Need tips on .22lr leaving 50y range for the 100y for the first time.

[DasFriek]

I seem to hit Dick's sporting goods, Gosh i wish they would change that name. lol anyhow about once a month since they have had the CCI SV bricks for $25 wich is a steal these days and you don't get that alot.

How can you have a screen name like 22-rimfire and not have shot at 100 and 100+ yards?
I know im itching just to get back to the 50 yard range and try out the 3 new types of ammo out that i just got and also see if sizing and lubing them made them even better.

I looked at my ammo box last night and id bet i have a better selection of ammo than almost any gun store,except online. I don't have the high end stuff much but i have the low and mid priced stuff out my rear.

Wednesday will be my next chance to try for the range if the weather cooperates.

 

[22-rimfire]

How can you have a screen name like 22-rimfire and not have shot at 100 and 100+ yards?

I chose that screen name because I love 22's. I collect them. I shoot them. In hindsight, I find it interesting that the name was even available but I use it on a number of forums including RimfireCentral.

Shooting is a journey. Until the last 10 years, I seldom went to formal shooting ranges. It was back yard stuff and generally at 25 yds. I only started shooting at 50 yds in the last 5 years on a regular basis. I don't consider it "easy" to shoot well at 50 yds. I only shot centerfires at 100 yds and beyond because I felt that the 22LR was essentially a 50 yd or less round. But things are changing and it is because of my participation on the forums where I learn what others do or can do proficiently.

Part of the reason I shot at 25 yds was because I predominantly used 4x scopes until the last few years. I still feel a 4x scope on a 22 rifle is a good match for hunting and casual target shooting. But it is tougher at 50 yds to shoot well. I hate to walk up to my targets at 100 yds to check my shooting sometimes. I can see centerfire holes at that range with binoculars or a 9x scope. 50 yds works okay as long as there aren't too many at the range.

I clearly have a better selection of 22 rimfire ammo than most gun shops. Like you, I seldom buy anything more expensive than Wolf Match Extra. I do have "better" stuff now, but 5 years ago, I would absolutely NEVER have spent $10 on a 50-ct box of 22 ammo. I considered CCI ammo expensive; still do for the most part. I'd say our buying habits are similar based on your comments. I know about the good stuff, I just don't shoot competitively and don't see the need to squeeze an extra 0.1" out of my groups. I don't even measure my groups center to center; I measure them edge to edge because I feel it reflects the group size with a tiny 22 bullet well enough. I figure most can subtract 0.20 or 0.21 inches from the group size if you want center to center. I'm only trying to impress ME. Yes, I use a caliper now because the old way (engineers scale) was too slow and only accurate to about 0.05". We all learn from others.

Some of the shooters here are miles ahead of me. I just started buying more 22 rifles a couple of years ago to increase my inventory from a couple. Most of my shooting was with handguns until recently. Long guns took up too much space and I moved a lot.

As far as Dicks Sporting Goods goes, the name got censored on some forums which is comical.

 

[DasFriek]

LOL on Dick's getting censored! I still feel dirty typing it.
You sound alot like me, Plus ive seen you on RFC also. In the .22lr section i think, But im always in the CZ section talking about all other guns suck and being a CZ snob. No, im kidding. I just LOVE my Ultra Lux. I couldn't imagine a better gun for the money.

I got into owning guns at age 21 and by 22 had sold them usually for beer money and concert tickets for partying with the ladies. I spent 20 years gunless until last spring and due to living inside a small town i had no choice but to use private or public ranges as i couldn't shoot in my back yard anymore like i could as a kid.

When i got back into guns it was handguns and that led to me getting my ccw and then i bought 5 handguns to try and find the perfect one for me to carry and sell all the rest when i found what i wanted to carry. It was a full sized 1911 of course but i do want a smaller 3" 1911 now due to size and weight being an issue in the summer in Ohio.

Once i sold them guns i still wanted to shoot and i couldn't afford to keep shooting 9mm, .40, 10mm and .45 and pay for range fees. I could go about 1 time a month.
That led me to .22's and i haven't looked back.

I have 2 "work" guns, My 1911 for ccw and a Mossberg 500SPX for HD. The other 3 i own are .22lr's and i try and stay at 3 play guns as i can only shoot so many. Being on a limited income kinda dictates that for me.

I started with mainly .22 pistols and red dot scopes so i too stayed at the 25 yard range most of the time. Until i bought this CZ rifle it was the first time ive been on the 50 yard range since i was 20 when i had an AK47 back then. The .22lr has taught me alot at 50 yards, And ive just been waiting to i felt ready to move up too 100 as the ole .22lr isnt such a simple caliber as most people would think.
There is a heck of alot to know about shooting a .22 to be able to do it well and consistently.
Ive found with my almost 40 year old eyes i need a 3-9x40 scope to shoot at 50 yards, Preferably a 4-16x 40 is even better. I just hope it works at 100 for me with my eyes.
I went and bought the shoot-n-c style targets to get started in case i cant see my shots in the scope.

One thing to look into for some extra fun is D-Rocks sizer sold at RFC, Its been an amazing tool for me and makes Blazer ammo shoot as well as Wolf ME for my rifle.
Plus you can do alot other things and make ammo work the way you want with hollow points and flat noses and such. I know ive sized over 2000 rounds by now, Maybe more.

Check out http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/catalog1/ for good deals online for ammo i cant get locally at good prices. Ive found Aguila to be one of my favorite ammo makers i never see in a local shop. But my guns love shooting it.

Oddly i dont measure my groups, I figure if i can keep it on a 1" paster im doing good.

 

[MythBuster]

The worst problem with cheap .22 ammo at 100 yards is the extreme variation in powder charges. This can make some weak rounds land very low way out of the group.

This can be solved by weighing the rounds on a digital scale and sorting them into group of the same weight.

You will know instantly when you put a round on the scale with a weak powder charge.

My prone rifle shoots weighed CCI Blazer in less than an inch at 100 on days when I can shoot it well.

For years that is what I used in matches.

 

[DasFriek]

Thats a great idea, Except the part about owning digital scales. Mine are the manual slide scale 505 from RCBS.
While very accurate its extremely slow.
I already have to size the Blazer and add in weighing and separating them it may be easier to just buy the Wolf ME. lol j/k its worth it.

Ill do it also with the Aguila Match Rifle i use also, But i don't size it so it shouldn't be so bad. I may as well do the Aguila Subsonics i got also as i haven't tried them out at all.
Same with my Eley sport.
Sorting a few box's each wont be bad as i the range don't open until Wednesday and i have well over a whole brick of the Blazers sized.
If it weren't for all that time with nothing to do id wait and see how well the new ammo groups at 50 yards and then sort the ammos that did well there.

All the ammo i mentioned except the Blazers i don't plan on sizing unless i find them to shoot below standard, Then i try and wring some accuracy out of them with the sizing.
Usually i only size the low end ammo, The mid grade stuff doesn't seem to need the help or don't benefit enough from it to make it worth my time.

Like CCI SV which shoots very good stock, But goes up to great with sizing. But thats such a small improvement on a mid priced ammo id rather save my time and money on the Blazers.

Now weighing my ammo, Good job MR Buzzkillington!