Favorite Bulk 22lr ammo

[wtfooptimax200]

What is everyones favorite bulk 22lr ammo? I would like to stock up before the election, as it was tough to get last time around and I had to scramble. I am a big Blazer fan, but have had a hard time finding it recently.

Branden

[dragon813gt]

All my .22s like Winchester M22. It's the only bulk ammo that works reliably in all of them. My Ruger MKII seems to hate almost every type of ammo available.


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[GT27]

Most accurate in my handguns and rifles Eley,most affordable for plinking Wally's Federal bulk!:2gunsfiring_v1:

[frkelly74]

I was thinking about that also. Wallys federal bulk is $19.97 per 550 rounds.It has been a while since I bought any 22 ammo. I have some Winchester Thunderbolt with price tags of $.87 per 50. I guess I will have to try the Federal.

[uscra112]

I've been evaluating bulk ammo in the last 6 weeks or so. Have a background in process control metrology, and though I'm retired I can't get it out of my system. Weight, rim thickness, bullet runout are all measurable. Consistent ammo is accurate, ammo with large variances is not. Shooting tests in a bone-stock 10/22, a Marlin 39a, and two old single-shot target rifles, all at a measured 50 yards.

So far CCI Blazer looks much better than most. Weight variance is pretty reasonable, +/- 0.2 grains or better, with about 5% culls (i.e. rounds which are more than 0.2 grains from the mean). There is also a Federal Blazer which I have not found any yet. CCI Blazer has a letter for the first character in the lot number. This sorted Blazer shot 2 MOA in the Ruger and the Marlin. Compared with 5 MOA for Remington Thunderbolt, several different lot numbers.

Have also evaluated a box of Federal bulk with a 35 grain copper-plate bullet. So-so on the weight - I culled about 15% to get a selection with variance of +/- 0.2 grains. These shoot about 3-4 MOA in the Ruger, but got better after I "bumped" them to expand the bullet O.D. to .2250".

Nothing by Remington is worth the gas to carry it home. Sorting Thunderbolt gets me two separate lots with +/- 0.2 variance, separated by about 0.5 grains, and about 20% culls. I'm still working with it only because I bought brick after brick when Clinton was President, before I knew any better.

CCI Standard Velocity I have one old brick that is as consistent as Blazer, but a brick I bought this year is not so good.

Winchester T-22 and Federal 711 in the lots I have are also not worth troubling with. How they could label either one as "target" ammo with a good conscience is beyond me.

For hunting, I'm sticking to CCI Mini Mags. Variance is +/- 0.1 grains, after throwing out about 4% fliers. 2 MOA from the Ruger all day, some 5-shot groups were better. This may improve now that I switched out the 2.5x scope for a 7x.

So much for now. . . . .

[Ickisrulz]

I ordered some Blazer Bulk Pack 525 from Palmetto State. These are not in 50 round boxes. Just all thrown in the carton. I shot a couple hundred today. No duds. No quiet reports and accurate enough for my Ruger MK2. I paid less than $180.00 delivered for 5,250 rounds. This is good stuff at a good price.

[uscra112]

I ordered some Blazer Bulk Pack 525 from Palmetto State. These are not in 50 round boxes. Just all thrown in the carton. I shot a couple hundred today. No duds. No quiet reports and accurate enough for my Ruger MK2. I paid less than $180.00 delivered for 5,250 rounds. This is good stuff at a good price.

Curious to know the lot number of what you got. Does it begin with a letter or a number? Word on the street is that is how you tell whether it was made by CCI or Federal.

Thanks !

PW

[Ickisrulz]

Curious to know the lot number of what you got. Does it begin with a letter or a number? Word on the street is that is how you tell whether it was made by CCI or Federal.

Thanks !

PW

It begins with a letter.

[kelbro]

I bought some Federal Automatch at Wallyworld one day to try in my MK3s. Shot VERY well in both the Hunter and the Target.

Tried it in my old 39A and it shot very well.

Tried it in my 1906 and it shot very well.

Tried it in my 10-22. Shot fairly well but not as well as my old Dynapoints. That gun really has a preference for Dynapoints.

[340six]

I have in the neighborhood of 40K rounds of Fed wally world bulk packs that are 550 each pack
and just grabbed up "some" 1995 Rem that the CMP was selling as surplus
The Fed bulk packs are great for the $$

[tomme boy]

Blazer in 50 round packs.

