22lr match barrel

[baitcaster]

I just got a 22lr match barrel, what can I expect from this barrel also what ammo should I use. Oh it is a 14 inch. thanks for any information, baitcaster

[Hafast]

I use mine in USBR matches against rifles at 50 yards and win the sporter class more times than not. Approximately 3/8 inch groups. I have a 36X Weaver target scope mounted and use Eley Tenex ammo. With Wolf Match Target the groups open up to about 5/8 inch.

[BCB]

I have one and it is topped with an inexpensive Weaver variable 3x-8x...
 
I have found that the Federal Champion shoot the best in mine...
 
1/2" to 3/4" at 50 yards...
(Mostly at the 3/4" size)
 
That's good enough for me and a 22 rimfire...
 
No expensive ammo goes through mine--no need...
 
Good-luck...
 
BCB

[tward91574]

avoid CCI Stingers in match chambers. Very accurate otherwise!
Tim

[Ladobe]

Normally you'd want to try several loads to find what your barrel likes the best, but as I found it doesn't take expensive ammo to get very acceptable results with a match barrel.
 
My main line 22LR match barrel was a 12" bull made for me by Fred at Bullberry.   It's chamber was specifically cut for the Federal 900/1000 Ultra Match ammo, and did shoot them very well.   I used the barrel for silhouette and to walk up the very small WA ground squirrels found on our surrounding desert.   But at $120-$130 a brick back then you really had to want to shoot small to use the 900/1000 ammo.
 
While out getting some trigger time to practice my offhand technique with this Contender setup, I ran out of the Ultra Match ammo before I was ready to call it a day.   I checked in the ammo locker in the Bronco to see if there was any other 22LR ammo in it, and found some Federal American Eagle I had bought for my son to plink with.   Figured I wouldn't worry about the accuracy and go ahead and use it just to work on technique.   What a shock... it shot as well if not better than the UM ammo in this barrel with only an occasional flier.    On the way home I stopped at Hurst Hardware and bought all they had from the same lot number for less than $100 out the door (5K  rounds).   Also had a friend in the gun department there see if he could order more same lot and told him I would take all he could get.   He found me a bunch over the next few months, gave me the same price, so I had a lifetime supply.   The AE is all I ever shot in this barrel after that.   I used a rimfire gauge to sort out possible fliers for competition, and hunted with the rest.   When I switched to the 17 rimfires as they came out I used some of the AE it in some of my other rimfires (that also shot it well) until I finally gave all the rest to my son when I stopped shotting 22 RF's completely.
 
FWIW 
 

[hunterspistol]

       The 22lr match barrel is my favorite relaxation on the silhouette range.  You can hit a quarter at 50 meters easily.  I use Winchester Super X (x22lr) in 40 grain roundnose.  The 40 grains is good for 100 meters on a silhouette range. The lighter bargain ammo in 36 and 37 grain hollowpoints never makes it past 80 meters or so. 
 
    Green Tag is excellent = $10/100 !! yeah, high dollar stuff!
     Federal is as good as Winchester if you buy the better stuff.  I don't recommend any white box winchester or subsonics or Remington.  I tried them with a rifle to 75 meters one summer, no way. 
 
       In short, buy good ammo, skip the kiddie stuff with hollowpoints, velocitors (dinosaurs?), white boxes, and Remingtons.  Don't bother with slow loads either, just too much trouble.  You can always set up your own large target on a target board and try that many brands and weights but, it's not worth it.
 
     Good Luck,
              Ron

[Bullseye]

Mine likes CCI Mini Max shooting 1/2", 5 shot groups at 50 yards.

[35ISIT]

My MGM Match barrel really loves Eley Target and Team, Federal Ultra Match, Wolf Match Extra and Aguila Rifle Match. I am sure it would shoot other standard velocity ammo acceptably at 50 yards. I use mine to shoot silhouette and mainly shoot Eley Target because it is so consistent for its price range.

[65465 Mo]

I have a 12" Bullberry that groups just under a inch(100 yds) with Federal cheapies most of the time.

[rickt300]

My 14 inch bull barrel shoots just about  everything into tight little groups. On the less expensive end Winchester Expert bulk 36 gr. Hollow points shoot great and kill small game very well.

[OLDHandgunner]

As with any 22lr rifle or pistol with or without a match barrel. Each one has its own preference of 22 ammo.
 
I have several 22lr rifles and T/C's with match barrels and they are all super accurate. They will shoot most good 22lr ammo and some bulk ammo very well for hunting & plinking.
 
But when I want the best accuracy I usually go with a Match type ammo. I keep bricks of a couple of my favorite ammos like Wolf Match, Federal Match, CCI Green Tag. But these are very expensive ammo so I only use them when I need that extra tight group.
 
 

[Sixgun]

I have two ten inch TC match barrels that I use for hunter pistol silhouette.  One wears a 6-20 Bushnell Scopechief and the other a williams FP so I have one setup for both scoped and metallic sight use.  I used to use theCheap Winchester Xpert from Walmart but when it got hard to find I tried The Cheap Federal stuff from Walmart.  I continue to shoot Master scores with both and when we play around with the 1/4 size targets that cheap stuff will still hit the 100 meter rams everytime.  I know that lots of guys like to spend a bunch of money on expensive ammo but my experience is to try the cheap stuff first.  You will probably find something that really works good.
Sixgun 

[stubshaft]

I've had fairly good results with SK match ammo in both of my match barrels. I tried Wolf MT (supposedly the same as SK) but would get unexplained flyers out of them, even after weighing.