguila and Norma.

I count tax and shipping. Cheaper is always better, round numbers. The best deal will be found once I find something the rifle likes. Old habit of a reloader. All things have to be considered to truly know the cost of a box. But I completely understand. I doubt at this point my shooting could tell the difference between good and great. I will work with good!

 

[Cacas ex Fortuna]

WE have 3 50 call ammo cans full.
One is full of CCI Stingers, One is full of Aquilla Super Match, and the 3rd has collection form the last 60 years.
Some day Ill get a bolt action 22, till then its all trading stock.

 

[Bartojc]

CCI Standard Velocity is my default go to for good, reliable, and economical .22 RF. For the money they seem to be some of the best.

-Jeff

 

[I6turbo]

CCI Standard Velocity is my default go to for good, reliable, and economical .22 RF. For the money they seem to be some of the best.

-Jeff

Have any of you guys carefully compared any recent lots (last couple of years) of CCI SV to lots from, say, 5-7 years ago? I've read a small number of claims where people say they don't think the recent stuff shoots as tight. I haven't seen enough such reports to take it too seriously, and I have no idea about how these guys "tested" the lots, but it does prompt the question.

The reason I ask is that I have a little bit of CCI SV from 8-10 years ago that I'd never shot. I recently shot some of it in my Winchester 52 B and it was outstandingly accurate. Shooting from a not-so-great rest/setup, it did very well at 25 and 50 yards (I didn't shoot further than 50 yards). Below is a target with the first 5 shots from a cold, freshly cleaned barrel. The only shot that wasn't centered exactly in the preceding hole was the 2nd one fired, and on that shot I didn't perfectly re-align the gun vertically between shots (I think it was leaning a tiny bit). So, there were 4 rounds through the same exact hole, plus one round where I knew I wasn't holding true. I thought those first 5 rounds would be foulers, but after the 2nd shot went essentially into the same hole as the 1st, paid more attention to the aim and it just kept putting them in the original hole. I had some more groups like this, but I shot those targets up with a bunch of rounds from other guns and didn't photograph or keep them. It makes me think about buying some more CCI SV....

 

[GHinNH]

The Eley primed standard velocity Aguila ammunition is what my 455 really likes. One on the left.

View attachment 1112344

I have read they purchased the rights/equipment from them but the new “Aguila prime” they currently offer isn’t the same.

View attachment 1112349

And that brings up a good point on .22 LR ammunition. When you do find some that really shoots buy all of that lot you can.

For example, 20 something years ago, a friend and I discovered a particular lot of Winchester dynapoint ($8/500 rounds) was very, very close to the accuracy Federal gold match out of a couple of out rifles, at much lower cost. Bought all of the lot I could, only have about 15k left but it turned out to be one of my better buys.

I never noticed that!!! Now I'll have to go dig out my stash and check them.

 

[jmorris]

I have no idea about how these guys "tested" the lots, but it does prompt the question.

I don’t know if this last panic changed things but champions choice used to sell small quantities that you could test then buy large quantities of the same lot, if you found something your firearm liked.

 

[Riomouse911]

Like the others, my .22’s are like English cars; every one has a personality of its own and no two like the same things.

My 455 loves Blazer and standard velocity stuff from CCI and Sterling Cross (A Canadian brand, it’s probably repackaged stuff from somewhere.) Norma TAC 22 also shoots well.

Doesn’t like Armscor or several others I’ve tried. (50 yds)




Ya just gotta try a bunch to find the ones they really like .

Stay safe.

 

[allisd17]

Ya just gotta try a bunch to find the ones they really like .

.

Thankfully, .22LR is relatively cheap enough to allow me to do this. The best selection of .22 ammo I've ever seen is at Scheel's. Last time I was there, I bought 8 boxes of different varieties, priced anywhere anywhere from $5 to $15 a box. Am in the process of testing all of them in all of my rifles & pistols. That, in itself, is a lot of fun!!!! In the meantime, I bought a case of CCI SV online for everyday use because I know that all of my guns approve

 

[CCSIG]

My CZ 457 At-One consistently likes Norma TAC22, CCI SV and Green Tag, and most of the SK line of ammo from Lapua. At least half the fun of accurate 22s is the process of finding out what they'll shoot well.

 

[czhen]

Mostly I use CCI standard on rifles, Federal Automatch (325 rounds) on Ruger Mark III for steel challenge. So, I can keep the fun between budgets. There plenty of others brand named before my post.
Nothing coopered nor hollow.

 

[MarshallDodge]

Federal Automatch and CCI SV are about the the same performance wise but SV costs more.

The thing that drives me nuts about both of them is that I can shoot a 50 yard group and have one little ragged 4 shot hole and then a flyer about 1/2" away. They just aren't consistent. Norma TAC 22 is a bit better and then SK Standard Plus afer that.

 

[LiveLife]

Federal Automatch and CCI SV are about the the same performance wise but SV costs more.

