.22 Aguila Interceptors

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Archangel14

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Went through a box of Aguila Interceptors today, and can say that I'm really surprised by this little round. It's advertised as a 40 grain bullet that travels over 1400 fps. But what really impressed me was the damage this little hollow point did on phone books between 20 and 50 yards. The bullet entered the books cleaning and just exploded inside, tearing up the inside of the books pretty badly. I don't know if I'd use this stuff on small game, like rabbits. And quite honestly, I can see using this little round in defense. I can't imagine the injury 3 of these rounds would do to the human body at 40 yards.:barf: These round won't knock people down, but the wounds would be terrible!

I've been turning to the .22 of late. Prices and availability of center fire hand gun ammo is a factor, but I forgot how enjoyable it is to shoot 22. And I must say that the Aguila Interceptor is very impressive. Cheap too!
 
It's not a new round. I've been using it for a couple of years. I stick to the solid 40grs.

Out of a rifle, it has as much energy as a NON +P .38 Spl load from a 2 to 3 inch barrel. When used in a 10/22, make sure you have a polymer buffer/receiver cross-pin installed. These guys are hotter than other Hyper Velocity rounds 'cause they don't get the extra speed with a lighter bullet.

Before the panic, a brick went for about $45. Midway had a recent shipment and the bricks were going for $66. I'm sure on Gunbroker they would go for about $150 a brick if you can even find 'em.
 
make sure you have a polymer buffer/receiver cross-pin installed.

Why's that? What happens if I leave the 10/22 stock?

I have to say that since my OP I gave this little round much thought. I'm always evaluating the uses of a particular gun/ammo. For plinking, there is cheaper .22 ammo out there (much cheaper). For hunting, the Interceptor can be great. Though I imagine that the hollow points may simply do too much damage on smaller game. And you know, if we experience a "society" problem whereby you're at risk from groups of people (think post-Rodney King here), I have to think that a 10/22 with a 25 round mag loaded with Interceptors would likely keep the villains at bay. I mean that. If a small crowd of people shows up on my street intending to create dangerous mayhem, you could do worse than a carbine loaded with Interceptors. Pray such things never happen to us.
 
Why's that? What happens if I leave the 10/22 stock?

It's a HOT 22LR round. I use 'em in my 10/22 with the MOA SS (real SS) receiver, but I still have the poly cross-pin. Probably over-kill for a SS receiver, but in a stock aluminum receiver, I would definitely use a buffer or a stronger recoil spring.

Oh, yes - a 10/22 with BX-25's and a brick of Interceptors would be my go-to for a rainy day. Yeah, can't use the S phrase... ;)
 
I would definitely use a buffer or a stronger recoil spring

Honestly, I would have thought that a poly buffer only helps reduce that metal clanking sound when the carbine cycles. Wouldn't the steel pin that comes stock with the rifle hold up to the Interceptor. We're only talking about a .22 here, albeit a hot .22.
 
Any 22LR round will wear your aluminum receiver down. It's just a matter of # of rounds.

The bolt is a hunk of steel. The cross pin is steel. The receiver is aluminum. The first thing you will notice is the cross pin hole get bigger.

A newly purchased 10/22's cross pin is nice and tight and needs a punch & hammer to drive the pin out. After a few thousand rounds, you just need the punch to push the pin out. After few more thousand or so rounds, the pin slides out when the receiver is turned on its side. After more rounds, you will need to drill the cross pin hole and install a slightly larger pin. Now, I haven't researched the wear on other parts of the receiver, nor have I put it under an electron microscope, but I'm pretty certain that wear is occurring on the rest of the receiver. Of course if all you shoot out of your 10/22 are standard velocity rounds, YMMV.

So, the purpose of the poly cross pin is to absorb the energy between bolt & receiver AND reduce noise. You don't have to believe me, but I have 6 10/22's and that has been my experience with CCI's & Blazer & Wildcats. I wouldn't use Agulia Interceptors in any semi-auto unless I had some kind of buffer.

Big picture, it really doesn't matter too much. It's a $300 rifle and your barrel will wear before your receiver gets to the point where you couldn't drill and replace the pin. I like the poly cross pins 'cause they reduce the noise 1st and reduce the wear on the receiver 2nd. Also, it doesn't matter to the vast majority of us who just plink with 'em.
 
Sure isn't a positive for Ruger and their factory fresh 10/22.

But, I generally feel that it is not a great idea to use (m)any of the hyper velocity 22LR rounds in a semi-auto 22.
 
Archangel14, out of what were you shooting them? Think they'd be all right in a Ruger Mk-II?

My 10/22, with its BX-25, is stoked with CCI MiniMag solids. They're probably okay for the situation Onward Allusion brought up.
 
Some of you may recall the Colt Woodsman (the so called "Pre-Woodsman" and Woodsman 1st Series). When high speed 22LR became available these early guns were not recommended to be shot using the high velocity ammunition. That was fixed by Colt around 1931 or phased in by serial number 85000. Colt redesigned the main spring housing to support the new high velocity 22LR rounds. I would suspect the same kind of correlation would apply to hyper velocity 22LR ammunition. Many will not shoot their higher quality High Standard semi-autos using high speed 22 ammo for essentially the same reason. But I am no expert or gunsmith.

It is a wear issue, not a safety issue for the most part. The bolt in a semi-auto is forced back at a higher velocity and that caused increased wear. Hence the pin and spring replacements mentioned earlier in this thread. There is also the chamber issue as many of the hyper velocity 22 rounds have a shorter bullet and longer case. The case comes in contact with the rifling where as with the 40-ish gr bullet, that does not happen. That was probably part of the reason for CCI to develop the Velocitor and Aguila the Interceptor rounds.
 
