Federal Auto Match, how bad it can be?

[Atanasius]

Ok. I usually shoot SK, Eley, RWS, Lapua (when price is not prohibitive) and CCI SV. Most of the time I shoot 91m (100 yards) and beyond with 22 lr trainers from a bipod and a rear bag. With these days ammo shortage I was able to get some Federal AutoMatch, thinking of using it with my CZ 75b Kadet 22 lr pistol kit. So I decided to check it how bad it can be at 91m (100 yards) in my most accurate trainer. Just for the record my trainers are:
-Sako Finnfire P94s. Modified with Sako TRG trigger and homemade fully adjustable Anschutz cheek rest
-Anschutz 1907. Usually shooting it with open sights at 91m (100 yards)
-Sako Quad 22 lr, set Trigger
-Anschutz 1761 22 wmr (windy days trainer),light two stage trigger. Modified with a fully adjustable custom stock, target trigger shoe.
-Cz 457 22lr/22 wmr boyd at one stock with bedded receiver.
The Sako p94s and Anschutz 1907 are equally accurate, but I feel the Sako better. It was 2 sessions shooting day. In the morning I shot the Sako p94s with RWS rifle match and Eley club. Did some good strings of 10 shots groups(1”), but couldn’t find my relaxed stance. I knew I can do better, I did it many times before. I cleaned the barrel took the Federal Auto Match and without any expectations went to the range with only one focus, finding my stance and proper execution of the shot. 10 shots strings in relatively fast paced shooting. Felt good and for my surprise results were equal or better to the morning high quality ammo. Pictures are my best two strings of 10 each. Dots are 3/4”. What made me smile, I could call the shots before I see the POI. Sorry for the long post! Is Federal Auto Match bad ammo? No, it’s not bad at ALL. I’m not affiliated with Federal or any third party at any way. Just an addicted shooter.

 

[straightshooter1]

I found that my Federal Auto Match bulk packs did surprisingly better than expected and I would say second only to CCI of all the American manufactured cartridges. But, they're just not as good as any of the SK, Eley, RWS or Lapua cartridges. And the price is right for decent plinking ammo.

 

[Appalachian]

A few years ago so got some Automatch that was surprisingly accurate, much better than CCI standard so I went and bought several more cases of it. The cases I bought however were not impressive at all. I think that every now and then the stars align and Federal accidentally makes a decent lot.
The same can be said for CCI SV. The stuff I was shooting 6-8 years ago was pretty decent, now, not so much.

 

[Ravenworks]

Thanks for the info.
Back in 2017 places like Target Sports were practically giving 22 LR away.
This ammo was @ $0.02.5 a round.

I have a feeling that we'll never see 22LR at two and a half cents again.

 

[justin amateur]

As long as you remember it's bulk 22lr, it's good cheap fun.
I use it at 200 yards as it makes me giggle.

I can watch those rounds spiral in against the white of the backer.
The more damaged the bullet from rough handling on the assembly line,
the more eccentric the trajectories. The in-flight wobbles are easy to see.
Lensing/refraction caused by air molecule compression
makes the projectiles stand out from the background.

10 inches spread at 200 yards
3 inches at 100 yards
1 inch at 50 and a bughole at 25 yards.
Good enough for any of my offhand attempts.
I'm going to cause more strays than the ammo.

 

[SanPatHogger]

Thanks for the reports on this ammo.
I just bought 3 boxes this morning just because it was .06 each. I didn't even know wheat it was till I looked at the box when I got home. Looks like I got lucky.

 

[soupsandwich]

I have been shooting this in my T1x the last few months and it groups close to CCI SV and hits almost the same POI. Buying all I can when I find it.

 

[SpeedyR]

Nice to hear. I can find it every so often at my local walmart. After the last 22lr supply issues a few years ago I would buy a brick or two every trip (325 rounds in a box), so have a decent amount on hand. Working on getting new rings for a Ruger and will probably build some sort of 22lr bolt gun for my daughter (she's becoming addicted to my scoped Magnum Research 10/22). Or give her my 77/22 and build something more "fun".

 

[shootrj2003]

I find Automatch to be incredibly accurate for the cost just a bit less accurate than CCI sv.

 

[gkgeiger]

I’ve shot a few thousand rds of it, mostly from my handguns, and also a MkII before I found out about true Match ammo.

 

[JoshPutman]

My local wally world has been getting it back in stock the last few months at 6.5 cents a round, so I've been rebuilding my supply. It works just fine for my son and I to plink with.

 

[ToddM]

It's been awhile since I bought any but for a long time it was my go-to for cheap ammo that performed well and seemed to run well in about everything I had, neck and neck with CCI Standard but automatch runs better in some semi guns designed for a hotter round than CCI Standard. It wouldn't shoot nearly as well as wolf, or the eley/lapua stuff etc. but I just won't pay $15-$20 a box for .22 ammo. If I remember right years ago the rumor was that automatch was gold medal runs that didn't quite make the cut.

Hard to say what it is now, Federal's website calls it "Champion Training" and aside on the box pictured they don't even mention "automatch" on their website.

