Best .22lr Bulk Ammo for Semi-Autos

Siggy-06 · February 6, 2020, 07:04 AM

Just wanted to get everyone's feedback on what is their preferred bulk .22lr ammo, like Federal Automatch, CCI Blaser, ect. I wanted to buy a couple thousand rounds once I get my Buck Mark in(I have a M&P22c and 10/22).

jar · February 6, 2020, 07:16 AM

Start small. Buy small batches until you find the one that works best in your individual pistol and only then start buying bulk.

RaySendero · February 6, 2020, 07:49 AM

My 10/22 likes that Fed AM but doesn't like the CCI Blazers.
You will have to figure out what your pistol likes.

USNRet93 · February 6, 2020, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Siggy-06

Just wanted to get everyone's feedback on what is their preferred bulk .22lr ammo, like Federal Automatch, CCI Blaser, ect. I wanted to buy a couple thousand rounds once I get my Buck Mark in(I have a M&P22c and 10/22).

CCI Mini-Mag...

Areoflyer09 · February 6, 2020, 09:13 AM

I’m down to buying 22 ammo in 3 categories.

1) CCI SV - this is what I buy and shoot for 90% if my uses. I’ve never had anything that wouldn’t run this. A box of 500 runs a bit more than bulk ammo, but I find the reliability and accuracy worth it for my 22s.

2) Target grade ammo for my wife’s built 10/22. The Kidd barrel on this loves the more expensive ammo and pays it back with being a sub-1/2 MOA rifle when you do your part.

3) CCI Suppressor & Quiet rounds. I keep a small amount of both on hand for both the semi-autos and bolt actions.

My experience with bulk has left me preferring to pay a bit more for CCI SV because it works for my guns. You will have to experiment a bit to find the one that works best in yours.

DaleA · February 6, 2020, 09:26 AM

It's almost like a rite of passage to try as many different brands of .22 LR you can get your hands on to find that one magical brand your gun likes best.

A friend's Remington 597 likes almost any cheap, bulk lead (it even likes Remington Thunderbolts) but does poorly when fed any of the copper washed rounds.

I suspect you'll really like/be impressed with the Browning Buck Mark.

Good luck.

aarondhgraham · February 6, 2020, 10:42 AM

The one bulk ammo that runs all of my semi-autos (pistols and rifles) is,,,
Federal 550 round bulk packs from Wal mart.

This has been my go-to bulk/plinking ammo for well over a decade,,,
I'm not saying it's the best bulk ammo out there,,,
But it has always worked for me.

Aarond

.

bn12gg · February 6, 2020, 01:40 PM

Federal 550 gets it done in modernish semi auto 22 pistols. Older 22 pistols run nicely with CCI standard velocity.

.02 David

T. O'Heir · February 6, 2020, 01:57 PM

Do not buy anything, especially .22 ammo, in bulk until you have tried a box out of your firearm. No two firearms, be they rifles or handguns(or 2 consecutively numbered identical firearms), will shoot the same ammo the same way. Then you get into ammo for different purposes. It's unlikely that hunting HV HP's will shoot as well as standard velocity target ammo out of anything. Still worth a try though.
The chances of one brand shooting well out of 3 different firearms are slim, but you might get lucky. Start with one, find the ammo it shoots best and cycles the action, then try it in another.

Shotgun Slim · February 6, 2020, 03:33 PM

I have a Buckmark and a M&P 15-22 rifle. The Buckmark won't run Federal Automatch while the rifle loves it. The 15-22 will hardly run CCI Tactical but the Browning runs it flawlessly. Don't buy bulk ammo until you know it's good in your stuff.

SIGSHR · February 6, 2020, 03:47 PM

Lately I have been firing my Browning HP and Colt Mark IV with the Ciener units. Remington Thunderbolts give me good accuracy and 100% reliability, W-W and Federal
are accurate but lead to frequent failures to extract and eject.

BBarn · February 6, 2020, 05:02 PM

Like many, I use a variety based on what I find on sale. But I generally prefer the bulk Federal plated 36gr. hollow point that's available in several different packages. I also use some Remington Thunderbolts since I seem to be able to buy it cheaper than most anything else and it runs OK in most guns (though not as well as the Federal).

I'm still using up some old Winchester Super-X HV plated solids that I bought for 2 cents each long ago, but they seem to run just a tad larger in diameter and can be a bit tougher to seat in some guns like a Ruger Single Six or a bolt action with a tight chamber. Most auto chambers seem to be large enough that the Super-X stuff runs fine in them.

