Best .22 ammo- opinions please

[Maverick223]

I have yet to have any luck with anything Remington [...]

There exists good Remington rimfire ammunition...it's just made by Eley.

 

[Furncliff]

As had been said a lot, you have to test your rifle with different brands that you consider reasonably priced, preferably from a rest. Your post prompted me to see how many different .22 loads I had in the ammo drawer. I stopped counting at 19. But I like to test and I shoot mostly rimfire.

I've been keeping my targets for the Marlin 60 for about three years. Mine likes Blazer for everyday plinking and SK Standard Plus for trying to shoot small groups.

Dunn's has a case of Blazer (5000 rounds) for $160 shipped. I bought one and am pleased with the way they shoot for the money.

http://www.shopdunns.com/products/1847/blazer_cci_high_velocity_22lr_case/

Midway is a good place to buy ammo, they ship fast. There's also championshooters.com they carry a good variety.

http://www.championshooters.com/store/home.php?cat=284

 

[neolithic1]

.22's are no different than their center fire cousin's. Each gun will have a particular load that works best. The down side to .22 is that you won't have the ability to work up a load yourself. The next best thing to do is try different ammo types and see which works best.

To get a good opinion of each you should season the barrel for each type. Pull a bore snake through to clear the fouling then fire 10 to 15 rounds of the same type before testing for accuracy. Then fire a few 5 shot groups from the bench.

Keep notes on the target so you know which groups were what ammo. Once you've finished one ammo type, perhaps after 50 rounds, pull the bore snake through and try the next type.

Be sure to get a mix of all types of ammo. My target rifles perform well with SK match rifle and Wolf match, but I have a semi that does real well with Federal bulk ammo. Nothing beats plinking with cheap ammo!

 

[jolly roger]

Wolf Match Grade is good stuff in my 10-22 with a Green Mountain barrel. One itty bitty hole at 50 yards. I have a S&W 22A that's superb with Winchester Super X 40 grain Super Speeds also. Chokes on the Wolf...go figure.

 

[Maverick223]

I don't believe all you folks that are claiming one hole groups...see the link in my sig. line for details on how to prove me wrong.

 

[Caddisflied]

Monthly Rimfire Match? I'm going to have to check that out!

Most 22 match or target grade ammo is designed to shoot slightly below the speed of sound.
Unstable air currents develop around a bullet traveling at the speed of sound that can mess with accuracy.
It's surprising how much the speed of sound changes with temperature.
From 32F to 77F the speed of sound changes from 1085fps to 1135fps (approx.).
Some ammo falls within that range (e.g. Fiocchi SM 340, RWS R-100).

This spring I found that Fiocchi SM 320 (320 meters/sec.) shot a bit more consistently than the SM 340 (340mps),
but it was cold enough that the 340 was most likely supersonic at the time (it was louder).
I might have to give that faster stuff another try, now that it's warmed up.

Barrel length has an effect on bullet performance as well,
since different ammunition manufacturers use powders with different burn rates,
and different test barrels to determine muz. vel.
From a 27" barrel, I noticed that CCI Green Tag (1070fps) dropped about 2" more at 100 yds than the Fiocchi 320 (1050fps).
I found that Fiocchi used a 66cm (26") test barrel for their data but was unable to find what CCI used?
I'm wondering if CCI uses a faster burning powder and a shorter test barrel.
Maybe the powder burns up quickly and then the bullet slows down before exiting the 27" barrel I used?

For the most part, I've found that the more the ammo costs, the better it groups in the rifle I'm shooting with,
but there are many options I have yet to try.
What's great about shooting 22 rimfire is that even the relatively expensive ammo,
is still a lot less costly than shooting centerfires.

 

[Maverick223]

Monthly Rimfire Match? I'm going to have to check that out!

Don't knock it till you try it.

 

[Caddisflied]

^^^ Co-1st place finisher.
In fact, that should be your win Maverick!
I had all month to produce a decent target.
You did it in a few days with your 93!

There exists good Remington rimfire ammunition...it's just made by Eley

.
I've got a box of Eley that I'm going to try sometime soon.
Heard it shoots very well in some rifles.

 

[P5 Guy]

CCI Green Tag works the best in my 22s.

 

[Maverick223]

In fact, that should be your win Maverick!
I had all month to produce a decent target.
You did it in a few days with your 93!

I disagree, didn't you use a .22LR, whereas I had somewhat of an advantage (@ 100yds. anyway) with my .17HMR.

I've got a box of Eley that I'm going to try sometime soon.
Heard it shoots very well in some rifles.

It is very good ammo, certainly worth a shot. I must admit that I like Remington CBees (which are not made by Eley), but they still aren't the most accurate. Fair hunting accuracy, but darn if they don't open up beautifully for a subsonic .22LR (in fact I know of no other .22LR, be it CB, subsonic, standard vel., high vel., or hyper V, that expands better, reliably, and with good weight retention).

 

[Sako Shooter]

These regularly shoot MOA or better out of my Sako Quad and CZ 452, and are also suitable for hunting:

1. SK High Velocity HP;
2. American Eagle HPs (cheap);
3. SK Subsonic HPs;
4. RWS Subsonic HPs; and
5. Winchester Subsonic HPs.

Wolf Match is good target ammo that is affordable.

The $20/box stuff (Lapua, Eley) is the most accurate in my bolt guns but are ussually cost prohibitive to shoot often. It is nice to shoot 1/4" to 3/8" groups w/ the stuff, though. Reveals what your rifles are actually capable of.

