I picked up some Federal Auto Match about a year ago with the intent of using it in my Ruger 10/22, but have yet to give it a try. I'll probably test it this coming Wednesday Sept. 18th, but in the mean time I was just wondering if anyone had used any of this ammo, and what they thought about it? My 10/22 is just the standard factory barrel. Appreciate any thoughts and results you've had with this ammo at ranges out to 100 yards.
- Thread starter JoeMartin
- Start date
Good function and decent accuracy, especially for bulk. Your carbine will like it
I agree with AZnoob, good function. I ran 2 bricks through my buckmark and Walther/H&K MP5 with not a single dud or function issue. Runs fairly clean.The accuracy and consistency is decent but not great but like he said good for bulk. If you can find it for around 20 or less for the 325 bricks its a good value and worth it.
Automatch provides consistent, sub-0.75" @ 50yd 10-shot groups in my wife's 10/22 which is a standard carbine sitting in a pink Hogue stock.
Marks good in my 10/22 and 15/22. Cycles both every time and isn't too bad for blasting with the slide fire stock on the 15/22
It's my favorite bulk 22lr. I use it in my 10/22, CZ 452, and MKIII.
I have shot 1k plus in my Savage with much of that suppressed. It is great for cheap 'accurate' ammo. No strikes. Not many failures. Good stuff. No easy to come by around here.
Stumbled upon it at Bass Pro one day and had never tried it, seems to work fine. It's definitely not match ammo, but it is reasonably consistent and groups pretty well out of an X-ring
This is a great thread! I've bought wads of Auto Match for my pistols where it runs flawless but good to know it runs well in the 10/22 as well.
For our occasional gong shoots at our local gun club I usually use the Federal 745 - 36gr - 1260fps, and it works good for slappin' iron with my 10/22, but I'm getting low on it and remembered the Federal Auto Match I have on hand, so I wanted to get some info on it. I do understand that it works good in the semi-auto pistols as well, and next year the plan is to have a two gun .22lr gong match. Hopefully it happens. If not, I'll still enjoy slappin' iron with the ol' 10/22.
I think its the best BULK .22 ammo. Its not match grade as others have said but it should give 10 shot groups inside a quarter at 50 yards. Never had a problem with it in any of my 10/22s.
Also if you can find it the Federal American Eagle 40gr copper jacket stuff has been really good lately. Historically I know American eagle isn't the best but i actually shot it side by side with the auto match and got better results. This was the stuff that comes in the 400 rd brick but packed in individual packs of 40.
SSSSHHHHH
This has been a fairly well kept secret! The American Eagle is good ammo.
My first few boxes of this stuff ( the Fed AutoMatch) were fantastic for bulk. Rifle 5 shot groups would all touch at 25 yds (1.5moa) and feeding well in my pistol also. I got a box that was kinda so-so later, not bad but seemed the same as cheap bulk. Then I got a few more boxes that are real good again.
It could end up hit & miss on quality, but I'm going to give it a try. One ammo that I thought would be good ammo was the Winchester 40g / 1150fps - T22, but that stuff was lousy. Now it did work good in an old single shot Lakefield/Savage MKI, which surprised the heck out of me.
It works well in my 10/22 Takedown!
Well I got to the Range this morning to test the Fed. Auto Match. Since I last shot, using Fed. #745 (36g / 1260fps) ammo in my 10/22, I didn't clean the barrel, I just shot 30 rounds from 25, 35, 45, & 50 yards (standing) using the Auto Match to try and acclimate the barrel to the Auto Match. I was surprised (not a whole lot) that it marked on the gongs pretty much with the same holds I used with the Fed #745, even with a difference in listed "fps" (Fed. #745 - 1260fps -vs- Fed. Auto Match 1200fps).
I next went to paper and found that the Auto Match from 25 yards (off the bench) really didn't group as well as the Fed. #745, but it wasn't that far off. I shot four / 5 round groups.
After the paper I went back to the gongs and ran three more 10 round magazines from various yardages. Again, it performed well, but not really enough to "not" continue to use the #745 when it's available.
I did get the talked about "under powered round" once from the Auto Match, but only once. Had no miss fires or ftf's. It functioned well in my 10/22.
I expect I'll next test it in my S&W 22A.
Thanks for the replies everyone!
I next went to paper and found that the Auto Match from 25 yards (off the bench) really didn't group as well as the Fed. #745, but it wasn't that far off. I shot four / 5 round groups.
After the paper I went back to the gongs and ran three more 10 round magazines from various yardages. Again, it performed well, but not really enough to "not" continue to use the #745 when it's available.
I did get the talked about "under powered round" once from the Auto Match, but only once. Had no miss fires or ftf's. It functioned well in my 10/22.
I expect I'll next test it in my S&W 22A.
Thanks for the replies everyone!
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I've shot the FM .22LR in my stainless bull barrel. The Wolf Match shot a bit better.
Had a brick of the Federal auto match. My CCI Blazer and Winchester Dynapoint bulk ammo was more accurate.
It is definitely not match ammo. I have found 510B shoots just as well. It's just plinking ammo.
A couple of my rifles really like the 510B. As a matter of fact, this morning I'm taking one of those rifles to the range to test the Auto Match in it. It's my Marlin 925 that I did the (Spring) trigger job on to get rid of the dreaded "Lawyer" trigger pull, years ago. We'll see what happens.
Just got back from the range where I tested the Auto Match in my Marlin 925. It really didn't mark any better then the Fed 745 ammo, and actually I had several failure to eject from this Auto Match round - through this bolt action,,, along with a couple under-powered rounds. I was worried that something might be wrong with my ejector in my 925, so I ran 25 rounds of the Fed 745 through it without any issues at all.
I wonder since the Auto Match is designed for semi-autos, that it's just not friendly to (or some) bolt action rifles? When I tested the Auto Match in my Ruger 10/22 last week and had no failure to eject at all. Just a thought. I'll probably just use this Auto Match in my 10/22 for plinking. Can't say I'm impressed with it.
I wonder since the Auto Match is designed for semi-autos, that it's just not friendly to (or some) bolt action rifles? When I tested the Auto Match in my Ruger 10/22 last week and had no failure to eject at all. Just a thought. I'll probably just use this Auto Match in my 10/22 for plinking. Can't say I'm impressed with it.
Joe... my impression/opinion on the Auto Match being marketed as it is (for autoloaders) is the round nose for improved feeding. Note that other bulk options at the price point (Winchester, Federal) are hollowpoint.
As far as Auto Match being more friendly to autos vs bolt actions, I can't say for certain but I believe it's more action specific as some rifles are pickier about ammo than others. Example... my little precision trainer (10/22) runs real well on CCI standard velocity, but is not happy at all running Wolf MT. That Wolf stuff being the 'standard' for economy match ammo, and my gun doesn't like it. Go figure
As far as Auto Match being more friendly to autos vs bolt actions, I can't say for certain but I believe it's more action specific as some rifles are pickier about ammo than others. Example... my little precision trainer (10/22) runs real well on CCI standard velocity, but is not happy at all running Wolf MT. That Wolf stuff being the 'standard' for economy match ammo, and my gun doesn't like it. Go figure
