Federal auto match ammo

[toiletfighter]

It shoots just fine in my 10/22 and TacSol X-Ring rifle. Not exactly "match" grade, but it works fine for shooting steel and paper bad guys. Haven't tried it in any semi-auto pistols yet. A few FTF and FTE out of each 325rd box, but nothing excessive. If I could find it for a fair price I'd buy more, for plinking and such.

[dotfortune]

I'll chime in. Can't comment on accuracy since I don't do a lot of dedicated target shooting.

Reliability wise, it's fantastic, assuming your firearm will cycle it. Works great in my 10/22, but curiously, won't cycle in my SR22 (which even stranger, will work flawlessly with Remington and Aguila Sub-Sonics).

Gets a thumbs-up from me.

[RawHP]

.... (which even stranger, will work flawlessly with Remington and Aguila Sub-Sonics).

Gets a thumbs-up from me.

This is likely due to faster or slower burning powders. Since most 22 LR semi-autos are blow back designs, instead of recoil, a faster burning powder might create enough initial pressure to cycle, while a light charge of longer burning powder may obtain the same velocity, but not have the initial pressure to cycle the action.

[dotfortune]

This is likely due to faster or slower burning powders. Since most 22 LR semi-autos are blow back designs, instead of recoil, a faster burning powder might create enough initial pressure to cycle, while a light charge of longer burning powder may obtain the same velocity, but not have the initial pressure to cycle the action.

I was wondering how an ammo rated at a lower velocity would cycle my SR22, instead of a higher one (FAM).

It's worth noting that the recoil impulse using the FAM felt like more of a "push", instead of a "kick", and the resulting muzzle flash from the ~3" barrel was significantly brighter compared to the sub-sonic ammo. Indicative of slower powder then?

ps -thanks for the education/theory

[RawHP]

Basically yes. I reload 357 target loads with fast burning powder (e.g. Bullseye) and there's no real muzzle flash, but loading full power loads with slower powder (e.g. 2400) you can get a pretty big flash, especially in a shorter barrel. But the pressure curve for the slow power is smooth/linear. That's probably why 357 full loads will have much higher velocity in a longer barreled carbine, with close to 30-30 stopping power.
Not sure it's exactly the same with 22 LR, but I know some manufacturers will have two kinds of ammo with the exact same rated velocity, but one may say it's designed for semi-autos and will cycle, and another made from bolt actions, which won't cycle semi-autos. I doubt 22 LR is ever loaded with slow burning powder, but more likely fast or faster burning powders.

I was wondering how an ammo rated at a lower velocity would cycle my SR22, instead of a higher one (FAM).

It's worth noting that the recoil impulse using the FAM felt like more of a "push", instead of a "kick", and the resulting muzzle flash from the ~3" barrel was significantly brighter compared to the sub-sonic ammo. Indicative of slower powder then?

ps -thanks for the education/theory

[dotfortune]

Some real knowledge bring dropped here.

@RawHP +1

[kayaker55]

Federal Match is great ammo. I've gone through thousands of rounds without one issue. A S&W tech told me to only use 40 grain ammo with any .22 pistol or rifle.

[Teachu2]

My grandson was a fan of FAM, because his dad was - it's what was cheap at WalMart. Grandson brought his 10/22 to me to get scoped, and a few VQ parts ended up in the trigger group. With MiniMag HPs, it was grouping under 1/2" at 50 yards for me, and he was able to hit the steel swinging targets I had up with every shot, 20 shots in a row. We switched to FAM, and the groups opened up to nearly 3". He missed the steels over 40% of his shots. Went back to MiniMags, and it went right back to small groups.

I know different guns shoot different ammo differently, so I tried the FAM in every .22 I own - three semi-auto rifles, two bolt rifles, a scoped semi pistol, and a S&W revolver. It was reliable in all, accurate in none. It did go bang every time, with no cycling issues, but I'm done with it.