No Comments If you’ve ever shopped around for affordable .22LR ammo, you’ve likely come across the Federal AutoMatch .22LR. Many .22LR rounds have a reputation for being unreliable, so you may be curious how Federal AutoMatch performs before investing in a box.
In this Federal AutoMatch .22LR review, we’re taking a look at how this popular plinking round stacks up at the range!
Federal Automatch .22LR Review: Quick Facts
If you’re just looking for some quick answers as to how the Federal AutoMatch performs, here are our main takeaways:
- Packaged loose in bulk boxes of 325 rounds, making it an affordable choice
- Great for plinking, but not a precision round
- Doesn’t use lubed or waxed bullets
- Uses a LRN bullet that will leave your hands dirty after handling and may cause lead buildup in the chamber
- Made in the USA
- Relatively accurate for range ammo
- Shooters note inconsistency between boxes
Federal Automatch .22LR Review: Specifications
| Caliber | .22LR |
| Manufacturer | Federal Premium |
| Product Line | Champion Training |
| Bullet Weight | 40gr. |
| Bullet Style | Lead Round Nose |
| Advertised Muzzle Velocity | 1200 fps (20" barrel) |
| Usage | Target Shooting |
The Federal AutoMatch Target .22LR has target-grade accuracy and is optimized for use in semi-autos according to Federal. The round uses a 40gr. lead round nose projectile and is packaged in boxes of 325 loose rounds. By packaging the rounds loose as opposed to in trays, it tends to be one of the more affordable .22LR rounds.
Federal advertises its muzzle velocity as 1200fps out of a 20” barrel, putting it broadly in the class of high velocity .22LR ammo.
When you handle AutoMatch rounds, you’ll notice that the round does not have lubed or waxed bullets like most premium .22LR ammo use to help with reliable feeding in semi-autos. Despite this, Federal claims that it has optimized the AutoMatch for use in semi-autos.
Because of the round’s exposed lead bullet, you will notice that your hands are a bit dirty from handling the round. This may also cause lead build up in your gun’s chamber quicker than other rounds will.
Federal produces its AutoMatch rounds in its Independence, Missouri plant and is known for the quality of its ammo.
Federal Automatch .22LR Review: Range Performance
Now that we know the basics, let’s see how the Federal AutoMatch performs at the range.
Reliability & Consistency
The biggest complaint about Federal AutoMatch .22LR is its reliability. Many shooters find that the AutoMatch will run reliably in one gun, but
At the range, I put the Federal AutoMatch through two .22LR pistols: a TaurusTX 22 and a Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite that has been modified for Steel Challenge. After a couple hundred rounds, I had one hiccup which was a light primer strike with the TaurusTX 22. This means the pistol’s striker hit the round’s primer and the round did not detonate.
I also put a couple magazines of AutoMatch through the Smith & Wesson M&P15-22 rifle, which resulted in no malfunctions.
Many shooters complain about the round’s consistency. Some say that one box of the AutoMatch runs just fine in their guns, but the next box has malfunction after malfunction.
Accuracy
At the range, I set up a target similar to the B-8 target at roughly 10 feet from a bench rest to get an idea of how accurate the Federal AutoMatch is out of the TaurusTX 22 pistol. I shot a small group, though all the shots landed low. I also shot a magazine of AutoMatch out of my Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite freehand with similar results.
Shooting low could certainly be blamed on me or the gun’s zero. Either way, I was happy with the groups that I got from the round. While it may not be the round you reach for when you need extreme precision, it performed well enough for a range day or for more laid back matches.
Again, many shooters complain of a lack of consistency from box to box of AutoMatch. One box may be exceptionally accurate, while another box throws rounds all over the place.
Velocity
| Gun Used | Barrel Length | 5-Shot Average Velocity (fps) | Low Velocity (fps) | High Velocity (fps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TaurusTX-22 | 4.6" | 1026 | 991 | 1052 |
| Smith & Wesson M&P15-22 | 16.5" | 1160 | 1143 | 1172 |
Federal advertises the muzzle velocity of AutoMatch as 1200fps out of a 20” barrel. Since ammo manufacturers tend to use rifles with longer barrels to test their velocity data, I decided to collect some of my own data.
At the range, I chronographed 5 shots of Federal AutoMatch with two different guns:
- TaurusTX 22 pistol with a 4.6” barrel
- Smith & Wesson M&P15-22 rifle with a 16.5” barrel.
Out of the TaurusTX 22 pistol, my 5-shot average muzzle velocity was 1026fps. Out of the Smith & Wesson M&P15-22, it was 1160fps. As expected, both of these are slower than the advertise 1200fps. With both rounds, the velocities remained pretty consistent, with a 61fps difference between high and low velocities with the pistol, and a 29 fps difference with the rifle.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for an affordable .22LR round for a full day of plinking, the Federal AutoMatch .22LR may just fit the bill. It’s one of the cheaper .22LR rounds available, and its bulk box is convenient for range day. Though it may not be the round you reach for when precision is your goal, I’d certainly trust it for a Steel Challenge match at my local range.
If a range day is in your future, it’s worth it to pick up a box of Federal AutoMatch .22LR to see how it runs in your gun!
