Best .22lr ammo to buy in bulk

[offshorebear]

All my .22s are either revolvers or bolts, so they arn't that picky when it comes to ammo. Thunderbolts FTF all the time. The Federal 550 pack seems to treat me well so thats what I buy in bulk. Of course CCI is the best for me when it comes to rimfire.

 

[foghornl]

Federal and their American Eagle brand work well for my guns..10/22, Marlin 99, MKII and Single-Six for cheap plinking ammo.

Had too many problems with Rem Dud-bolts...although I do have 2 of the plastic tubs from when Rem marketed the Thunderbolts as "A Bucket Of Bullets"...will hold 500 rounds.

For serious .22LR work, I prefer the CCI 'Stingers'.

 

[doc2rn]

Federal Bulk packs are cheaper, Winchester have better knock down power, Remmington are dirty, and Acquilla is getting too expensive to be competative.

 

[Dobe]

Wal Mart Federal Bulk. I just picked up 14 boxes last weekend. Anticipation for a new TC R-55. . . can hardly wait.

 

[HM2PAC]

Wally World Fed Bulk Packs.

Last summer I was paying $8 per pack.

I noted the price this weekend at $13.

 

[arcticap]

The Federal Bulk won't function well in all Ruger 10/22's, so try some in it first before you invest in too much of it.
One of the favorites for the 10/22 are Winchester Dynapoints, especially if you can find them at a Walmart or elsewhere for a good price. Usually they cost about $15 for a 500 bulk pack, but generally the prices have gone higher everywhere else.

 

[jonboynumba1]

As in all things it depends on what you want it to do. I shoot a LOT of rimfire and shoot matches some...hunt and pest control some. I've owned customized rugers stock rugers (10/22's) remington speedmasters, marlin and Zastava 99 (remington mod 5/ Charles Daly 99 -all the same rifle) I've shot quite a few friends CZ's that also shoot matches and plink a LOT. People at the club compete with everything from $69 marlins to over a grand Anchutz (sp?) with CZ making up the middleground. You can get a gem or a mut anywhere...some ,more likely to be shooters than others. Some shoot nearly anything with great precision but will put some into less that 1/2" at 50 yards all day. You have to shoot it al and find what yours likes and then see what it's best used for (target,hunting cassual plinking ect) But here are some things I've noticed.

Federal bulk pack...on a rare occassion you might get a bad run that doesn't do well in semi autos but in bolts actions and revolvers I've NEVER had an issue...actually I've never had a semi-auto iossue wither but have had friends say they got a bad box before (usually at the same time from walmart...it does happen) But I've had more problems from remington bulkpack than all other rimfire ammo combined. Federal shoots VERY close to POI in almost all riofles with CCI Mini-mags. If your guns like CCI mini-mags they will likely lshoot federal bulk pack with very similar results. I consider mini-mags a great all around hunting round but when I've been down on my luck (years back) all I had waqs my storage federal and I never lost a squirrel or rabit for it. It's also way cheaper than CCI to stock....you should have at least 4-6 bricks MINAMAL put back IMHO (you can't reload it and it only gets more expensive over time...though the metals market is so high right now (and the dollar so low) I don't know if that will be the case right now...but I doubt it will get cheaper anytime soon so stock up!

CCI Mini-Mag- Most guns shoot this well...some shoot it amazingly well. I've seen it be "decent" in many Ruger semi-autos and group around an inch...those are the ones that usually like Federal Automatch Aguilara match (sp?) or Blazer 40gr solids better. It always functions well in all semis and is a tad hotter than bulckpack ammo...mostly it's just more consistent and clean (not being bulk packed and dinged up)

Federal American Eagle- it looks like federal bulkpack in 50rd boxes inside a brick box. Yet oddly it usually shoots a little better in most rifles and seems more consistent like minimags. On sale it can be a great economy match/plinker round.

Blazer 40gr solids- This is without a doubt some of the best "affordable" match grade ammo out there...it's not billed that way but it shoots extremely well in most CZ and other quallity bolt actions. Often it's mediocre in 10/22's but always worth trying out in any rimfire. Some pistols (especially Ruger single sixes) really like it as well. It will shoot right alongside the $5-6 a box stuff in my remington mod 5 and several buds CZ's Very good budget target round!

