The WORST 22 Ammo I've Ever Bought (And Why The Other One is Actually Good) Champion vs AutoMatch

In this video, I compare two different 22LR load offerings from Federal-their Champion Value Pack 36gr CPHP and their AutoMatch 40gr LRN over the chronograph and on paper at 50 yards. All chronograph readings are on screen in live time for your viewing, and tabulated at the end with proper Averages, SD's, and ES data as well. I made the mistake of buying one of these again the other day, and realized just how bad it was when I took it out to the range for testing.
Both types have been thoroughly tested in several bolt-action 22's, as well as semi-auto's and several 22 pistols.
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[@DevinAlden]

This matches what my friend and i got today. I had brought my new chronograph to the range to test it out for the first time. We tested federal champion blue box, federal automatch, federal punch, winchester wildcats "high velocity", cci mini mags varmints , cci quiets, and aguila 60 gr snipers out of a ruger wrangler, mossberg plinkster, and marlin model 60. Everything was oretty good except the federal blue box. We did 6 shot groups because we had the wrangler and wanted to keep it conistent. Ill put the average of each firearm below for the federal blue box Wrangler: average 719 fps, ES 246fps, SD 83 fps Mossberg 702 plinkster: average 1121fps, ES 253 fps, SD 93 fps Marlin model 60: average 1007 fps, ES 352fps, SD 114 fps We also had quite a few rounds that did not go off. Everything else shot pretty good and was consistent with i believe the federal punches being the most consistent

[@thereloadingcraft]

Looks like our chrono data matches pretty well! Glad I’m not the only one having these issues, hopefully Federal takes note and does something to improve the quality. Thanks for sharing your data, and thanks for watching!

[@DevinAlden]

@@thereloadingcraft seems like there is something really wrong with this ammo and I'll be sticking with automatch. Plus automatch is cheaper at my Walmart. Hopefully federal will fix the champion 22lr.

[@lestergillis8171]

​@@thereloadingcraft I bought some CCI Mini Mags from Sports Man's Guide about 15 yrs ago. It did the same thing as what you just illustrated. Me suspects it was FACTORY SECONDS from them. I decided to never buy any 22 rimfire from S.G. again.

[@M7A1bayonet]

the tan box federal champion is the worst crap i've ever used

[@savedforever1]

@@M7A1bayonet agreed

[@briank.7937]

I buy a box of automatch every payday for the stack. Not going to get caught again without a stack of .22 if the price goes up.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Not a bad idea!

[@kylejohnson1308]

Or if there's another ammo shortage. I'm stocking up on all rounds. 👍

[@30rdmaga]

I do the same thing every week every week from Walmart with the exact same ammo

[@jackdundon2261]

Lmao "IF"... HOW About WHEN they become unavailable

[@darren1450]

​@@jackdundon2261 crap ton erie pa 18.90 for 325

[@Logan-py8we]

while there is great value in videos like this, i don't shoot anything but CCI mini mags, both the 40gr and the 36gr. They are consistent over the years in all respects, quality, accuracy availability, cost etc. You can have your rifle set up for either and the point of impact is about the same. Reliability in handguns is already well known. Years of testing and running around looking for the perfect ammo is now over. Thanks for the video.

[@douglasmcneil8413]

CCI Mini mags have been my goto for decades. Feeds well in every one of my 22's and is easily within 1 minute of squirrel.

[@jefferymccargar4174]

Yup good ammo I like the CCI stingers good stuff.

[@CompShooter54]

My theory about hollow points for target ammo is that if you drop from 40 gr to 36 grains, you save 4 grains of lead for every bullet cast, so you get a free bullet for every 10 cast. When you make millions upon millions of these bullets, that's a huge savings for the manufacturer. It's 100,000 free bullets for every 1 million cast. It's like when the auto industry negotiates the price of a screw down to the 10 thousands of a penny. When you buy millions of them, the savings are huge.

[@kencarnley7101]

When there was little 22 ammo to buy I purchased an 800 round blue box of Federal. Took a long time to shoot it due to failures in a semi auto rifle. Then as 22 ammo was coming back, I purchased 2k rounds of the automatch at Walmart for $21 per box. I prefer CCI Mini Mag and am really liking Aguila Super Extra.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Mini-mags and super extra are excellent choices for reliability. I’ve taken a liking to CCI SV as well as my rifle shoots it the best

[@DasGoodSoup]

@@thereloadingcraft the CCI velocitors are something else theyre quick and expand nicely for a .22

[@allthingsconsidered3211]

Do you notice the aguila se gasses smell different? Almost sweet? Hard to describe

[@thereloadingcraft]

@@allthingsconsidered3211 oh yes! My friend and I think Aguila burnt gasses smell like super glue 😅

[@dougbruce4978]

super extra is good stuff

[@birddt3]

I'm old enough to remember when bulk pack was 10 bucks at Wal-Mart. I didn't know what good .22 ammo was then, but I scared a lot of squirrels and pop cans, and kept my 10/22 fed with lawnmowing money. 😅 I wish I was 15, and that dumb again.

