What Are the Current .22 LR Ammo Prices?
| Product Line | Type | Grain | Use Case | Typical CPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCI Blazer | LRN | 40gr | Range / Plinking | $0.05—0.07 |
| Federal AutoMatch | LRN | 40gr | Semi-Auto | $0.05—0.07 |
| Federal Champion | LRN | 40gr | Range / Plinking | $0.05—0.07 |
| Aguila Super Extra | CPRN | 40gr | Range / Plinking | $0.05—0.07 |
| CCI Mini-Mag | CPHP | 36gr | All-Purpose | $0.07—0.10 |
| CCI Standard Velocity | LRN | 40gr | Precision / Suppressed | $0.07—0.09 |
| SK Standard Plus | LRN | 40gr | Match | $0.10—0.15 |
| Eley Tenex | LFN | 40gr | Competition Match | $0.18—0.25 |
What .22 LR Ammo Types Are Available?
- .22 LR Standard / Plinking — Bulk and range ammo for high-volume shooting
- .22 LR Hollow Point — Small game, varmint, and pest control
- Bulk .22 LR (500+ rounds) — Brick and case quantity deals
- .22 LR Subsonic — Suppressor-optimized loads, significantly quieter
How Much Does .22 LR Ammo Cost Per Round in 2026?
The .22 LR is the most affordable cartridge to shoot by a wide margin, making it the default choice for high-volume training, introducing new shooters, and recreational plinking. At $0.05—0.08 per round for bulk ammunition, a 500-round brick runs $25—40 — less than a single box of premium 9mm JHP.
The market segments cleanly into three tiers. Bulk plinking ammo (Blazer, Federal Champion, Aguila Super Extra) runs $0.05—0.07/rd and is perfectly adequate for semi-auto pistols and rifles at typical plinking distances. High-velocity and hunting ammo (CCI Mini-Mag, CCI Velocitor, Federal Game-Shok) runs $0.07—0.12/rd and offers better reliability in semi-autos plus expanding bullets for small game. Match and precision ammo (SK Standard Plus, Eley Tenex, Lapua Center-X) runs $0.10—0.25/rd and is manufactured to tighter tolerances for competitive benchrest, smallbore, and precision rifle.
Reliability matters with .22 LR: Unlike centerfire ammunition, rimfire ignition is inherently less reliable. Cheap bulk ammo will occasionally produce failures to fire (duds). CCI-manufactured ammo (Mini-Mag, Standard Velocity, Blazer) has the best reputation for consistent ignition. If you're relying on a .22 for anything beyond plinking — pest control, small game, competition — spend the extra $0.02—0.03/rd for CCI or equivalent quality.
Bulk .22 LR — Bricks and Case Deals
The .22 LR market is one of the best for bulk purchases. Bricks of 500 rounds are the standard bulk unit, with cases of 5,000 rounds offering the absolute lowest per-round cost. At current prices, a case of 5,000 rounds of bulk plinking ammo runs $250—350 — enough for months of regular range sessions at a cost that would barely cover a single range trip with centerfire rifle ammo.
.22 LR Semi-Auto Reliability — Which Ammo Feeds Best
Semi-automatic .22 LR pistols and rifles are more ammunition-sensitive than bolt-actions. Bullet velocity, bullet nose profile, and overall cartridge length all affect feeding reliability. Federal AutoMatch is specifically designed for semi-auto platforms. CCI Mini-Mag is the gold standard for reliability across all .22 LR semi-auto platforms. If your semi-auto chokes on bulk ammo, step up to Mini-Mag before blaming the gun.
.22 LR Market Trends
The .22 LR market has fully recovered from the 2020—2022 shortage. Supply is abundant and pricing is at or near pre-pandemic levels. CCI/Vista Outdoor remains the dominant domestic manufacturer, with Aguila (Mexico) and SK/Eley (Germany/UK) providing the main import competition.
.22 LR Guides & Buying Advice
- Best .22 LR ammo for plinking and target — Top picks by category for range shooting
- Cheapest calibers to shoot — Why .22 LR is the undisputed champion of cost per trigger pull
- What does grain mean in ammunition? — Bullet weight basics for new shooters
Related Calibers — 9mm, .380 ACP, 5.56 NATO
- 9mm — The natural step up for handgun training and self-defense
- .380 ACP — Compact carry option, also low recoil
- 5.56 NATO — Step up to rifle caliber for AR-platform shooting
- .17 HMR — Higher velocity rimfire varmint round. More expensive, longer effective range.
- .22 WMR — More powerful rimfire for varmints and small game. Noticeably more expensive per round.
.22 LR Ammo Brands — CCI, Federal, Winchester & More
- CCI — Mini-Mag, Stinger, Standard Velocity, Blazer. The dominant .22 LR brand.
- Federal — AutoMatch and Champion. Reliable bulk and target options.
- Winchester — Super-X, Wildcat, and 333-round bulk packs.
- Remington — Thunderbolt and Golden Bullet. Budget bulk options.
- Hornady — Varmint Express. Premium .22 LR for small game.
Where to Buy .22 LR Ammo Online
- Lucky Gunner — Fast shipping, deep .22 LR bulk inventory
- Palmetto State Armory — Frequent bulk deals on .22 LR bricks
- Target Sports USA — Free shipping on case quantities for members
- MidwayUSA — Wide selection from bulk to match-grade
- Sportsman's Warehouse — Online and in-store pickup options