Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
I don't agree that bulk ammo is generally good only for single shots or bolt actions.
I don't agree with that either. It's nonsense. There is nothing wrong with bulk .22 ammunition. If you have a semi auto .22, (either rifle or pistol), that won't perform with ANY of the available high velocity bulk packaged ammo, then it's most likely a gun or magazine issue, and NOT the ammunition. That holds true even today as .22 ammunition manufacturers are running at full speed, around the clock. All in an attempt to keep up with demand, along with the high prices that support it. Another thing is all of this ammunition, be it box or bulk, is all produced on the exact same type of equipment.
I contend that bulk ammunition produced 10 years ago is actually better in quality than much of the plastic boxed Mini Mags and such is today. Because back then production was done at a much slower pace, and inspection more demanding and deliberate. Today, .22 ammunition makers are more concerned with quantity, than they are quality. They have to be. The market demands it. Any time production is more concerned with numbers than quality, you will have issues. Remember, none of this equipment is any different. The only changes have been to the speed at which they're being run. This effect is the same regardless if they're punching out bulk.... Or Mini Mags. It's no different than when a shooter handloads. The more exacting and deliberate he is, the less chance there is for problems with the ammunition being produced. I've heard on firearms boards everywhere like this one, how they've encountered loose bullets. Bad priming that resulted in inconsistent ignition. Rounds that contained no powder, etc. All as a direct result of stepped up, non stop production in an attempt to keep up with demand.
The .22 ammunition market has not seen anything like this in the last 60+ years, if ever. It's unprecedented. Poor quality ammunition across the board is more often than not the direct result. Today if you want to be assured of high quality and accurate .22 ammunition, you are almost forced to purchase the high priced / high quality ammunition from Eley, Lapua, or any of the European manufacturers, where this severe shortage doesn't exist like it does here. That was not the case a decade ago before all of this nonsense started.