[@thereloadingcraft]

I know the feeling. Oh to go back to childhood days when things were simpler

[@jamesbranham2217]

Lol.. or go back to 15 and know what you know now.. lots of purchases you wouldn't make and investments you would..

[@jayl8034]

I got ya beat by a few ,.... Remington bulk-pack 7.95 at Dick;s sporting goods. Came in a Milk-dud container. Junk ammo, lotsa misfires but I scared a lot of squirrels too! Fun times.

[@Old_Sailor85]

@@jayl8034 Got you all beat, age wise. How about a 500-round brick for $5, gas was $0.50/gal. Who says the 70s were crap (if you had a job)? At least rifles are better these days.

[@BradleyAdams-nj5hc]

​@@Old_Sailor85some are some aint

[@muskwa7686]

Stick with the cci , nothing compares to it, expensive but reliable

[@mikelivingston6157]

This video saved me because I was about to switch to the blue box thinking it was better because it costs $4 more. Thank you so much for the information.

[@thereloadingcraft]

I thought the same thing and was very disappointed 😅 Happy to help out!

[@datapro007]

Not all federal blue boxes are the same. The ones marked Range Pack usually are 40 grain lead round nose, look the same as Automatch. Verify that they aren't "Champion".

[@mikelivingston6157]

@@datapro007 thank you

[@chrisma1976]

​@@datapro007the range pack is the most unreliable 22 on the market. I don't know how the same company can have the best and worst 22lr I've used but it does. I use automatch whenever possible.

[@datapro007]

@@chrisma1976 I agree that the Automatch is better. If you think Federal Range Pack is bad, try "Herters" from Cabelas - absolute garbage

[@darrellhampton5057]

I've used the Automatch on rabbits, squirrels, groundhogs, and even a 137 lb sow I slaughtered for a bbq. It's a fantastic load, very effective, and worth what you pay. You do not need a hp bullet for small game, especially if you're making headshots, and the soft lead bullet will flatten out pretty good even into flesh and do a great job.

[@markall8641]

1000’s of rounds through multiple rifles and pistols one Ruger 10/22 that I still struggle to wonder how it still worked with its internal rust in the ATI AR556 chassis I used.. .

[@rbm6184]

@darrellhampton5057 Exactly. Folks overlook solid lead for hunting yet use soft points for hunting? Haha. Only problem with lead is the bore fouling especially at higher velocities. Just keep the bore clean.

[@yellowdog762jb]

Agreed. My small game load is CCI subsonic solids. They are accurate enough to make head shots on squirrels that are up high in trees. When I hunt rabbits its usually via spotlight at night. They fall right over when shot in the head. Automatch is my plinking round of choice.

[@zanemurphy7537]

It's all good... better than no ammo

[@deniswauchope3788]

Wow, I never would've expected those results. The Automatch is my go-to ammo, it's cheap & reliable, but I also shoot CCI which has even better performance. I've never tried the Champion, and thanks to this well-done video, I won't!

[@thereloadingcraft]

Agreed, I tend towards AutoMatch for plinking, CCI Standard Velocity for accuracy, and CCI Mini-Mags or Aguila Super Extra for cycling reliability even when used in a carbon-gummed 22.

[@thelastjohnwayne]

The only problem with CCI is that it has gotten so expensive now a days..

[@randallupton3622]

Good video. For some reason a month or so ago I decided to try bulk box ammo have been on a steady Mini Mag diet for the last 15-20 years. Found both of the Federal bulk boxes at local Walmart. My experience was just the opposite of yours had lots of failure to go bang with the beige box round nose the hp ammo was much more consistent sounding (no chronograph so just have sound) bottom line for me was stick to the Mini Mags. Not that much more expensive and much more reliable.

[@epps1217]

I've had good and bad luck with both these products. Sometimes you just get a shitty run.

[@jefflayton5889]

Last summer i shot probably 5-6k rounds of automatch. I found it very reliable for practice ammo and only had 3 or 4 rounds that didn’t fire. Shooting small targets with it out to 100 yards it would do great with minimal flyers. At 50 useing it i could hit a 3/8 piece of rebar 8 out of 10 times consistently and at 75 it would be 4 out of 10 using my cz457. Like i said good for practice but not for a match.

[@thereloadingcraft]

100% agree.

[@johnnydoe7846]

I love the CZ 457 it is a phenomenal rifle for the price.

[@jefflayton5889]

@@johnnydoe7846 the only one i have thats more accurate is my b14r

[@johnnydoe7846]

@@jefflayton5889 very nice! That is starting to get into another price bracket at that point though.

[@yellowdog762jb]

I miss CCI Green Tag!!! It shot very well from every rifle I tried it in. If you have the time, equipment, and patience, weigh each of your cartridges in whatever flavor you prefer. The ones that weight close to the same will usually group togather, and you'll cut down on some of those flyers that sometimes ruin an otherwise great group!

[@Daniel0Turner0Music]

I've had experience with that stuff being junk too. But even worse, by far the worst period, is the Winchester White Box bulk pack stuff. Often it won't even feed, and it's out of spec enough to not fit in the chamber.

[@StrangeGarage]

Winchester is straight trash now. I won't even consider their ammo anymore.