During my 10,000 round testing with 10/22 and T/CR22, CCI SV (Along with Blazer) produced consistently smallest 1/2"+ groups while AutoMatch produced much larger 1"+ groups with many flyers at 50 yards (T/CR22 at 3000 round count with KSA bull barrel at 500 round count) - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...22lr-on-the-cheap.898035/page-2#post-12180149

T/CR22 at 2000 round count with factory barrel - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...izing-22lr-on-the-cheap.898035/#post-12146603

10/22 at 4000 round count with newly installed Volquartsen trigger kit - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...izing-22lr-on-the-cheap.898035/#post-12145890

 

[tominboise]

In my experience the Fed automatch worked OK in my 22lr pistols for offhand target shooting at 15 yards but wasn't worth messing with in my rifles. Kudo's to @LiveLife for the amount of testing performed and then shared with the rest of us.

 

[LiveLife]

The thing that drives me nuts about both of them is that I can shoot a 50 yard group and have one little ragged 4 shot hole and then a flyer about 1/2" away. They just aren't consistent.

Kudo's to @LiveLife for the amount of testing performed and then shared with the rest of us.

Gladly ... I am fan of "Open Source" and free sharing of information type person.

During my 40,000+ round testing of nearly 30 different brands/weights/lots of 22LR heavily referenced/confirmed by experience of match shooters on THR/RFC, I am "starting" to believe there are no "flyers".

I have done shot group composite overlay analysis of cold barrel/hot barrel/clean barrel/dirty barrel/cold ammo/hot ammo (round allowed to warm up in hot chamber) and found these problems/solutions so far:

• Initial cold barrel group can vary significantly - I shoot a box or two to warm up the barrel before capturing my "average" 5/10 shot groups

• As barrel vibrates and warms up, contact with stock can increase group size - Free-float barrel using a shim under V-block so copy paper can freely slide around barrel

• Factory Ruger 10/22 bolt without pinned firing pin can add to flyers, especially first shot flyer - Have CPC rework the bolt face and pin firing pin or buy CNC machined bolt that's pinned like Power Custom Match bolt

• Factory 7.5 lb trigger can increase group size - Break-in the trigger down to 4.5 lbs by shooting 4000 rounds or do a "drop in" trigger kit to reduce trigger down to less than 2.5 lbs

• Trigger and grip push/pull and shooter fatigue can cause left/right scatter of group size - Work on trigger control, grip and shooter fatigue with regular breaks to using bipod/rear bag/Lead Sled/remote trigger

• Loose scope ring/mount bolts and movement of receiver in stock can cause elongation/drifting/scatter of groups - Properly torque and Loctite bolts and improve bedding of receiver to stock to eliminate play (I use strips of electrical tape on rear of receiver)

• Clean barrel takes a while to start producing consistent groups again - Don't clean barrel (Bore brush with solvent) rather run dry patches between shooting sessions and clean when group size increases (My 10/22 barrel has been bore brushed only 3 times during 6500 rounds of shooting and rifling remains clean without leading)

• Inconsistent muzzle velocities cause vertical stringing/scatter - Use ammunition that produce less vertical stringing/scatter and do not "cook" cold ammunition in hot chamber

• Barrel harmonics cause large scatter of group size - Use barrel tuners and/or ammunition that minize group size scatter

Doing all above has essentially eliminated most flyers with CCI SV/Blazer/Aguila 40 gr LRN for my 10/22 with factory barrel except shooter induced left/right scatter that "appears" to be flyers on target.

 

[Random 8]

Definitely give Fed automatch and CCI blaser a try to see if your rifle likes them. Both shoot extremely well in mine, rivaling European match ammunition.

 

[wcwhitey]

Best group of the day for the Cz 457 .43” 50 yards Aquila Target Competition 40 Grain Lead off bench with bipod no other supports. Best group of the day for my son and his Ruger American was .75 same setup with CCI Standard. That ammo was also a decent shooter in the CZ with a .67 group with a called flyer (could have done better was on me). All of the Aquilas shot decent in the 457, the Eley primed was #2 of the day with a .617 group. My sons Ruger did not like anything Aquila. Looks like the CCI Standard Velocity is the budget bang for the buck at 3.99 a box. Procedure was 5 fouler sighting shots then a 5 shot group on the labeled target. Top left was for fouler shots.

 

[LocoGringo]

My CZ-457 Varmint has done best so far with Eley Force and Norma Tac-22. The Eley is supersonic, so I'm not so sure how it does at 100 or beyond as it will hit the transonic at some point and I hear that accuracy degrades when passing transonic. The Norma Tac-22 I use is the black box. Norma changed something when they went to red box and I hear the ammo shoots differently, but I have not tested that yet.

An additional ammo that both of my rifles like (CZ-457, Ruger 10/22) is the CCI suppressed. That stuff is fantastic, but a bit more expensive than your desires right now. Typically, with the Force and Tac-22 I hover in the .4"/.5" area with 5-shot groups and an occasional .3".