If you are looking for best accuracy as well as reliable function, you are going to need to try several as has been already expressed.

For accuracy, my particular 10/22 likes bulk Winchester Xpert lead HP and Winchester Super-X HV plated solids. But it seems to be reliable with most anything.

ms6852 · February 6, 2020, 05:07 PM

After years of fun shooting all kinds of brands of ammo I am down to CCI, Aguila, and Wolf ammo for all my 22's. I like keeping it simple.

AzShooter · February 6, 2020, 06:11 PM

I have found Blazers to be the most consistent and most accurate BULK ammo in MY guns.
I also like Federal BYOB for a light 36 grain bullet. They work well out of my revolvers and are clean enough that I don't have to clean the gun every 100 rounds.

stinkeypete · February 6, 2020, 06:31 PM

CCI SV is not what it once was.

Blazer is just as good in my tests last summer in all my .22s.
Aguila standard is better in my 10/22
New CCI SV is the same as Blazer and both are more expensive than Aguila.
My CZ rifle likes Blazer better than Aguila but RWS is lots better (and a lot more expensive.)

For pistol plinking, I stocked up on Blazer and Aguila standard velocity. I used to swear by CCI SV and my old stock shoots better than the new stuff.

triplebike · February 6, 2020, 07:23 PM

The one bulk ammo that runs all of my semi-autos (pistols and rifles) is,,,
Federal 550 round bulk packs from Wal mart.

This has been my go-to bulk/plinking ammo for well over a decade,,,
I'm not saying it's the best bulk ammo out there,,,
But it has always worked for me.

Aarond

I agree 100%. All my 22's run fine with it & it's quite accurate for bulk ammo. One thing that I feel really helps 22's is a 1000 rd break in with CCI MINI MAGS.

Mike38 · February 6, 2020, 07:47 PM

Inexpensive, bulk .22 LR that is reasonably reliable? Federal Auto Match. There are people that hate the stuff, but it works good for me.

chrisintexas · February 6, 2020, 08:13 PM

Is walmart still selling any ammo?

wild willy · February 6, 2020, 08:33 PM

I've been using Aguila standard velocity in my SR-22 works fine.You can usually find it for less than $20 for 500.

osbornk · February 6, 2020, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisintexas

Is walmart still selling any ammo?

My Walmart sells 22, shotgun and many rifle calibers other than 223 and 5.56

USNRet93 · February 7, 2020, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by osbornk

My Walmart sells 22, shotgun and many rifle calibers other than 223 and 5.56

Mine too..

littlebikerider · February 7, 2020, 08:23 AM

I just peeked into the Walmart for something to do. They had .357 and .44 lever actions for sale, but no .357/.38 or .44 ammunition. And all the rifles available were considerably more powerful that .223/NATO5.56. Their corporate people are really sharp. I haven’t actually bought anything in quite some time.

rodfac · February 7, 2020, 08:44 AM

Federal Automatch is as reliable in my M41 Smith, Ruger Standard MKll, and a 4.5" bbl'd Colt Woodsman Match Target as CCI Mini-Mag. It's also a shade more accurate. In 3 Winchester .22 rifles (M62, M61 & a M670, either brand will hold on a dime at 25 yds. When it's available, I've loaded up with an eye to the 2020 election and the possibility of another Obama-type shortage. YMMv, Rod

GarandTd · February 7, 2020, 09:22 PM

I have not found anything that shoots with more accuracy, consistency , and reliability in all of my 22rf firearms
than CCI Blazer. 40 gr lead round nose in 500 round bricks.

TruthTellers · February 9, 2020, 04:17 AM

It's hard to beat CCI SV and Aguila these days in price for performance. I'm a CCI SV guy, it's super accurate and works in my semi autos.

Anything loose packed, like Federal, Remington, or Winchester is suspect in semi autos, some will run with them, some won't.

February 6, 2020, 07:04 AM	#1
Siggy-06 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2014 Location: Florida Posts: 1,148	Best .22lr Bulk Ammo for Semi-Autos Just wanted to get everyone's feedback on what is their preferred bulk .22lr ammo, like Federal Automatch, CCI Blaser, ect. I wanted to buy a couple thousand rounds once I get my Buck Mark in(I have a M&P22c and 10/22). __________________ Flicks just like a lighter, just a different kind of fire.

February 6, 2020, 07:16 AM	#2
jar Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2001 Location: Deep South Texas Posts: 1,669	Start small. Buy small batches until you find the one that works best in your individual pistol and only then start buying bulk. __________________ To be vintage it's gotta be older than me!

