Federal .22 LR "Auto Match"

55114 Views 31 Replies 27 Participants Last post by ajole, Jul 26, 2021

whirlibird

Discussion Starter · May 14, 2012

Had an opportunity to put the 'new' Federal .22LR Auto Match 325 pack through the wringer the last two days.

I have not been so disappointed in years.

Firearms:
Rem Nylon 66 (2)
Colt Woodsman
Browning Buckmark Target
Bernadelli M-80
Ruger SR22 pistol
Ruger 10/22

I won't bore anybody with accuracy reports, they mean nothing from gun to gun or shooter to shooter.

However for an ammunition supposed to be designed for "Semi Automatic" firearms, it was a failure.

Not one firearm would function through a magazine without failing to eject, failing to extract or failing to pick up the next round. This was with factory magazines, and proven reliable firearms (except the new SR22). The firearms started the day clean and properly oiled.

The firearms were then chamber brushed, oiled and inspected and the ammunition was tested again. No change in reliability it was bad.

Then the ammunition was changed to CCI Blazer (50 rnd boxes) and the firearms were tested again. Funny, everything ran fine. Same for CCI MiniMags.

I've had better reliability with the Federal bulk pack 37gr HP's than the Auto Match. And it wasn't great either.

Just a reminder, check your gun(s) with your chosen ammo before you stockpile too much.

Me, I'm getting another case (or two) of Blazer.

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Reactions: 5

1 - 20 of 32 Posts

Eagle Six

· #2 · May 14, 2012

I haven't tried the Federal Auto Match. Is it designed for match grade target pistols? What is the published muzzle velocity. Your results are disappointing. I have a box intended for a bolt action. I'll try to post of the result this coming week.

Best Regards......Eagle Six

Mr2005

· #3 · May 14, 2012

My experience quite the opposite. It the only ammo that runs through all my stuff without issue.

Reactions: 2

Savinkov

· #4 · May 14, 2012

I wouldn't be surprised. It may be subsonic. Hypersonic ammo is inherently less
accurate. IIRC the Eley match I used to shoot back when I used to shoot matches
was all subsonic. Any .22 ammo downloaded to that point may have trouble
cycling semiauto actions. (But, YMMV... Of curse.)

COM_AMG

· #5 · May 14, 2012

I had similar results as the OP with this ammo, and I too was highly disappointed. For $16 at 350, I expected it to be better than the 500+ round packs for the same or less money. WRONG!

The Federal auto match is a standard velocity round, round lead nose. 40 grain, 1200fps.

Shot like crap in my Ruger 10/22. Out of ~200-250 rounds I shot that day, I probably had 15 or more failure to eject or load problems. Just total crap. Not buying that ammo again.

Reactions: 3

jdr99a

· #6 · May 14, 2012

I have put about 6 boxes of the automatch through my 22s in the last few months. My 22s are a Marlin M-60, Ruger 10/22, and a Ruger Mark III. I have not had one failure of any kind with this ammo. At all.

Accuracy has been acceptable as well (it shoots better than I do).

Sorry to hear about your bad luck with it, but from my experience plus what I've read, it is one of the better bulk packs out there.

Reactions: 1

Savinkov

· #7 · May 14, 2012

Well, if it's really all that bad, nobody will buy it, and Federal will quit making it. Then if
you hang onto it for 10 or 20 years it will become a rare antique and some doddering
old geezer of an "Ammo Collector" will pay you a fortune for it. (No, I am not kidding,
and I wish I were.)

Eagle Six

· #8 · May 14, 2012

I used my wife's Mark III Savage for a down and dirty test this morning. Didn't have a lot of time.....35 yards, across the hood of the Jeep. This was typical of the 3 5-shot groups. The other two were just a tad larger. Off the bench I suppose they are 1 MOA ammo from this gun. Not great, but not bad for bulk packed ammo. This .397" 5 shot groups would be about 1.1 at a hundred. With bags and a bench it would be a bit better. Her Mark III is a bolt gun, so it says nothing about reliable cycle performance, but does mean the ammo probably is as accurate as the cost.