 

[IowaBob]

My CZ 457 works well with Norma TAC-22, which is often available on-sale direct from Norma. The last batch I bought was $3.48 / box of 50, with free shipping for orders over $150. That's cheaper than most crappy ammo I find locally.

The high-dollar Eley stuff shoots a little better, for considerably more money. A better shooter, or a better rifle might get different results, but I'm happy with the TAC-22.

 

[sparkyv]

I think these tow posts cover it well for my CZs and a Bergara BMR:

I think you will find cci standard shoots above its price point, it seems to for me and many others. Other favorites being the aguila subsonic solids and HP and the super extra both copper washed and plain lead shoot very well.

I’ve had good accuracy from most of my 22s with CCI SV. It’s something I feel has to be disqualified from a rifle or pistol rather than qualified. It’s not always the best, but it’s nearly always good.

Oh yeah, I'll add that the Norma Tac-22 is a great value and shoots almost as good as CCI SV. And the Aguila SV LRN is a true sleeper.

Full disclosure: all my 22LR ammo was acquired pre-scamdemic, and I've not evaluated the newer CCI and Norma ammo in new/revised packaging.


You've got a winning combination! I hope you have plenty of that lot in your inventory.

I have been having good result with SK Standard+ in my 10/22 for NRL22 matches. I have had good luck with most of the SK ammo I tried but my 10/22 liked Standard+ best of what I tried.

5-shot, 50 yard group shot from a bipod and rear bag on a portable shooting bench.

 

[MarshallDodge]

Gladly ... I am fan of "Open Source" and free sharing of information type person.

During my 40,000+ round testing of nearly 30 different brands/weights/lots of 22LR heavily referenced/confirmed by experience of match shooters on THR/RFC, I am "starting" to believe there are no "flyers".

I have done shot group composite overlay analysis of cold barrel/hot barrel/clean barrel/dirty barrel/cold ammo/hot ammo (round allowed to warm up in hot chamber) and found these problems/solutions so far:

• Initial cold barrel group can vary significantly - I shoot a box or two to warm up the barrel before capturing my "average" 5/10 shot groups

• As barrel vibrates and warms up, contact with stock can increase group size - Free-float barrel using a shim under V-block so copy paper can freely slide around barrel

• Factory Ruger 10/22 bolt without pinned firing pin can add to flyers, especially first shot flyer - Have CPC rework the bolt face and pin firing pin or buy CNC machined bolt that's pinned like Power Custom Match bolt

• Factory 7.5 lb trigger can increase group size - Break-in the trigger down to 4.5 lbs by shooting 4000 rounds or do a "drop in" trigger kit to reduce trigger down to less than 2.5 lbs

• Trigger and grip push/pull and shooter fatigue can cause left/right scatter of group size - Work on trigger control, grip and shooter fatigue with regular breaks to using bipod/rear bag/Lead Sled/remote trigger

• Loose scope ring/mount bolts and movement of receiver in stock can cause elongation/drifting/scatter of groups - Properly torque and Loctite bolts and improve bedding of receiver to stock to eliminate play (I use strips of electrical tape on rear of receiver)

• Clean barrel takes a while to start producing consistent groups again - Don't clean barrel (Bore brush with solvent) rather run dry patches between shooting sessions and clean when group size increases (My 10/22 barrel has been bore brushed only 3 times during 6500 rounds of shooting and rifling remains clean without leading)

• Inconsistent muzzle velocities cause vertical stringing/scatter - Use ammunition that produce less vertical stringing/scatter and do not "cook" cold ammunition in hot chamber

• Barrel harmonics cause large scatter of group size - Use barrel tuners and/or ammunition that minize group size scatter

Doing all above has essentially eliminated most flyers with CCI SV/Blazer/Aguila 40 gr LRN for my 10/22 with factory barrel except shooter induced left/right scatter that "appears" to be flyers on target.

A good barrel won't show much for signs of a cold bore if they are made right. You can see more change from the chamber temperature which will throw the load in and out of tune with the barrel harmonics.

A tuner can always help if you want to deal with it. I usually see a big improvement with bulk ammo if I put a suppressor on my CZ 455.

Yes, there is a lot of vertical dispersion with bulk ammo. There is very little for lot control and you get bullets of different diameters, brass dimensions, and charge weights.


I can shoot 0.3" groups consistently at 50 yards using my Vudoo and SK Standard Plus


This is what I shoot with a Bergara B14R at the same distance using Automatch


The vertical dispersion is quite noticeable in the bottom photo, but the Mean Radius is still pretty decent. It is accurate enough to hit golf balls at 100 yards, about 80% of the time.

 

[TonyAngel]

For cheap shooting ... Aguila and CCI standard velocity. Can hit peppermint candies at 100 with either.