Why are .22 LR cartridges so shoddy?

[bhk]

Grafs, Midway, Champions Choice

 

[rpenmanparker]

Okay, so I just ordered 5X50 of Federal Gold Medal Ultra Match 40 gr lead RN. I saw some good reviews on it. Pricey but I am a chemist by trade and love to experiment. It is worth it to me to get an answer at the end of the process. I will shoot this against the crap I have been using. Not to find an everyday round, but just to learn what I can do with the good stuff. And along the way I will get to learn what quality ammo looks like. Better not be any loose bullets in that stuff!

 

[LiveLife]

You guys have named a number of higher priced and higher quality brands of.22 LR. I have seen CCI aplenty, but I don't recall ever seeing brands like Eley in the big stores like Wal Mart and Academy. Where would I go to get some most likely, a smaller, more specialized LGS, online...?

Online search for best prices - https://ammoseek.com/ammo/22lr/Eley

THR 22LR thread (500 for less than $30 shipped) - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...or-sale-under-30-for-500-rounds.825048/page-5


100 yard accuracy testing - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/eley-tenex-or.833458/#post-10776327

Keep in mind, there are "value pack" bulk 22LR for plinking and for greater accuracy, higher priced premium "match grade" 22LR. However, accuracy is not necessarily dependent on brand or higher price. Here are some videos showing how bulk pack 22LR compared to match grade 22LR:

50 yard comparison of Winchester bulk pack as reference, Remington Target, Golden Eagle Match, Wolf Match, Federal Gold Match, Fiocchi, Lapua Polar Biathlon/Midas+.



100 yard comparison test video with Remington Golden Bullet, CCI MiniMag, CCI Standard, Eley Sport, Eley Club, Eley Edge, Eley Match



100 yard 10 shot group comparison test with 16" bull barrel 10/22 - Start at 5:05 minute mark of video for group comparison

Eley Sport did well as Fiocchi 320 but Aguila Pistol Match/Standard and Federal Auto Match got decent groups.

At 8:50 minute mark of video, Norma Match and Subsonic got slightly larger groups than Eley Sport/Fiocchi 320.

At 10:00 minute mark of video, CCI MiniMag produced comparable group to Norma Match/Subsonic but I think Aguila Pistol Match produced smaller group.

 

[rpenmanparker]

I look at it as what is expected for something that costs a penny? If logic and numbers are considered, we see (cheaper) .22LR ammo being sold for between 4¢ and 5¢ each. Consider shipping, profit markup at the mfg, dist. and retail level and you get about 1¢ to make. You get what you pay for.

Fair enough, and I should have said at the start, that is mostly good enough for me. My original inquiry was really just due to curiosity. It's not like I'm not having fun shooting the stuff.

 

[Odd Job]

Eley Sport used to be one of my favourites but I had two different batches give me ignition issues last year so I switched to RWS Target Rifle.

 

[larryh1108]

Agree, shooting .22LR is fun for many. And cheap.
Actually, I am amazed that it only costs a penny to make the cheap .22s. A penny. When you consider the brass, priming compound, propellant and the bullet, a penny is amazing for the cost of a complete cartridge.

 

[FROGO207]

The LGS will probably have some better stuff on the shelf. Also go to ammoseek . com and narrow your search to include only .22 . You will find many options there I assure you.

 

[bannockburn]

Robert

I have found over the years, in my own unscientific way, that nearly all CCI, RWS, Eley, Lapua, SK, Federal Gold Medal, and Wolf Match Target that I have used have been very reliable, very consistent, and very accurate, though certain guns will prefer certain brands of ammo. The really "fun" part is finding which ammo works best in what gun.

 

[rpenmanparker]

Robert

I have found over the years, in my own unscientific way, that nearly all CCI, RWS, Eley, Lapua, SK, Federal Gold Medal, and Wolf Match Target that I have used have been very reliable, very consistent, and very accurate, though certain guns will prefer certain brands of ammo. The really "fun" part is finding which ammo works best in what gun.

Thanks. I guess I am getting started!

 

[LiveLife]

shooting .22LR is fun for many. And cheap.

I use CMMG 22LR conversion kits with copper plated RN/HP 22LR for fun plinking with my ARs.

I have been able to buy copper plated RN/HP (Federal, Winchester, Aguila Eley/Aguila prime, etc.) for less than $25/500 shipped.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

You won't find Eley in Walmart or most other big box stores.

I buy thousands of rounds of match ammo a year. 100% it comes from an online vendor or three.

UltraMatch is good stuff if you want to feed a benchrest gun. I have bought many bricks in the past year.

 

[sota]

I pretty much stick with either CCI (0030, 0031) or Federal Premium 36gr CPHP (725, 745, 750, 787... it's all the same stuff just different counts/boxes/buckets.)
I'll never use Remington Golden Bullet, CI 40gr CP (CI22LR40CP) ever again; both were horrid in terms of reliability and in the case of the GB, fouled the hell out of everything I have that eats .22lr. Federal I have the most of in stock here.

 

[FL-NC]

Its a matter of mass production, and an illustration of "you get what you pay for".

 

[rpenmanparker]

I use CMMG 22LR conversion kits with copper plated RN/HP 22LR for fun plinking with my ARs.

I have been able to buy copper plated RN/HP (Federal, Winchester, Aguila Eley/Aguila prime, etc.) for less than $25/500 shipped.

I find the coated lead feeds better in my Browning 1911-22 than the cheapie plated stuff. The plated seems to fail to feed on the last round in the mag.

