Cheap Ammo w/ Great Accuracy?

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peterbing

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As I shoot more 22LR, I'm noticing how big of a deal the ammo selection is. I can only assume this is because "match" ammo seems to be more consistent, according to the chronograph data I've seen other people gather, so all things being equal, shoots more accurately.

My question is whether it's common or possible to shoot cheap ammo but achieve consistent great accuracy. I would define accurate as sub-MOA at 50y (0.50") with the following ammo price categories.

Super Cheap Ammo - Fed Black Pack, Fed Automatch, American Eagle etc.. - Things that cost less than $0.10 / round

Cheap Ammo - CCI Mini-Mag, S&B Standard, CCI Blazer, etc.. - Things that cost about $0.10 / round

Moderately Priced Ammo - Eley Club, Eley Force, Aguila Interceptor, etc.. - Things that cost $0.20 / round

Expensive Ammo - Eley Edge, Lapua Center-X, etc.. - $0.30 / round

Ridiculously Expensive Ammo - Eley Tenex, Eley Match, Lapua Midas+, etc.. - $0.30+ / round

Has anyone had any luck with the Cheap or Super Cheap categories? I'm referring to consistent groups of sub-MOA, not once-in-awhile.

Thanks!
 
This is actually a 2 part question - Barrel and Ammo.... and with the barrel would be proper bedding and set up in the stock..then optics.. then proper rests while shooting

With quality match barrels, they tend to put a wider range of ammo into small groups at 50yds If you are running a factory barrel, you may be limited by the quality and ultimate performance of that barrel.

Can you get less spendy ammo to shoot well at 50m? Yes... but I would start with a proper match barrel.

Given how long a rimfire match barrel will last, the cost of a better barrel is almost nil vs the value of ammo it will digest. PM or email to discuss further

Good luck.

Jerry
 
I've had good luck with Remington target, the 100 plastic pack with a blue stripe. Almost as good as federal gold medal match at 11$ for 100. Fed auto match is not bad but not .5inch @50 yards. Interested in what others will have on this topic.
 
When someone says "My rifle really likes . . ." it is time for a 50 or 100 yard challenge.
Proper testing of ammunition that can be acquired in case lot volume is very important.
Testing 10 varieties that cannot be secured by the case is a waste of time and effort.
Match grade barrels is the answer . . . better results for a long time . . . thanx Jerry.
 
With .22lr it all depends on the firearm they all seem to have a ammo preference that works and some that don't. I have a Cooey 600 that eats just about anything I tried it with Eley match ammo that was on sale just to see it hated it I had no end of failures to feed. Or you could ask any Savage/lakefield/Cooey 64 to try Winchester super X if you are feeling particularity nasty.
I personally just buy a brick or two of CCI standard it seems to work in most firearms and wont break the bank. It goes bang when the trigger is pulled and hits where I am aiming at.
 
vagrantviking said:
Most of the shooters in 1/2" challenge post what they are using.
https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/for...s-at-50-yards-meters-all-day!-Really-Prove-it!

Only 1600 posts to sort through though..... Maybe use the "search thread" tool.
Click to expand...

Don't worry about the list. Grauhanen looks like he's 50% of the successful list, so if he says it's not doable with cheap ammo (and he's probably right), he probably used something more expensive.

From my quick scan of the ammo choices, the cheapest one was SK Rifle Match (~$0.18-0.20 / round) or Eley Sport (same). Everyone else was using something that cost more.
 
I had very good result with Winchester Dynapoint out of a stock Savage Mk2 FV wearing a bushnell 3-9 laying on the ground using a bipod. Multiple dime sized 5 shot groups and nickel sized 10 shots groups.

Pack of 500 rounds sold for $19.99 according to the tag of what I have left.

CCI Greentag at 19.99 /100 produced sub-moa @50 as well

Anything Remington is plinking ammo at best, except cbees and yellow jacket. Got toonie sized group at 100m with the yellow jackets.

American Eagle lead round nose got me good results, plated bullets not so much.

Federal blue box is also plinking ammo
 
Just because you can shoot the occasional 5-shot 0.5" group at 50y with a certain kind of ammo doesn't mean much. In most cases, inexpensive ammo can shoot the occasional 0.5" group. I don't consider any brand 1MOA capable until I can shoot at least 2 10-round groups within 0.5". It's a real eye opener that even match ammo has a hard time achieving this unless you start with a decent rifle/scope combination and not just a plinker gun. The best approach it to just try a variety of brands and see which one meets your minimum criteria.
 
Check the last page of the 50 yard challenge . I did it on the first attempt using CCI SV in -10C temperatures . It can be done using lower cost ammo .

Not saying that CCI SV is the way to go , but it does reasonable in most rifles I've seen . It's not Center X and beyond , but , it doesn't cost premium either . It's been the most consistent cheap target ammo that I've tried .
 
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Fellow shooter at club bought a used mint Anshutz 54, 1500.00+ - then purchase Sightron 111 10x to 50x, 1600.00 and a Henry Remple bi-Pod
$ 500 + he had shot some decent scores at 50 y in competions but scored terrible scores at 100y.
He was using SK Rifle Match, he was at range practising I said bring your gun over to my bench as I had a good chrono set up Those Rifle Match are one of poorest I have tested ES was 1025 to 1070 fps another fellow had some SK Rifle match different lot # he had just bought, same results
49 fps difference that 49 fps really shows up at 100y checked bullets rim thickness and used G3 very inconstant ammo

He finally got some top ammo R50 And Eley 10x he now is in top 5 shooters at range and won the last shoot in Nov
Note some of the hi-end ammo has good lots and not so good lots
 
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