CCI Blazer - As good as Mini-Mags?

[Tech Ninja]

Who doesn't like Mini-Mags? Ha! Trick question, everyone likes Mini-Mags.
But Mini-Mags are a little pricey, about 30-32 bucks for a brick of 500. And that's when they are available.

So what is there any other round that is as reliable as Mini-Mags at a lower cost?

Well the obvious choice is CCI Blazer. About 20-22 bucks for 500. And they are usually available in my area. Not a huge savings but 10 bucks saved is 10 bucks earned.

How do they shoot at 25 yards?

They shoot fine. I haven't shot enough of them to know if they are as reliable as Mini-Mags but if they do I'll be buying more.

 

[weblance]

I just bought a Bersa Thunder 22 and everywhere I read, said MiniMags were the only thing that runs reliably in the Bersa. I took 300 MiniMags and a bulk box of Blazers to the range today and shot the Bersa for the first time. It shot perfectly with the MiniMags. After 150 rounds, I switched to the Blazers, and the Bersa shot flawlessly with them as well. I have always used Blazers in my Ruger Autoloaders, and they perform very well. My Ruger SR22P likes Blazers the best, as a matter of fact, its the only truly reliable ammo in that pistol. I shot 200 or so Blazers out of the Bersa today, and it shot perfect with them.

 

[BCRider]

Due to pricing I've had two cases of 5000 each Blazer. I buy some CCI SV and Federal 525 but primarily I shoot Blazer. For most of my rimfire guns it is great stuff. And the advantage I get from the other brands varies from near none to slightly. But I've got a couple of rifles that really do work better with the CCI SV stuff.

So I'm not overly surprised when I see the results that compare the MiniMag to Blazer.

 

[bruzer]

Next to Mini-Mags, Blazer is my choice. Good all around plinking ammo.
Good luck and stay safe,
Mike

 

[Fishslayer]

Blazer & Remington Goldens are the only bulk I've found that cycles my wife's Mosquito 99+%. MiniMags are the gold standard but go for about $7-ish per hundred here. Blazer is $23-ish/500

My 10/22 likes the Blazer bulk as well.

 

[bannockburn]

I haven't seen much in the way of CCI Blazer; in bulk packs mainly Winchester, Federal, and Remington. Of those three I have had the best results with Federal. The next time I see some Blazer ammo I will pick up a box and give it a try.

 

[Shear_stress]

I'm a big fan of Blazer. They're a little dirtier than the Mini-mags but run my 22LR semi autos just fine.

 

[bikerdoc]

I like blazer.
I must be lucky my Bersa T 22 eats anything even Rem GB with the usual 5 to 7 duds per box.

 

[Tim the student]

Blazer is great - I just bought another 2k.

 

[travisd]

Its been reliable for me in my rifles, but not hot enough to cycle my handguns. Accuracy is so-so, 2 inches at 25yds compared to ragged holes with mini-mags or subsonics. Had better luck with Remington GB's. Its cheap and it goes bang though.

 

[22-rimfire]

25 yds is not such a great "test" for precision or accuracy from a given rifle/ammo combination. You really see differences at 50 yds. 25 yds is a typical plinking distance and just about everything does okay at that distance. But as a practical matter, I shoot a fair amount at distances between 25 and 50 yds with 22's.

Do you have a scope on that Mossberg? Makes a difference unless you are a very good open sight shooter. I'm not one of that group. I also hope you are seasoning the barrel (perhaps 10 shots) when switching ammo. You need to do that if you are trying to judge different ammo precision.

 

[Snowdog]

I'm also a fan of Blazer. I bought 5K on a lark when Dunn's was selling them for some $14/500 a while back. From my Marlin M60, Mossberg 146B/A, Savage MK2 and AR15 with .22LR conversion BCG, I had no malfunctions and very acceptable accuracy.

I also have a number of Centurion and Federal bulk ammo and have had good results with both, but better overall performance with Blazer.

