How to tell if .22cal is High Volocity?
- Thread starter Rod m1
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DeepSouth
Random Guy
Man, I haven't seen a box of "Standard Velocity" .22's in a long time.
The box should (usually) say "High Velocity" or "Standard Velocity."
The box should (usually) say "High Velocity" or "Standard Velocity."
bigfatdave
Member
"Standard velocity" is a specialty round in most retail locations for 22LR ... I think CCI still makes SV ammo for older firearms, and I've heard some CMP target ammo is SV, since most CMP buyers are shooting bolt-action in 22LR.
Update:
CCI still sells SV ammo, listed HERE
Look for "standard velocity" labels or the "green tag" ammo is about the same speed out of the muzzle.
If you can use the CMP, they do have SV ammo in stock, but you'll have to buy them by the 500-pack or more
LINK
Update:
CCI still sells SV ammo, listed HERE
Look for "standard velocity" labels or the "green tag" ammo is about the same speed out of the muzzle.
If you can use the CMP, they do have SV ammo in stock, but you'll have to buy them by the 500-pack or more
LINK
huntsman
Member
Which Colt and why?
arcticap
Member
I have a Stainless Colt .22 Target (formerly Colt Cadet) that it's not recommended to shoot high velocity ammo with it. It's basically a clone of the old High Standard Duramatic.
The Beretta Neos is similar enough that the same magazines fit, but AFAIK the Neos shoots high velocity ammo.
It's also not recommended to shoot high velocity in many of the High Standard .22 auto pistols, so I can imagine that the older Colt Woodsman pistols aren't recommended a diet of high velocity ammo either. It promotes unnecessary wear, and in the case of High Standards, the frames can develop cracks.
There's even been durability problems with some of the Walther P-22's and if I'm not mistaken the Hammerli Trailside, and the P-22 might not even function with standard velocity.
Meanwhile other guns need high velocity ammo to function well.
Sometimes it's due to the slide return spring being designed light weight enough to function with standard velocity ammo. Then if high velocity ammo is used it batters the slide and frame.
With some guns like the S&W 41, there may be different springs available to make it more reliable with either/or ammo. Most folks just shoot it the way it is, but some guns do develop trouble. I knew about one S&W 41's slide that cracked after many years and the owner only fired standard velocity out of it. But Smith replaced the slide for free.
The S&W 22A has a rubber recoil bushing that can wear out and need replacement, but it shoots high velocity just fine.
Not all .22 LR pistols are equal.
There's limitations built into some of their designs.
Most standard velocity ammo is labeled as being such, or sometimes it's listed as "target", but not always. But the velocity of standard velocity ammo is not all the same either.
Company websites often list the velocities of their ammo.
A listed velocity of ~1125 feet per second from a rifle barrel is pretty close to the upper limit of being considered standard velocity/target ammo.
Most are under 1100 fps though.
The Beretta Neos is similar enough that the same magazines fit, but AFAIK the Neos shoots high velocity ammo.
It's also not recommended to shoot high velocity in many of the High Standard .22 auto pistols, so I can imagine that the older Colt Woodsman pistols aren't recommended a diet of high velocity ammo either. It promotes unnecessary wear, and in the case of High Standards, the frames can develop cracks.
There's even been durability problems with some of the Walther P-22's and if I'm not mistaken the Hammerli Trailside, and the P-22 might not even function with standard velocity.
Meanwhile other guns need high velocity ammo to function well.
Sometimes it's due to the slide return spring being designed light weight enough to function with standard velocity ammo. Then if high velocity ammo is used it batters the slide and frame.
With some guns like the S&W 41, there may be different springs available to make it more reliable with either/or ammo. Most folks just shoot it the way it is, but some guns do develop trouble. I knew about one S&W 41's slide that cracked after many years and the owner only fired standard velocity out of it. But Smith replaced the slide for free.
The S&W 22A has a rubber recoil bushing that can wear out and need replacement, but it shoots high velocity just fine.
Not all .22 LR pistols are equal.
There's limitations built into some of their designs.
Most standard velocity ammo is labeled as being such, or sometimes it's listed as "target", but not always. But the velocity of standard velocity ammo is not all the same either.
