The Rimfire Report: Federal Classic 40 gr CPRN – Still Good?
Hello and welcome back to another edition of The Rimfire Report! This ongoing series is all about one of my favorite subjects – anything and everything rimfire! While doing some early spring cleaning in my garage, I came across some old boxes of Federal Classic 40 grain high velocity 22LR. Seeing the box reminded me that I had not seen Federal “Classic” on the shelves for quite some time, and as it turns out, it doesn’t exist anymore. Since we’ve already tested out some other types of Federal high-velocity ammunition, I thought it might be cool to check what 50 rounds of the classic stuff will do in our regular series of tests.
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The Rimfire Report: Federal Classic 40 gr HV – Still Good?
Now, unlike some other examples we’ve tested here on Rimfire Report, you can’t actually buy this stuff anymore, and I don’t know if it was ever available for sale online. Federal Classic’s packaging seems fairly dated, and I can’t remember where or when I got this specific ammo.
Although I can’t say for certain, my best guess is that Federal “Classic” 22LR was discontinued sometime in the 90s. Federal Classic was likely sidelined when Federal and other rimfire manufacturers started to diversify their rimfire offerings and offer different “tiers” of ammo including bulk ammunition. Arguably, starting in the 80s, during this period, the ammo industry saw increased competition, and companies began segmenting their products into premium, mid-range, and economy tiers. Federal Champion .22 LR, including variants like the 40-grain high-velocity loads, fit squarely in that economy category, designed for high-volume shooters who prioritize cost over performance. Federal Classic as a name died but now likely lives on as Federal Champion bulk offering sans copper plating.
Another option for a Federal successor to Classic could be their 40-grain Small Game Copper Plated Round Nose offering. This one is the most similar in specifications to the Federal classic. After today’s investigation, I’m tempted to try out some of the modern stuff to see how comparable it is.
Velocity Data
The Xero C1 recorded 50 shots from my one available box of ammo, and thankfully, every single one went off without issue when fired from the Bergara B14R. The ammo delivers some pretty impressive results with a standard deviation of only 18.9 FPS and an extreme spread well below what you’d find from most bulk 22LR ammunition.
Ironically enough, the average velocity we got out of this box of retro Federal Classic 40gr 22LR almost exactly matches that of Aguila’s advertised velocity for their 22LR 40-grain high-velocity load. Both companies have a pretty healthy selection of 22LR ammunition, a lot of which we’ve tested and will continue to test here on Rimfire Report.
Accuracy Data
I shot this group before I shot my group with my previous review of CCI Stingers. While I could chalk up the inaccuracy to early morning jitters, in reality, I think the ammo just isn’t that great out of the Bergara B14R’s 18” heavy profile barrel. Some strings started forming a group but then would have shots that landed wildly above, below, or anywhere else on the paper but where you were aiming.
I’m struggling to figure out what exactly is going on here. Other times, we have tested old and discontinued rimfire ammo, I’ve found it to almost always be superior in quality to almost anything you find outside of match ammo. Federal Classic, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to be able to put together a decent group even from a precision bolt-action rifle.
Final Thoughts
While I’m impressed with the consistency of the ammo’s velocity and its ability to sit on the shelf for decades and still work, its accuracy leaves much to be desired. Federal Classic was on shelves long before I was shooting regularly, and as a result, I have very little info on what its average performance was like. However, from this one box, I’d likely put it in the “bulk” category, something you’d find on the shelves of your local hardware store and pick up on your way out to the woods to plink some cans with your friends.
I’m anxious to hear what you guys have to say about this specific rimfire ammo. I know some of you readers out there likely have shot this, or maybe even still have some of it in their 22LR stash somewhere. I’d be interested to hear if your memory or experiences with this specific type of ammo matched what we saw today. As always, thank you for stopping by to read The Rimfire Report and we’ll see you all again next week!
