There is an array of .22 types to choose from.

There is an array of .22 types to choose from.

I have read that Bullseye shooters prefer subsonic ammo; because, when a supersonic projectile slows down it changes its flight path.
I have also read that when firing a .22 pistol for accuracy only lead round nose ammo should be used.

Here are some examples that I have found.

CCI 22 Long Ammo - 100 Rounds of 29 Grain CB LRN Ammunition

Eley Match Pistol .22 LR 
16.25 per box of 50

Eley Tenex Pistol .22 LR 
20.50 per box of 50

BOX OF 500 Aguila Sniper Subsonic SSS 22 Long Rifle Ammo 60 Grain Lead Round Nose
57.60 /$0.12 Per Round

Best Buy
BOX OF 500 Aguila SuperExtra 22 Long Rifle 40 Grain Ammo Subsonic Lead Round Nose
34.99 /$0.07 Per Round

BOX OF 50 Winchester S22LRTSUP M-22 Subsonic 22 LR 45 Grain LRN
8.99 5 Boxes with shipping  /$0.21 Per Round

There are several categories to choose from:

Regular Velocity
High Velocity
Subsonic

Lead Round Nose
Full Metal Jacket
FMJ Hollowpoint

What is the best combination for Bullseye?

Are there manufacturers to avoid?
What is the best grain weight for Bullseye?
What .22 do you recommend?

Regarding subsonic ammo, upon further research I noted the following:
Speed of sound = 1126fps, Answers.com
CCI Standard Velocity .22 LR ammunition is rated at 1070 fps., Wikipedia.
Conclusion, just buy regular CCI standard. It’s 1070fps and the speed of sound is 1125fps. Using CCI standard is already subsonic.

I appreciate your experience and wisdom in your response.

The Ammo to shoot is the one that shoots the best in YOUR gun. Test a bunch and see what groups best. Shoot that. I was shooting good with CCI Standard Velocity. From sand bags it only grouped two inches though. I tested Wolf Target and groups size was cut in half. Just for practice and to save money las week I was shooting Federal Auto Match bulk cheap stuff. It’s high velocity I think. At least it recoils more sharply. But I still shot very well with it at 50. A 94, 98, and 97.

It’s not “What’s the best to buy?” It’s “What’s the kind of stuff my gun likes?”. 

Try CCI Standard. It’s a very popular “go to” for many shooters. But take the time to test others. And don’t be afraid to try cheap Ammo too. Sometimes it shoots good enough to work with depending on the shooters abilities.

i shoot with high standard and i was used aguila super extra eley primer but like more Geco .22lr and cci. eleys here in Puerto Rico are very scarce.

Eley tenex is the best....period. If you send them a firearm or go to the test facility and they can’t find a lot of tenex that outshoots your best ammo they will give you 5,000 rounds of tenex free.

22s can be very lot # sensitive, I like the Aguila and cci for everyday use as well as matches.

My 22 after reline tested .8 with cci and .48 with tenex at 50 yards

Chris,

Would you please post a reference to that Eley guarantee?  I can't imagine any benchrester or other not taking advantage of such a benefit!

As a marksman, I'd try CCI Standard Velocity first and see if it functions reliably in your pistol. If you have a decent .22 pistol, it should group well into the 10 ring at fifty yards. You can buy 2-3 times the amount of CCI Standard Velocity for each box of "premium" .22 ammo. This can take you farther in training than "blowing" a bundle on the "premium" .22 ammo now. As you progress through the classes, you'll figure out, little-by-little, what you need to upgrade your ammo and equipment. CCI Standard Velocity and a decent .22 pistol will be capable of shooting all tens at all distances.

sharkdoctor wrote:Chris,

Would you please post a reference to that Eley guarantee?  I can't imagine any benchrester or other not taking advantage of such a benefit!

http://www.eley.co.uk/eley-tenex-challenge

The US test range is in texas

Chris Miceli wrote:

sharkdoctor wrote:Chris,

Would you please post a reference to that Eley guarantee?  I can't imagine any benchrester or other not taking advantage of such a benefit!

http://www.eley.co.uk/eley-tenex-challenge

The US test range is in texas

Thanks  much for the quick response.  It is important to note it applies only against non-Eley products, and if you want to try, you have one month left!

Tim:H11 wrote:The Ammo to shoot is the one that shoots the best in YOUR gun. Test a bunch and see what groups best.

Bingo. When it comes to .22's every gun is different, even the same make and model. I have 4 Ruger Mark III's and a Nelson conversion, and to get the absolute best group out of each one requires a different ammo for each one (Ransom tested). 

For me it's a balance of cost and availability vs. pure accuracy, and always the limitation is me and not the ammo. Using a Ransom rest all of my .22 pistols will hold the 10 ring at 50 yards using decent quality ammo like CCI Standard. Going to match grade ammo will cut those group sizes significantly. My problem is that I still manage to scatter bullets all over the target no matter what ammo I'm using. Spending $20 a box on Eley Tenex probably isn't going to fix me.

I do use the high-dollar match ammo in rimfire benchrest, where a a gun that shoots a 1/3" group at 50 yards is only considered marginally accurate. For the majority of bullseye shooters that level of precision just isn't needed.

TexasShooter wrote:

Tim:H11 wrote:The Ammo to shoot is the one that shoots the best in YOUR gun. Test a bunch and see what groups best.

Bingo. When it comes to .22's every gun is different, even the same make and model. I have 4 Ruger Mark III's and a Nelson conversion, and to get the absolute best group out of each one requires a different ammo for each one (Ransom tested). 