February 6, 2020, 07:49 AM	#3
RaySendero Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2010 Location: US South Posts: 857	My 10/22 likes that Fed AM but doesn't like the CCI Blazers. You will have to figure out what your pistol likes. __________________ *Ray*

February 6, 2020, 10:42 AM	#7
aarondhgraham Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2009 Location: Stillwater, OKlahoma Posts: 8,638	Federal 550 round bulk packs from Wal mart. The one bulk ammo that runs all of my semi-autos (pistols and rifles) is,,, Federal 550 round bulk packs from Wal mart. This has been my go-to bulk/plinking ammo for well over a decade,,, I'm not saying it's the best bulk ammo out there,,, But it has always worked for me. Aarond . __________________ Never ever give an enemy the advantage of a verbal threat. Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once. Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it? Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)

February 6, 2020, 01:57 PM	#9
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Do not buy anything, especially .22 ammo, in bulk until you have tried a box out of your firearm. No two firearms, be they rifles or handguns(or 2 consecutively numbered identical firearms), will shoot the same ammo the same way. Then you get into ammo for different purposes. It's unlikely that hunting HV HP's will shoot as well as standard velocity target ammo out of anything. Still worth a try though. The chances of one brand shooting well out of 3 different firearms are slim, but you might get lucky. Start with one, find the ammo it shoots best and cycles the action, then try it in another. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

February 6, 2020, 09:13 AM	#5
Areoflyer09 Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2017 Posts: 300	I’m down to buying 22 ammo in 3 categories. 1) CCI SV - this is what I buy and shoot for 90% if my uses. I’ve never had anything that wouldn’t run this. A box of 500 runs a bit more than bulk ammo, but I find the reliability and accuracy worth it for my 22s. 2) Target grade ammo for my wife’s built 10/22. The Kidd barrel on this loves the more expensive ammo and pays it back with being a sub-1/2 MOA rifle when you do your part. 3) CCI Suppressor & Quiet rounds. I keep a small amount of both on hand for both the semi-autos and bolt actions. My experience with bulk has left me preferring to pay a bit more for CCI SV because it works for my guns. You will have to experiment a bit to find the one that works best in yours.

February 6, 2020, 09:26 AM	#6
DaleA Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2002 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 5,313	It's almost like a rite of passage to try as many different brands of .22 LR you can get your hands on to find that one magical brand your gun likes best. A friend's Remington 597 likes almost any cheap, bulk lead (it even likes Remington Thunderbolts) but does poorly when fed any of the copper washed rounds. I suspect you'll really like/be impressed with the Browning Buck Mark. Good luck.

February 6, 2020, 01:40 PM	#8
bn12gg Senior Member Join Date: February 19, 2011 Location: Winter Park, Florida Posts: 470	Federal 550 gets it done in modernish semi auto 22 pistols. Older 22 pistols run nicely with CCI standard velocity. .02 David

February 6, 2020, 03:33 PM	#10
Shotgun Slim Senior Member Join Date: March 9, 2014 Location: Va Posts: 291	I have a Buckmark and a M&P 15-22 rifle. The Buckmark won't run Federal Automatch while the rifle loves it. The 15-22 will hardly run CCI Tactical but the Browning runs it flawlessly. Don't buy bulk ammo until you know it's good in your stuff.

February 6, 2020, 03:47 PM	#11
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	Lately I have been firing my Browning HP and Colt Mark IV with the Ciener units. Remington Thunderbolts give me good accuracy and 100% reliability, W-W and Federal are accurate but lead to frequent failures to extract and eject.

February 6, 2020, 05:02 PM	#12
BBarn Senior Member Join Date: December 22, 2015 Posts: 887	Like many, I use a variety based on what I find on sale. But I generally prefer the bulk Federal plated 36gr. hollow point that's available in several different packages. I also use some Remington Thunderbolts since I seem to be able to buy it cheaper than most anything else and it runs OK in most guns (though not as well as the Federal). I'm still using up some old Winchester Super-X HV plated solids that I bought for 2 cents each long ago, but they seem to run just a tad larger in diameter and can be a bit tougher to seat in some guns like a Ruger Single Six or a bolt action with a tight chamber. Most auto chambers seem to be large enough that the Super-X stuff runs fine in them. If you are looking for best accuracy as well as reliable function, you are going to need to try several as has been already expressed. For accuracy, my particular 10/22 likes bulk Winchester Xpert lead HP and Winchester Super-X HV plated solids. But it seems to be reliable with most anything. Last edited by BBarn; February 6, 2020 at 05:09 PM.

