22LR ?

gruntz03 · May 13, 2018

I have a MP-22 that my kids use for Rimfire matches. They use the CCI AR Tactical for dependability in the match.

My question: What specifications on ammo would I look for that would, in a perfect world, be better for reliability in a semi-automatic pistol?

Higher or lower fps?
Higher or lower grain
Muzzle energy?

I would like to find another type of ammo to but I want to be able to focus my search and buy a couple different boxes to try.

thanks

Magnumite · May 14, 2018

Buy ammo made for semi autos. Trial and error of go-to favorites, too. I have used different ammo brands/grades with VERY similar ballistics. One brand would cycle the action fine, another wasn’t reliable. A couple of those unreliable brands were the board’s accuracy favorites of the high velocity genre. The pressure curve in semi auto ammo delivers a greater pulse to the bolt. I have used TAC 22 and AR Tactical with success. CCI Mini Mags are always reliable.

rickinboots · May 14, 2018

Winchester m22 works well in mine.

Uncle Duke · May 14, 2018

Magnumite said:
Buy ammo made for semi autos. Trial and error of go-to favorites, too. I have used different ammo brands/grades with VERY similar ballistics. One brand would cycle the action fine, another wasn’t reliable. A couple of those unreliable brands were the board’s accuracy favorites of the high velocity genre. The pressure curve in semi auto ammo delivers a greater pulse to the bolt. I have used TAC 22 and AR Tactical with success. CCI Mini Mags are always reliable.

Indeed! Might not always group the best, but I'd be curious to know if anyone has ever found CCI MINI-MAGS to be unreliable. OP might be able to start and end right here.

Magnumite · May 14, 2018

I omitted the velocity info. Some of the semi auto type ammo will start about 1050 fps and go up from there. It seems counter intuitive a 1200 fps load won’t reliably cycle an action but a 1080 fps load will. As mentioned, the load impulse is a huge factor. MiniMags work because they are mini MAGS and have a good impulse. Contrary to that, when I can get reliable ignition from one other well know ammo company’s high velocity ammo it doesn’t cycle the action as well as it should. Granted, the arm I am referring to is a 22 conversion on a 1911. These can be finicky, but much has been done to get this pistol at 100%. I actually get good results with Thunderbolt with the occasion light load, once in awhile a misfire. BUT, it still cycles the action when it goes bang.

parttimer · May 14, 2018

I think it would be important to know what pistol you would be using to get the best answer or experience based answer. I can tell you that America eagle is the only.22 ammo that I have had any problems with out of my M&P 22c. It has fed and cycled everything else I have fed it with 100% reliability.
Most pistols will not have enough barrel length to see super sonic speed so that should not matter much. Unless you need something supersonic to get enough blowback to cycle the action I would just buy a bunch of different brands to see what groups best. Most bulk Ammo will probably work fine for rimfire challenge type shooting since it is a speed match versus a presision shooting style match.

Biggfoot44 · May 14, 2018

(Presuming we're not discussing serious $$ Target Ammo .)

Is there some problem with the Federal AutoMatch you already have a supply of in your pistol(s) ? It's quality stuff, and worked fine in everything I used it with .

CCI Solids are the Gold Standard for reliability . When (whatever) is unreliable with some other ammo , you try MiniMags . If you still have problems, it's a gun problem, not an ammo problem .

That said ; As the recent drought of .22lr started to break , the first ammo I came across in Full Cases was Aguilla RN , with choice of Std Vel or HV , for same price . I selected HV , because I was willing to trade off percieved slight accuracy advantage , for percieved theoretical advantage of being reliable in widest variety of autoloaders .

magwell · May 14, 2018

I recommend the 40gr copper plated rn cci mini mag. I use these in my 10/22 with no problems. They run 1235 fps. 22s are dirty, you have to keep the gun clean.

rockstarr · May 15, 2018

haha, I love Remington vipers. Probably not the most accurate, but so much fun to shoot in my opinion.

fed auto match and mini mags are great for reliability/ fun to shoot median.

CCI standards bore me so even though ill get flamed for it, I sold most of mine and almost never shoot them.

photoracer · May 15, 2018

I have preferred high velocity ammo for pistols. Basically anything rated between 1200 FPS to 1330 FPS. Anything that fits in that range and has CCI printed on the box. Lots of other varieties that maybe fine also but you need to find out what the firearm likes to feed. Try different ammo till you find that best one.

lee2 · May 15, 2018

i like cci mini mags, but take along some different brands the next time you go out. you may be surprised by what your rifle likes.

Biggfoot44 · May 15, 2018

While .22lr HV ammo is nominally rated for 1235-ish fps , from 4in handguns is generally in 900's .

Magnumite · May 16, 2018

I chrono'd HV 22 LR ammo years back out of a 6" S&W K-22 and 5" Ruger MkII bull barrel. Both shot very closely to that velocity.

Schipperke · May 17, 2018

I bought a bunch of Aguila. The stuff is waxy and I think slightly over size in diameter. If I load a single stack pistol magazine, and strip off a round it doesn't budge or will slowly rise. I took some to load in a SA revolver, and some rounds were extremely hard to seat, compared to CCI which drops in easy.

22LR ?

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