Compare CCI products

CCI is America's specialist in rimfire ammunition and primers, and that focus is the whole story. Founded in 1951 in Lewiston, Idaho, CCI — originally Cascade Cartridge, Inc. — has spent more than seven decades doing essentially one thing: making the small, precise components that determine whether a cartridge fires reliably. For most US shooters, CCI is the brand on the box of .22 LR they grew up shooting, and for handloaders it is one of the default names in primers. That specialization is exactly why CCI is trusted where ignition reliability matters most.

CCI was founded by Dick Speer, brother of Vernon Speer who founded Speer Bullets, and the two companies have been linked ever since. Today CCI is part of The Kinetic Group under the Czechoslovak Group (CSG), alongside sister brands Federal, Speer, and Remington ammunition, after CSG acquired the business from Vista Outdoor in a deal that closed in late 2024. Manufacturing stays in Lewiston, Idaho.

History & background

CCI started as a small operation making primers and quickly built a reputation for consistent ignition. The company's signature breakthroughs came in rimfire: CCI introduced the first .22 LR Mini-Mag in 1962, and in the 1970s developed the Stinger, a hyper-velocity .22 LR that became one of the most recognizable small-game and pest loads in the country. Along the way CCI became a foundational supplier of primers to the American handloading community, with its small rifle, large rifle, small pistol, and large pistol primers — and the Magnum and benchrest variants — being staples on reloading benches nationwide.

The connection to Speer (bullets) and, through The Kinetic Group, to Federal (loaded ammunition) means CCI sits inside a vertically integrated operation: primers, bullets, and loaded cartridges developed under one roof. For the buyer, the practical takeaway is consistent ignition quality across a very broad rimfire and component lineup.

What they're known for

CCI's catalog is deepest in rimfire, where it offers a load for nearly every purpose:

• Mini-Mag — the brand's best-known general-purpose .22 LR, with copper-plated bullets and higher velocity than standard loads. It feeds reliably in both semi-autos and bolt guns and is the everyday all-rounder, available with round-nose or hollow-point bullets.
• Stinger — the hyper-velocity .22 LR with a plated hollow point, built for maximum speed and expansion on small game and varmints.
• Standard Velocity and Blazer — economical, high-volume practice loads. (Blazer rimfire is CCI's bulk-pack .22 LR; CCI also originated the centerfire Blazer line.)
• Quiet — a reduced-velocity, low-report .22 LR designed for low-noise plinking and pest control, popular for backyard and pest-management use where legal.
• Suppressor — a subsonic .22 LR specifically engineered to cycle semi-autos reliably and to run clean behind a suppressor.
• Segmented HP and Velocitor — specialized hunting and varmint loads.
• A22 / A17 — loads tuned for the semi-auto Savage A22 and A17 rifles, including hot .17 HMR varmint loads.

Beyond .22 LR, CCI is a major maker of .22 WMR and .17 HMR ammunition for longer-range small-game and varmint work, the unusual shotshell ("snake shot") loads in pistol and rifle calibers for pest control, and Blazer Brass / Blazer Aluminum centerfire range ammunition in 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP. And of course, CCI primers remain a cornerstone product for handloaders.

Buying guide — which CCI is right for you

The right CCI load depends on purpose, gun, and caliber:

For a do-everything .22 LR that runs in any rifle or pistol, Mini-Mag is the standard recommendation — copper-plated, reliable, and accurate enough for plinking, training, and small game. For small-game hunting and pest control where you want maximum terminal effect, step up to Stinger or Segmented HP. If you shoot a lot and just want cheap practice rounds, Standard Velocity or Blazer bulk packs are the value picks.

If you shoot suppressed, the Suppressor subsonic load is purpose-built to cycle semi-autos quietly and cleanly — that is its entire reason to exist. For quiet, low-impact backyard pest control where legal, CCI Quiet is the dedicated option.

For longer-range small game and varmints, .22 WMR reaches further than .22 LR, and .17 HMR (including the fast A17 loads) extends that range again with a flat-shooting, frangible bullet.

Handloaders should match CCI primers to their cartridge — small or large, rifle or pistol, standard or magnum — and CCI's reputation for consistent ignition makes them a safe default, particularly in semi-autos where weak ignition causes malfunctions.

Reputation & reviews

In US shooting communities — rimfire forums, handloading boards, and outlets that test ammunition — CCI is consistently rated as one of the most reliable rimfire and primer makers. Ignition reliability is the recurring theme: shooters reach for CCI specifically when they need rounds that go bang every time, which is why Mini-Mag is such a common recommendation for finicky semi-autos. The Stinger has been a fixture for small-game and varmint hunters for decades, and the Suppressor load is widely regarded as one of the better factory subsonic .22s for running suppressed semi-autos. American Rifleman and similar outlets have covered CCI's milestones and product launches, including its 75th anniversary.

CCI on US-GUNDEALS

CCI sits in the entry-to-mid price tier — affordable, practical ammunition rather than a premium boutique brand. Because rimfire and primer prices swing with supply and demand, and because shooters often buy in bulk, CCI is a brand where comparison shopping clearly pays off, especially on bricks of .22 LR and on primers. CCI products are listed across the shops on US-GUNDEALS, so you can line up current prices on Mini-Mag, Stinger, Suppressor, Blazer Brass, and CCI primers across multiple retailers at once and buy where the per-round or per-thousand price is best.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CCI_Ammunition · https://www.cci-ammunition.com/ · https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/at-75-cci-is-offering-even-more