I can understand everyone's comments - but I was an ISO9001 Quality Manager and Auditor for many years, and in the manufacturing of any product that is done in a quality manner there needs to be a standard, that is what ISO and Quality are all about. There should be something that will always work in EVERY one of that particular product that was made. That is what they will use to check every product run to ensure they are within their quality standards. Apparently the Federal Gold Match UM22 is what Savage uses. So we should be able to assume that every Savage .22 would function properly using the STANDARD ammo.

However, I hear people say that even the same bullet type will not always work properly in every gun of the same make and model. That says to me that either the guns are not made to the same quality standard or the ammo is not made to the same standards. My guess from all of the discussions I have been reading here and in other forums is that the AMMO standards are not as tight as the gun standards are. I am a fairly accurate shooter with my Ruger Comp Stainless Match pistol and I personally have not found a single ammo that will shoot better or worse in that pistol - from the cheapest to the most expensive. Maybe it is just a very forgiving piece.

I am a retired graduate Industrial, Manufacturing, and Environmental Engineer who spent the last 45 years on Quality and minute details. I will have to accept that "it is what it is" as some say and just have fun shooting. I will learn more about these various .22LR bullets when I receive my new MKII BSEV tomorrow. I will do my own testing and we will find out what that rifle "Likes". It will be fun no matter what . . . . . .

After I received my Savage MKII BSEV I found that in the INSTRUCTION MANUAL in SECTION 7 Savage does state recommended ammo and under .22 Long Rifle is "FEDERAL 40 Grain Copper Plated Solid"