[Stephen Cohen]

10yrs ago I purchased a Krico bolt action and 17 bulk packs of Federal .22 and 19 bricks of Stirling .22, from the wife of a deceased mate. Interestingly both these brands shoot to same point and group into a dime at 30mtrs, even when ammo is mixed. Even though the 4x scope is cloudy and unbranded the rifle will still shoot 1.5 inch groups at 100mtrs. Lapua and RWS shoot no better in this rifle. I tend to think my mate may be guiding my shots .

[warpspeed]

I too like Blazer but only in the 50 packs. The bulk stuff seems to have problems.

I've also used Winchester Wildcat with good results.

[sledgehammer001]

I won't touch 'milk-carton' ammo again! The last stuff I bought was 1in 10 duds. From Winchester, Federal AND Remington. Through both my Marlin #60 and my 10-22. Didn't even bother trying it through anything else. Gave the rest to my Bestie, and bought Remington Thunderbolt and Gamegetter in a true brick. No problems since.
That being said, I have NOT tried Winchester M22 ammo yet. I wrote emails to Rem and Fed both.They told me bulk ammo is exactly the same as 50/boxed. I have never had a dud in 50/boxed ammo, as far back as I can remember. SO, something is fishy in Denmark! Therefore I stick to 50/boxed.
Jon

[429421Cowboy]

I have never had more than 3-4/525 duds with Federal bulk, have about 4k on hand now cuz it will be impossible to find once summer really hits and people start shooting gophers more. Cheapest ammo in town too at $15/525.

[Lead Fred]

I use only CCI Stingers in my 1979 Marlin 60

[BeeMan]

Wife and I went through a few Federal 525 packs this winter, working on the Winchester Marksman pistol qualification. Had a fair number of weak pops, some of which showed up as flyers on the target. Several failed to blow back the bolt enough to eject. Still, only had a couple complete failures to fire.

Tried Blazer in the 50 round boxes, but accuracy was not as good as the Federal despite no obviously weak rounds in the Blazer.

Need to try some Fed AutoMatch to see how it does.

[LAH]

The Federal 525 packs do poor in my 22s.

[buck1]

I bought some Federal Automatch at Wallyworld one day to try in my MK3s. Shot VERY well in both the Hunter and the Target.

Tried it in my old 39A and it shot very well.

Tried it in my 1906 and it shot very well.

Tried it in my 10-22. Shot fairly well but not as well as my old Dynapoints. That gun really has a preference for Dynapoints.

There is or was some of this that was bad. I returned a few boxes to Federal and the issued me a refund. It would not cycle a good working order 10/22.
Just a heads up.

[Tom-ADC]

Whatever happens to be on sale, my 22's like them all.

[Stephen Cohen]

I must have been lucky and got a good batch Of Federal bulk packs. mine are over 10yrs old now, maybe I should buy one now and check quality.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Federal is my normal go to brand for my Marlin 60 and Ruger 22/45. Tried some Winchesters but the bullets had obvious dings and dents which can't be good for accuracy. The Remingtons were the dirtiest ammo I have ever shot, 100 rounds were dirtier than an entire brick of the others, also had some of the worst jams with it. Never have more than a few duds (sometimes none) per brick of anything, and they always fire second time around.

[NoZombies]

The federal auto match has proven the most consistent for ignition and accuracy in the various .22's that I've shot it through.

[wlc]

I've shot a lot of the Federal bulk packs, but my favorite bulk is the CCI Blazer. I really would rather shoot CCI standard velocity followed by CCI mini-mags, but they get expensive just for shooting tin cans. They are what I do all my small game hunting with though.

[leadshooter5]

Durned if I know. Every .22 I have seems to prefer a different kind of ammo. Just picked up an ex-raffle 10-22 Target, and it shoots Thunderbolt great, doesn't like Blazer, and despises CCI Standard. Go figure. It wouldn't feed a hollowpint if it was gold-plated. I don't understand what women want either.

[Hammerhead]

Wish I could find some auto match locally. I use Federal bulk HP's or CCI Blazer in the 10X50 brick. Both shoot well. The only bad bulk I've run across is Rem (surprise) 'Golden Bullet'. Quite a few duds, respectable accuracy though.

[CALGOUGERS.NET]

Federal Bulk

[Danderdude]

Federal Auto-Match all the way. Only place I've seen it is Walmart. $15 for 350.

No, not as cheap as the Winchester or Federal Champion bulk, but makes up for it in consistency, performance and velocity every time.