I've since purchased another 10K rounds (10,250 to be precise) and am still looking for the deals as .22LR goes so fast.
I believe the last purchase was from J&G Sales or Aim Surplus for a better deal than Midway or Natchez, so it sometimes pays to shop around if you don't mind buying online.

 

[22-rimfire]

I've since purchased another 10K rounds (10,250 to be precise)...

Sounds like two cases of the bulk packs (525 rounds per pack).

If you shoot much 22's, 15K is not a lot of ammo but would keep me a couple years when you mix in the other ammo that I might have on hand. Nothing wrong with Blazer ammo for plinking and fun.

 

[Ky Larry]

Blazer is good stuff.You won't win many matches with it but it's fine for plinking or putting a rabbit in the pot. For cheap ammo,my CZ's like American Eagle. I can get A.E.'s for $18.00 a brick so they're a little cheaper than most bulk packs.

 

[22-rimfire]

Aren't American Eagle bricks 400 rounds?

 

[Gato Montés]

CCI Blazer is my go to cheap plinking ammo. When on sale it's usually the cheapest of all the bulk packs in my neck of the woods at around $15 a box.

Its been reliable for me in my rifles, but not hot enough to cycle my handguns.

I find that peculiar as I have had the exact opposite experience, even with firearms like the Sig Mosquito that usually require more expensive ammo to run. I can't address the accuracy of the ammo as I have neither firearm nor skill to be able to make that determination, but what I have seen is Blazer is extremely reliable in the amount of charge each round contains. Federal and WWB I've found to have the most variance with a range of standard loading to cat fart with a fair share of duds in between. Never had a dud Blazer.

 

[Gato Montés]

Aren't American Eagle bricks 400 rounds?

Think so cause the small packs are only 40 rds I believe.

American Eagle is another good one but seldom found around here.

 

[MedWheeler]

Never tried the Blazers in my autos, which will not run reliably on any of the "bulk" stuff. Blazer stuff has only recently become available around here, and I had a hard time getting past problems I had with the name back in the eighties with Blazer centerfire stuff.
But, now that I have a revolver among my rimfire roundup, I'll shoot anything. However, there's no reason yet to try the Blazer for me, since the revolver will eat even less-expensive stuff, and the autos are Mini-Mag-restricted.

 

[chris in va]

After experiencing two case head separations with Remingtons, I will be using Blazer from now on.

 

[Onward Allusion]

Blazers are my go-to for casual shooting. Identical groupings & performance as CCI Mini Mags for my distances.

The only downside with them is that they don't have the copper coating. It fouls up the barrel a little quicker. Also, I would have concerns with storing them long term without the brick/box being sealed/vacuumed packed. Lead will oxidize and will cause over-pressure.

 

[Ky Larry]

American Eagle 38gr copper washed hollow point bullets are 400 to a brick. American Eagle 40gr lead solid bullets are 500 to a brick.

 

[Snowdog]

Sounds like two cases of the bulk packs (525 rounds per pack).

Correct. I got a 5,000 case before finding loose-packed 5250 round cases for the same price.
How can I pass on the equivalent of 5 free boxes of ammo? Seems just as good, so I know what to look for when on the hunt for .22LR Blazer in the future.

 

[StrutStopper]

Blazer cycles reliably in my guns but the accuracy isn't there. Federals and Remingtons both beat Blazer in accuracy. I have problems with winchester, too many duds per brick. My favorite ammo is CCI SV. Probably as accurate as the mini mags for me. I haven't shot any of the real expensive stuff.

 

[travisd]

The couple boxes of Blazer I shot were pretty consistent, just not a powerful as some others. There was a noticeable difference between the Blazer and Golden Bullets and of course Mini-Mags. They were much better than Federal bulk, which turns my P22 into a single shot, I might get a couple that actually cycle it per 100. Cycled my 795 fine though. Not as accurate as Federals which aren't as good as GB's. Fine for plinking though.

 

[k_dawg]

I've had great luck with the new "AR Tactical" from CCI in my Kimber Conversion.

I have to use plated rounds, otherwise leading will build up quickly and accuracy will suffer.