Aquila 60 grain .22 LR in handguns

[Greybeard]

In a recent post, http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10940&highlight=aquila+SSS, over in Rifle Country here at THR, several comments and questions were presented regarding the Aquila .22 ammunition in handguns. I made some time today to quickly run a box of 50 rounds of the SSS ("SubSonicSniper") through 5 different handguns with the following results. 9" picnic plates were used for targets.

Handgun: H&R 999 Revolver with 6" barrel
Distance: 50 feet
5-shot group: 1 5/8"

Handgun: Glock 17 with Ceiner .22 LR Conversion
Distance: 50'
5-shot group: 2 1/4"
Comments: Multiple misfires, not necessarily the fault of ammo, but the Ceiner unit. I tried it as well with Remington Subsonics and Winchester Super X. Better, but the performance of the unit is still unacceptable. I need to send it back.

Handgun: S&W 317 Revolver (2" j-frame)
Distance: 50' / 7 Yards
5-shot group: 2" @ 50 feet using CT Laser Grip / 2" @ 7 yards with regular sights
Comments: After firing, brass was somewhat difficult to eject. Hard push required on ejector rod.

Handgun: North American Arms Mini-Mag (convertible) 1 5/8" barrel
Distance: 3 yards / 7 yards
5-shot group: 2 1/8" (2 hands) @ 3 yards / 2 1/2" (one-hand) @ 7 yards
Comments: Some other loads have "keyholed" from this gun. Anticipated today, but none indicated.

Handgun: Beretta 21A
Distance: 7 yards
5-shot group: 1 @ 3/4", 1 @ 1 5/8"
Comments: Surprisingly, the little gun cycled fine with this (funny-looking) SSS ammo. No indication of bullet instability at 7 yards. In an attempt to see if I could induce a malfunction, I loaded the remainder of the box in 2 magazines mixing every other round with CCI Velocitors (normal "carry" load). These "mixed magazine" rounds all cycled fine during rapid fire groups of around 4" at 7 yards.

Has anyone had an opportunity to shoot this stuff at greater distances?

 

[444]

Good information. Thanks.

 

[3 gun]

I use this stuff by the case in my 22/45. Group sizes are about double what a normal 22LR round gives me, around 2 1/2" from a bench at 25 yards. The biggest plus in using this ammo is it will knock over a bowling pin at 25 yards with a single hit. I wouldn't use this stuff to hunt with but it does work nicely on reactive range targets.