Whether you’re looking to load up for varmint hunting or looking for a round that cycles your pistol reliably, high velocity .22LR ammo may be your answer.

Many manufacturers claim that their ammo is “high velocity”, but that may be because they’re testing it in a longer barrel than most shooters use. I wanted to see how fast common high velocity .22LR rounds are actually traveling out of common guns in order to find the best high velocity .22LR ammo.

Keep reading to see our results!

What is High Velocity .22LR Ammo?

High velocity .22LR ammo is broadly considered ammo with a muzzle velocity higher than 1200 fps.

Generally speaking, .22LR ammo velocities are split into the following groups:

• Subsonic – < 1100 fps
• Standard Velocity – < 1125 fps
• High Velocity – 1200-1400 fps
• Hyper Velocity – > 1400 fps

Some manufacturers and shooters have different ideas of what velocities fit into each of these groups, so you may find some variation in definitions. 

Subsonic .22LR

Subsonic .22LR ammo travels slower than the speed of sound, which is around 1100 to 1125 fps. By traveling under the speed of sound, subsonic ammo avoids the loud “crack,” or supersonic shockwave made by supersonic bullets. Subsonic rounds are most commonly used with suppressed guns to further reduce noise.

Standard Velocity .22LR

Standard Velocity ammo is typically just under the speed of sound which is usually around 1100-1125 fps. However, different manufacturers have different ideas of what standard velocity is. For example, the CCI Standard Velocity advertises a muzzle velocity of 1070 fps, while Aguila Standard Velocity advertises a faster round at 1130 fps. That being said, subsonic ammo is going to be slower than standard velocity ammo.

High Velocity .22LR

The range for high velocity .22LR ammo is around 1200 to 1400 fps. These speeds are easier for a .22LR bullet to reach out of a rifle than out of a pistol. That’s why most .22LR muzzle velocities listed on boxes of ammo are from rounds tested out of rifles.

Hyper Velocity .22LR

Some manufacturers offer hyper velocity rounds which travel at a speed greater than 1400 fps.

High Velocity .22LR Ammo for Rifles

I hit the range to chronograph some high velocity .22LR ammo. I picked out rounds advertised as high velocity, as well as rounds that claim a muzzle velocity over 2000 fps. 

Using a Smith & Wesson M&P-22 with a 16.5” barrel, I chronographed 5 rounds from each box of ammo.

As you can see, all the rounds generally travel slower than advertised. These manufacturers are likely using longer barrels than 16.5″ to record muzzle velocities, resulting in quicker speeds.

High Velocity .22LR Ammo – Top Picks

Now that we’ve seen some velocity data, here are some top picks of high velocity .22LR ammo.

Federal Small Game Hyper-Velocity 31gr. CPHP

Federal Game-Shok 22 LR Ammunition - 500 Rounds of 31 Grain CPHP

$50.00

Formerly known as Federal Game-Shok, this hyper velocity round from Federal offers Federal’s quality and reliability. The round uses a light, 31gr. copper-plated hollow point bullet, making it perfect for varmint hunting.

In our testing, it had a 5-shot average velocity at 1387 fps which is just under its advertised velocity of 1430 fps.

Remington 22 Thunderbolt 40gr. Lead Round Nose

Remington 22 Thunderbolt 22 LR Ammunition - 5000 Rounds of 40 Grain LRN

$314.99

The 22 Thunderbolt from Remington is the perfect high velocity round for plinking at the range. As a budget option, 22 Thunderbolt comes in 500-round boxes of loose rounds, each using a 40gr. lead round nose bullet.

Remington advertises the 22 Thunderbolt as having a 1255 fps muzzle velocity. In our testing, it had an average muzzle velocity of 1209 fps.

CCI Stinger 32gr. Copper-Plated Hollow Point

CCI Stinger 22 LR Ammunition - 500 Rounds of 32 Grain CPHP

$84.99

The CCI Stinger round is a hyper velocity round optimized for varmint hunting. It uses a 32gr. copper-plated hollow point bullet that has a teardrop-shaped cavity that offers rapid expansion upon hitting a varmint.

The round’s muzzle velocity is listed at a quick 1640 fps. In our testing, its average velocity clocked in at 1385 fps.

Winchester Super-X 40gr. Small Game Power Point Hollow Point

Winchester Super-X 22 LR Ammunition - 100 Rounds of 40 Grain Power Point HP

$13.99

Winchester originally developed its Super-X 40gr. Power Point Hollow Point round for rabbit control in the Australian outback. It uses a 40gr. copper-plated hollow point bullet that is great for small varmint hunting as well as target shooting.

Winchester advertises the Super-X Power Point as having a 1280 fps muzzle velocity. At the range, it performed slightly better with an average muzzle velocity of 1282 fps.

High Velocity .22LR  Ammo for Pistols

As we’ve already mentioned, when ammo manufacturers share muzzle velocity data about their .22LR ammo, it is typically a velocity out of a rifle with a longer barrel. I wanted to see if any of the rounds tested could also reach 1200 fps or faster (or at least get close) when shot out of a pistol.

To test this, I used a TaurusTX 22 with a 4.6” barrel to test 5 rounds of each box. In my list below, I’ve only included the rounds that got close to or exceeded 1200 fps.

Note: Not all .22LR pistols can shoot high velocity ammo. You should check your pistol’s manual or reach out to the manufacturer to ensure safe usage.

Final Thoughts

Luckily, there are plenty of great high velocity .22LR rounds out on the market. It may take some trial and error, but you can trust our team here at Target Barn to help you find a round that suits your needs and runs reliably in your gun!