For me it's a balance of cost and availability vs. pure accuracy, and always the limitation is me and not the ammo. Using a Ransom rest all of my .22 pistols will hold the 10 ring at 50 yards using decent quality ammo like CCI Standard. Going to match grade ammo will cut those group sizes significantly. My problem is that I still manage to scatter bullets all over the target no matter what ammo I'm using. Spending $20 a box on Eley Tenex probably isn't going to fix me.

I do use the high-dollar match ammo in rimfire benchrest, where a a gun that shoots a 1/3" group at 50 yards is only considered marginally accurate. For the majority of bullseye shooters that level of precision just isn't needed.

I disagree, the max capability of your equipment is always needed. When winning is by Xs or single points every bit helps

Chris Miceli wrote:

TexasShooter wrote:

Tim:H11 wrote:The Ammo to shoot is the one that shoots the best in YOUR gun. Test a bunch and see what groups best.

Bingo. When it comes to .22's every gun is different, even the same make and model. I have 4 Ruger Mark III's and a Nelson conversion, and to get the absolute best group out of each one requires a different ammo for each one (Ransom tested). 

For me it's a balance of cost and availability vs. pure accuracy, and always the limitation is me and not the ammo. Using a Ransom rest all of my .22 pistols will hold the 10 ring at 50 yards using decent quality ammo like CCI Standard. Going to match grade ammo will cut those group sizes significantly. My problem is that I still manage to scatter bullets all over the target no matter what ammo I'm using. Spending $20 a box on Eley Tenex probably isn't going to fix me.

I do use the high-dollar match ammo in rimfire benchrest, where a a gun that shoots a 1/3" group at 50 yards is only considered marginally accurate. For the majority of bullseye shooters that level of precision just isn't needed.

I disagree, the max capability of your equipment is always needed. When winning is by Xs or single points every bit helps

I think for an expert, master or high master that could benefit from better ammunition or equipment should strive to have it and use it. It could and would benefit. But for a marksman or sharpshooter who’s still learning - they can save money by using adequate equipment, stay in the game affordably and learn. Even if the had the best it may not matter if they can’t hold it.

Basically new shooters shouldn’t be or feel pressed to have the absolute best in order to do well. I didn’t use the best stuff out there and I’m winning local matches, points and made master.

best bet for quality ammo priced low is the CMP eley in bulk

The more I read and the more I shoot, I think my mantra is simply buy the equipment you can afford, use the ammo that is reliable.
I'll only avoid the cheap nasty stuff that's dirty and has many fliers. As long as it cycles and functions reliably in my pistol.
My S&W Victory 22 seems to shoot anything except S&B std vel. That seemed to gum up the chamber and the gun would refuse to completely cycle. CCI std vel works great and was my go to. Until I bought a box of bulk Federal and figured it shot just as well.
Some expensive SK worked wonderfully, but why pay twice the price or more?
For the FAS it's another story. CCI std won't always feed, jams in magazine, etc. Lucked out trying CCI HP subsonic. Worked like an absolute charm. And the cheapest ammo my local stores carry. Until I seem to have bought a few 100rnd boxes of a bad batch. Some aren't even HP, and quite a few don't feed or jam. CCI OAL can be very inconsistent it seems.
So I agree with the general simple mantra of "find what works".
However, reading this thread and others, I'm thinking I should buy a box each of a bunch of different ammo and do the exercise of shooting half of each box through each of my pistols from a rest or sandbags to see if there's a noticeable difference.

Be the best you can be, use the best you can afford.

Don

Just my opinion but until I become good enough for X count to matter CCI SV is fine for me! I'm fortunate in that any decent .22 seems to run fine in all of my guns.

I happily use cci sv for most matches. If I travel for a big match I break out the Eley Tenex.
Jon

A few years ago I 50yd ransomed my Advantage Arms conversion.  As expected Eley was best at 1" and a little less.  Most everything else* was up to 1.5" maybe 2"  But Green Tag was like 5".  I went back to Eley and it remained 1" and less.  Back to Green Tag and it again was 5"

*Aguila, Remington, T22, 711, etc

Jon Eulette wrote:I happily use cci sv for most matches. If I travel for a big match I break out the Eley Tenex.
Jon

Ding ding, when I spent a few hundred in travel and match fees 20-40$ for ammo is the least of my concerns

Chris Miceli wrote:best bet for quality ammo priced low is the CMP eley in bulk

Bought a case of that, and looking forward to running it thru my H-S Victor in my new Ransom Rest in the Spring.

Don

I prefer to buy 22LR locally.  That said I will buy match grade ammo online as most stores do not carry it locally.  

I did find that Aguila seems to not function in my 41.  CCI SV does but doesn’t shoot particularly well.  But it’s good enough.  I like Fiocchi 40HP subsonic.  Shoots slightly better than CCISV and is reliable.  
 SK, Norma Match seem to be the same stuff.  Norma TAC shoots ok and is good for practice.   Lapua shoots very well but is hard to find.  Eley is very good, even the cheaper stuff.  As good as SK Match.

Wobbley, you should start buying your .22 in bulk. You need to know that it runs your gun well and be confident of zero.

When I was a competitive trap shooter an old coach told me when going to the Grand American I needed to do 3 things.

1) Eat at Friendly's.
2) Buy a gun.
3) Shoot Federal Papers...........

james r chapman wrote:When I was a competitive trap shooter an old coach told me when going to the Grand American I needed to do 3 things.

1) Eat at Friendly's.
2) Buy a gun.
3) Shoot Federal Papers...........

Low brass federal papers was the only think I loaded trap loads with.  I hated when plastic Winchester came out. 
Don

During the crunch I just bought any 22 ammo I could find (no junk/thunderduds) . Now I am always on the hunt for a pistol that likes my ammo.