 

[Caddisflied]

I has somewhat of an advantage (@ 100yds. anyway) with my .17HMR

If that's the case, I hope that doesn't mean you won't be competing with it.
It's always a pleasure to see what good shooters can do with good rifles and the right ammo!

Wolf Match is good target ammo that is affordable

I'm looking forward to trying that stuff!
It always seems to be sold out.
Maybe there's a reason for that?

 

[Maverick223]

If that's the case, I hope that doesn't mean you won't be competing with it.

I don't know if I will in the extended 50/100yd. matches (which will give me the opportunity to crack out the 10/22 amongst others), but I definitely plan to use it in the 25/50yd standard range matches (where it affords no discernible advantage over competing rimfires).

I'm looking forward to trying that stuff!
It always seems to be sold out.
Maybe there's a reason for that?

Just buy SK instead (which is available most of the time), they make Wolf match (SK Standard Plus = Wolf Match & SK Rifle Match = Wolf Match Extra). It tends to be a little cheaper to boot!

 

[Caddisflied]

Who was that? Some ignorant hillbilly I'm sure

Most likely! I've heard those hillbilly's shoot pretty good!

Just buy SK instead (which is available most of the time), they make Wolf match

Good to know!
I've got a box of SK Pistol Match ammo.
It says Lapua on the box.

 

[Eb1]

My model 60 shoots Winchester Xpert and the other Winchester non-coated lead really well. Xperts really, really well.

Mini-Mags and other CCI not so well. Federal? Forget about it. I haven't tried Remington. Haven't found a need to.

 

[AKElroy]

wolf match works best in my built 10/22. Much less expensive than tennex or greentag.

 

[earlybirdnj]

+1 for aguila super extra.
not too easy to find but mostconsistent for my 10/22s w/ .920
barrels (green mt. and er shaw) and ceiner conversion for
ar15.

 

[Maverick223]

Maybe I'm missing something on the SV ammo speed. CCI SV is slightly below supersonic at 1070 FPS. Winchester goes 1150 FPS and the speed of sound at sea level is 1140 depending on the temperature and humidity. The way I understand it some SV is supersonic and some of it isn't. That's the bottom line AFAIK. It varies from brand to brand and according to conditions.

I believe the "standard" value for mach I (at least in the shooting community) is 1080fps, but honestly that value can change quite a bit due to temperature, humidity, and density altitude. Most SV .22LR falls above 1100fps IME.

I've got a box of SK Pistol Match ammo.
It says Lapua on the box.

That's interesting; haven't heard anything about them producing any ammo for SK...perhaps they are the importer. Just looked at mine and it says Lapua too.

 

[CraigC]

Barrel length has an effect on bullet performance as well

Untrue. Since most .22LR loads, particularly target loads, reach peak velocity in 12-14", burn rate is irrelevant. Barrel length alone has no bearing on raw accuracy. Unless you are a top level benchrest competitor who is picky about at what point in the bullet's rotation it exits the muzzle.

 

[Caddisflied]

^^^ Interesting.
So you believe a bullet fired from a 14" barrel would have the same velocity and trajectory as another bullet from the same lot fired from a 28" inch barrel.

I consider velocity and trajectory to be an important part of any bullets performance,
and often select ammo based on these and other factors.

 

[Maverick223]

So you believe a bullet fired from a 14" barrel would have the same velocity and trajectory as another bullet from the same lot fired from a 28" inch barrel.

Actually some have found a .22LR bullet to slow after about 16in. of bbl or so. I don't remember all the details (I wish the folks at Ballistics By the Inch would start testing rimfire cartridges and clear this up), but I imagine that the ammo was standard velocity ammunition, even then a barrel over 20-22in. isn't likely necessary for complete burn on hyper velocity fodder. That said, I wouldn't trade the 24in. tube on my Stevens 87D for anything...may not be efficient, but for me it's just right.

 

[JohnBT]

Slow is good. A round that starts out above the speed of sound will be buffeted on the way to the target as it drops under the speed of sound. The sound barrier is a rough transition. Centerfire bullets start supersonic and stay there.

 

[Caddisflied]

I wish the folks at Ballistics By the Inch would start testing rimfire cartridges and clear this up), but I imagine that the ammo was standard velocity ammunition

There's a book by Mark White, 'The Ultimate Ruger 10/22 Manual and User's Guide'.
I wish I had a copy but I do not.
I think they did some testing to determine the correlation between velocity and barrel length using Rem. SV.
Maximum Velocity was achieved with a 16" Barrel.
Successively longer barrel lengths yielded increasing loss in velocity.

Of course results would vary using bullets from different manufacturers.
.

 

[Maverick223]

There's a book by Mark White, 'The Ultimate Ruger 10/22 Manual and User's Guide'.

I'll have to check that out, sounds like it may be a worthwhile addition to the collection.

I've seen lots of their rifles that weren't any longer than 16".

Yep, it may look a bit funny, but the Tac. Sol. bbl on my 10/22 is only 16.5in (and less than an oz. for each inch!).

 

[Caddisflied]

Nice rifle!
I'd like to pick up a 10/22 sometime, but it might not be this year.

I tried out the Aguila Match ammo a few weeks ago.
It shot supprisingly well considering the economical price tag.
I'll try that stuff again.
The SK ammo sounds promising too.
I still haven't tried CCI SV, but I know people who have good luck with it