CCI Blazer Accuracy Test (Henry .22 LR) - East Ridge Outdoors

CCI Blazer Accuracy Test (Henry .22 LR)

The CCI Blazer is one of the most popular bulk .22 LR rounds available. It uses a 40-grain lead round nose bullet with an advertised muzzle velocity of 1,235 fps and has earned a reputation as high-quality bulk ammo.

After outperforming Federal Champion and Remington Thunderbolt in my bulk ammunition comparison, I wanted to give CCI Blazer a more thorough test to see how it performed on its own.

Test Setup

Rifle: Henry .22 LR Lever Action
Scope: Bushnell 3-9×32 Rimfire
Rest: Front rest and rear shooting bag
Distance: 25 yards
Groups: Three 10-shot groups

If the ammunition produces acceptable accuracy at 25 yards, I continue testing at 50 yards.

First Impressions

CCI Blazer had already impressed me during my bulk ammunition comparison, so I came into this test with fairly high expectations.

The first 10-shot group in my initial ammo test produced a group measuring under 1 inch at 25 yards.

10 round group with CCI Blazer 22 LR ammo at 25 yards

Since that original ammo test, I'd tested several other loads and made a few scope adjustments, so the remaining groups printed slightly lower on the target. The point of impact changed, but the accuracy didn't.

Accuracy Results

The second 10-shot group contained one significant flyer to the left. Excluding that shot, the remaining nine rounds formed a group measuring approximately 1¼ inches.

Testing CCI Blazer .22 LR ammunition at 25 yards with a Henry lever action rifle

The final 10-shot group was even better.

One shot landed slightly left of the main group, while the remaining nine rounds grouped into approximately three-quarters of an inch.

Testing CCI Blazer .22 LR ammo with a Henry lever action rifle at 25 yards

For affordable bulk ammo fired through a Henry lever action, I was more than happy with these results.

Taking It to 50 Yards

After winning my initial bulk ammunition comparison, I wanted to see how CCI Blazer stacked up against some higher-quality ammunition at 50 yards.

As expected, this is where the limitations of bulk ammunition—and the practical limits of my Henry—started to show.

The 10-shot group measured approximately 3 inches, forming no pattern whatsoever.

22 LR Ammo Test - 10 rounds of CCI Blazer at 50 yards

While that isn't the result I'm looking for at 50 yards, I don't consider it a failure. Most of the ammunition I've tested through the Henry struggles to produce tight groups at this distance, so I wasn't surprised to see CCI Blazer open up as well.

Final Thoughts

CCI Blazer continues to impress me as one of the better bulk .22 LR loads I've tested in the Henry.

At typical hunting and plinking distances, it produced consistently good groups and easily earned its win in my original bulk ammunition comparison.

While it couldn't maintain that level of accuracy at 50 yards, many of the higher quality rounds struggled at this distance. For me, that isn't a weakness of CCI Blazer as much as it reflects the realistic limits of this rifle and ammunition combination.

My Verdict

Accuracy (Henry .22 LR): Very good for bulk ammunition
Maximum distance I'd trust it: 30–35 yards
Would I buy it again? Absolutely.

Bottom line: CCI Blazer was one of the best-performing bulk .22 LR loads I've tested in my Henry. I'd confidently use it for plinking or small game hunting inside 30 yards. While accuracy dropped off at 50 yards, that's been the case with most ammunition in this rifle, making CCI Blazer an excellent choice for affordable shooting at realistic hunting distances.

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