No Comments If you’ve ever been on the hunt for a reliable .22LR round, you’ve likely come across the CCI Mini-Mag. During my time working at a gun range, shooters often found Mini-Mags to be the key to getting their .22LR to run reliably.
In our CCI Mini-Mag review, we’re taking a look at the three different Mini-Mag rounds to see how they stack up at the range.
CCI Mini-Mag Review: Quick Facts
- There are three different Mini-Mag loadings: a 36gr. Copper Plated Hollow Point, a 40gr. Copper Plated Round Nose, and a 40gr. Segmented Hollow Point
- The 36gr. CPRN is designated as a target load while the 36gr. CPHP and 40gr. Segmented HP are designated as varmint loads
- Mini-Mags are essentially high quality, high velocity .22LR ammo from CCI
- Both the 36gr. CPHP and 40gr. Segmented HP are popular for varmint hunting
- The 40gr. Segmented HP splits into three pieces upon hitting a soft target, while the 36gr. CPHP expands like traditional a hollow point
- Our velocity testing showed that the 36gr. CPHP runs a little hotter than advertised, and is the fastest of all three Mini-Mag rounds
CCI Mini-Mags: The Basics
Mini-Mags are essentially high quality, high velocity .22LR ammo from CCI. The rounds come in clear plastic cases in 100-round trays, as opposed to packaged loose in a cardboard box. Mini-Mags tend to run well in .22LR pistols that tend to be picky with ammo. That’s because CCI’s quality control in manufacturing produces more consistent rounds, meaning you’re less likely to find an underpowered round in a box of Mini-Mags. Mini-Mag rounds also use clean-burning propellants to reduce fouling. Some finicky .22LR guns can’t tolerate wide ranges of velocities, which is why a consistent, high velocity round is the key to keeping the gun running reliably.
Because the Mini-Mags are higher quality, they are also a little more expensive than regular rounds. However, it should be noted that while Mini-Mags are high quality, they aren’t considered match grade .22LR ammo.
Types of CCI Mini-Mags
Mini-Mags come in three different loads:
- CCI Mini-Mag 40gr. Copper Plated Round Nose – Target
- CCI Mini-Mag 36gr. Copper Plated Hollow Point – Varmint
- Mini-Mag 40gr. Segmented Hollow Point – Varmint
| Round | Bullet Weight | Bullet Style | Advertised Muzzle Velocity - Rifle (fps) | Advertised Est. Muzzle Velocity - Pistol (fps) | Use Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini-Mag HP | 36gr. | Copper Plated Hollow Point | 1260 | 1085 | Target |
| Target Mini-Mag | 40gr. | Copper Plated Round Nose | 1235 | 1060 | Varmint |
| Mini-Mag Segmented HP | 40gr. | Segmented Hollow Point | 1235 | 1060 | Varmint |
The round intended for target shooting uses a 40gr. Copper Plated Round Nose bullet. For varmint hunting, CCI offers a 36gr. Copper Plated Hollow Point round and a 40gr. Segmented Hollow Point. The difference between these two varmint rounds are velocity, bullet weight, and bullet style.
The 36gr. Copper Plated Hollow Point is loaded a little hotter, meaning its bullet travels at a faster velocity. The round offers excellent terminal performance and accuracy when it matters.
CCI designed the 40gr. Segmented Hollow Point to split into three equal sized parts upon impact of a soft target. This is supposed to create three distinct wound channels, quickly taking down small game.
CCI Mini-Mag Review: Velocity Test
CCI’s advertised velocities of the Mini-Mags are likely from guns with barrel lengths around 20”-24”. I wanted to see what velocities we could expect out of guns with shorter barrels. So, I set up the chronograph at the range and recorded five shots each out of two different guns:
- TaurusTX 22 pistol with a 4.6” barrel
- Smith & Wesson M&P15-22 rifle with a 16.5” barrel
| Round | Advertised Est. Muzzle Velocity - Pistol (fps) | Tested 5-Shot Avg. Muzzle Velocity - Pistol (fps) | Advertised Muzzle Velocity - Rifle (fps) | Tested 5-Shot Avg. Muzzle Velocity - Rifle (fps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini-Mag 36gr. CPHP | 1085 | 1127 | 1260 | 1280 |
| Mini-Mag 40gr. CPRN | 1060 | 1011 | 1235 | 1144 |
| Mini-Mag 40gr. Segmented HP | 1060 | 1048 | 1235 | 1196 |
I was surprised to see that the Mini-Mag 36gr. CPHP actually ran a little bit hotter than what CCI advertises. As expected, all of the other loads tested slower than advertised.
CCI Mini-Mag Review: Ballistic Gel Test
Next, I wanted to see what kind of performance you might expect from the two Mini-Mag rounds that CCI designated for varmint hunting. I set up a couple Clear Ballistics 10% ballistic gelatin blocks to shoot through using the Smith & Wesson M&P15-22 rifle with 16.5″ barrel. I didn’t use any type of fabric covering like we would when testing a round for self defense.
| Round | Penetration Depth | Average Velocity (fps) | Average Muzzle Energy (ft-lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini-Mag 36gr. CPHP | 10" | 1280 | 131 |
| Mini-Mag 40gr. Segmented HP | 6.5" | 1196 | 127 |
The 36gr. CPHP round penetrated to a depth of 10″. I pulled it out of the gel and it had expanded to .369″. This is over 1.5 times its original diameter.
The 40gr. Segmented HP works a little different than the 36gr. CPHP. Rather than simply expanding upon impact of a soft target, the Segmented HP is supposed to split into three equal pieces, making a larger wound channel. I found that the round did split into three main pieces, but two of these pieces further fractured into smaller pieces. The largest piece penetrated to 6.5″, followed by 5″, then 3.75″. This created a larger wound channel in the gel than I saw with the CPHP round.
If simply stopping a varmint is what you want, both rounds will likely get the job done with the right shot placement. However, if you’re wanting to harvest the critter for meat, be aware that the Segmented HP round may tear up the meat a bit more than the CPHP will.
CCI Mini-Mag Review: Range Performance
Reliability is what the Mini-Mags are known for. To no surprise, I experienced no malfunctions shooting all three of the Mini-Mags at the range through several different guns.
I also had no accuracy issues plinking out to 30 feet with both pistol and rifle with all three rounds. You’ll want to test out the rounds in your gun setup if you’re looking for extreme accuracy at longer distances.
One of the things I noticed when handling the various Mini-Mag rounds is that they did not leave my hands dirty like many other .22LR rounds do. Because CCI uses plated bullets and clean burning propellant, the Mini-Mags will leave your gun cleaner than many other .22LR options.
CCI Mini-Mag Review: Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for match grade ammo, the Mini-Mags aren’t exactly that. However, if you’re looking for a reliable .22LR round that will work in your picky gun, Mini-Mags are a great place to start. CCI loads the high-velocity round to its high manufacturing standards, ensuring a consistent, reliable ignition. Both the 36gr. CPHP and 40gr. Segmented Hollow Point rounds are proven for varmint hunting, and the 40gr. CPRN round is an excellent choice for plinking.
Ultimately, if you’re having trouble finding a round that your .22LR gun likes, or you’re simply looking for quality plinking and varmint hunting ammo, the Mini-Mags are certainly worth a try!