[@gunrunner5095]

For over 15yrs my "go to" ammo for 22 pistols has been the automatch. It's consistency in cycling the pistols is amazing for the price.

[@thereloadingcraft]

For the price it’s hard to beat for sure!

[@jskypercussion]

I absolutely agree 👍

[@inrangerimfire20two]

Great review man! I have great luck with the AM and it will literally shoot one hole groups out of certain rifles I have.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Thanks, and solid! 👌🏻

[@Eric-gi9kg]

I have had to shoot all my different brands, loads, bullet types through my different types of weapons. I have found that what is crap through my semi's, may shoot great or at least better through revolvers, or bolt action. I too have noticed that those federal rounds are NOT consistent

[@thereloadingcraft]

Good to know!

[@PetuniaIii-pd1ww]

We do the same, different .22 firearms get fed different brands and varieties...it is a minor nuisance, but fewer stoppages during a couple hours at the range the payoff...and many range days see Zero problems with hundreds of .22 shot, just from knowing what the different guns like...

[@DaveinDenver01]

Thanks for straight forward, heavy metal free, demo/eval!

[@thereloadingcraft]

You’re welcome!

[@alfontana6242]

Thanks for your video. The best 22LR bulk ammo for the price, accuracy, and velocity is the Aquilla .22 lr High Velocity both in the 40 gr. and 38 gr. hollowpoint version. Usually you can buy a brick of 500 rounds bulk pack for under $35.00 if you shop around and there appears to be no shortage at this time. If you have not tried them you should you will probably not be disappointed. You would think Federal would use at least a little quality control on that value pack of ammo.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Yup, 100% agreed! I love the Aguila for reliability and it shoots pretty accurately, the only downside is how waxy they are and have a tendency to gum up a little faster. Definitely better QC than the Federal’s for sure.

[@paulcutting9075]

Thanks Al for the info. I bought a bunch of the Aquila 40 grain for $ 3. 03, 50 ct and the 38 grain hollow points for $15.19, 250 count though Sportsman Guide but, haven't shot them yet. Looking forward to pulling the trigger.

[@rustyshackleford1877]

My .22 Walther pistol runs aguila fine. But my 10/22 prefers CCI or federal match grade. It depends on the firearm.

[@gunztommiegunz]

Aguila makes QUALITY ammo for every load I’ve ever fired they have some amazing 165 and 185 grain .45 ACP and I’ve used mini shells by them. JHP in 165 grain 45 auto are absolutely amazing for self defense and range shooting.

[@gunztommiegunz]

@@rustyshackleford1877 my 10/22 eats everything it’s a great platform but I agree with the lighter hollow point loads so I always go for the heavier rounds because they cycle better and take less powder to fire and cycle accordingly

[@matthewbryars4176]

Auto match is my go to for plinking. Nice video, thanks.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Thank you!

[@jasonusaf6326]

Federal Automatch, 40 gr. round-nose is my go to for my rifle. It’s accurate, clean, and consistent. Even more so than CCI in my rifle. Águila is also very accurate but there’s so much wax on the rounds that it cakes up my rifle and jams constantly. The federal automatch is also plenty powerful. And, I need 40 grain round-nose for hunting because 32-36 grain hp bullets don’t do well with squirrel flesh…I like to eat my game and the 40 grains don’t damage the meat nearly as bad.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Absolutely agreed!

[@checkyoursix5623]

Try some Brunswick Stew with squirrels like the old-timers used to do. Mm-mm good. Try to duplicate Mrs. Fearnow's recipe, but with your own meat stock.

[@cacinaz8802]

Wow. Thanks for this eye opener. I routinely use the AM from WMT for plinking. A while back I got a range pack (800 rnds @ 40grain) and they have been very accurate. They are not the same as these value pack rounds. I need to try some match ammo but it is scarce and pricey if bought online.

[@thereloadingcraft]

You’re most welcome!

[@828enigma6]

I don't have a chrono, but some regular ammo is more consistent velocity and accuracy wise than some match ammo.

[@markp.9707]

I bought the Federal 800 round boxes as well and for the occasional flier I have had consistent results with my 22LR rimfire rounds. They are however not hollow point. I am also firing them out of my Ruger.

[@GrizBear63]

I have switched to auto match. The price and consistency has sold me on it.

[@charlesmckinley29]

Wow, automatch is the minimum of what I consider acceptable. I have had a few under charged rounds but nothing like that blue box. Thank you for this review I was tempted to pick up a box of the Champion

[@thereloadingcraft]

Absolutely happy to, I made the mistake last time I was getting 22 to try the “more sophisticated and better made and more expensive” champion….lesson learned 😅

[@charlesmckinley29]

@@thereloadingcraft Blazer was my go to for years. CCI has lost their minds on it in bulk it is more than the boxed and has a lighter bullet. I’ve also experienced fail to fire in CCI Standard Velocity which was un heard of a few years ago and they are less consistent than they were.

[@matthewbim10]

meanwhile thunderbolt is sitting in the corner and nobody will play with it

[@steveavant9727]

I have several boxes of the red Federal 550 round packs, 36 gr hollow point that shoot well through all my rifles. I’ve not chronographed them but they seem consistent and very accurate.