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http://www.midwayusa.com/product/25...22-long-rifle-40-grain-plated-lead-round-nose
Product Information

Shop more Aguila products Aguila ammunition features a wide variety of unique loads for special rimfire applications. Aguila Interceptor ammunition is the fastest 40 grain 22 Long Rifle load on the market with an impressive 1470 feet per second muzzle velocity. This ammunition is new-production and non-corrosive and is recommended for use in bolt action rifles.

Midway usually just copies the manufacturers advertising/description.
 
Archangel14, out of what were you shooting them? Think they'd be all right in a Ruger Mk-II?

I shot the Interceptors out of my 22/45 all day without a single hiccup. Really good accuracy at 20 yards. Unbelievable damage to phone books, even out of the pistol.
 
Personally, I would shoot these rounds sparingly in semi-auto firearms if you choose to do so. But your gun... your choices.
 
I would shoot these rounds sparingly in semi-auto firearms

You know, I don't understand that. I'm not trying to be contentious, I really just don't understand why we shouldn't shoot such rounds out of a semi-auto. I take a look at my 22/45 and I see a very solid piece. I mean, it's essentially built to mimic a .45 1911 in weight and feel. It has a bull barrel and everything about the handgun screams over built. So, it just never dawned on me that I may be prematurely wearing it down by firing loads that are hotter than the average. And really, how much "hotter" are we talking about? My American Eagle .22 "high velocity" rounds travel at about 1200 fps (as advertised on the box). The Interceptor is advertised as moving at around 1,450 fps. The CCI stinger is at 1,640. We're not really talking about huge differences here.

But I await your reply, as I need to be schooled!!!! I don't want to ruin my stuff. :uhoh:
 
It's just more wear on the gun. Whether or not it's a big enough deal to you to not shoot in your semi-auto is a personal decision.

I will say that the difference between 1200 fps and 1450 fps for the same 40-grain bullet is not to be underestimated, as far as potential wear and tear. That is 20% faster. Just like if you shoot a lot of Buffalo Bore rounds (compared to, say, Winchester White Box) in a centerfire caliber, you can expect increased wear. Can't cheat physics.


Doesn't really matter how overbuilt you might think the gun is for .22 based on the parent cartridge of what a gun is modeled after. It is only as strong as the weakest link. If the recoil buffer, slide stop or some other part can't take too much hyper velocity, that's just the way it is. You may or may not get any warning signs.
 
It has a bull barrel and everything about the handgun screams over built.
The only parts that count in this are the action parts. Can the action take it long term. Is the velocity and extra force exerted on the mechanism compared to normal rounds be to much for it over time.
 
Aguila is in the business of selling ammo. AS such, they likely want as many people as possible to purchase their ammo. They wouldn't, IMO, recommend that the ammo NOT be used in semi-auto's unless there was a good reason for it. There is no other reason they'd purposely exclude themselves from such a percentage of the overall rim-fire ammo market. Just because it will chamber and fire in your semi-auto doesn't make it a smart choice. Call me old-fashioned....but I use the recommended oil in my cars, and change it at recommended intervals. I air my tires to spec. The way I see it, people who build things generally know what they are doing, and if they recommend something, there's usually a reason. Sure...you can shoot unlimted Interceptors in guns the ammo company specifically says not to....but when you see accelerated wear, possible malfunctions, and worse, your gun going "Kaboom!" don't act as though you had no idea what you were doing was dangerous. The ammo is not designed for the type of weapon you are shooting it in. If that fact alone doesn't cause you some reservations in using it, be my guest. I'll stick to using ammo designed to safely function in the firearm I am shooting it personally.
 
There are also two ways to read the statement that follows.

This ammunition is new-production and non-corrosive and is recommended for use in bolt action rifles.


1) The ammunition is (supposedly) the best for a bolt-action rifle, complimenting the rifle's performance in some manner, such as accuracy or hitting power, or drawing some performance-enhancements itself from the rifle's setup.

2) The ammunition should only be used in bolt-action rifles, as use in other firearms may in some way be less-than-ideal for either the firearm or the ammunition (or both.) Perhaps the recoiling bolt detracts from the "platform" from which the bullet is launched, reducing the performance of the round, or the round's higher power can lead to a faster rate of wear of moving parts.

In the latter possibility, if the reason for the recommendation is indeed a shortening of the life of any other type of firearm, shouldn't the word "only" also appear in the statement somewhere after the word "recommended"?

I do agree that accelerated wear of moving parts would be a valid concern.
 
There are also two ways to read the statement that follows.




1) The ammunition is (supposedly) the best for a bolt-action rifle, complimenting the rifle's performance in some manner, such as accuracy or hitting power, or drawing some performance-enhancements itself from the rifle's setup.

2) The ammunition should only be used in bolt-action rifles, as use in other firearms may in some way be less-than-ideal for either the firearm or the ammunition (or both.) Perhaps the recoiling bolt detracts from the "platform" from which the bullet is launched, reducing the performance of the round, or the round's higher power can lead to a faster rate of wear of moving parts.

In the latter possibility, if the reason for the recommendation is indeed a shortening of the life of any other type of firearm, shouldn't the word "only" also appear in the statement somewhere after the word "recommended"?

I do agree that accelerated wear of moving parts would be a valid concern.
3) (numbers are linear and go on forever) You'll put your range partners eye out!
 
What is critically important with any round is whether it has sufficient penetration to reach vital organs. Very high velocity rounds tend to have problems penetrating when they are very light. "Exploding" isn't always desirable when they don't do so upon reaching a vital organ.

Don't be fooled into correlating a hole in a phone book with the damage a round will do to a living target.
 
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