Reliability of a .22 AR

I get problems with my .22 pistol when I don't shoot premium ammo, and it really dislikes it when it starts to get dirty.
Do an AR in the same caliber have the same problems? How reliable are they compared to the better .22 pistols out there?

 

Off-topic, but is there a .22LR shortage over there in South Africa?

 

Not at all. Sometimes you do struggle to get the exact brand you want, but I never was told in a gun shop that they are out of stock.

 

Interesting. Anyways, as to your question, IME all semi-automatic .22s are picky about ammo, but typically CCI Mini-Mags are known to be VERY reliable, so you may want to try those if they're available to you. Also, rimfires will malfunction more as they get dirty.

 

My 22 rifles (S&W 15-22, Colt M4 by Walther, Beretta ARX160) all seem to function better than my 22 pistols do.

 

Edit: nevermind.

I dont like 22 conversions for ARs. I prefer my S&W M&P15-22.

 

The only .22 LR AR that exists is an insert conversion kit. The other AR look-a-likes, like the Armscor MAK 22, are junk for the most part. The only similarities between one of them and an AR-15 is the shape.
However, any semi-auto will have issues when it gets dirty. Some more than others. As with any semi-auto .22 you have to try a box of as many brands as you can to find the ammo that will both shoot well and cycle the action.

 

You obviously have exactly zero experience with a S&W 15-22...

 

My experience with the AR15 style .22lr guns, conversions, and SIG 522 is failure to fire issues once they get dirty. 300+ rounds in an outing is usually good with only a few FTF with the bulk pack ammo. Its generally not the chamber area, its crud builds up on the back of the barrel that interferes with getting the bolt fully forward that cause light strikes.

 

My .22LR AR-15 (CMMG Sierra upper on a PSA lower) has proven to be extremely reliable. More so in fact than my Ruger 10/22.

 

i have a bushmaster xm15 with the spikes tactical 22lr conversion. I also have a chiappa 1911 and had a smith wesson 21a. the ar15 with conversion would jam from time to time even with good ammo like cci mini mags and stingers. can't speak of any other ar dedicated rifles but i also have the gsg5. same results. the sw 21a is very reliable even with cheap bulk ammo. it's just he nature of rimfires, they're not going to be as reliable as center fire.

i use to buy bricks of .22lr and blow through them at the range. been nearly two years and i was able to rebuild my supply through endless searches but i don't shoot my 22's anymore. the price for the bulks have gone up too in my area.

 

the last box of cci stinger i bought for $8-$10... I could load 9mm for about that price per round... would be cheaper now that I have my own lead and brass...

 

Assuming a gun with no mechanical issues, an AR15 will run reliably.

The only issue is that they like to run wet, so make sure you use plenty of lube.

 

He's talking about a blowback 22, not a real AR.

 

Really, .22LR firearms are all animals unto themselves. One of any model may run 100% with anything that fits in the magazines and the very next one off the assembly line may only run on a few types of ammo. It's hard to predict. Buying quality will usually help ensure you get a reliable firearm, but with so much demand for .22 lately and so much of it being sold, quality control has slipped a little on some of the ammo I've shot. That makes it even harder to diagnose what looks like reliability problems.

Hate to say it, but sometimes you pay your money and you take your chances.

 

Oh, my bad, I read the original post too hastily.

I agree with Dr. Rob that you'll have better luck with the purpose built solutions rather than the drop in conversion kits.

I've got one of the early model Tactical Solutions uppers, and it runs well, but needs to be cleaned every couple of hundred rounds, or else it starts to cycle slowly enough that out of battery detonations become an issue.

I believe the Nordic Components uppers have solved this issue, but can't vouch for some of the other .22 uppers.

It would be cool to do a rimfire upper shoot-off across all of the different models.

 

My S&W M&P 15-22 hasn't jammed yet. Longest string without cleaning was about 400 rounds.

In the owner's manual S&W does provide a list of ammo (brand & type) that you shouldn't use in the rifle, due to reliability issues - AFAIK, recommending against using some specific "name-brand" ammo is pretty much a first for a mainstream manufacturer.

 

My line up of .22 rifles and pistols seems endless and through prior planning I have all the ammo I need to shoot whenever I want and as much as I want.....end of gloat.....my S&W m&P .22 compact (USA made pistol) and 15-22 are the most reliable and fun guns that I have, followed closely by my dedicated DPMS .22 M4. All three of these are accurate and have shot a pile of assorted ammo from the sixties and seventies without misshap ( I just pulled out some 100 rd plastic boxes of CCI Mini Mag's today with $2.25 price tag). Few persons seem to have anything but nice comments when referring to the 15-22 and it works more like an AR than even my DPMS that uses mostly standard AR parts. The new Compact M&P is also a "keeper".

 

GENERALLY, .22 pistols are pickier when it comes to ammo than rifles are. Then of course there are some turd rifles out there too.

 

I have a cmmg upper on a .223 lower and it runs perfect.

 

I also have a CMMG upper. But it's an Evolution (or maybe a Revolution) model because I wanted it to be left handed. It seems quite reliable but I try to use mini-mags with it. Mini-mags come as close to dispelling the common statement that rimfire rounds of any type are less dependable than centerfire and anything I've found.
B

 

The very best (but most expensive) is one Compass Lake makes that truly will compete with most .22 target rifles and close to zero function issues..Only perfect practice makes perfect

 

I also have the CMMG dedicated .22LR upper.

I have about 200 rounds through it (Federal 711b standard velocity, CCI Mini-Mags)

Zero issues to date.

I agree that my pistol (High Standard) is far more picky about ammo, even though I haven't tried any bargain ammo in my rifle. It's easier to get match ammo in the US now that it is to get the usual plinking junk ammo.

The .22LR AR is one of the great inventions of our time. What a fun rifle to shoot!

-J.