[@StevenAlmeida-zx5ci]

Awesome video man! I have over ten thousand rounds of automatch! My ruger 10/22 and my Marlin 60 eats that stuff up. Quarter size groups at 50 yd.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Solid! 😎

[@whittler3358]

Should be better than a quarter size!

[@bobcatforever3485]

Good video. Some pretty bad ammo. Probably have to get a squirrel with a death wish to actually jump in front of the bullet with those Champion. Thanks for sharing, that was a lot of good data. Take care.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Thanks! I 100% agree, definitely not up to snuff for any kind of hunting or accuracy use. If you have any suggestions or things you’d like tested feel free to let me know!

[@bobcatforever3485]

@@thereloadingcraft Thanks. Will do.

[@donnajacobs7572]

​@@thereloadingcraft 0

[@datapro007]

Bobcat has some great ammo comparisons on his channel too.

[@massimothetrog7111]

I'm surprised, federal is one of my favorite centerfire ammunition producers. I don't really shoot a lot of rimfire until lately, this is helpful.

[@Ricksjustice]

I have been buying and using the Automatch ammo for probably more than a decade and buy it every time I see it at Walmart and mostly order it online from various vendors. Lately though Walmart has had it for a little less than 20$ bucks. We have an assortment of 22lr weapons. My son and I shoot on our private range "😊" on the property at least once a week going through a box of that Automatch each time. There are some Aquila 22lr 40gr HV that I have bought in bulk a few times that weren't bad at all and ran all my guns fine and were pretty accurate also. I always know the Fed Automatch is good stuff though and will choose that given the choice. Best Regards

[@thereloadingcraft]

Thanks for watching, and I do the same! Usually a box everytime I hit the range with my AR-22 and P22 as well 😊

[@cparkerz2968]

My one and only squib that ever occurred was a Federal Blue box round luckily I recognized it right away and did not chamber another and fire the bullet was halfway through the barrel in my Browning buckmark.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Oof, good on you for catching it first though!

[@JesseBCO18]

Good video. I've shot worst .22 than the Federals. Winchester Wildcats in bulk and 50rd boxes. I literally had so many fail to fire out of several rifles/pistols that I contacted Winchester. They had me mail the cases of the bullets that would not fire. They sent me a $30 gift certificate for Winchester ammo. I used it for 9mm instead of more crappy .22 from them. I'm strictly a CCI guy for .22 now. Very rare to get a bad round.

[@ryanbeck4826]

Same experience bought 1500rds of m22 and have a dud about every 10 rounds

[@EagleEyeShooting]

Unsure of your AR22 build. But if using a CMMG conversion for a standard 223 chamber. Do know that the bore for a centerfire is larger than what a 22lr needs for proper sealing. Would recommend a dedicated AR 22lr upper and barrel. Federal auto match will produce MOA accuracy at 50 yards and about 1-2MOA at 100. Emphasis is to get a quality fitted 22lr ar barrel such as one from taccom 3g. You'll see a difference over the "budget" barrels

[@thereloadingcraft]

Yep, this is a CMMG dedicated 22LR barrel with proper 1:16 twist and proper lands and grooves diameter. Not terribly familiar with the taccoms, do they use the standard CMMG/ceiner-pattern bolts and locking ring?

[@matt200717]

that's sort of surprising. My anecdotal experience is that this stuff 'seems' pretty accurate in my 10" contender out to 50yds, but that might just be the gun making up for the ammo's shortcomings.

[@davidabernathy4553]

Well now this was a interesting video and I have shot thousands of rounds of the federal auto match. I started buying it at Walmart because it was the cheapest bulk pack and it performed well for me so I just continued using it.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Thanks for watching! Yes for me AutoMatch is definitely the better of the two for sure

[@jakerook6248]

I use both in my Rossi .22 rifle and PA hp22 regularly, purchased from my local wally world in Ohio. I use red dot on the rifle, iron sights for the pistol. I've not had any issues with either one, both shoot accurately and consistently at 40yd backyard range. Perhaps you got a bad lot in your area?

[@thereloadingcraft]

I somewhat doubt it, think you most likely got an unusually consistent lot. Also got mine from Wally World, on multiple different days and it’s performed about the same from lot to lot honestly.

[@jimblackbird5678]

I use auto match all the time. I was going to buy the blue box as well. I even use auto match on the KYL 1/4” at 25 yards and hit as many as 10 in a row. I’m not going to switch. I use both cheap stuff and expensive stuff but I won’t go any cheaper than auto match.

[@Czechmate88]

I’ve heard differing opinions on the automatch and for me it would have a couple hang ups in my Neos and ARX-180. A buddy had a boatload of FTE’s and FTF’s on his HK 416. Not nearly as bad as the Winchester Super X (yellow anniversary box) lol

[@deniswauchope3788]

Yeah, the Super X had about 1 misfire out of every 8 or 10 rounds for me. Couldn't believe it, but tried it in several rifles & pistols, all had problems. Never buying that stuff again!

