Aguila Target Competition .22 LR Review: Who It Suits

A lead round-nose target load is a different tool from the plated high-velocity bulk most people buy. Here is where Aguila's Target Competition fits and where it does not.

A different job from bulk plinking ammo

Most of the ammunition people buy for a .22 is built to do one thing: go bang reliably in whatever gun happens to be in the safe. Aguila Target Competition is built for a narrower job. The listing describes a 40-grain lead solid-point .22 LR, which puts it in the target category rather than the hunting-and-plinking one.

The practical differences come down to three things, and none of them are exotic.

Bare lead, not plated. A lead bullet is softer and leaves a little more of itself behind in the bore, but it is the traditional choice for paper because it engages rifling cleanly. Plating is a convenience for feeding and handling, not an accuracy feature.

A heavier, steadier bullet. Forty grains is the traditional .22 LR bullet weight, and target loads gravitate to it. The design goal is a bullet that flies steadily rather than fast. We discuss why in the twist rate piece.

A lower-energy load. Target ammunition is usually loaded to standard velocity rather than high velocity. That helps consistency and is gentler on a long barrel, but it is the specific reason this class struggles in light blowback semi-autos. If you are not sure which class a box belongs to, confirm the velocity on the carton rather than relying on the name.

What it is good for

The load's logic fits guns where the shooter, not the cartridge, is cycling the action.

Bolt-action rifles. A bolt gun does not care how much energy the round has, because your hand does the work. Standard-velocity target ammunition is where bolt-action .22s tend to show their best. Our bolt vs semi-auto comparison explains how action type shapes ammunition tolerance. If you own a precision-oriented .22, the follow-up reading is the Tikka T1x guide.

Target pistols with heavier bolts. The Ruger Mark IV Target is the classic example: a target-oriented pistol whose bullseye and slow-fire users commonly favor standard-velocity loads. A heavy bull-barrel pistol is also less sensitive to light ammunition than a slim polymer one.

Single-shots and revolvers. Same logic: no action to cycle, so ammunition energy matters only for accuracy.

Entry-level competition. For informal postal or club matches that do not require premium ammunition, a retail target load is a sensible step up from bulk. See our rimfire competition guide to decide whether you even need to leave plated bulk.

What it is not good for

Light semi-autos. Pistols such as the Kel-Tec P17 and many carbine-style rimfires were designed around the energy of high-velocity ammunition. A standard-velocity round may produce stovepipes or failures to eject. That is a mismatch of load and gun, not a defect in either. Our jam troubleshooting guide lists ammunition as the first suspect for exactly this reason.

Small game. A lead solid point is not designed to expand. If hunting is the purpose, a hollow point built for it is the better pairing.

Plinking where convenience matters. If you are shooting cans and steel and want a load that feeds anything, plated high-velocity ammunition such as the Aguila Super Extra family is simpler.

How it compares with standard-velocity alternatives

A standard-velocity benchmark many target shooters know is CCI's Standard Velocity line, which we do not link to here; it is mentioned as a reference point rather than a recommendation. The point of comparing is not to crown a winner. It is that two target loads can group differently in the same barrel, and a rifle will often favor one over the other for reasons nobody can predict from the box.

That is true across rimfire. Barrels are chambered and rifled with enough variation that matching ammunition to a specific gun is a test, not a calculation. Our rim thickness sorting piece explains one more variable inside a single box.

Reading the box before you buy

Three details on the carton are worth a glance before you add a target load to a cart or a range bag.

• Velocity. Confirm whether the box describes standard velocity, subsonic or high velocity. The category name on a listing is a hint, not a specification.
• Lot number. Target ammunition is where lot-to-lot differences are easiest to notice. If a lot works in your rifle, a note of the number lets you shop for more of it.
• Bullet material. This is a bare-lead bullet, so wash your hands after handling it and before eating, and keep it away from children. Good ventilation matters if you shoot indoors.

A simple test plan

If you are considering Target Competition for a bolt-action or target pistol:

1. Buy one box and, if you can, one box of a competing standard-velocity load.
2. Shoot from a supported rest at a single distance. Use five-shot groups and repeat a few times, because one group tells you very little.
3. Clean the gun before you start so you are comparing ammunition, not fouling.
4. Record the lot number on the box. If it groups well, you want more of the same lot.
5. Check where it prints relative to your usual load, and re-zero if you switch. The zeroing guide shows how rimfire zero distance works.

Pick it if, skip it if

Pick Target Competition if your main gun is a bolt-action or target pistol, you shoot paper, and you want a more consistent load than bulk plated ammunition without moving to premium match ammunition.

Skip it if your main gun is a light semi-auto, you shoot mostly cans and steel, or you hunt. You will be happier with high-velocity plated bulk, and you can read what bulk .22 LR gets you or browse the .22 LR ammo category to compare what is available.

Editorial note: This is an independent editorial overview built from manufacturer specifications and publicly available information. We have not performed hands-on testing of the products discussed, and nothing here is a performance guarantee. Verify specifications, compatibility and legality for your own situation.

Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links to Ammunition Depot. We may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial choices are not influenced by commissions. Check current price, stock and specifications directly with the retailer.