CCI Standard Velocity vs SK Standard Plus: Budget Match .22

Two boxes, one speed

Put the spec sheets next to each other and you'll think someone made a typo. CCI lists its Standard Velocity load at 1,070 fps with a 40-grain lead round-nose bullet. SK lists Standard Plus at 327 meters per second, which is 1,073 fps, with a 40-grain bullet. Three feet per second apart.

That closeness isn't luck. Both loads aim at the same target: just under the speed of sound, where a .22 LR bullet tends to fly most steadily. Push a .22 bullet faster than sound and then let it slow back through that barrier on the way to the target, and it can get buffeted. Keep it subsonic from the start and you avoid that.

So why does anyone argue about which is better? Because .22 LR accuracy is decided far more by how a load suits one barrel than by what the box says. And the two are made in very different places, by very different companies.

Who makes them

CCI Standard Velocity comes out of Lewiston, Idaho, the home plant of a company better known for Mini-Mag and Stinger. CCI pitches it plainly: an affordable practice round with the same velocity as its Green Tag target load. It's a 40-grain lead round nose with CCI priming and brass, sold in 100-round boxes.

SK Standard Plus comes from Schönebeck, Germany. Nammo, which owns the plant, calls it Europe's oldest continuously operating ammunition factory, founded in 1832 to make percussion caps. The same site makes Lapua's .22 LR rimfire as well as SK's, which is why you'll often hear SK called Lapua's sibling. SK describes Standard Plus as a training cartridge known for reliability in both rifles and pistols. It's sold in 50-round boxes.

The specs, side by side

Watch the test-barrel line. SK tells you its figure came from a 26-inch barrel. A shorter sporter or a 16-inch NRL22 barrel will usually be a bit slower, though rimfire powder burns fast, so the drop is often smaller than people expect. CCI's page doesn't state its test barrel. That doesn't make one number more honest than the other, but it does mean you shouldn't read the 3 fps gap as real.

Where they actually differ

Since the speed and weight are the same, the useful differences are practical ones.

Box size and buying. CCI's 100-round boxes are easy to buy in bricks and easy to find at U.S. stores. SK's 50-round boxes are typical of European match ammo. For a lot test, that's fine. For buying a season's supply, check how your source sells it.

Lot consistency. With any .22 LR, the lot number matters. If you find a lot your rifle likes, buy as much as your budget allows. This is true for both brands and is the single most useful habit in budget smallbore shooting.

Pistols. SK markets Standard Plus for pistols as well as rifles. CCI's load is also widely used in target pistols. Whether either one cycles your particular semi-auto pistol is something only a test will tell. Lighter-sprung target pistols tend to do better with standard velocity than compact plinkers do.

How to run a fair lot test

This is the part that matters. A comparison article can tell you these loads are close. Only your rifle can tell you which one wins.

1. Clean the bore, then foul it. Fire 10 to 20 rounds of the load you're about to test before you shoot for groups. Switching between lead loads changes how the bore behaves for a few shots.
2. Shoot from a solid rest at 50 yards. At 25 yards most decent loads look the same. At 50, differences show.
3. Shoot several five-shot groups per load. One great group proves nothing. Look at the average size across five or more groups.
4. Watch for fliers. A load that shoots tight groups with one shot wandering off every so often is worse for competition than a load that shoots slightly larger groups with no fliers.
5. Note the conditions. Wind, temperature and light all move rimfire groups. Test both loads in the same session, back to back.
6. Go long if you compete long. If you shoot NRL22 to 100 yards and beyond, check your winner at distance before you buy a case.

Our Tikka T1x ammo pairing guide walks through the same process in more detail, and it works for any bolt .22.

Why standard velocity suits precision

There's a reason almost all match .22 LR ammo runs at about this speed. A .22 LR bullet starts losing stability if it travels faster than sound and then slows through the sound barrier on the way to the target. That transition can upset a light, blunt rimfire bullet. Loading it to stay below the speed of sound from the start avoids the problem.

Both loads here sit right around 1,070 fps. Under typical conditions that's below the speed of sound, but not by a huge margin. In a long barrel on a hot day, some rounds may run close to it. That's one reason match shooters test in the conditions they'll compete in.

Standard velocity also brings a practical bonus: less noise than high-velocity loads, which many club ranges and neighbors appreciate. Don't confuse that with "quiet." Any .22 LR still needs hearing protection.

When to step up instead

If you're past the stage of "does my rifle group?" and into "why did I drop that point at 75 yards?", you may be ready for a higher grade. SK's own Long Range Match is a step up the same ladder. SK lists it at 335 m/s (1,099 fps) from a 26-inch barrel and pitches it at PRC, tactical rimfire and long-range silhouette. Higher grades cost more per round, and the gains only show in a rifle and shooter that can hold that level.

A good rule before spending more: if your rifle won't group budget match ammo, expensive ammo rarely fixes it. Check the scope mounts, the action screws and your shooting position first. Our guide to reading wind at rimfire distances explains why many "ammo problems" at 100 yards are really wind problems.

An alternative from a U.S. retailer's catalog: Ammunition Depot also lists Wolf Match Long Range 40 gr solid point, another load built for distance practice. It belongs in the same lot test if you can get it.

Semi-autos and standard velocity

Both loads are sized for bolt guns and target pistols. In semi-auto rifles they're a mixed bag. Some 10/22s and similar rifles cycle them well. Others short-stroke, leaving empty cases in the action. If you're building a semi-auto for steel or practice, test a box before you buy more. If it won't cycle reliably, a 40-grain high-velocity load is the more practical choice. See Ammunition Depot's 22 LR selection for options and check current price.

Decision

Editorial note: This is an independent editorial overview built from manufacturer specifications, retailer listings and published sources. We have not performed hands-on testing of the products discussed, and nothing here is a performance guarantee. Verify specifications, compatibility and the law where you live.

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.