what is the best 22lr ammo for accuracy?
- Thread starter Robert_Yeomans
- Start date
- Location
- Winnipeg,Man.
Even rifles that are of the same manufacturer and same model may use different ammo. Best to buy many different brands and try them in each gun. the gun will tell you which ammo it likes the best. Not necessarily the most expensive nor match ammo but it could be a bulk produced brand.
It depends on what your FA prefers. Consistency can change from batch to batch of the same brand and grade of ammo. When you find one that is a show pony - buy as much as you can! Competition shooters are constantly trying new ammo to test for performance. Some of the top performing brands, Eley,RWS,Lapua. In spite of claims of very good accuracy with many North American brands, rarely if ever are they used in competition. The top performers generally also have a top price.
You have to try a box of as many brands as you can to find the ammo your rifle shoots best and cycles the action. No two rifles will shoot the same ammo, the same way. The price of said ammo means nothing either. All .22's are just like that.
Conventional wisdom is that high velocity ammo isn't accurate, but its what's most commonly available, and you may find it cycles your 10/22 reliably and shoots accurately. I've had both good and bad results with Federal 525 bulk ( I think they have bad quality control), and generally good results with American Eagle 40gr solids and 38gr HP. Also CCI mini mags shoot decent in my guns, but I'm not talking about winning any contest or punching a single hole at 50 yards. For me, roughly 1/2" group at 50 yard I consider it a winner. Like they said, buy lots of different brands and try them. If there is any available. Its drying up here.
The guys here have given pretty sound advice. 22 rimfires are individualistic in their choice of ammo. Even two identical rifles may have different tastes entirely. I have a number of very accurate, expensive 22 rimfire rifles, and rarely do I find an ammo that shoots exceptionally well in more than 1 or 2 of them at a time. I use a particular batch of ELEY match EPS in my Suhl for the best results, while my 40X Remington likes a different lot number of the same better. One of my 541's likes Lapua Center-X, while the other prefers RWS R50. My 504 HB match prefers a certain lot of RWS rifle match. The model 52 Winchester I just sold liked yet different ammo better. You just have to try until you find what your rifle prefers, and as has been said, buy up a bunch of it. Keep in mind that a case of high quality match ammo is well over $1000.00 these days, with some approaching $1500.00. Your 10/22 will probably yield satisfactory results with less expensive ammo, since it is unlikely to be able to shoot with the big dogs anyway. 
Regards, Eagleye.
Regards, Eagleye.
Hey there,
I want to revive this thread, as I have a question in terms of "what is"
1) The best 22LR for hunting (via rifle, its a lightweight carbine) I found it to be pretty accurate shooting simple lead round nose thru it but....
just in case ya wondering, I would be going for partridge or rabbit, NOT deer, moose, hippo or bear. & at a range of no more than 25 yards.
A) I keep hearing that the copper wash stuff is bad for the barrel
B) I have heard that the brass plated stuff is also bad for the barrel.
This is new to me, I didnt think that fouling the barrel with copper was likely on 22LR
2) Should I be using hollowpoints or regular round nose (or something else)
3) Subsonics? Im guessing slower is better in this case?
4)Any specific brands or bullet wt to get (or avoid)
Anything would be useful... I typically dont do small game stuff, but with moose tags in my area tough to get, I need to find other ways to have fun.
A & B = 'most' of these are HV so slightly more bore-wear ? HV will get you more impact but often less accuracy unless high-quality ammo. At 'hunting ranges' may not be a great diff ?
2 - HP may work a bit better for expansion, as would HV
3 - How would that be better ? See #2
4 - I tend to go with SK products for my CZs, even SK Magazine is better than CCIs for accuracy IMO.
2 - HP may work a bit better for expansion, as would HV
3 - How would that be better ? See #2
4 - I tend to go with SK products for my CZs, even SK Magazine is better than CCIs for accuracy IMO.
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Better off starting a new thread, as people going to see that it is a 14 year old thread and not pay attention.
Ya, you would think after 12 years I would know what I am doing haha.
Typically, I shoot paper, although I have been fortunate enough to participate in a moose hunt the past few years.
In the days before hunting season, the guys like to do partridge & rabbit hunting, I have never bothered, never been interested.
Apparently this makes me "anti social" last year, one of the guys gave me his 410 to use, but this year I am expected to "pick up my game" haha
But ya, I admit my knowledge set isnt up to par with most people on the board, might as well admit it and look for the answers.... That is the point
of being here... I probably should have started a separate thread, but I didnt want to duplicate someone else's question.
Some great thoughts here. I think Eley is quite amazing. Batch by batch and lot number dependent. But pretty on fire.
When a thread has been buried for over a dozen years, it's safe to begin a new one on the topic.
Besides, with this topic new ammos not around over a decade ago may be now available, while some ammos discussed twelve years ago may not.
The good expensive stuff, Lapua, RWS, etc is consistent, regardless of all other parameters, they focus on consistency. They also have a dozen or more different offerings each, because every gun shoots a little different.
TESRO use to have variety packs, probably still do, get 200-400 round packs of the line these guys offer so you can try them all and see what works...good idea before committing to 1000's of rounds.
TESRO use to have variety packs, probably still do, get 200-400 round packs of the line these guys offer so you can try them all and see what works...good idea before committing to 1000's of rounds.