 

[Deus Machina]

I haven't found loose bullets to cause any issues in my guns. The again, mine haven't had any consistent issues with any particular type. Definitely more common with Golden Bullets and a couple boxes of stuff my dad gave me with the MkII, that were cheap even before the paper turned brown and yellow, but not enough to be constant.
I'm sure loose bullets with contribute to or indicate other inconsistencies, but when that's the only one they haven't suggested anything more than slightly larger groups. If they cause distinct issues, and you can't visibly tilt them in the brass, I'd blame the gun.
Wolf Match Target was some of the best quality, but didn't shoot any better than some others in my guns at the time. Surprisingly, bulk-box Winchester Dynapoint GT was by far the most accurate stuff I have in them, more so than any match rounds I've tried.
YMMV, obviously.

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

I've never had any trouble with any 22 ammo, and I buy a lot of the bulk cheap brands. "Premium" for me is standard CCI.

Then again my 22's are a revolver and bolt rifle.

 

[Jim Watson]

A friend gave me three of the flat square plastic boxes of Remington Golden Bullets. I gather they were insufficiently accurate in his bolt action rifle. But they shot fine in my Plastc M&P -C and as well as about anything in my ACE. Old stock from when they were taking more pains, I guess.

I shoot CCI SV in M41 for Speed Steel, no alibis. CCI HV in PM&PC for confidence.
Aquila SV and HV is pretty good, too.
Revolvers get the leftovers.

 

[Icky The Great]

I also have noticed a distinct lack of QC in ammo lately. Mostly Remington.
A friend and I both bought 3 bricks of Remington Thunderbolts. Not my favorite 22lr but couldn't beat the price. We shelved them for awhile. He opened his first and tried to run some in his MkII. No dice. He tried three other guns. The damned things would not even load in his old breech loader. He was upset to say the least. Gave me his whole lot. I tried 10 different rifles and pistols and testing random cartridges from each of the six cartons. ALL attempts failed. I pulled out my calipers and the actual bullet was way too big (.231 avg, size range was .228-.233, I sampled about 15 per box). I contacted Remington directly, they wanted me to send the lot of them into them. I did (at great expense to me). They sent me a manufacturer coupon for a free box of thunderbolts. Just one 500rnd carton after I just sent 6 to them. I tried to reach out to them about 1-the lack of coupons for reimbursement and 2-what happened with that lot and how it passed QC. Only reply I received was that a coupon was sent and they wouldn't be sending another and any QC issues are not for disclosure. A-HOLES! This was the last straw with me and their ammo (I personally had at least two other occasions where their ammo was out of any specs in 270 and 308. Both had case issues and I seen a 8mm round with a backwards primer from a new box my uncle bought. Remington was less than helpful in all cases.)
Sorry, rant off.

 

[Icky The Great]

I don't get a lot of FTFs. But when I do get one, I often notice the bullet has been cocked to the side and the whole cartridge isn't straight anymore. Of course I throw those away.

I have noticed in auto loaders that bullets will cock in the cases when the bullet doesn't completely feed into the chamber and the bolt hits the side of the cartridge. 1st thing is 22lr actually have a small crimp to hold the bullet and 2nd is most bullets are primarily soft lead, so when the weight of the bolt bears on the bullet, it deforms. I've noticed a flat on some of my ejected bullets from one of my rifles. Turns out that just about every bullet has some weird flat from feeding from the magazine. Shoots fine but it deforms the nose of the bullets when they hit the feed ramp. When I do get a FTF it usually cocks the bullet.

 

[Jim Watson]

I read of the shooter in the early days of the .22 Stevens Long, rifle who shot 200 rounds into one close group. He did it over several days because he inspected each round and set aside anything with a loose or crooked bullet.

 

[rodregier]

I'm beginning to suspect that some of the issues with bulk-packaged .22LR ammunition is the fact it is bulk packaged.

Deposited into a box or bucket and shaken via transport can't help with the delicate priming or delicate seating of heel-based bullets.

You'll notice that any of the better .22LR ammunition is in packaging that individually cradles the cartridge

If someone was of an experimental mind you could take some higher-end .22LR, shoot some control groups,
place some in paint can ("naked") and run it for a while in a paint mixer (to simulate road transport) and shoot more of those for several groups.

 

[Englishmn]

20$ on a round going off in the paint mixer.
I would feel safe doing it in a hf rotary tumbler, but the FART might be a little too fast and rough.

 

[Sistema1927]

I've never had any trouble with any 22 ammo, and I buy a lot of the bulk cheap brands. "Premium" for me is standard CCI.

Then again my 22's are a revolver and bolt rifle.

I also shoot lots of cheap bulk stuff. Ruger Standard, Mk IV, Single-Six, Bearcat, 10/22, Browning SA, Marlin 39A, Winchester '06. I can count on one hand the number of duds that I have encountered in more than 50 years of shooting .22's.

 

[RedlegRick]

In my work as an RSO/instructor I see thousands of rounds of 22lr fired every shift. We have a "dud bucket". 95% of ALL ammo in that bucket is Remington 22lr. It is so bad that we actually use it in our basic handgun class as a teachable moment because during their course of live fire, we are guaranteed at least one issue per student which gives them a hands on lesson in clearing malfunctions from a semi-auto.

Watch Remington tout that as a 'feature' rather than a 'bug'. I'm glad I have a single-shot that happily eats pretty much anything I have on hand. Now my Walther P22 on the other hand, demands better quality fodder.
As for the OP, you pay for what you get and get what you pay for. Quality control costs more, but is well worth it if you demand better performance.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

My experience with Remington .22LR had led me to stop buying Remington ammo, Period!

Their centerfire ammo may be perfectly good -- I don't know. I'm not about to sink big bucks in an elk hunt just to hear my rifle go "click" when I've got a 6X6 bull in the crosshairs, thank you. I'll put my money into some other brand.