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Subsonic .22LR ammunition – what’s the best type for your rifle?

Bruce Potts looks at .22LR rimfire subsonic ammunition from six different manufacturers for vermin control

Subsonic 22LR rimfire ammunition

There are four rimfire ammunition choices from CCI, suitable for small game shooting

Q: I’ve noticed that CCI makes some interesting new .22 rimfire ammunition. Can you tell me which would be best for rabbits in my CZ rifle?

A: CCI and other manufacturers have been developing new rimfire ammunition following renewed interest in Sporting, tactical, target, long-range and gallery-type shooting.

I have tested all the new CCI ammunition. Four stand out.

  • The Subsonic, which uses a typical 40-gr lead hollow point bullet. In my Sako Finnfire it achieved 1,070fps velocity for 
102ft/lb energy.
  • The segmented hollowpoint subsonic load is a 40-gr bullet, which — as its name suggests — segments into three parts on impact. This achieved 1,075fps average and 103ft/lb. It is designed to transfer more energy on impact and reduce the chance of ricochets.
  • The CCI Suppressor, which uses a heavier 45-gr bullet, is a lead hollowpoint and achieved 949fps and 90ft/lb. It is designed to work well in semi-automatic rimfires.
  • The CCI Quiet is a round-nosed lead 40-gr bullet, which is really designed for target shooting but has practical uses. It only achieves 753fps.