[@jlh357]

Wait till you see how horrible winchester super x 22lr is

[@thereloadingcraft]

I’ve shot super x high velocity a good bit and have had good results with it

[@jlh357]

@@thereloadingcraft have you shot the bulk box of power-points, I bought a box where all the bullet were loose from the casings and some of the bullets were even cut in half

[@jlh357]

And it was like 35 $ a box too

[@Wheelchair-bear]

I have experienced the same when it comes to accuracy. I never imagined that the be speed would be that far off, as I never used a chronograph.The Fed. auto match that I used was the 3rd most accurate out of several Match, target 3eand club grade ammo including Eley match, Lapua center x

[@vintagetintrader1062]

Tried automatch in my CZ457, I lent a Garmin chronograph to check speed, would get 4 or so at identical fps then just get one 50fps faster. This showed up on my targets, would get them almost in the same hole but then get a flyer. The CCI standard is my main go to

[@jesseboutdoors]

Good test. With my experience with both of these is what they where made for. Cheap plinking rounds.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Thanks!☺️

[@SafeGuardDefense101]

Aguila, CCI, Federal and Winchester all make reliable powerful and overall great ammunition for any caliber. This video (many shooters come to realize) emphasizes the point of responsibility each shooter has in knowing and selecting the right ammo per each task

[@kentuckybowl-o-sticks]

I think AutoMatch is the best bulk ammo out there, except for maybe the Aguila Super Extra which can be had in bulk packs as well. Next step up on the accuracy ladder would be CCI Standard Velocity. My BEST group results have been with Wolf Match Extra (NOT Match Target, which I haven't tried), actually PRODUCED by Eley now, which has beat everything including all of the Eley, Lapua, and SK that I have tried INCLUDING two varieties of Tenex, though I HAVEN'T tried Lapua X-Act. Tell you what I'm NOT buying any time soon: Winchester Super-X. All of the recent-production I've had (say 2013 - present) has been GARBAGE... report all over the map, groups sizes DOUBLE or even TRIPLE of the next-worst. What's crazy is, I have some 30 year-old Super-X and it is STILL excellent ammo. In fact, the Aguila Super Extra is a CARBON-COPY of the OLD, GOOD Winchester Super-X, right down to the group-sizes. I thought about contacting Winchester and asking "WTF?!?", but I was pretty sure it would be a waste of time.

[@tonyv8925]

I have about 2 bricks of Wildcat 40grRNL that are about 10+ years old. Every now and then I take out a 50 round box to the range...no misfires, no squib loads and as accurate as Blazer 40gr RNL(my favorite). Bought a box of Wildcat last year at local Farm and Fleet for $2.47, just to try it out...6 misfires, at least as many low power shots and shot a shotgun pattern instead of groups. Quantity over quality I guess. I'll stick to my best performers, Aguila 40grRNL SV, CCI SV and Blazers.

[@kentuckybowl-o-sticks]

@@tonyv8925 Yep... I've sworn off ANY new Winchester .22 for the time being... even makes me leery of their current-production centerfire ammo!

[@1977Yakko]

Been using the AutoMatch in my Ruger 10/22 I got about 6 months ago. The 10 rd rotary mags feed it just fine. The 25 rd mags hiccup on rare occasion but overall it works pretty well for the price. I do have some "Blue Box" Federal as well but it's 40 gr LRN and I usually shoot that with my old Remington Model 582 bolt action. That old tube fed bolt gun will eat pretty much anything. With my Ruger MkIV 22/45 that I got 3 or 4 months ago, I've been using CCI Mini Mag 40 gr CPRN and thus far, aside from 4 or 5 dud rounds (still failed to fire after reloading and hitting the rim in a different spot), it has worked flawlessly after 2500 rds thus far.

[@donaldmack2307]

The Automatch is the most accurate from my 10/22 I have tried out of around 10 types of ammo. Hands down the smallest groups.

[@flookie7685]

Same. I’ve tried around 10 types and Automatch has been the best for my 10/22.

[@Indarow]

I’ve bought both and got two squibs outta the blue box. Both times the gun went *bang, bang, bang,* thhhhhhhhp. Mind you, I was shooting a 6” heritage rough rider. That should never happen in a 6” barrel.

[@kensaunders2038]

I'm glad to see your review of the champion bulk pack. I have been eyeballing them. I have a boatload of automatch and love it. As far as hunting goes. I have never understood the 22lr hp. If you are shooting at small game, why make a mess? If you are shooting at something larger, penetration is the name of the game. Just my 2 cents. I was eyeballing the champion as potential p17 fodder.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Happy to help! Yeah at least for me, I’ll be sticking to AutoMatch for the time being as it gives me better results as you’ve seen.

[@parrotraiser6541]

Quoting the Standard Deviation along with the mean of the numbers is important to judge the consistency. Thanks for doing so. Two strings of shots might have the same mean figure, but very different SDs. A modestly lower mean with a very small SD would be better than a higher mean with a large SD, (i.e. an erratic distribution, which is going to matter, especially at a distance).

[@thereloadingcraft]

100% agree, and as a reloader (for centerfire, of course) SD means a lot to us for load development! ☺️

[@mikesuch9021]

Thank you for the info. For some reason I had the foresight in 2019 to buy four cases of federal automatch. For $114 a case. Watching your video made me feel good about my choice. Those champion rounds look like they were intended for a 37mm Beehive adapter for your grenade launcher.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Basically 😂

[@thepenultimateninja5797]

Nteresting. I was fully expecting the bad one to be Automatch, and I was going to comment to say I have had nothing but good luck with it. I was quite surprised to see that the more expensive one was actually not as good as the cheaper stuff.

