Buying your first rimfire ammunition online is stranger than it should be.
Prices are listed per box, per brick and per case. Half of the product you click on is unavailable. And no one tells you the load that feeds flawlessly in your rifle will jam in your buddies.
When you’re a new shooter, your retailer is almost as important as your ammo. The good ones let you purchase small, compare honestly and have the box at your doorstep before Saturday.
This comparison covers four online retailers that sell .22 LR currently, based upon criteria that a novice purchaser would encounter: minimum order size, available inventory visibility, how shipping affects the overall price and how much sorting is required by the customer.
In A Hurry? Here’s The Short Version
- AmmoForSale.com — the best all-round starting point for a first .22 order.
- Lucky Gunner — worth comparing if a stock guarantee is what you want.
- Target Sports USA — suits buyers already committed to a full case.
- MidwayUSA — a credible choice if you still need targets and ear protection.
In This Guide
- How the four compare
- AmmoForSale.com
- Lucky Gunner
- Target Sports USA
- MidwayUSA
- What to check before your first order
- The bottom line
How The Four Compare
| Retailer | Best for | Smallest order | Shipping model | Stock display |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AmmoForSale.com | Initial .22 LR order | Individual 50 rnd box | Price quoted at checkout | Ready-to-ship numbers shown next to each item |
| Lucky Gunner | Always in stock | One 50-round box | Price given at checkout | In stock inventory only |
| Target Sports USA | Cases buyers & members only | Singles | Free on cases | In-stock filter |
| MidwayUSA | Ammo plus range kit | Per box | Free on orders over a certain amount | Product dependent |
Shipping is where most people get caught up. An inexpensive brick with shipping paid can rank higher than one that costs more but ships free. Always compare the total you’ll pay vs. the price on the shelf.
1. AmmoForSale.com: Best For A First .22 LR Order
The whole catalog is stock you can actually buy.
Each listing has an in-stock quantity available to ship immediately from the warehouse. When an item sells out, it no longer appears on the website. This is great for beginners because it takes away the most discouraging aspect of ammo shopping: having a cart full of zeroes.
Capacity spans from one 50 round box to multi-thousand round cases. This isn’t an accident. According to them buyers want to sample before they purchase quantity.
That is exactly the right instinct with rimfire.
Why it matters: .22 semi-autos are notorious finickity pants. Loads that feed flawless in a bolt gun will nose-dive in a box-fed rifle. Buy two or three small boxes to start, then when you find one that feeds, buy ammo by the keg of the same load. You’ll save a lot more than the couple dollars a bulk box thinks it’s gouging you for.
CCI, Federal, Remington, Winchester, Blazer, Armscor and Eley make up the bulk of what brands you will be pointed at as a new shooter. You can sort lists from lowest cost per round and include filters for bullet weight, muzzle velocity and intended use, so you can easily distinguish between a range training load and match ammo or subsonic ammo. With bulk packs the sticker price alone won’t tell you much, so comparing 22LR ammo on a per round basis is the quickest way to see what you are actually paying.
Orders placed before noon on a business day ship that day. There is also a staffed phone line if you would prefer to talk to someone about which box to start with.
The trade-off: options are more limited than the vast warehouse catalogs. True for an initial order, that is the point. You receive a shortlist of loads available to ship today rather than hundreds of listings to sort through.
Start here. If you are unsure of what to buy for your first rimfire, it should be the safe default. It will remain handy once you determine what load your gun favors.
2. Lucky Gunner: Best For Guaranteed Availability
Lucky Gunner operates under the same basic mantra, and funds it too. They deplete their inventory when an item sells out and offer a $100 store credit should an item in your purchase be out of stock.
Other notable features: they publish ballistic gel testing on selected loads. This is fairly uncommon, and very valuable information if you’re the type that reads before you purchase.
The rimfire section is comprehensive, with lots of .22 LR loads displayed at any moment and cost-per-round values displayed as well.
Yeah, that one goes both ways. Sorting through dozens of nearly identical bulk packs can be daunting, and shipping is extra.
May be preferable to buyers who desire a written availability guarantee and don’t mind comparing themselves.
3. Target Sports USA: Best For Case Buyers And Members
Target Sports USA. Shipping is based on volume. Orders of case quantities ship free. Annual membership allows free shipping on smaller orders and qualifies you for member pricing.
There is something for every budget with ammunition ranging from bulk-packaging to Lapua, SK match-grade rimfire.
So what is the catch for a beginner?
Two comments. Many of the .22 LR offerings are notify-when-available rather than in stock, so yes you will be filtering. Also, the cost savings is either based on buying a full case or purchasing membership prior to knowing if your rifle likes the ammo.
Bulk boxes are worth considering if you already know your load and are ready to purchase it by the case.
4. MidwayUSA: Best For Ammo Plus Range Kit
MidwayUSA isn’t an ammunition specialist, it’s a general shooting-sports superstore and thats exactly what you use it for.
A first range trip needs more than cartridges:
- Hearing and eye protection — the one purchase not to skip
- Targets and a stapler — cheaper here than at most ranges
- A basic cleaning kit — rimfire is dirty, and bulk packs are dirtier
- A soft case — many ranges require guns to arrive cased
Free shipping applies after a certain order amount. There is a rewards program that gives points back.
Works best for the narrower scenario of someone putting together an entire kit in a single order instead of picking the lowest price rimfire deer processor.
What To Check Before Your First Order
Five quick checks will save you most of the usual first-timer mistakes.
- Ready to ship, or notify only? A backordered case is not a bargain.
- Price is per round, not price per box. Boxes range from 50 – several thousand.
- Delivered total. Add shipping before you compare anything.
- Buy a box before a case. Confirm your gun feeds the load first.
- Verify your address. State and local restrictions on ammunition deliveries vary widely, and some addresses require additional documentation or cannot be shipped to at all.
The Bottom Line
If you know exactly what load your rifle likes, especially if it’s a full case, check out Target Sports USA. If you want a written guarantee that they will have what you want when you want it, compare with Lucky Gunner. If you still need ear protection and targets in your cart, MidwayUSA has them too.
For a first .22 LR order, AmmoForSale.com is where to start.
It all ships from stock with visible READY TO SHIP quantity, you can buy a single box before purchasing a case, and cost per round sorting lets you know EXACTLY what you’re paying for. That’s what a new shooter needs.
Buy small, find the load your gun likes, then buy it by the case.