Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Why No Match 22 Magnum Ammo

I consume quite a bit of gun, ammo and shooting related information. The 22 Magnum enjoys reasonable popularity. A common complaint is that 22 magnums aren't accurate. I submit it's that accurate ammo is not made for the 22 Magnum. Don't get me wrong, I can find a particular load that works well for me, but it's going to take much more sampling than it would with a 22LR.

It seems to me that shooters would flock to match grade 22 magnum ammo. They certainly do for match grade 22LR ammo. Do any of our folks who know the industry well know why no manufacturer is tackling it?

Match 22LR is deliberately subsonic IIRC, and people actually shoot matches with it.

I get the whole match aspect of it and understand that the sound barrier matters. Is it not possible to manufacture 22 magnum ammo to tighter standards/tolerances in order to achieve a greater level of accuracy.

Eley makes a supersonic load that while it isn't "match" it can be relied upon to be appreciably more accurate than high velocity Federal, Remington, Winchester and CCI.

17 HMR rimfire ammo isn't match, but can be relied upon to deliver near match grade accuracy. It's supersonic.

Can the processes that lead to the Eley HV and the 17 HMR accuracy not be applied to 22 Magnum?

It could also be how the chambers are dimensioned.

I hadn't considered that. It certainly matters with 22LR.

I have a Winchester 94 22 mag that will shoot 1/2" at least at 50 yards with CCI, Federal and Winchester ammo. That's good enough for me

Match 17 HMR and 22 Magnum Rimfire, Why make such a thing when neither are allowed in any rimfire matches. Make a higher grade match rimfire that will cost more plus cannot be proven match grade due to no matches available, makes lots of sense.

High quality bullets in 22mag ammo have been made in the past. Is it not made anymore?

I thought I cleared it up earlier. My use of the word match grade may not have been the best choice of words. I used it in generic sense. Kinda like I buy "Match" bullets for my centerfire loads to try to optimize accuracy even though I don't shoot matches.

You have a jewel there. Each of my 3 22 magnums have exactly one load that they love, but it took some serious experimenting to get there. Much less so with 22 LRs and 17 HMR.

Looks like their might be something available https://search.aol.com/aol/image;_ylt=Awr9Fq3NDPlds0YA3gRpCWVH;_ylu=X3oDMTByZDNzZTI1BGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMyBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?q=.22+mag+ammo&v_t=loki-tb-sb

Darn. Mine wont shoot CCI worth a hoot but is OK with Win or Rem. Federal had good 22 mag hp ammo years ago until they greatly expanded the hollow and now some start tumbling after 80-100 yds from my gun.

Outstanding. That kinda makes my point. If you wanted to ring every possible bit of accuracy out of a 22 magnum, which one of those would you start with?

Now take that one you would start with and ask yourself if you would start with it or an "enhanced accuracy" (since using the word match is verboten) load that costs a little more. I feel compelled to qualify the "enhanced accuracy" language. I am not glued to it as a descriptor. We can call it whatever you want to. But it would refer to a 22 magnum load that had some Eley type QC applied to its manufacture.

https://www.shootingtimes.com/editorial/ammunition_eley_101405/99277

Because 22 mags are hunting rifles. People get WAY too hung up on groups. Unless you are shooting some kind of match, who gives a hoot about groups.

I need my rifles to hit what I'm aiming at. That's what rifles are for.

Well there is a bloke named Russell Reed out of Washington state that you should look up. Shoots a GFD/CAAPS 17 HMR into what he says is 2-3 inch groups @450 with handloaded HMR using Lehigh defense bullets. Looks like you can buy a standard GFD 17 HMR upper for 750-800 bucks that supposedly shoots factory close to .75 @100 consistently. They are also supposedly developing a 22 mag copy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaZZCduZKD8

I agree with you. I think the .17 HMR revived a bit of interest in the .22 WMR, but the perception, in my opinion, was that the .22 WMR, like the .22 WRF before it, was a "farmer's cartridge," whose best use was keeping loaded behind the door for the pests that needed dispatching in a grain bin or barn at 20 paces. My dad had his father's .22 special for just that use but often said if it needed replacing he'd buy a .22 magnum. It's actually a useful varminting cartridge, and worthy of good quality ammunition in a good rifle.

for years i sneered at the 22mag because of poor accuracy.
couple years ago i got a 22mag ar that will shoot a 1 inch 15 shot group at 100 yards no matter what brand ammo i feed it. even mixed and matched in one magazine.
this rifle turned me into a 22mag fiend. ups shows up and the wife says" more ammo?"
i had and shot winchester 1890's in wrf for years and thought they were the cats meow. got the ar and sold the wrf's
ymmv

Many consider ACCURACY 'little itty, bitty' groups.

My definition of ACCURACY is 'me being able to hit what the [bleep] I'm aiming at'.


YMMV

Doing that once can be chalked up to luck.
Doing it repeatedly is the ultimate goal.

What kind of rifle is it?