Q4-2013 Rimfire Match:

[Maverick223]

Nice rifle, Jim. Hope that it performs as well as your Savage did. I decided to wait until the beginning of the year to restart the CF Match as I was out of town on business for the first couple of weeks this past month (when the RF Match began) and didn't have time to get it started properly. Things are almost always slow at the beginning of the year so I should have some time to devote to it at that point. I'm just hoping that rimfire ammunition gets a little easier to procure in the meantime (like most centerfire rifle cartridges have), the RF match seems to be hanging on by a thread (pun not intended) and I get the feeling it's not for lack of interest...it's the lack of ammo (I know that many folks want to conserve what they have...if they have any at all ).

 

[Centurian22]

Nice rifle Jim! Hope it shoots well for ya.

Mav: I agree on rimfire ammo! For the first time in a year I have obtained some .22lr and will be able to participate weather (and family commitment) permitting during my next time home. I also now reload for my .308 so after a little load development I should be able to participate in the centerfire when it starts back up as long as the target does not require too many rounds.

 

[KSCCHTrainer]

Great on finding some .22 rimfire ammo. It's showing up pretty regularly in the local Walmart and Cabela's. Depending on how much they get in a shipment, they are NOT allowing their employees to set any back for themselves, limiting customers to no more than 2 bricks and not letting the employees buy any until the end of their shift to give the customers first crack at it.

About time they cracked down on their employees hoarding the stuff and only letting their friends get it.

I'm not worried about .223 now as I have enough brass, bullets & powder to load around 6K or so. I have 2 full 8lb jugs of Varget on hand and at 7000 grains a pound, 25 grains per cartridge, that's just shy of 4500 rounds and I also have 8 pounds of Reloader 15 which works just as well and the most accurate load with it is also maxed out at 25 grains works out to around another 2200+ so I won't run out of .223 for a while. I'll actually run out of 62 grain match bullets before I run out of powder & primers. Looking for a source of inexpensive 55 grain .223 bullets now.

Jim

 

[Centurian22]

Recobs has Hornady vmax's at $17/100 in stock (among others). I don't know if that's a good price or not.

 

[nbkky71]

Finally thought that I'd finally have a chance to shoot this match since I missed out on the last one. But it was so $&#^ cold and windy at CRPC yesterday I bagged it early. hopefully next weekend

 

[ford8nr]

Found some Federal Auto Match ammo at Gander Mountain, bought a box to try...Auto Match is NOT the answer. Shot 50 yard 10 shot groups of 3-3/4" out of the CZ and 4-1/4" out of the 10/22T. Both guns shot 10 shot groups of SK+ in under 3/4". Even though it was REAL foggy I did get a chance to shoot a target using the CZ452 Varmint and SK+.
Shot a 14

 

[Maverick223]

I've had similar experiences with Federal Auto Match (shoots slightly worse than the 40gr. RN Fed. Champion IME) and have, therefore, swore it off.

As a side note, I have found the term "match" to be a mostly meaningless descriptor that doesn't always equate to superior accuracy (in general, without regard to the platform used). I move that all ammunition that uses the title "Match" (or some other derivation thereof) hereby be required to light a match-head at a distance no less than 25yds (using a rifle/rifleman suitable for performing the task).

 

[Cee Zee]

I've had similar experiences with Federal Auto Match (shoots slightly worse than the 40gr. RN Fed. Champion IME) and have, therefore, swore it off.

You guys do realize that "Federal Auto Match" is not the same as "Federal Premium Gold Medal Ammunition UltraMatch", right?

This stuff is $15 for a box of 325. It's ok for bulk ammo. It is "not" target or match grade ammo.



This stuff is $165 a brick here when it's in stock. I've never bought any at that price though. It's always considerably more expensive.



Both images are from Midway and neither is available there currently (surprise). I have seen the Gold Medal Ultra Match for sale often in the last year though.

The UltraMatch stuff is what won the Olympics a few years back. AFAIK it's the only US made ammo to ever do that. It is very accurate and consistent. If I really want to win a competition I'll use it.

 

[Maverick223]

You guys do realize that "Federal Auto Match" is not the same as "Federal Premium Gold Medal Ammunition UltraMatch", right?

Sure, but having the title "Match" in the name one might believe that it would yield superior accuracy than their bottom of the barrel lead RN (40gr. Fed. Champion)...and IME it doesn't. I purchased some (and tried a couple different lots in several rifles) with fairly low expectations (coming bulk packaged doesn't inspire confidence, but with it's given price I thought it would be worth the opportunity to prove itself), and came out surprised that my expectations were far too high for the product delivered...very disappointing. That being said, I'm not trying to slander Federal (which produces many fine products) nor dissuade potential buyers from making a purchase, I simply want to inform folks that they should temper their expectations with respect to the ammunition in question.

As a side note, I find it interesting that they put the slogan "every shot counts" on a box with dismal performance and left it off of the box that you can rely upon when the shot counts.

 

[ford8nr]

Was hoping to get couple more targets before the first. Supposed to be minus didgets at night and single numbers during the day. Darned weather.

 

[Maverick223]

There's still one more day for the weather to turn...good luck.

