100yrd accuracy from .22LR?

[Okiecruffler]

I've always considered the 22lr to be a 50yrd round, but I got tired of shooting at 50yrds the other day and went to the 100yrd range. Took a few rounds to reset the scope on my 10/22 and then ended up shooting 3 inch groups with cheap blazer ammo. It got me to thinking, what is a good grouping at 100 yrds with a 22 rifle. I've been putting off buying any decent 22 ammo since the 10/22 and my striker both do 1 inch groups at 50yrds with the cheap stuff, but I might just buy me some of the more expensive stuff to see how small I can shrink those 100yrd groups.

 

[telewinz]

100 yard shooting with any .22 rifle is really pushing the envelope. I have a Remington 541S with a 4 X12 Redfield scope and I've shot 1 inch groups (5 shot) several times during the past 15 years. August with little or no wind blowing has allways been my best month. Bullet drop is so severe that I have the scope dial marked for 25, 50, 75, and 100 yards.

 

[MacPelto]

My Anschutz silhouette gun hovers right around 1.25 inches at 100. Be forewarned; match grade ammo is typically not high-velocity...it may not cycle the action of a 10/22. Also, it has even more drop than hi-vel, most smallbore silhouette shooters have to shim their scopes in order to get the required amount of elevation.

 

[griz]

Ditto for those comments. Shooting a 22 at 100 yards will teach you a lot about reading the wind. It can fool you into believing a 1 inch rifle is a 3 inch rifle.

 

[DrDremel]

100 yards is just warming up with my Ruger 77/22. I shoot 1 inch groups at 100 consistently. The drop on my rifle is 7 inches from 50 to 100 yards. I shoot at 200 yards and get 3 inch groups on a calm day. I usually like to shoot at clay pigeons on a berm at that distance though. I can see the hits immediately. I usually break the clay, and then bust up the fragments with the following rounds. The drop on my rifle is 16 inches from 100 to 200 yards. That is a 23 inch drop from the 50 yard zero. It really makes you concentrate on good form. I also use my Ruger MK II pistol to pop clay pigeons at 100 yards with iron sights. That is very challenging, meaning I can’t break every single one on the first shot. The most it ever takes is 3-4 shots. .22 long rifle is not just a 50 yard shooter. Oh and my shooting is with wildcats, not Eley, or Green Tag. A good scope is a must for bullet drop and wind estimation is an art that must be learned. I have a Weaver T-Series 4-16 power. The scope tracks well and has low target turrets. I have had many people doubt me on this type of shooting but I am always willing to prove my claims on the range.

 

[Sactown]

The wind always plays havoc with my .22 at 100yrds. Our range seems to have the swirl effect. 50 yards is a nice consistent clover leaf. Gonna see if I can setup a 75yrd.

 

[Okiecruffler]

Well I figure I'll buy some decent ammo and see what she'll do sometime this week. By decent ammo, I'm talking CCI Minimags, not that goofy dime a round match grade stuff. The 10/22 shoots tighter with the minimags, but not tight enough to justify the expense at 50 yrds, at 100 there might be a difference. When I went from a 50 yrd zero to a 100yrd zero, the drop was only about 6 inches, so I didn't have to do anything funky. Biggest problem was seeing the target. Even with the scope set to 9X, my 2 inch bulls are kinda hard on the eyes.

 

[swingset]

Wind is the demon of 100 yard .22 shooting, that's for certain.

On a calm day, my accurized 77/22 can do 1" groups when I'm on my game. That's with Eley Tenex or Wolf Match Extra. Normally, with your garden variety ammo at 100 yards I'm more like 1.5" or 2".

It's a lot of fun to watch your bullet's fly through the scope, tho!

 

[Swampy]

I have several of the Mossy US-44's that the CMP was selling for $75 each up untiil last Summer.

These finely crafted little jewels will make 10 shot groups at 100 yds of 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inch with no problems. This is with CCI Std. Vel ammo, on a calm day, with me slung up in prone position.

Gotta' love that from a 60 year old rifle that cost $75......

Best to all,
Swampy

 

[lotus]

Jeez, I was just playing around with this myself. Took my Romanian M69 .22 out to the range for the first time in a while a week or so ago. After getting all the serious calibers in order I spent an hour just plinking with this thing practicing iron sight form.

Set up diet soda cans at 50 and couldn't miss. Stuck four cans out at 100 and killed them all in under 10 rounds. There was definately some swirl going on at the berm but not too bad. Impressed the hell out of the wildcat bench shooter next to me, though!

 

[JohnBT]

DrDremel - Where'd you find a Weaver T-Series 4-16?

I have 2 of the T-36s and have been looking at the T-6, but haven't run across a variable. Just curious.

My 541-S and Finnfire do a respectable job at 100 yards most of the time, but I can't even see the target at 100 with the open sights on my Marlin Mountie. Heck, anymore I can't even see the sights.

John

 

[oldfart]

I managed to cobble a scope onto one of those Romanian trainers and took it out to the range awhile back. At 100 yds I was consistemtly breaking clay targets with CCI Minimag ammo.

 

[BigG]

It's Pushing the Envelope...

There is no question that it can be done but WHY is a question only the individual may answer. Why do men climb mountains? etc.

There is a guy who comes to the range with a Roumanian trainer and shoots CB caps and all sorts of exotic 22 RF ammo a few shots from each box at 200 yards. The paper ends up with a random hole or two after he shoots for the afternoon but he seems to be happy with the performance so why should I care?

 

[DrDremel]

SWFA in Shotgun News. I think they are also riflescopes.com. I have had mine for about 5 years and it is a great .22 scope. I like it enough that I am thinking of adding one to a .308 rifle as well. I can't shoot much further than 250 yards simply because there is not enough elevation adjustment. I'd like to find some rings for the Ruger that is at a slight angle. That would be perfect.

I thought 200 yards was pushing it until I tried. I don't miss a clay at that distance unless the wind kicks up suddenly. It really tests you shooting skills.

 

[MacPelto]

I'd like to find some rings for the Ruger that is at a slight angle. That would be perfect

Take a look at the burris signature series, they have adjustable inserts that allow you to change the angle that the scope sits at. I have a set and it definitely beats shimming the rings.

 

[Wil Terry]

WAY BACK WHEN I BOUGHT A REMINTON 541T-HB RIFLE

Its' first tests included 32 different 22LR loads. This rifle averaged 1.54MOA at 100yards, all 10 shot groups I should add. Some of those 10 shot groups were so small it was spooky I'll tell you.
Hitting prairie rats at 200 yards is no big deal with this wonderful 22 rifle.