[@thereloadingcraft]

You were as surprised as I was! Better ammo AND cheaper? Say no more 😅

[@thepenultimateninja5797]

@@thereloadingcraft Maybe the stuff in the blue box is for pest control? I know there's a picture of a stylized target on the box, but the same target is shown on the other box too, so it's probably just a general logo. That might explain the hollow point bullets, and perhaps the hollow points are part of the reason for the drop in accuracy? I feel like hollow points are never quite as accurate as round nose, especially in .22

[@jefflayton5889]

Last summer i shot about 10k rounds of automatch. It makes great practice ammo but 1 round out of 20 will be a very bad, 4-6 in, flyer so i would never use it for a match. But my CZ, RPRR, 10/22, and B14R all love the stuff. I would take it out do my match practice and the rezero the rifle for eley to shoot the next days match. At 21 doll hairs it was not only cheep but accurate enough to have a lot of fun with.

[@archer721]

Thanks for the comparison video, good knowledge and I was surprised to see the massive inconsistency with any federal ammo… 😲WOW! that’s as bad as Rem TB!!! I have several .22LR rifles… they all shoot differently with different ammo, but by far my 10-22 match rifle is the most accurate… this will seem unrealistic, but with CCI blazer😲! My Savage mod 19 NRA Match with Winchester wild cat 40grn copper Dynapoint (whatever a dynapoint is🤔) - my Marlin 60 likes CCI mini mags😁… My Winchester 190 likes Federal 40grn copper HP’sand the other 10-22’s get to eat whatever I feed them… going to say that BY FAR the worst ammo I have ever put through any of my rifles is… 🤢Remington Thunder Bolt🤮

[@DogeMcLovin]

The "Champion" naming scheme is just so horribly misleading. I also learned the hard way as you did with both of these ammo types. Now I reach for Aguila 40gr CPRN!

[@thereloadingcraft]

It really is, at least in the 22’s. Aguila is good stuff if you don’t mind the extra wax!

[@joesashiify]

CCI is better. Still Love auto-match. Cheap but reliable. 👍🏿👍🏾👍🏽👍🏼👍🏻👍🇺🇸

[@thereloadingcraft]

100% agree 👌🏻

[@edwardcnnell2853]

Thanks for the detailed study. That deviation in velocity means at a distance the bullet drop will be greater for the slower rounds. If hunting for small game like rabbit or squirrel can result in a miss and an empty stew pot. Close up with a pistol not a significant difference. I must note that one man used a scope mounted S&W Victory .22lr semi-auto pistol. At 50 yards he got tight groups, tight enough that a squirrel is a viable target. He did not have the federal round that deviated so much in velocity so no comparison for that. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpncfquYnMqMjJI

[@thereloadingcraft]

You’re most welcome, thanks for watching!

[@agrif762]

I bought a couple of the blue box 36 gr hp a few months ago. About 6 out of 10 would stovepipe or not even leave the chamber in my mkIV.Some felt like a squib. I talked to Federal and they sent me 2 boxes of automatch for free and didn’t have to send the bad boxes back. I’m guessing they just had a couple bad lots. I’ve seen several others have issues with the 36gr blue boxes recently

[@enb3810]

I've shot about 5 boxes of the automatch, it's not bad, but be careful with it. I've had 5rds that were primer only or something, they literally fell out of my barrel on my cp33.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Good to know! Still much more reliable and consistent than the campion value pack in my opinion.

[@virtuaguyverify]

DO NOT buy those any of those Federal blue box bulk/ range ammo. They are horrible, they did exactly what is shown in your video. They are weak and do not cycle.

[@Jimster481]

I have shot tons of the 40GR LRN and haven't had much of an issue. For me the Automatch hasissues.

[@ronenton4037]

I ran out of my Federal 550 round 36grain boxes. I could hit a dime at 50yrds with my Marlin. Bought a bunch of the Automatch and its reliable but not quite as accurate. I assume the 550 boxes arent made anymore

[@thereloadingcraft]

I haven’t seen them in years if they are. Could also be differences lot to lot of course as well.

[@MRTLEW01]

I just bought 2 525 boxes of them today price wasnt to bad but cant wait to try them anyway (Academy)

[@barackmycat9448]

I`ve had very good luck with AutoMatch. For accuracy I go with CCI Standard Velocity without getting into the really high end stuff.

[@Quality_Guru]

Never had any interest in Federal 22 LR ammo until today. The AUT-O-MATCH looks like a winner, especially at the price you showed. BTW, what is the rifle system that you are using?

[@thereloadingcraft]

As a plinking ammo, it’s definitely hard to beat! For accuracy, there are better options out there but it’s not made to be a bullseye comp round. Rifle system is a dedicated AR-22, with a CMMG 16” 1:16 twist 22LR barrel.