Aguilla match ammo (I've shot some of the various types...best I can recall it comes in silver and gold and match and match extra versions. One will generaly bu just sub HV speeds and one will be subsonic speeds (I think the match extra best I can recall) It used to be a lot cheaper (what hasn't gone up in ammo) some of this stuff will outshoot anything in certain rifles and in some it seems mediocre....usually it's good shooting stuff but your rifle may preffer one or another...best to order a few boxes rather than bricks and try it out. Lately it hasn't seemed a great value.

Winchester super-X match completely unimpressed....it shoots well in some rifles but had much different POI in my mod 5 and in it and several CZ's was not as good as wolf or blazer solids. I think winchester just wanted to fill the $6 a box niche more than they wanted a great match round...waste of money in all my guns.

Wolf- There's a couple versions but the cheaper match is what a lot of folks I know shoot matches with...or do when they can find it. Supply has been spotty at best over the last few years at wholesale and retail levels. In some rifles it is unbeatable...it smells funky though and I don't care for it as blazer will shoot better in mine and as good in most way cheaper.

Remington thunderbolts- In many rifles these are not really accurate...they can be but don't seem as consistent as other bulkpack ammo like fEDERAL EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE BOX/BRICK PACKED. However I have seen them do great work in some guns...my SA ruger LOVES them!! If they are on sale that make a great plinker...also if you like to bust rocks at 100 yards they seem to have more wallop than most downrange being a full 40 grains and solids. If they are on sale for a good price I buy them...but I wouldn't shoot a match with em.

Remington Subsonic- These are HP 40gr and look like thunderbolts with a HP but seem WAY more consistent...they used to be way cheaper but they finaly jumped up the wholesale/retail price to about what thunderbolts go for (sometimes a bit more a brick) They usually function in speedmasters and Ruger 10/22's while being a bit quieter around the yard and at 20-35 yards will bust a bunny or squirrel...though it may be more like being hit with a blunt at long ranges...cheaper than CCI CB-longs though...another great garden/yard round for pests. One thing I've noticed is in many bolt actions these are MATCH GRADE accurate. It's one of the best 3 rounds in my mod 5 and at the club they use them in 4H rimfire shoots and have also gotten great accuracy out of them. It can be a great budget target round and is worth trying out in your gun.

CCI other stuff -stingers...halfway to magnum they will have a higher POI by about 1 1/2" at 100 yards and about 5/8" at 50 yards in most guns. Can be handy in stretching out the stopping power...also does blow up varmints great inside 50 yards. Does not group really great for me in anything I've ever owned though...usually around 1" best at 50 yards rifle if that. But it's a favorite of many as it has a lot of "umph" up close...if you had to protect yourself from a dog with a .22 it would be right up there with HV 40gr solids fo me (I know first and second hand it can stop things bigger than a breadbox) but it's certainly not ideal. I don't stock much...if I owned a 10/22 (and when I did) I kept a 25 rounder full of it around the house though I usually swapped to CCI CB longs for yard/garden use. If you had coyotes or foxes hitting up your chickens that or mini mags would be a good choice though if you'r zeroed for em (stingers) or know the hold difference at greater ranges. The POI shift and lack of precission is why I don't use em now though. velocitors seem a lot like mini-mags in performance but I've seen some pistols REALLY like them. So worth a try...but maybe no the money unless your gun is like that with them.

Just a few observations...all guns are different....your mileage may varry and all that.

 

[kart racer]

Cci blazer shoots the best in all of my 22's of the cheaper brands.

 

[MD_Willington]

Blazer.. it's made locally, my friends work for ATK so I try to get the local brand.

 

[Chester32141]

Where's the best price online for bulk .22lr ...

Chester

 

[LiquidTension]

I like the Federal bulk pack. It's about $12/550. It's accurate and stays subsonic out of a 5.5" barrel. More importantly, it runs flawlessly. Remington bulk pack and Wolf target both give me problems. I really hope it works well in my soon to arrive GSG-5.

I also really like the CCI Minimags. I used to have problems with my MkII with anything else. Apparently the bad juju has fixed itself

 

[cash--]

joynumba1 Thanks, that is some serious detail, I can tell you've spent alot of time trying out lots of ammo. I can attest to the spotty availablity of that wolf m/t i cant find it anywhere.

 

[QUICK_DRAW_McGRAW]

federal bulk pack at wally world.

thunderbolts FTE almost every round in my marlin M60. the federal i can shoot 1-2K rounds in one sitting with no problems.

 

[cornman]

American eagle. It can be bought in a 400 brick

 

[DMK]

Another vote for Federal. I love the 510 Champion. Absolutely the best of the cheap stuff.