February 6, 2020, 05:07 PM	#13
ms6852 Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 1,394	After years of fun shooting all kinds of brands of ammo I am down to CCI, Aguila, and Wolf ammo for all my 22's. I like keeping it simple. __________________ ONLY TWO DEFINING FORCES HAVE GIVEN UP THEIR LIVES FOR YOU. ONE IS JESUS CHRIST FOR YOUR SOUL AND THE OTHER IS THE AMERICAN SOLDIER FOR YOUR FREEDOM.

February 6, 2020, 06:11 PM	#14
AzShooter Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2006 Location: Surprise, Az. Posts: 766	I have found Blazers to be the most consistent and most accurate BULK ammo in MY guns. I also like Federal BYOB for a light 36 grain bullet. They work well out of my revolvers and are clean enough that I don't have to clean the gun every 100 rounds.

February 6, 2020, 06:31 PM	#15
stinkeypete Senior Member Join Date: July 22, 2010 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 1,293	CCI SV is not what it once was. Blazer is just as good in my tests last summer in all my .22s. Aguila standard is better in my 10/22 New CCI SV is the same as Blazer and both are more expensive than Aguila. My CZ rifle likes Blazer better than Aguila but RWS is lots better (and a lot more expensive.) For pistol plinking, I stocked up on Blazer and Aguila standard velocity. I used to swear by CCI SV and my old stock shoots better than the new stuff.

February 6, 2020, 07:23 PM	#16
triplebike Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2010 Location: Eastern, Pa Posts: 301	The one bulk ammo that runs all of my semi-autos (pistols and rifles) is,,, Federal 550 round bulk packs from Wal mart. This has been my go-to bulk/plinking ammo for well over a decade,,, I'm not saying it's the best bulk ammo out there,,, But it has always worked for me. Aarond I agree 100%. All my 22's run fine with it & it's quite accurate for bulk ammo. One thing that I feel really helps 22's is a 1000 rd break in with CCI MINI MAGS.

February 6, 2020, 07:47 PM	#17
Mike38 Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2009 Location: North Central Illinois Posts: 2,710	Inexpensive, bulk .22 LR that is reasonably reliable? Federal Auto Match. There are people that hate the stuff, but it works good for me.

February 6, 2020, 08:13 PM	#18
chrisintexas Senior Member Join Date: September 11, 2012 Posts: 388	Is walmart still selling any ammo?

February 6, 2020, 08:33 PM	#19
wild willy Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2006 Posts: 404	I've been using Aguila standard velocity in my SR-22 works fine.You can usually find it for less than $20 for 500.

February 7, 2020, 08:23 AM	#22
littlebikerider Senior Member Join Date: September 10, 2018 Posts: 131	I just peeked into the Walmart for something to do. They had .357 and .44 lever actions for sale, but no .357/.38 or .44 ammunition. And all the rifles available were considerably more powerful that .223/NATO5.56. Their corporate people are really sharp. I haven’t actually bought anything in quite some time.

February 7, 2020, 08:44 AM	#23
rodfac Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,623	Federal Automatch is as reliable in my M41 Smith, Ruger Standard MKll, and a 4.5" bbl'd Colt Woodsman Match Target as CCI Mini-Mag. It's also a shade more accurate. In 3 Winchester .22 rifles (M62, M61 & a M670, either brand will hold on a dime at 25 yds. When it's available, I've loaded up with an eye to the 2020 election and the possibility of another Obama-type shortage. YMMv, Rod __________________ Cherish our flag, honor it, defend it in word and deed, or get the hell out. Our Bill of Rights has been paid for by heros in uniform and shall not be diluted by misguided governmental social experiments. We owe this to our children, anything less is cowardice. USAF FAC, 5th Spl Forces, Vietnam Vet '69-'73.

February 7, 2020, 09:22 PM	#24
GarandTd Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2016 Location: Rural PA Posts: 1,639	I have not found anything that shoots with more accuracy, consistency , and reliability in all of my 22rf firearms than CCI Blazer. 40 gr lead round nose in 500 round bricks. __________________ 22lr, 20 gauge, 8mm Mauser, 35 Remington, 30-06, 5.56x45/223, 9mm, 380acp

February 9, 2020, 04:17 AM	#25
TruthTellers Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2016 Posts: 3,887	It's hard to beat CCI SV and Aguila these days in price for performance. I'm a CCI SV guy, it's super accurate and works in my semi autos. Anything loose packed, like Federal, Remington, or Winchester is suspect in semi autos, some will run with them, some won't. __________________ "We always think there's gonna be more time... then it runs out."