Thoughts and opinions on 1. Federal AutoMatch Target and 2. other acceptable level/quality/performance ammo?
That's presuming the Fed AM is considered acceptable. From what I've found so far it seems to be among the leaders in it's class/category/level/tier.
I'd love to have a Lapua mega-bestest ammo budget. If only I'd been born rich instead of so good looking. So for future reference for 25M events and general practice/fun what are the best ammo choices?
My go to is AUTOMATCH, My 10/2 has a match barrel etc. etc... so it really likes it. IDK about with a factory barrel. I also use the aguila because it is SOO cheap for so much. but for accuracy, definitely the automatch. I DISLIKE Remington 22, it is way to hot. I feel the trash flying off of it when i shoot it.
I use and recommend CCI Standard Velocity 100% of the time over Federal Automatch. CCI SV is very inexpensive (about the same as AM), available, consistent, and capable of high scores (low to mid 240s for me) for 25m to 200 yard (RKD) events. I started with AM but got flyers and do not like the bulk packaging (got wet during a Winterseed and reliability went way down). I know different rifles prefer different ammo but I recommend you try it.
CCI standard velocity for the money is the way to go.
I've also gotten good results out of CCI SV.
CCI SV
Well, the CCI SV is obviously going to win with AM garnering the runners-up trophy. I forgot about having two 1100 round boxes of Federal Black Box too. But when Mr. Grumpy Checkbook gets a bit less grumpy I'm going to buy a box of the AM to try out also.
I will buy CCI Blazer. I've had a case of Aguila Centurion that I am slowly working through as well. Neither have presented an issue and are accurate.
I do not care for Remington Thunderbolt, or Golden Bullet. I am ambivalent of the bait bucket of loose rounds. I do not like bait buckets of loose rounds that the manufacturer poured oil in there to make them slick. Lead and brass and copper do not corrode like iron does, so there is no need to oil ammo. One can oil the action and chamber, sparingly, if there is a cycling issue.
I do not see the need for hollow points or hyper velocity rounds like Stingers in our program. The ammo simply has to be reliable.
Ammo selection is often overlooked. You don't have to drop the cost of a new rifle on a single weekend of fun, and you can, but ammo selection is important and surprisingly there is a lot to consider.
Entry level ammo, for the most part, isn't consistent; Flyers, failure to eject, misfires, hang fires, and even squibs are all concerns. While any of these can occur with any level of ammo purchase, they happen much more frequent with the budget ammo models.
Oil vs. Wax: Most .22 LR ammo is coated in wax, oil, or a blend of the two, each with its own advantages. However, shooting in New England winters, I tend to avoid heavily wax-coated ammo. In cold temperatures, wax can harden and increase friction, leading to sluggish extraction, especially in rifles with tighter, match-grade chambers. Lubrication is necessary for lead bullets, but in cold weather, ammo selection makes a noticeable difference in reliability.
Bulk ammo: Anything that comes loose in buckets or bags is cheap for a reason. .22 bullets are soft lead and lightly held in place, so when rounds get knocked around, they can tilt or get pushed back in the case. Even slight bullet movement or rim damage can cause failures to feed or fully chamber in semi-autos, which are far less forgiving than bolt guns. Add uneven wax loss and grit buildup, and you end up chasing malfunctions that aren't the rifle's fault just ammo that's been beaten up before it ever hits the magazine.
Velocity: Subsonic vs. High Velocity. Velocity matters more than most people think. Subsonic ammo can be quiet and accurate, but often causes cycling issues in semi-autos, especially in cold weather or with heavier bolts and springs. High-velocity ammo usually cycles reliably, but it tends to be less consistent, harsher on tight or match chambers, and dirtier overall. Standard velocity is the go-to because it strikes the balance—consistent, accurate, stays subsonic in most conditions, and generates enough energy to cycle reliably without beating up the rifle.
Distance: Distance exposes differences in ammo quality. At 25 m, many entry-level loads can group surprisingly well because small inconsistencies don't have time to show. As you move out to 50, 100, and beyond, those variations compound and groups open up, and wind has more influence. Ammo that looks equal up close often separates quickly as distance increases.
With that said, Federal Automatch is a great ammo selection. I've shot it before and have used it regularly in the past. It's kind of the exception to the rule regarding bulk loose ammo. However, after doing a deeper dive into ammo selection, when I started to shoot PRS22, I started to notice some of the inconsistencies.
My recommendation for ammo selection: Federal Automatch, CCI SV, and Aguila SV. The CCI and Aguila are what I consider high end 22lr in the entry category. I shoot the Aguila SV as my go to at all event, as it shoots the best in most of my rifles. I shoot Eley Target or SK Match Rifle in my CZ457. Mainly because I'm shooting out to further distances. I would also probably shoot the Eley Target if I attend a Rimfire KD in my Kidd build as its proven better groups at those distances.
