Norma USA Match-22

22 Long Rifle ammo is finicky. Tell us all about it here.
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snaketail2
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Norma USA Match-22

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Have any of you tried the new Norma USA Match-22?
Midway has it, the price looks good, and I'm kinda interested in buying a couple of bricks.
Is it better than Norma Tac-22?

Thanks,
Michael
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Re: Norma USA Match-22

Post by Dave W »

Supposed to be the same round as RWS Rifle Match but sold a little cheaper. Jury is still out. Dave
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Re: Norma USA Match-22

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I had the opportunity to test both Norma TAC-22 and Norma USA Match-22 in my 39a this weekend.
Both labels performed admirably, the point of impact did not change from one able to the other. I suspect the only difference is in quality control - Match-22 having higher standards, and price, than TAC-22.
The results were impressive - I have not seem my Marlin shoot this well before. The 39a is somewhat new to me, and there may be better choices, but for now these are the best I've tried.

I did not have the chance to try them in my CZ, but I expect the results would be equally impressive.

Michael
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Re: Norma USA Match-22

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Last weekend I shot a Lever Action match with them.
Had two issues:
1. One round failed to eject - we had to pull the bolt of my 39a to get the fired round out of the chamber (the case ejected and I did not find it to evaluate the condition of the case).
2. I had higher than expected "fail-to-fire" - out of 40 round 8 took a 2nd hammer strike to go off (this did give me a 2nd chance on some targets...mixed feelings about that).

My go-to ammo has always been Federal AutoMatch; not as accurate, but never had any performance issues. Now I have to decide - Norma: Accurate and troublesome, or Federal: Reliable, but less accurate. I need to do more testing/evaluation before accepting Norma ammo.

MIchael
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Re: Norma USA Match-22

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No brainer, reasonably accurate and reliable every time. Cowboy is a game of nines, forty 9's gives you a perfect score.
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Re: Norma USA Match-22

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AMB - I agree. The problem is - I can't find any AutoMatch, but I can find Norma.

More testing needed.

M

Got luck this evening - found AutoMatch online, at elevated prices. Bought enough to cautiously make it through the competitive season.
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Re: Norma USA Match-22

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OK - this is my final entry on this subject.
Today, in the cold, damp weather, I went to the range to do final sighting on my Marlin39a with a Williams FPTK rear sight and Lyman 17AUG front sight with red fiber optics. I tried Norma TAC-22, Norma Match-22 and Federal AutoMatch.
Results:
TAC-22 - 1/2" groups at 50 yards, almost silent. Up 16 clicks to 75 yards - opened up to 1", up 12 more clicks to 100 yards - groups opened up to 2"
Match-22 - NOT THE SAME AMMO AS TAC-22 (I really thought it would be the same ammo, with better quality control...not so.) 50 yard group was 1/2", but low and left. 75 yard group was lower and more left. 100 yards did not print on 6" Shoot N See target...too low and too left, but all in the same general 2" group.
Federal AutoMatch - 1/2" @ 50 yards, up 14 clicks at 75 yards - 1" group. Up another 10 clicks at 100 yards - 1.5" group - with occasional flyer (at 100 yards to entire target is covered by the fiber optic front sight, so sighting is pretty much an improved guess.

Conclusion:
TAC-22 will be fine bolt and revolver ammo - cycles semi-auto poorly.
Match-22 - Not the same ammo! But should be fine in bolt guns and revolvers - accurate and clean burning.
Federal AutoMatch - This is the ammo I will use, when I can get it...

August 2015 - revisited TAC-22.
I must have missed something the first time around. This stuff is so much better than the other stuff I plan to use it exclusively in my 39a. The Standard Velocity load requires 48 clicks of elevation between 50 and 100 yards, but the group size is very nice.
I have heard about, and experienced, the "new" Federal AutoMatch loads...They are off my radar now that I have seen TAC-22 do so sell in my rifle.

M
Overheard at the Dairy Queen "I live in Port Aransas,but I'm not from here...you can tell because I have all my own teeth."
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