What quality .22 lr ammo is good for target shooting?

Federal Value Pack 550 rnds. for about 16 bucks.

The most powerful .22LR rounds are the hyper-velocity rounds. These include the Aguila Supermax (204 ft-lbs muzzle energy), CCI Stinger (191 ft-lbs muzzle energy), and CCI Velocitor (183 ft-lbs muzzle energy). The high-velocity rounds (which typically get around 120-140 ft-lbs of muzzle energy) are the next most powerful. As for will it kill a coyote... Depends on your shot-placement. If you get a brain-shot pretty much any of the .22LR rounds should be lethal to a coyote. If you hit it in the lungs and/or heart, it will be lethal to a coyote, but probably not immediately, so you'll have to track it. Probably quite a ways. The conventional wisdom, based on most people's experiences and the relative power levels of the cartridges is you're better off using a .22 center-fire for coyotes than a .22 rimfire, and a .22WMR instead of a .22LR. But if you're simply shooting coyotes because they're getting in your chicken coop and you don't care about recovering the carcass, then a .22LR would work provided you put the bullet in either the brain or the lungs. If on the other hand you're wanting the coyote for its skin or for sport hunting, then you would be better off getting a rifle chambered in a varmint round, like a .22 Hornet, .223 Remington, .22-250, .220 Swift, or .243 Winchester.

If you can find it, Remington Golden Bullet is the one I've had the best luck with. Went through a bulk pack (525) without a single problem. Their other stuff I can't say so much about. The pack of 525 is $20 at Dick's sporting goods. Good quality ammo for a decent price. There's cheaper stuff I'm hesitant about shooting, and Wal-Mart tends to be a rip-off near me on .22 ammo.

Federal Value pack 550 rds, load 750 - walmart $11.97

CASE, 5500 rounds = $120

Remington Golden Bullet Bulk Pack 525rds - walmart $13.97

CASE, 5250 rounds = $140

CCI Minimag box of 100rds - Army-Navy of Orange, CA $7

CCI Blazer, Brick 500 rds - Ontarget Range, Orange County, CA $18

CASE, 5000 rounds = $180

American Eagle, Brick 500 rds - Fowler's Gun Room, Orange, CA $22

CASE, 5000 rounds = $200

Peters Cartridge, box 50 rds - Big 5 Sporting Goods, Irvine, CA $2.55

BRICK, 500 rounds = $18

Remington Thunderbolt, Brick 500 rds - Ontarget Range, Orange County, CA $22

CASE, 5000 rounds = $220

Eley Match EPS, box 50 rds - Fowler's Gun Room $7.99

WOLF .22LR Case 5000rds - google $289

For just plinking, which I suspect is what you're doing, the Federal Value Packs from WalMart for ~$15 are great, and often recommended by name by the manufacturer (you might check your manual).

If you want something that is really accurate, but a bit more expensive- Wolf Performance Ammunition imports and markets some Match-Grade .22LR made by Prvi Partizan of Serbia... It has gotten great reviews everywhere I have seen for having outstanding accuracy.

Follow the suggestions in your manual.

I know S&W recommends not shooting Rem Golden bullet, win wildcat, rem thunderbolt, and CCI Blazers along with some others.

I had the best luck with Win Xpert 36gr so far with average of 1.125" 5 shot groups at 50yds (open sights)

Rem Golden Bullets had about a 50% failure to load.

CCI mini-mag, Win super-X, Win Xpert, and Federal (unsure which specific line, had a bunch in a container for hunting that I decided to burn up) averaged a 1% or less failure to load rate.

Nice new gun! Good luck with it. My suggestion would be to stay away from any of the, 'hyper velocity' 22's like: CCI, 'Stingers', 'Quik-Shok', or that other, 'super maximum velocity' round from Aguila.

What I do - like I just got home from doing, now - is go to Wal-Mart and buy whatever, 'Value Pack' of 22 LR. ammo that is on sale. (Tonight it was Federal copper-plated, 36 grain pills.) The only thing I'd steer you clear of is unplated plain lead bullets. You want the copper-plating - especially on a semiautomatic like you've got.

You will hear all kinds of crazy crap from ignorant people. Buy the stuff in bulk on sale at Walmart and lay waste to the soda cans. Smith and Wesson is not going to put their name on something that will self destruct

I've always gotten good accuracy and reliability out of Federal high velocity 22. LR ammo. Pick it up whereever it is sold.

yea what they said...federal 550 round bulk packs....

the only thing they didn't mention is that the price jumped this past week on them and they are now selling for 20 bucks instead of 15.....still a lot of ammo for the price but i remember buying them as a kid for 5 bucks for 600 rounds......even found part of an old box recently and the ammo is exactly the same.......

too bad my paycheck doesn't raise with inflation that way......