 

[nbkky71]

I finally managed to shoot a round of THR golf today... just in the nick of time before the end of 2013.

Marlin 917V .17HMR
Mueller 8.5-25x40mm
Hornady 17gr V-MAX ammo
fired using front rest & rear bag

I didn't fill in the scores on the sheet, but my math comes up with an 12.

hole 1 - 1 shot
hole 2 - 1 shot
hole 3 - 1 shot
hole 4 - 2 shots
hole 5 - 1 shot
hole 6 - 1 shot
hole 7 - 3 shots
hole 8 - 1 shot
hole 9 - 1 shot

Most of my shots just broke the edge of each hole, favoring right. Holes #1 are #9 are *really* close, but they did break the line.

The shots are the bottom are sighters I took on a shoot-n-see paster.

 

[Maverick223]

The first hole might be pretty close, but the ninth one is clear as day...it's hard to say, but honestly I think hole four might have squeaked by if you put a gauge on it (or used the bullet of an unfired cartridge as a stand-in).

At any rate, well done.

 

[Cee Zee]

I forgot to mention this Federal ammo:



Compare that box to this box:



Federal does make some good stuff and I was as loyal to them as I've been to any ammo for at least 20 years. That was shooting the plain 550 round bricks. But this "Federal Premium Gold Medal Target Ammunition" type shown above is clearly trying to cash in on the success of their Federal Premium Gold Medal Ammunition UltraMatch. It's just not right that they make these two boxes look so much alike when the ammo in them is far from the same.

 

[ford8nr]

The top box they make in two flavored, 711B sub sonic which I find strings vertically in my rifles and the 719 std velocity which I've had good luck shooting steel silhouettes out to 200 yds.

 

[Maverick223]

[...]the ammo in them is far from the same.

^That.

Folks, please shop carefully!...the former box doesn't do well IME (perhaps I purchased the wrong 'flavor', I'm unsure of whether it was sub-sonic or std. vel.), whereas the later is nearly beyond reproach.

P.S.: I'm not trying to discourage anyone from purchasing the target grade ammo, as with most other ammunition performance varies so it may yield acceptable performance for you, just know what you're buying.

 

[KSCCHTrainer]

Guys,
Near the end on the last day of a gun show in our local area several years ago, a vendor was trying to sell some Wolf "Match Target" ammo and not having much luck. Seems like somebody had been spreading the word that Wolf ammo was all made in Russia and was pure junk. (It's really not, it's made by Lapua.)

I was looking for some plinking .22 at the time and was discussing it with the guy. He offered me the 23,000 rounds that were still on the pallet for $250.00. I asked him if he was really serious and when he said yes, I handed him all the cash I had and hit the ATM to get the rest.

So far, this stuff has lived up to it's name "Match Target" and has been remarkably consistent even in some stock 10/22's to the point of under dime sized groups out to 50 yards & beyond.

A few months ago, Sportsman's Guide had it on one of their "one day Buyer's Club sales" and I got another 5K for what I paid for the original 23,000. Gave that to my wife along with a 10/22 Stainless "Sporter" I'd refinished & tricked out as a retirement present.

My wife wasn't too happy with me for spending that much money on ammo but now with the .22 shortage and her having her own .22 rifle & handgun to shoot, the tables have turned.

Family & other things sort of got in the way this quarter and I didn't get a chance to shoot the match, but I'm sure Maverick will bring the "golf course" back again in a future one.

Happy New Year to all and keep your powder dry.

Jim

 

[Maverick223]

Yeah, I think it's a good'un, we can bring it back after a while.

P.S: I'll get the new one set up tomorrow and will be bringing the CF match back as well...so check back in for the links after results have been posted.

 

[KSCCHTrainer]

Oooooh, sounds great. Now that I have a new .223 and enough components to keep it fed with reloads for a while, the CF match revival ought to be interesting.

Now that my Dr. has cleared me to shoot my .223 again, and deer season is about over, finding space to shoot at the range should be easier. Pretty much everybody has their deer gun sighted in and the range has dropped the lane reservation requirement.

Jim

 

[Maverick223]

Glad to hear that you've been cleared for participation...I know that has to be aggravating having perfectly good centerfire rifles collecting dust in the closet.

 

[Cee Zee]

He offered me the 23,000 rounds that were still on the pallet for $250.00

What a snag that was! I guess we all get lucky from time to time.

 

[Maverick223]

Sorry for the delay on posting results and the new match. Got a emergency call in for work New Years morning and completely forgot about it afterwards. :banghead: Please forgive my lack of attentiveness. Here's what I came up with for the Magnified/Target Division (keep in mind that the lower the score the better in this one):

1. nbkky 71 - 12pts.
2. Jimmy M. - 13pts.
3. ford8nr - 14pts.

I know that everyone has been busy for the holidays and the weather hasn't cooperated (and still isn't in many areas), but I'm hoping that things will change for the better in 2014. Hope this year turns out to be a great one for you folks!

 

[Maverick223]

Oh, forgot to mention that the new match is up and running and will hopefully be stickied early this afternoon. See my signature for current links.