Federal Champion Accuracy Test (Henry .22 LR)

The Federal Champion is one of the most common bulk .22 LR loads on the market. It uses a 40-grain lead round nose bullet with an advertised muzzle velocity of 1,240 fps and is commonly used for target shooting, plinking, and general practice.

The round is also available in 36-grain hollow point which was not included in this test.

After producing average results in my initial bulk ammunition comparison, I wanted to give Federal Champion a dedicated accuracy test to see whether it could improve with additional groups.

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

Federal Champion had already shown some potential during my previous bulk ammunition comparison.

The first 10-shot group was fairly respectable overall, although two shots landed well outside the main group. Interestingly, both of those rounds sounded noticeably different when fired, and it wasn't surprising to see them land away from the main group.

Excluding those two flyers, the remaining eight rounds formed a group measuring approximately 1 inch, which is respectable for bulk ammunition in my Henry.

Accuracy Results

The second 10-shot group had me questioning what was happening.

Once again, two shots were flyers, this time landing low and left, and both produced the same unusual report when fired.

The remaining eight rounds formed a loose group measuring approximately 1¾ inches, making it one of the poorest groups I've shot at 25 yards with the Henry.

The final 10-shot group tightened up slightly, measuring just under 1½ inches.

While these rounds sounded much more consistent, the overall group still failed to inspire confidence.

At that point, there was little reason to continue testing at 50 yards. The Henry already struggles to produce tight groups at that distance with better-performing ammunition, and Federal Champion simply hadn't shown enough promise at 25 yards to justify moving back.

Final Thoughts

Federal Champion never established the consistency I look for in a hunting or target load.

The recurring flyers—combined with the noticeably different report from some rounds—left me questioning the overall consistency of this particular ammunition.

While my CZ 457 produced better results, Federal Champion wasn't a good match for my Henry.

My Verdict

Accuracy (Henry .22 LR): Poor
Maximum distance I'd trust it: 20 yards
Would I buy it again? Not for this rifle.

Bottom line: Federal Champion didn't perform well in my Henry. If I'm choosing bulk .22 LR ammunition for this rifle, I'd go with CCI Blazer, which consistently produced much tighter groups throughout my testing.