
What is the Best .22 Ammo?
Itâs the round most of us learned on.
Itâs the round we used to take our first squirrel or rabbit.
Itâs the round we use to teach new shooters.
Itâs easily argued that itâs the most versatile round ever inventedâused for plinking, teaching, competition, small game, and even personal defense.
Itâs affordable, fun, effective, easy to find, produces very low recoil and guns chambered for it are extremely affordable.
Where would we be without the .22 Long Rifle?

In 1887, the Stevens Arms Company developed the .22 Long Rifle by taking the case of a .22 Long, combining it with the 40-grain .22 Extra Long bullet. The basic design hasnât changed for over 130 years. Itâs said to be the most popular and most widely produced cartridge in the world. Thereâs no solid number, but its reported that three billion rounds of .22 LR ammo are produced a year!
It is What It Is
.22 Long Rifle was originally made to fire out of lever- and bolt-action rifles and since the manufacturing of .22 LR hasnât changed, itâs been an issue developing a round that is 100% reliable and consistent when firing from semi-automatic rifles and handguns.
You would think that because of its price and availability, .22 LR is easy to produce, but itâs not. The delicate manufacturing process can cause bullet deformation, loss of priming compound, inconsistent muzzle velocities, and ignition, ejection and extraction issues. The NRAâs American Rifleman writes, âTo facilitate ignition, .22 rimfire bullets must be heavily crimped into the case mouth to increase shot-start forces. Of necessity, this deforms the bullet. However, even on a good day, only about half of the propellant in a .22 rimfire cartridge burns completely.â (To read more details about the issues involved in making .22 LR, click here.)
If you own a .22, you know how frustrating it can be to find which .22 ammo works best in your firearm(s). Rimfire ammunition and guns can be very finicky and what works in one might not work in the other, especially when some of the most popular firearms like the Ruger 10/22 are semi-automatics.
Working in the firearms industry, Iâve had the chance to shoot A LOT of .22 LR. I have not had one box of .22 Long Rifle ammo that didnât have at least one bad round in it.
When shopping for ammo, usually, I pick up whatever is cheapest. I have my .22s purely for fun and to teach new shooters. But, there are situations when you need .22 LR ammo for a specific needâmatch ammo for competition, hunting, or for use with a suppressor. For example, Iâve sought out CCI Tactical to try in my Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22, Aguila Super Colibri when I needed to be quiet, and .22 snake shot. That doesnât mean that performance from âwhateverâs cheapestâ has been the sameâfar from it! All .22 ammo Iâve tried has varied in consistency in reliability, accuracy and cleanliness.
When I go to the range, I like to have a variety of .22 LR with me to find what works best in each firearm. Itâs not until you compare a few different brands and types will you find your gunâs go-to.
I have found that though the super cheap stuff shoots reliably through my .22s, I have numerous fliers that I havenât experience with other, more expensive ammo. If you are competing, this would be an important deterrent; however, when youâre just having fun at the range, a few fliers wonât ruin your good time.
Though the following loads arenât the cheapest, theyâve proved themselves reliable.
Aguila Super Extra

This is a 40-grain lead solid point .22 with standard velocity (1,130 fps). This helps make it function better in semi-automatic pistols. Aguila is one of the worldâs largest producers of rimfire ammo and they use Eley Prime technology. Their ammo is good and accurate. I particularly like that this load works equally well in rifles, as it does semi-auto pistols.
Eley Match

The Eley Match competition-grade is another not-so-cheap .22 round; however, for serious target shooters, you canât beat its accuracy. When shooting for accuracy, bullseye, bench rest, competition or precision, this is the round you to invest inâyou wonât be disappointed. It is a 40-grain Flat Nose bullet with 1,085 fps. Eley has been making ammunition since 1828 and focuses on competition and match-grade rimfire and air gun ammo. There are loads specifically for pistol competitors. The company makes sure each round is inspected and I dare you to find more consistently measured primers. Firefield staff has achieved excellent groups with Eley in high-end rifles.
Federal Champion #745

When you go to the range to shoot .22 LR, regardless if you are seriously training or just plinking at cans, you always want more than 50 to 100-rounds. So affordable prices on bulk packs are very important to rimfire shooters regardless if your training or just out plinking at cans. This 36-grain copper hollow point for training/target shooting from Federal is an old recipe and proven reliable for years.
From lever-action to AR conversions, Federalâs Champion one of the more consistently reliable .22 rounds I have found, with accurate and reliable performance in a S&W M&P 15-22, Ruger 10/22, Ruger Mark IV pistol and an NAA mini revolver. Â This clean-burning round works really well in modern semi-automatic rifles, which can be a challenge to find a one that doesnât have cycling issues.
CCI Stinger

The CCI Stinger is a hot little round at 1640 fps. Thatâs why itâs good for varmint hunting. It has a 32-grain copper hollow point bullet and works surprisingly well in semi-automatic handguns. You pay though for this highly accurate and trust-worthy round. For about 10-cents a round, it far from the cheapest. In research conducted by Evan Marshall and Ed Sanow, published in the book âStopping Power, a Practical Analysis of the Latest Handgun Ammunition,â out of 465 shootings studies, the CCI Stinger came out nearly on top with 38 percent one-shot stopsâthe second highest rate .22 LR round of six different loads. The Stinger has a longer case and is loaded to higher pressures than a standard .22 round, so make sure you test it first before swearing by it. We have more luck with this round in rifles than pistols.
If these donât work for you, try the Mini-Mags.
Remember:Â what works for me and my firearms may not work for yours, so always do your own testing before taking my word for it.