The word around town is that it is from the same production line as Fed. Gold Medal Match .22 ammo. They run it all through a laser eye and the rejects become Auto-Match.

[Rick N Bama]

I won't touch 'milk-carton' ammo again! The last stuff I bought was 1in 10 duds. From Winchester, Federal AND Remington. Through both my Marlin #60 and my 10-22. Didn't even bother trying it through anything else. Gave the rest to my Bestie, and bought Remington Thunderbolt and Gamegetter in a true brick. No problems since.
That being said, I have NOT tried Winchester M22 ammo yet. I wrote emails to Rem and Fed both.They told me bulk ammo is exactly the same as 50/boxed. I have never had a dud in 50/boxed ammo, as far back as I can remember. SO, something is fishy in Denmark! Therefore I stick to 50/boxed.
Jon

I've shot my share of the Federal & Winchester bulk box ammo & have yet to have a problem with it. Honestly I can't remember a dud & that's shooting the stuff through 4 different 22s. Now the Remington Bulk ammo is another story. I still have part of a box I bought about 5 years ago that I finally just put to one side planning on using it if the situation ever got bad enough. Remington should be ashamed to put out such a sorry product!

Rick

[sundog]

Rick, if the situation ever got bad enough, I would not want to depend on the batch of Rem you have. Use it up now, be done with it, and replace it with something dependable. Just thinkin...

[uscra112]

Rick, if the situation ever got bad enough, I would not want to depend on the batch of Rem you have. Use it up now, be done with it, and replace it with something dependable. Just thinkin...

Could not have said it better myself. Whether subsistence hunting or S.D. you do not want to miss or malfunction because of cheap ammo.

[bobthenailer]

For the past few years Federal Auto Match has become my bulk ammo choice , after useing about 4,000 rounds I started to have some under powdered loads from a few cartons that i bought last summer but the newer & older lots that i have are ok .
They are accurate and function well in all of my guns reguardless of the type.
But i also have a good supply of CCI std velocity, I buy the 50 round card board box #0035
500 round bricks, its at least $50.00 less a case of 5,000 than the plastic 100 rd packs ,but its the same ammo , it is made for export use as they cant ship plastic , or thats the story i heard

[dothedrew57]

The winchester M22 is definitely growing on me. It feeds reliably in everything even my P22

[montana_charlie]

If you really are just plinking tin cans, and don't care about duds and light pops, most anything is 'good enough' (a term I try never to use).
But, the day-in and day-out favorite .22LR cartridge among American shooters is the CCI MiniMag 40 grain solid.

It is clean burning, reliable (In thirty years I have never had a misfire), and consistently accurate.

You know it's the most sought after ammo because, in the large quantity offerings, it ALWAYS sold out. It takes some kind of miracle to get in on a shipment before it's gone.

Felix said a group buy was possible, and a thread was started. But it died due to (I dunno) lack of interest, or something ...

CM

[Gunsmoke4570]

I like the Federal bulk stuff in my rifles and handguns. For better accuracy I step up to the Federal Automatch. Really nice stuff.

[TonyT]

In my rifles I have had excellent results with the Fedearl bulk pack copper washed HV HP ammo.

[Shiloh]

CCI Blazers have been consistent performers.

Shiloh

[fecmech]

I bought a case of bulk Blazer back in the fall and finally got to the 100 yd range today. It has shot very well in all my handguns and to 50 yds on my home range but I wanted to see how it did at 100 yds. Today was calm and warm so I took my 70's Browning T-bolt with a 4 power scope on it. I shot two 10 shot 100 yd groups of 2" and 2 2/4" so I'm happy with it, better than I expected. Pretty decent ammo for $1.61/ 50 delivered!

[uscra112]

Followup to my post #5:

Finally got a box of Federal Auto Match. Had to go by Champion Shooters Supply to get it - none of the stores near me have it.

Weight evaluation is pretty promising - out of 325 rounds only eight fell outside the range of 51.3 to 51.6 grains. Five of those were 51.8 grains, the other three were 51.2 or less. This compares quite well with Mini Mags. Maybe it really is match ammo that didn't quite make the grade, as someone here has suggested.

Range evaluation will have to wait until I get to Idaho in June.

Phil

[GKB22]

Seems like I am in the majority here, Federal Automatch is about as good as U can get for Bulk stuff, We used to shoot a match called "Tube Fed", any tube fed 22 LR was legal. Everyone shot ammo out of the same box of Automatch

[LAH]

Picked up a box of the Automatch for a whirl. One of the match guys said it was fair stuff.