CCI Mini-Mag. What makes it so special?

[firebirdude]

I buy my .22 in bulk. 5250 rounds of Federal for $149 shipped. Shoot great in my MKIII. Can't complain.

 

[firebirdude]

http://www.accurateshooter.com/gear-reviews/22lr-rimfire-ammo-comparison-test/
Just wanted to point out that the Federal Champions out shot the mini mags...

 

[Snake45]

http://www.accurateshooter.com/gear-reviews/22lr-rimfire-ammo-comparison-test/
Just wanted to point out that the Federal Champions out shot the mini mags...

Hmmm. Having a hard time believing that.

0.356 Federal Champion
0.362 Eley Subsonic HP
0.371 CCI Mini Mag

Okay, it depends on what who means by "Federal Champions." The pic you posted looks like copper washed ammo and looks like the same cheap bulk stuff Fed has been selling for years, now just in a new box that says "Champion" on it. (Part number 750, something like that?) That stuff was the LEAST accurate ammo in most of the 24+ rifles I benched it in.

Now, if they're talking about the plain lead bullet #510 Champion (formerly #510 Lightning) load, sold in boxes of 50, not bulk packs, THAT I would believe. That stuff shot very, very well in several of my guns, and is my go-to load in at least three of them (although it's awful in at least three others). That stuff for some reason seems to work well in just about everybody's CZ 452 rifles; in addition to my own such results, I have read many, many accounts from others who also said it shot well in theirs.

I'd have to check my records but I think my 77/22V and my Anschutz 64 might have BOTH shot BETTER groups with the Fed #510 than the rifle in the test above.

 

[ranger1]

Hmmm. Having a hard time believing that.

0.356 Federal Champion
0.362 Eley Subsonic HP
0.371 CCI Mini Mag

Okay, it depends on what who means by "Federal Champions." The pic you posted looks like copper washed ammo and looks like the same cheap bulk stuff Fed has been selling for years, now just in a new box that says "Champion" on it. (Part number 750, something like that?) That stuff was the LEAST accurate ammo in most of the 24+ rifles I benched it in.

+1
This would be load # 745 in the Bulk Pack.

Now, if they're talking about the plain lead bullet #510 Champion (formerly #510 Lightning) load, sold in boxes of 50, not bulk packs, THAT I would believe.

+1 again

Load 510 (also called Champion) is more accurate than load no. 745 in my guns.

 

[Juggler]

I just know that CCI MM, both solid and HP are the most accurate out of my 10/22. I save them for hunting due to their cost. Use Federal 550 ct bulk pack for my every day plinking ammo (it happens to be the 2nd most accurate behind the MM).

Mine are the same way. I usually "reload" the Feds into the empty CCI containers. Helps me keep track of how much ammo I'm going through.

 

[firebirdude]

So I bought a couple boxes of Mini Mags yesterday. TONS of misfires from my MKIII. At least one out of every mag. Gun is rather new, freshly cleaned and never had issues with it in the past. Each misfired round had a obvious mark on the rim. Ran through about 150 rounds before switching back to the Federal bulk just out of curiosity. Not a single misfire after the switch. Why doesn't my MKIII like mini mags?

 

[khutch]

Why doesn't my MKIII like mini mags?

Don't know, my MkI likes them just fine. Could be a bad batch I suppose, did you try any of them in another gun?

Ken

 

[ranger1]

Why doesn't my MKIII like mini mags?

Were you shooting hollow points or solids?

I've never had a single issue shooting Mini-Mag solids in my MK III's!

 

[WIL TERRY]

So I bought a couple boxes of Mini Mags yesterday. TONS of misfires from my MKIII. At least one out of every mag. Gun is rather new, freshly cleaned and never had issues with it in the past. Each misfired round had a obvious mark on the rim. Ran through about 150 rounds before switching back to the Federal bulk just out of curiosity. Not a single misfire after the switch. Why doesn't my MKIII like mini mags?

YOU are getting light hits from the firing pin. The MM misfires now and then because of this. The FEd does not because it has mucho more sensitive priming compound. BUT, I will make a small wager that the FED is giving inordinate velocity spreads because of this. For plinking it does not matter.

 

[firebirdude]

Ok. Shot a few hundred more rounds... and now I'm having issues with the Federal too. I just realized I cleaned the MKIII for the first time before my previous range session. Could I have screwed something up during teardown/cleaning? I can't imagine how it would work at all if I installed something incorrectly. But prior to my teardown I had maybe 2 misfires out of thousands of rounds shot. Now I'm getting them every 10-15 rounds. :-(

 

[MAC702]

Out of my Kimber .22 Conversion Kit on my Kimber 1911, I am undefeated in the monthly Bullseye Pistol matches at a local club using CCI MiniMag ammunition.

Before the first month's match, I spent six hours testing various ammo including Aguila Super Match, Remington Subsonic, and Wolf Match. The CCI was surprisingly the most accurate from the bench, and cycled the action, too, as a bonus. Zero failures in winning four straight matches. At the 25-yard line, I shot a 99/100. Yes, I am officially a fan of CCI MiniMags after long thinking they were just overpriced for the name.

Second place often goes to a retired Marine shooting a Ruger Mk III with Federal Auto Match ammo, which I have bought but not yet tried.