[@JimPolicke]

A SD over 100!? I wouldn't have thought it possible. And they charge extra for it as well.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Yep, and it was easy to see the impact variation too. I was very dissappointed

[@richardmattix5322]

Thankyou for the info I was wondering whether they were worth anything.

[@thereloadingcraft]

One is, one is not 😂 at least in my opinion

[@AK-ky3ou]

Holie crap I can’t believe how shitty that blue fed was.

[@liquiddw2]

Federal automatch is my go to. These days I only shoot automatch and minimags.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Basically 100% same here.

[@dcmtrader]

I got 2 squibs from the 36g value pack ammo that ruined my barrel. AutoMatch has always been good.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Oh no! 😳 Thankful I didn’t get any squibs, but I did get a couple that left the barrel and hit the dirt 20 feet away from my feet.

[@craigromack6156]

I'd help burn through it. I can go through 22lr super fast

[@thereloadingcraft]

If you ever get over here to PA I’d take ya up on that!

[@jonathanlunger2775]

A Henry wouldn't have any reliability issues here.

[@craigromack6156]

@thereloadingcraft I could likely do so in march. PA is not exactly around the corner

[@craigromack6156]

@@jonathanlunger2775 haha, yes. I have one

[@thereloadingcraft]

@@craigromack6156 true haha 😂 I may be making a tour out to Ohio and possibly MI sometime early this summer, if I can get dates figured out I’d love to meet some of y’all for a range day!

[@deandepew7455]

I shoot federal auto match in my colt woodsman never had a ftf or jam very accurate in the woodsman and my Ruger single six

[@tonyv8925]

I have some bulk boxes of Auto Match that are at least 2-3 years old. When I had my .22 rifles, they all performed very well at 25 yards, very small groups. Have not purchased any recently...seems their quality control has become very poor. Just for history, I paid about $14.47 a box at wally world back then. My best ammo is CCI SV, Aguila SV and Blazer 40gr RNL, in that order. Thanks for sharing this video.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Absolutely! Thanks for watching!

[@PetuniaIii-pd1ww]

We have thousands of the automatch and champions on hand...it is used primarily in our lever actions, with the revolvers seeing some, also...we don't use either in our autos (thunderbolts have done much, much better for us, YMMV)...watching the video, reading the comments indicate the big problem, no one can inspect every round of .22 being manufactured...bad lots happen, and that includes other brands such as CCI, Remington, Aguila, Winchester, etc. ...this is why the caliber has the reputation for being unreliable, and I don't think there is a solution...at about 6-7 cents a round for either round we will continue to take our chances, as even the worst lots will run +99% in the firearms we use them for...

[@thereloadingcraft]

And that is totally fair. I steer clear of the Champion because it's been unreliable in everything I've shot it in, and it costs more. For me and a bulk plinking ammo, the automatch does the best and I'll stick with it. If I want better accuracy or consistency I'll grab CCI Standard Velocity or Mini-Mags and run from there.

[@MRTLEW01]

I have the same brands and i also have thousands i agree 100/% brother i would rather have them than none at all and im sure not throwing them out!!!!!!!

[@Jagg61]

I got my grandson his first rifle for Christmas. he had just turned 14. We went down to the bottom land and shot a box each. His rifle is an old savage .22 single shot bolt. I used my trusty old savage 89a semi with gilled breach.The old bolt action fired everything well. They were supposed to be 40gr federal rounds. Not the economy pack. You could definitely hear and feel the inconsistent loads. Mine at the end of the box had a stove pipe which in turn bent the guide spring. I rearranged the ammo box to put all the federal rounds to the bottom. Just for when shtf. I wont be buying and more federal for the small calibers.

[@TheGoatMumbler]

If you're looking for accuracy or consistency out of those bulk ammos you're going to be waiting a long time. It's cheap, bulk ammo you let your kids shoot.

[@rogermitchemjr6722]

Geez I'm glad I have federal automatch

[@1clnsdime1]

I haven't watched the vid yet but automatch is the best bulk ammo u can buy.

[@lens7859]

My Glock 44, Ruger 10/22 eats the automatch no problem. Walmart usually always has it, and cheap.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Yup, that’s where I get mine too. It’s my go to for plinking ammo

[@georgeperillo6421]

My Marlin 22LR rifle is particular when it comes to ammo. It likes (shoots the best groups) Winchester White Box 22LR 40 grain bullets.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Hey at least it likes affordable ammo! 😂

[@FBOConcrete]

I love the federal automatch. Had really good results with it

[@prjndigo]

with .22lr and .17 if you're not running stacked chronographs I call bullshit on the numbers.

[@thereloadingcraft]

And why is that? I’ve tested dozens of loads and have others that do WAY better than these

[@philrc1]

Yep. I've had virtually identical experience with those two Federal ammo's. Through my Ruger precision bolt action, the automatch is nearly as accurate as some of the higher end match ammo.

[@shutterdug9935]

My wife finally listened to me and actually bought me 22 ammo as a gift. Unfortunately, she bought the federal blue box like you have compared in your video. The stuff is total garbage. In one of my pistols, it stove pipes at least 25 percent of the time. The others are so inconsistent in accuracy and velocity that I simply don't use it anymore. On the other hand, the Federal automatch ammo is extremely accurate for plinking and informal target shooting. You really can't beat it for throwing lead around at the range. Thanks for sharing.