 

[MarkCZ]

Me and a few friends go every Friday to shoot long range 22Lr. We are getting ready for our first match April 30th. One of my friends is shooting a Lilja barreled CZ with the automatch. He has better ammo, but it is shooting lights out, all the way to 285yds. Hitting 3" square knockdown steel. It is shooting better than SK Long range in his gun. He said he will shoot SK long range out to 150yds then Automatch at 200, 220, and 285yds in the match. Another friend is shooting Eley Force with the same results.
Now, I have got to try some automatch myself. I will let you know how it goes. I have shot the Force, 0.6" at 50 yds, but you can hit the 3" targets at 285yds regularly in good wind conditions.
Mark

 

[obx22]

Ok. I usually shoot SK, Eley, RWS, Lapua (when price is not prohibitive) and CCI SV. Most of the time I shoot 91m (100 yards) and beyond with 22 lr trainers from a bipod and a rear bag. With these days ammo shortage I was able to get some Federal AutoMatch, thinking of using it with my CZ 75b Kadet 22 lr pistol kit. So I decided to check it how bad it can be at 91m (100 yards) in my most accurate trainer. Just for the record my trainers are:
-Sako Finnfire P94s. Modified with Sako TRG trigger and homemade fully adjustable Anschutz cheek rest
-Anschutz 1907. Usually shooting it with open sights at 91m (100 yards)
-Sako Quad 22 lr, set Trigger
-Anschutz 1761 22 wmr (windy days trainer),light two stage trigger. Modified with a fully adjustable custom stock, target trigger shoe.
-Cz 457 22lr/22 wmr boyd at one stock with bedded receiver.
The Sako p94s and Anschutz 1907 are equally accurate, but I feel the Sako better. It was 2 sessions shooting day. In the morning I shot the Sako p94s with RWS rifle match and Eley club. Did some good strings of 10 shots groups(1”), but couldn’t find my relaxed stance. I knew I can do better, I did it many times before. I cleaned the barrel took the Federal Auto Match and without any expectations went to the range with only one focus, finding my stance and proper execution of the shot. 10 shots strings in relatively fast paced shooting. Felt good and for my surprise results were equal or better to the morning high quality ammo. Pictures are my best two strings of 10 each. Dots are 3/4”. What made me smile, I could call the shots before I see the POI. Sorry for the long post! Is Federal Auto Match bad ammo? No, it’s not bad at ALL. I’m not affiliated with Federal or any third party at any way. Just an addicted shooter.

What’s the story on your adjustable cheek rest, haven’t seen that assembly before.
As for Automatch- I’ve never got the accuracy others have, and in some guns it leads up the bore pretty bad. A bud was experimenting with trying different lubes on it, some showed promising results, but he hadn’t perfected the application.

 

[Atanasius]

What’s the story on your adjustable cheek rest, haven’t seen that assembly before.
As for Automatch- I’ve never got the accuracy others have, and in some guns it leads up the bore pretty bad. A bud was experimenting with trying different lubes on it, some showed promising results, but he hadn’t perfected the application.

I made the adjustable cheek rest by myself. I copied the Anschutz one.

 

[Mythbuster]

Recent lots of automatch that has shown up in my area is horrible. Will not function in most semi autos and the variation in powder charges is huge. Junk ammo. But I have seen good lots of it.

 

[ToddM]

I'd imagine like most things being made the last couple years, ammo quality control and lot variation is probably much higher these days. Especially for ammo that is not high end match ammo. Especially with all the demand and much higher profits now pressure to get ammo out the door has probably never been higher. Whenever that happens, quality control always suffers.

 

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

It is one of my preferred ammo for blasting in AR22s and MP15-22, and handguns. Good 'umpff' to cycle actions as they get dirty. It shoots minute of gong for me. Never would think of it as 'accurate'.

 

[MarkCZ]

I got to the range today to try Automatch. Wing condition were not too bad. I started at 285 yds. dialed in on 12" gong, then on to 3" square knockdown. I was able to hit a few with wind pushing 0.5 to 1.0 mils. Same results at 220 yds and 200yds. This ammo does not do well inside 100yds, but does well at longer ranges. I also tried Norma Tac22, it does not do well 50 and 100yds, but it also did a little better than automatch at 285, 220, and 200yds. Both of these did very well. They will not replace my go to ammo's, but are a good windy day ammo. Give your so so ammo a try at long range. you may be surprised. I have one lot of CCI SV that will shoot sub moa out to 150yds. but has a feet of vertical at 200yds. you never know, until you shoot it.

Mark

 

[SanPatHogger]

I got to the range today to try Automatch. Wing condition were not too bad. I started at 285 yds. dialed in on 12" gong, then on to 3" square knockdown. I was able to hit a few with wind pushing 0.5 to 1.0 mils. Same results at 220 yds and 200yds. This ammo does not do well inside 100yds, but does well at longer ranges. I also tried Norma Tac22, it does not do well 50 and 100yds, but it also did a little better than automatch at 285, 220, and 200yds. Both of these did very well. They will not replace my go to ammo's, but are a good windy day ammo. Give your so so ammo a try at long range. you may be surprised. I have one lot of CCI SV that will shoot sub moa out to 150yds. but has a feet of vertical at 200yds. you never know, until you shoot it.

Mark

It seems odd to think that ammo that shoots crappy up close would do better at longer ranges.
I have shot CCI SV at 200 yards and had probably 8+ inches of verticle with a 2 inch wide group, but the verticle was probably me holding 7+ MIL high on the reticle.
Guess I'll have to try again and throw more different ammo out there. I've got a couple thousand rounds of automatch for training in he pistol and AR.

 

[Hardpan]

I have a Ruger RPR rimfire with a 20 inch Shaw barrel that really likes the 2018-19 productions. I havent tried the 4 boxes I bought last year. It’s still just good training/plinking ammo for me when compared to the consistency of the good stuff I use for my Rimx, but for the kiddos it will work very well for them.

 

[Sasquatch-148]

Well in my 50 years of shooting a .22 it's the worst Ammo I've ever shot, I eventually just threw away the last box .

 

[AN22]

My 10/22 groups VERY tight with Automatch, only problem is it stovepipes about 20% of the time. Doesn't have this issue with any other ammo. I shoot it if I'm in a patient mood, haha.