Ammo preference is rifle-specific, so the best approach is to test. Pick 4–5 different ammo models you're interested in. For each one, start with a 10-round fouling group to condition the barrel to that ammo's lubricant. Then shoot 5–10 groups of 5 rounds each at the distance you actually plan to shoot. Measure each group, calculate the average group size, and repeat the process for every ammo type. The load with the smallest average group at your intended distance is the right choice for that rifle. When possible, buying from the same lot number helps maintain consistency once you've found a winner.
It's worth saying: this level of testing is optional. Most shooters don't need to go this deep. Off-the-shelf CCI or Aguila will run well and shoot accurately for the vast majority of use cases. This process is really for people who enjoy the experimentation and want to squeeze out every bit of consistency from their rifle. If you're happy with "good and reliable," stop there. If you want to truly dial things in, this is the path and I'll admit, I tend to go a little overboard because I'm wired that way.
Thank you for great and helpful responses. I will hopefully get the rifle next week although I'm not sure how well known the seller is for rapid shipping. My Aguila supply is the Super Extra which I suspect is not a SV round but probably a HV round. But it's what I bought a while back so that's what I've got for a while. I've also got the Federal Black Box which I bought because it was 1100 rounds for not a lot more on sale than the 500. A spur of the moment but in hindsight maybe not wisest idea. And 1500 CCI Mini-Mag and 1k CCI Velocitor. Finally 2 bricks of TAC-22 that I'll save for when I know a bit more what I'm actually doing and hopefully am a little better at it to make its use more logical.
One other point in favor of CCI Standard Velocity is that it's an inexpensive subsonic round (with a very occasional supersonic), and very quiet with a suppressor. That means I can shoot in my back yard as much as I want without being a neighborhood nuisance.
AM22 was my go-to for years, but no longer. I heard the word, and I've seen the light.
CCI-SV is the preferred ammo of the CO cadre and the one we recommend should a shooter ask.
For those with fancier taste, Eley Target in the yellow box is a definite improvement over the CCI at about twice the price.
Buy a single box or two of every .22LR ammo you can find. Test it, including cold bore, with 20+ rounds. See what groups best in your rifle / pistol and then stock up.
I have some rifles that will reliable feed and group just about anything and others that are very particular. In general I have found the CCI SV (pre-2021) and Aguila SV (red and white box) works well in nearly all my rifles. I have some Norma Tac that I use exclusively use in a Ruger American bolt rifle with a supressor and Ruger 22/45 pistol.
It's a process, it's a game, take notes and you will find what works best for your set up.
What MAtt said.......some guns are ammo sensitive and this is the best way to find the one your gun likes....
Agree with Federal Auto Match (FAM) and CCI SV as top 2. Buy both and test, or go with what is available, both are rifleman capable. I used FAM to earn my rifleman patch.
I have found some rifles shoot the CCI HV very accurately (36 grain and 40 grain). Cycles really well to boot and is also generally available. One of mine loves the 36 grain variety, for whatever reason shoots it better than anything in 40 grain so far.
Curious about the 'new' remington standard V, haven't tried it out.
For Appleseed events, I have found CCI SV to perform very well in Ruger 10/22's. For other semi-auto rifles, CCI Minimags. For 22 pistols, CCI Minimags are reliable. Can't beat the price to performance ratio.
For an Appleseed, no need to spend more but I do have a couple of footnotes. I have formed the opinion that the 100 round plastic boxes of CCI SV has slightly better groups than the 50 rd paper boxes. I have also found that the CCI Green Tag have the same ballistics without the occasional flyer (By flyer, I mean just outside the overall group.) You can shoot CCI SV and switch to Green Tag when it counts with no change in point of impact.
Federal Automatch and CCI Blazer run well in many rifles, but occasionally, during an event, I give someone CCI SV to correct cycling issues. You can spend more (SK Rifle Match, Lapua, Eley, etc.) but it is not necessary.
My suggestions, is to buy CCI SV and Minimag in bulk. Plus, purchase several other brands and try them in your individual rifles. A fun day at the range is learning how different ammunition works in specific rifles!
Rangerat67
Rick
I have yet to find a single rifle or pistol that doesn't like Eley Club, Target, Benchrest Outlaw, or Benchrest Precision.
Club is consistent enough that I use it in smallbore competitions.
Club is on the spendy side of .22lr at $8 to $8.75 per box depending on catching it on sale, but I don't argue with the results.
For longer distance shooting, the extra 2 grains in Outlaw seem to help fight wind a little bit (personal experience, I don't have empirical data on that)