[@amandasmith2965]

I have the same issue out of my tx 22 . The federal bulk pack 36 grain cycles every third or fourth round. The rest is like a straight pull bolt gun. Absolute junk.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Good to know! Same deal here with my Walther P22

[@robertwest3093]

I am working through a bad box of the Champion now. Federal shocks me with the lack of QC.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Agreed, at least on that product.

[@robertseafield5810]

I had a lot of problems with auto loading 22lr firearms and the cheap ammo. So, I picked up a CZ452 Military bolt action. It shoots very accurately with the cheap stuff and never jams. I had a lot of different ammo that was useless that now I can use. Good video. I recently picked up a 22lr kit for my 1 in 12 AR-15. I hope it works as good as your rifle. Thanks for making this video.

[@MinMirny]

Interesting results. Out of last 2 blue boxes of 800 champions I had 1(one) bad cartridge. Gun is Taurus TX-22. Real bad ammo all comes from Winchester: more than 50% of all faulted cartridges in my collection have 'W' on it's bottom.

[@203_Boy]

I can tell you work for Federal

[@TheRealMrBlackCat]

Interesting... I have one box of the Federal Champion that I haven't opened. I will get out a couple of lots of the Federal AutoMatch and Winchester M-22 and run them over the chronograph to see if I get the same results. I used to shoot some blue box Federal a few years ago that was fine... must be a different line than this. I will look back through chrono data and see which one it was. Thank you for sharing your experience with these ammos.

[@thereloadingcraft]

You’re most welcome, and if you think about it let me know what you find! I know the old blue box LRN federal was decent 2-4 years ago, but haven’t had it since.

[@brian770]

i usually only buy cci ammo of any type(standard,mini mag, vel.), but about a year ago i ran across the 800 rnd blue box at walmart for a price i could not ignor and bought 3 just for my bolt gun, i havent used it yet but now am dreading the time when i need it.

[@thereloadingcraft]

It’s worth testing first, maybe you got a good lot? I wouldn’t expect tiny groups regardless tho

[@ES44AC-2]

That kinda explains why I've been having stove pipes with my 36 gr. I thought it was the gun .

[@thereloadingcraft]

Could be the ammo! 😅

[@ironmonkey1512]

Yeah, you wont't push the bolt back as hard so if your gun is dirty you will have bad results.

[@vendetta6451]

I've been running a mix of Aguilar and armscor (I stockpile the cci's for rainy days), and after I did the volquartzen extractor swap the rifle seems to love the 40 grain Aguilar. It runs everything now though, no stovepipes etc, plus I can pretty much run any ammo over 1000:)

[@thereloadingcraft]

Aguila continues to impress! Excellent reliability and good price point.

[@vfb3377]

I've only got a 25-yard indoor range, but I've found (through a number of guns) that Aquila tends to group a bit tighter than Mini-Mags. Armscor, for me, just doesn't doesn't do quite as well.

[@jpdaddy678]

That champion stuff is the only ammo I had a squib with...I love the automatch..I've had a few covid boxes that were bad as far as consistency of the loads but as many as I've shot it's really can't perfect beat..I actually passed on a 800 round box for 39.99 of the champion

[@karltaylor5643]

Worst should be remington in the green boxes or bucket. It's so dirty. Cheap and dirty. I don't think I've seen anything dirtier than remington.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Because of past experiences with it, I haven’t even bothered to try any.

[@dandahermitseals5582]

I run Cci minimags 36 grain hollow point exclusively or nothing.

[@thereloadingcraft]

I use to, but they aren’t cheap and for some reason this barrel shoots WAYYY better with CCI Standard Velocity LRN than mini mags.

[@TomTriker]

well done video and mirrors my experience with champion. the AM is a bit dirty however easy enough to clean after, a blast of WD down the bore, let soak then pull a couple patches through. I subscribed to your vids.

[@Brian10962001]

Auto Match has been my personal favorite for years. The last two boxes of Champions we shot up were actually great but not worth the extra cost IMO. Most of that shooting was from TX22s at 20 yards and down though.

[@herlead]

I discovered AutoMatch during the 2020 ammo shortage at a local pawn shop. I purchased two boxes of it and compared it to the 525 round red box federal 36gr HP at my local 50' indoor range. From my three rifles (Marlin 60, Marlin 81, Savage MKII), drastically better groupings from the AutoMatch and cycling too. Only my Taurus Bobcat clone preferred the 36gr HPs. The AutoMatch is my go-to for bulk 22 ammo now and have been very happy with it the whole time.

[@davyl3059]

I have shot automatch through my Savage Mark2. I have found other ammo to be more accurate like CCI Standard velocity and Norma TAC-22. But the automatch cycles the most reliably in my Ruger Mark4 pistol.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Yep, CCI SV is usually more consistent, but also pricier too. All depends on whatcha need

[@paladin556]

I bought 2 of the blue 800 rd boxes. They were really cheap. They would not cycle my pistols. So I gave them to my boy scout troop for rifle merit badge shooting. They use bolt rifles. Now they don't go to waste and I'm not aggravated.