Company websites often list the velocities of their ammo.
A listed velocity of ~1125 feet per second from a rifle barrel is pretty close to the upper limit of being considered standard velocity/target ammo.
Most are under 1100 fps though.
Last edited:
DeepSouth
Random Guy
Got to thinking about it and wondered if Federal Gold Medal's are a standard velocity. Lots of the time competition bullets are but I don't know about those. Any how they are easy to find at any local sporting goods store, around here anyway.
huntsman
Member
Does this come from the company? I've used mini-mags in my match target without any trouble and I'm not aware of any issues from long term use.
Jim Watson
Member
The OFFICIAL cutoff date for high velocity .22 lr in the Colt Woodsman was sometime in the 1930s, early first generation. You could then buy a heat treated mainspring housing for use of HV in earlier guns.
My 3rd generation MT shoots well with HV but I don't pound it with a lot of them.
My 3rd generation MT shoots well with HV but I don't pound it with a lot of them.
huntsman
Member
ok cool I got a 2nd generation soo no problem. I don't shoot it much anymore but maybe when I do I'll use green tag.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
As noted, the Woodsman was changed to a high-speed mainspring housing beginning in 1931. They continued to sell the hi-speed conversion kit up until WWII to convert older guns, and a large majority were so converted it seems.
If you have a pre-Woodsman, or 1st. Series Woodsman, you can tell if it has the high-speed housing by looking at the checkering pattern on the housing.
The old Standard velocity housing had an oval shaped checkered design.
The High-Speed has a rectangle shape with straight cross grooves.
I have two pre-war Woodsman that have high-speed housings, but I mostly shoot standard velocity match ammo in them in deference to their age & value.
My 3rd. Gen Targetsman & Match Target get anything & everything I can throw at them.
As does my S&W 41.
It has probably about 100,000+ rounds through it, as I shot it in the service in AMU competition 40 years ago. Nothing on it has worn out or broke so far.
I gunsmithed them for AMU, and a cracked slide is something I can't recall ever seeing on one.
If you see a Model 41 with a cracked slide, it is not due to hi-speed ammo. It is due to a defective slide.
rc
If you have a pre-Woodsman, or 1st. Series Woodsman, you can tell if it has the high-speed housing by looking at the checkering pattern on the housing.
The old Standard velocity housing had an oval shaped checkered design.
The High-Speed has a rectangle shape with straight cross grooves.
I have two pre-war Woodsman that have high-speed housings, but I mostly shoot standard velocity match ammo in them in deference to their age & value.
My 3rd. Gen Targetsman & Match Target get anything & everything I can throw at them.
As does my S&W 41.
It has probably about 100,000+ rounds through it, as I shot it in the service in AMU competition 40 years ago. Nothing on it has worn out or broke so far.
I gunsmithed them for AMU, and a cracked slide is something I can't recall ever seeing on one.
If you see a Model 41 with a cracked slide, it is not due to hi-speed ammo. It is due to a defective slide.
rc
Listen to RC
Once again RC Model has the straight scoop. (But the year was 1933.)
Check this link and see FAQs 10 and 11 for details, and a photo of the checkering patterns. This site is by a Woodsman expert collector and is full of good info. He has forgotten more than we will ever know.
That is a fine pistol, designed by John Moses Browning himself, and first produced in 1915 if I remember correctly.
http://www.eskimo.com/~rayburn/woodsman/
Once again RC Model has the straight scoop. (But the year was 1933.)
Check this link and see FAQs 10 and 11 for details, and a photo of the checkering patterns. This site is by a Woodsman expert collector and is full of good info. He has forgotten more than we will ever know.
That is a fine pistol, designed by John Moses Browning himself, and first produced in 1915 if I remember correctly.
http://www.eskimo.com/~rayburn/woodsman/
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
I have the book Bob Rayburn wrote, dated 1985, rev 1995.
In the Features Table, it clearly states the Hi-Speed housing started to be phased in starting in 1931, at serial number 81,000 to 86,000.
I see now his website says the same thing, but now it says 1932.
Then in the FAQ he says all made after 1933 have the high-speed housing.
It seems to me it started in 1931 or 32 on some guns but not all, and after 1933 all new guns had it.
rc
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