Do you compete in rimfire benchrest matches, silhouette or NRL22? Check out the Shooting Sports USA.22 LR Ammo roundup on the SSUSA.org site. This article covers.22 LR ammo from Lapua and ELEY. It also includes ammunition from RWS, Norma Wolf, Aquila, SK, Norma and SK. There’s also a detailed review of Lapua Long Range and Super Long Range ammunition. SSUSA also confirms that SK Ammo (made in Germany, by Nammo, the parent company of Lapua), and Wolf Match Target Ammo (made ELEY) offer good performance at a moderate cost. The article mentions that there are more.22 LR ammunition types available today than a few short years ago. There’s more to choosing between high-end match ammunition and cheap products. As SSUSA explains, “.22 LR used to be either expensive match grade ammo or cheap plinking and hunting ammo. Today, there are many different grades of.22 LR Match ammunition available to suit your budget or firearm. We’ve had good results with the relatively inexpensive Norma Tac-22 and SSUSA says that SK performs above its price range. Seven Brands of Match Ammunition.22LR Lapua Super Long Range, Long Range.22LRLapua Super Long Range rimfire ammunition is made in Finland and is designed to meet the growing demand for long-range rimfire targets between 100-300 yards. Lapua claims that this ammo has very low ES andSD numbers. F-Class John, a friend of ours, has tested this ammo. He confirms that it performs well (SEE the video above). Geoff Esterline from Capstone’s marketing director said that each production lot of Lapua rimfire products is tested in 50-round groups to ensure dispersion. “The results will determine whether it is made into Super Long Range or Long Range packaging.”
ELEY is a long-time favorite for.22 LR competitive shooting, both benchrest and position shooting. ELEY offers 11 different types of.22 LR Match ammunition, ranging from $7 (Benchrest Outlaw), to $20 (ELEY Tenex). If you are a rimfire benchrest competitor, you should try some ELEY ammunition. SK.22 LR Ammunition
SK offers a wide range of.22 LR ammo types, suitable for a number of disciplines – from NRL22 to Biathlon. SK ammo is generally cheaper than ELEY Match. F-Class John said it performs well considering the price. The SSUSA article states that: “German manufacturer SK offers eight match-grade.22 LR ammunition options, including two for pistols and one for semi-automatic weapons, as well as one for freezing, winter conditions.”
RWS ammo is popular with European competition shooters. It can be difficult to find at US vendors. Many competitive shooters prefer the top-tier RWS ammunition. RWS offers nine.22 LR Premium Line varieties and three Professional Line options. The SSUSA test noted that RWS Rifle Match ammunition shot great in Bergara BMR. It produced one-ragged-hole groupings at 50 yards, and approximately one MOA at a distance of 100 yards. It’s a great performance for only $10/box. Norma.22 LR Ammunition
Norma has recently introduced XTREME LR-22 – a new type rimfire competition ammo featuring a revolutionary new bullet. This unique, patent bullet design has a cone-shaped base (see diagram). Norma claims this “rocket-tail” design reduces drag because it creates less negative pressure on the back of the bullet. It will be interesting how this new bullet works in rimfire ELR. Wolf.22 LR Ammunition
SSUSA claims that Wolf Match Target is the best-selling product in the category of under $10 per box. According to SSUSA, “it is manufactured by ELEY (and loaded Vihtavuori Powder) and rebranded, if the online information is accurate.” Wolf Match Target can be purchased from Target Sports USA at $74.99 per 1,000 rounds ($0.15 per shot). Aguila .22 LR Ammunition
Aguila.22 LR rimfire ammunition is made in Mexico and is the bargain among the seven ammo makers featured by SSUSA. It is widely available and at very affordable rates. Aguila is not suitable for benchrest matches or three-position matches, but could be adequate for local NRL-22 matches or steel-target competitions at relatively short distance. Aguila.22 LR ammo starts at less than $3.00 per box. Midsouth is currently offering a 2000-round Aguila Case for only $114.99. This works out to only $2.87/box, or six cents a round.
