Aguila Sniper Subsonic SSS .22 LR 60gr LRN

Aguila Sniper Subsonic SSS throws the heaviest bullet in .22 LR: a 60gr lead round nose, 50 percent more mass than a standard 40gr load. To fit that long projectile into a .22 LR-length cartridge, Aguila seats it in a .22 Short case, which is why it loads and looks unusual. At 950 fps it stays solidly subsonic, and that heavy bullet carries more energy downrange than any other subsonic .22 LR.

The critical caveat is twist rate. A 60gr .22 caliber bullet needs a fast-twist barrel, on the order of 1:12 or faster, to stabilize. In the standard 1:16 twist barrels that ship on nearly every rimfire rifle, the long bullet often fails to stabilize and keyholes the target. An unstable, tumbling bullet is not just an accuracy problem: through a suppressor it can clip and damage the baffles. Confirm your barrel twist before buying this load, and never run keyholing ammunition through a can.

In the right barrel this is a genuine specialist. Fast-twist rimfire shooters get a hard-hitting, deeply penetrating subsonic round for suppressed work and larger small game. In the wrong barrel it is a frustrating novelty. Match the ammunition to the gun and it earns its place; default to CCI Subsonic if you are running a standard-twist barrel.