Best Regards......Eagle Six

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usmc0341

· #9 · May 14, 2012

I use it in my wife's LMT M4 with the .22 adapter kit. It runs fine, better than remington for sure, however, any .22 LR being fired out of a 5.56mm system isn't going to be exactly match grade accurate even under the best of circumstances.

Reactions: 1

MikeK

· #10 · May 14, 2012

Mr2005 said:
My experience quite the opposite. It the only ammo that runs through all my stuff without issue.

I also don't have any issues with it through my sometimes picky 22/45. It and Federal bulk pack are the only two that are 100% reliable in that gun short of the high priced CCI Minimags which I can rarely find anyway.

Reactions: 1

Marlin 45 carbine

· #11 · May 16, 2012

I was disappointed w/the grouping of it in 3 different .22lr semi's.
it beat remmy 'golden bullet' but not by much though

MikeK

· #12 · May 16, 2012

Marlin 45 carbine said:
I was disappointed w/the grouping of it in 3 different .22lr semi's.
it beat remmy 'golden bullet' but not by much though

It's definately not match ammo as the name implies. Better accuracy than their bulk pack, but not anywhere near true match grade.

Reactions: 2

Vonfatman

· #13 · May 18, 2014

Sorry to read your findings ... I've yet to have a bad round out of literally thousands fired...Ruger 10/22s, Browning Semi-auto rifle, four different Ruger Mk pistols, Sig Trailside plus at least eight different bolt rifles and a half dozen .22 revolvers.

Maybe a bad batch? I'd contact Federal with the batch info....they took care of me when I had a bad batch of their .22 Match ammo (the previous .22 ammo they manufactured)

Agree with Mr. MikeK, no way this is "match" such as Eley, SK etc. good stuff for plinking and better accuracy than the regular bulk packs.

Bob

MadDawg

· #14 · May 18, 2014

I've only tried one box although several sit in my stash. Some rounds seemed weak.. Accuracy - blah... some fte/ftf.. I've had worse.. far worse...

But I think that the price here for it was, when it was available last, was about $30 a box of 325 ?

TheMaineEvent

· #15 · May 18, 2014

My S&W 15-22 eats it like candy. It's one of the ammo types that I go out of my way to buy.

Melting

· #16 · May 19, 2014

My son and I shot an Appleseed event with the auto-match. Just over 1000 rounds, flawless through two 10/22's. the accuracy was great. Many one hole groups that week end. Sorry yours did not pan out, ours was purchased in March of 2013.

ruinedxjake

· #17 · Jun 12, 2016

I love the stuff honestly. Being young and not having much to spend money on, I wanted to stock up on different types of ammo for different needs, hunting, self defense, target, etc., and honestly I couldn't be more satisfied with the stuff. With the new ammo ban around the corner in CA, it's comforting to know I stocked up on stuff that will work.

It makes up 80% of my cache, the stuff simply works in everything, even my very nitpicky 22/45.

Tested arms:

marlin tube fed autos, 10/22s, 22/45, an old lever action winchester 22lr/sr, and a 22 ar15 conversion kit.

With tech sites on my 10/22 I can shoot tight groups and it's about as accurate as cci mini mag 36gr hp high velocity and 40gr standard. I don't go farther than 50 yards with the tech sites, my eyes are good.

Steve_In_29

· #18 · Jun 13, 2016

Neither of my 10/22s like the Auto Match. It cycles fine just doesn't group as well as even CCI Bulk let alone as well as Remington Sub-Sonic or Gecko Rifle.

JBryan314

· #19 · Jun 13, 2016

Most of my .22LR I have stored is Federal Match Grade in 325 round boxes. I did that because I've always had good results.

In fact, all of the stoppages I've ever had with .22LR was with CCI Blazer, and that was only three times. Two dud rounds and one FTE.

IlikeSa

· #20 · Jun 14, 2016

Ive been happy with it out of my 22/45. Perhaps you got a bad lot?

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