.22LR Federal AutoMatch

[doddg]

I have a thread under "Handguns" where I was talking about .22 revolvers and semi-autos, but it turned into ammo comments b/c of me.
I thought I'd put further comments about ammo here where it is supposed to be.
I bought Federal AutoMatch to run through a S/W Victory I bought a week ago, b/c it was recommended to be "clean-firing."
I am inexperienced and have been away from shooting for 3 decades, but I thought it was dirty, not clean.
I had debris all over my right hand, or more accurate, my thumb and forefinger.
Also, I had a jam virtually every magazine where the shell did not eject completely.
I intend to sell it anyway, but maybe I'll get some CCI and run through it first.
I bought some Remingtons also b/c they were coated with copper or brass so I thought they'd fire cleaner than a lead bullet, but read where they were dirty, so I didn't even think of using them.

 

[Mgderf]

I think the idea of "clean .22lr" is like chasing unicorns.
You just aren't likely to find one...

On another note, as for accuracy, anything that shoots .22lr is going to have ammo it prefers, and ammo it hates, more so than most other calibers.
Try the CCI's. I've had pretty good luck with them, and they seem to b more consistent than some other brands.

 

[mac45]

Haven't had a whole lot of luck w/ Auto Match in my Semi Auto's
Try some Mini Mags before you give up on it

 

[doddg]

I think the idea of "clean .22lr" is like chasing unicorns.
You just aren't likely to find one...
On another note, as for accuracy, anything that shoots .22lr is going to have ammo it prefers, and ammo it hates, more so than most other calibers.
Try the CCI's. I've had pretty good luck with them, and they seem to b more consistent than some other brands.

1. I should have known there was dirty, very dirty and filthy dirty: lesson learned by the newbie.
2. From my experience that started in 1973 till about 1990, I was poor and bought the cheapest I could find and didn't expect any better.
3. I had read where the CCI would be better, just trying to find that 6 cents each instead of 10 cents each funtime.

Haven't had a whole lot of luck w/ Auto Match in my Semi Auto's
Try some Mini Mags before you give up on it

1. I'm not going to sell b/c of it, that didn't bother me so much, I just want to put my $$ into a revolver.
2. I tried to figure out how to do an ad last evening, but couldn't upload a pic from photobucket, so looks like I'll have to get "tutored" on it.

 

[doddg]

was an accidental duplicate: tried to cancel it

 

[t-squared]

I've put a bunch of the Automatch through a Beretta Neos, a Ruger 22/45, a Ruger SR22, and a S&W 15-22. It and the Remington Thunderbolts seem to be the worst "cheap" 22s that I've tried. Lots of variation in sound and recoil from shot to shot and absolutely the most function issues.

On a happier note, The Remington Golden Bullets you purchased seem to run great in all of the guns mentioned. They're not VERY dirty, but definately not as clean as CCI stuff.

It has been said that during the last few years of the "great .22 ammo shortage" the factories have been running full bore 24/7 trying to keep up with demand. Maybe they can now slow things down a notch and dial in a bit more quality control.

 

[gregkl]

This thread will already show you that different rounds perform differently even for different shooters. For me, Rem Goldens did not work well. Lot's of sound changes shooting them and several failures to ignite.

Most all .22 in my experience is dirty. At least compared to the centerfire that I shoot.

I have tried a lot of rounds and some work well, some not so much. Fortunately I have a .22 revolver so what doesn't feed well through my semi-autos always feeds the revolver.

 

[1775usmarine]

My marlin 80DL loves it all with no change in accuracy. The same with my 10/22 I don't really have any issues shooting any of the above cheaper ammo. I must of lucked out when I bought it.

 

[KLB]

This thread will already show you that different rounds perform differently even for different shooters. For me, Rem Goldens did not work well. Lot's of sound changes shooting them and several failures to ignite.

Most all .22 in my experience is dirty. At least compared to the centerfire that I shoot.

I have tried a lot of rounds and some work well, some not so much. Fortunately I have a .22 revolver so what doesn't feed well through my semi-autos always feeds the revolver.

I'm another that had bad luck with Remington, the GBs especially. They would give me problems in both my MP22 and my MP15-22. The only one I had worse luck with was Winchester Bulk.

 

[Contender]

My victory chokes on Federal Auto Match. Only ammo that has ever given me problems.

 

[wtburnette]

This thread will already show you that different rounds perform differently even for different shooters. For me, Rem Goldens did not work well. Lot's of sound changes shooting them and several failures to ignite.

Most all .22 in my experience is dirty. At least compared to the centerfire that I shoot.

I have tried a lot of rounds and some work well, some not so much. Fortunately I have a .22 revolver so what doesn't feed well through my semi-autos always feeds the revolver.

That's my experience as well. The Auto Match and Golden Bullet both work fine in my Victory, but the AutoMatch seems cleaner. That's pretty subjective though as all .22 ammo I've tried has been pretty filthy, even CCI.

My victory chokes on Federal Auto Match. Only ammo that has ever given me problems.

I find it pretty ironic that there is a lot of variation on the same weapon. My Victory has so far done around 650 rounds of the Auto Match, with only one FTE. The only ammo it doesn't seem to like, that I've tried, is Aguila Super Extra. Thankfully that runs in my 10/22 without any problems. The other "cheap" .22 that my Victory seems to like it the Browning Performance Rimfire. I have my Victory, a used Victory I just picked up and my Dad's Victory, which he's having me store in my safe. All three run the Auto Match and Browning just fine, which works for me as I like the price...

 

[doddg]

Sounds like I'll have to buy some CCIs
But, I have it up for sale anyway, with a buyer who says he wants it, just a matter of my schedule and getting together.

 

[JettaKnight]

CCI's seem to be the most consistent and reliable plinking ammo, IMHO, YMMV.

 

[t-squared]

Speaking of Auto Match, I ran 225 of them through my 15-22 yesterday. Had 1 FTE. Being outside and shooting them from a rifle I couldn't hear/feel the round to round differences that shooting pistols indoors lets you experience. Dirty wise, not really enough rounds to make much of a call on. I will say the rifle likes them well enough accuracy wise.
These were bought in 2014. I'm really thinking there is a BUNCH of variances from lot to lot with some of these "bulk" .22s.
While I'm like a few folks on here and have started going for more quality over quantity, which for me equals CCI sv or mm, if a "can't resist" deal comes along on Auto Match I would still buy it. Thunderbolts?.....not so much !!

 

[gregkl]

Speaking of Auto Match, I ran 225 of them through my 15-22 yesterday. Had 1 FTE. Being outside and shooting them from a rifle I couldn't hear/feel the round to round differences that shooting pistols indoors lets you experience. Dirty wise, not really enough rounds to make much of a call on. I will say the rifle likes them well enough accuracy wise.
These were bought in 2014. I'm really thinking there is a BUNCH of variences from lot to lot with some of these "bulk" .22s.
While I'm like a few folks on here and have started going for more quality over quantity, which for me equals CCI sv or mm, if a "can't resist" deal comes along on Auto Match I would still buy it. Thunderbolts?.....not so much !!

Yeah, I will pass on Thunderbolts.