Best .22LR for semi auto pistols?


SquirrelSlayer

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Got a new Barretta .22 semi auto pistol two weeks ago and had some FTF and FTL problems with the winchester 333 bulk pack rounds i was shooting.

just wondering what kind of affordable, but reliable .22LR ammo is good to use for plinking/target shots
 

Well, maybe I am a bit of an ammo snob, but I only buy jacketed .22 stuff. The Winchester 333 junk also didn't do well in my Ruger Mark III, Glenfield 60, or my buddy's Ruger 10/22. I just won't buy it anymore.... and the only non-jacketed .22 you'll ever see me buy again is Eley stuff, for obvious reasons. :)

I've had fantastic luck with Remington Golden Bullets in the bulk packs or 100 round packs. For cheap competition practice, the 100 round bricks of Golden Bullets are a very well kept secret! When the guns aren't in use, I keep them loaded with CCI Stingers. They have a good combo of weight/velocity coming out of my personal .22 firearms, and don't change the bullet trajectory. These are great for taking out pests but rather expensive and hard to find, so I don't use them unless I'm takin' care of business around the house with them.

Another good brand of jacketed bullets are the Federal American Eagle bullets in the little 50 round red boxes. They're typically about $3.50 a box but they function very well. The brass is always clean and bright, and they come in a tray so they aren't all dinged up like you find in some bulk packs.

The reason I only use jacketed stuff is that I don't enjoy cleaning out lead from my barrels, and the rifling stays clean much longer. My groupings start to open up after about 150-200 rounds of lead nose stuff, and with copper jacket it seems I'll get tired of shooting before the groups open up at all. I've gone through a whole brick of Golden Bullets in one day and my Ruger Mark III's groups stayed the same.
 
IMO the best is CCI stingers...but you said affordable, I would go with Remington Yellow Jackets. But one thing you have to consider is, keeping your weapon clean. Some guns will shoot forever, but most semi-auto's that I am familiar with need to be cleaned often, 2 to 3 hundred rounds would be pushing it.
 
David, you're a Sig man right? I just fired 500 through mine last month with no cleaning before using it, and I had been carrying it for probably 2 months before that.

I've honestly never had a gun malfunction just because it was dirty (except for a Taurus, but you can expect that from them)...
 
I agree, the jacketed stuff is the best. That soft lead crap causes all kinds of FTF in my MKIII. I use the Federal Bulk Pack when I can find it, otherwise its CCI Mini Mags for me.
 
I agree, the jacketed stuff is the best. That soft lead crap causes all kinds of FTF in my MKIII. I use the Federal Bulk Pack when I can find it, otherwise its CCI Mini Mags for me.

My buddy uses the federal bulk pack that he got at wally world about a year ago and he stocked up on it. Where else sells them? I haven't been able to find it anywhere around here.

I've been shooting the CCI as the 100packs seem to be everywhere in the 6-8 dollar range.
 
Wally world is the only place I have found it too, outside of gun shows that is. But thats just the wally world stuff with the price all jacked up.
 
You said the gun was new; could there still be some cosmoline on or in the action at all? Have you tried any other brands, just to see if any type of ammo feeds correctly? You could polish your feed ramp on your barrel a little more to see if that helps at all...it did with my P22

Other than that, same as others have said, Fed bulk (you can always buy it online, it's worth it if you get enough) or CCI...even at $6 for 100 it's pretty cheap.
Just a tip. If you use non-plated ammo, try using a solution of 1 part vinegar and 1 part hydrogen peroxide to put your barrel in....it eats lead away like magic. An older guy told me about it at the last 3 gun shoot I was at...I was amazed at how well it worked.

Good luck with your problem, happy holidays!
 
Careful when using any solvent that dissolves lead, such as the aforementioned mixture. Think- liquidized lead seeping into your skin through your pores. Wear some strong rubber gloves and make sure you get it ALL out of your gun when finished.
 
Well I have over 500 rounds through it already. It has been cleaned twice. I was at the range today using up the remaining 333 rounds and didn't have one feed or fire problem....go figure

The winchester 333 bulk I was using was brass with a brass looking tip...So I'm not sure about the uncoated stuff you guys are saying about it... box says 36 GR rimfire plated, hollow point 1280 fps

I have ran some winchester dynapoint (bulk pack brass) and some CCI and that is it as of now.

I picked up some hiper velocity spitfire rounds on sale.. they are made by Federal and come 50 to a box in the "case" of 500, but haven't fired any yet. they were normally 40 bucks/500 and were on sale for 30 bucks. they ae copper plated, 31 gr, 1500fps

Also found some American Eagle 400 pack made by federal on sale for 17.99. might pick up a box or two of that if it is any good. I just don't know why there is a "shortage' of .22LR ammo lately. I understrand the 9,40 and .380, but .22's?
 
Don't go cheapo. The Walmart bulk bargain pack 10,000 rounds in a bucket for 2 bucks, is junk. I also do not use the aluminum case Blazers. I like the 40 grain copper plated stuff, like the Winchester. I've had better luck with that in all of my 22 rifles and pistols, than any other round. Keeps the leading down too. My next choice is anything plated by CCI, even the Stingers. Just expensive for practice. Try to find the copper plated Winchester stuff.
 
I've had problems with Winchester in the bulk 333 apck also on my kid's Beretta Neos and Walter P22. That includes my Ruger 10/22 also. The Walter is extremely sensitive to ammo.

Used to have problems with other bulk ammo like Remington Thunderbolts and the Federal Bulk packs on my Ruger Mark II and IIIs until I polished the heck out of those ramps. No problems after that, not even with the Winchesters.
 
I've ran trhough a box of Winchester Dynapoints (500) bulk pack without a single FTF or FTL.

Working on a box of the American Eagle (federal) right now. once this cheap ammo is done i'll look into the better stuff.
 
I have over 14K rounds of the Federal jacketed 36gr jacket rounds through a Ruger Mark III 22/45 and have found it to be the most reliable in terms of feeding as well as failure to fire. The Winchester jacketed would be second on my list and I steer clear of the remington plated stuff as I seem to have a lot of failure to fires with it.

As for where to find the Federal? I find it at Wally world. I visit about 3 days a week during lunch and when they have it in stock I buy the limit, 6 boxes. Their stock has been spotty but no worse than other calibers.
 
My wife and I have a Walther P-22, very nice shooting little gun great at the range very accuate, but the most finicky SOB with ammo I have ever seen, only ammo that works in it reliably is CCI mini mag or stingers, and I have tryed EVERTHING in it, cheap and high dollar stuff
 

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