Shooting my new Ruger 10/22

[Saddlebag Preacher]

I traded my Marlin 60 for a 10/22 a couple of months ago just because I wanted the rotary mag instead of the tube magazine for faster reload. My 60 shot great, but just wanted a change.

So I started getting out my stash of various brands of ammo I've bought whenever I've seen it at a decent price. I know every rifle shoots a certain mfg more accurately than another, and I decided to scope the Ruger for squirrel season so I wanted to sight it in.

At 50 yards, I shot Winchester red box 100 pack, and the groups were horrible. (Just bought this stuff from Wally World last week). Shot some of the Federal Auto match bulk pack, was OK, but groups not tight. Federal Lightning, once again not great but tighter that the previous ones. Winchester 550 pack (I've had for a while) flyers everywhere.

Then I picked up a grey box of CCI blazer round nose, 50 round. Price on it was $3.00 (Had it before the panic buying). Suddenly I was shooting 1" groups and less and once dialed in, dead center bulls eye every time. I noticed I had one box of the same Blazer with a $6.50 tag on it, so it must have been bought during the panic. Same experience, bullseye at 50 yards. So I've found the ammo it likes, just have to see if I can find some and stock up.

I've shot all my life, but never experienced this much variation in ammunition point of impact as I did with .22 today. It was a good learning experience.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

50 per box Blazer is decent budget ammo. I am glad I bought a case for $179 shipped a couple of years ago.

 

[readyeddy]

Funny, same here with Blazers and my 10/22. Winchester, Remington and Federal all open up, and Federal will FTE one out of ten.

 

[bannockburn]

My 10/22 really shines in the accuracy department with Wolf Match Target and CCI MiniMags. Never did really well with any of the bulk pack ammo or with any of the high priced match stuff either.

 

[Kp321]

Across the board, I have had better results with CCI 22 ammo than other brands but not the extreme variation that you describe. I will qualify that statement by saying that I have bought very little ammo since the panic began, shooting old stock.
Recently got a lot of Aguila from CMP and have had very good results with it.

 

[mac66]

If you want to have some fun shooting that 10/22 like a real rifle take it to an Appleseed. You sound like a good shot but Appleseed is a whole 'nuther thing. They have them in every state.

www.appleseedinfo.org

 

[d2wing]

Interesting. Ammo makes a difference in many 22's.

 

[double bogey]

They are all different. My 10-22 (not stock) likes wolf mt, fed 550 bulk, and fed 510b. Doesn't like any Blazer ammo. Have not shot enough cci to tell if it likes it.

 

[Saddlebag Preacher]

Thanks MAC66.. I came across their site a few months ago. Looks very interesting. I do a lot of wild west show shoot-em-ups during the summer with a local group so my weekends are tied up for now, plus my Sundays are my busiest days (hence the nick name) . But, I'm getting ready to slow down on the shootouts 'cause hitting the ground and jumping around isn't good for my aging body. The Appleseed organization sounds very interesting.

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

Another 10/22 trick that most don't think of, is that if your gun won't seem to shoot anything, there's a cheap alternative to buying an aftermarket barrel. That is, buy somebody else's take off stock barrel, there's thousands of them out there. That $10.00 barrel might very well shoot something you've got just fine for general plinking and pest control work. It also gives you the opportunity to check the V-block for burrs, make sure the screws are torqued properly, and all that.

900F

 

[PO2Hammer]

^^^
That's a good idea. Maybe an older barrel will be just the ticket. No restrictions AFAIK on buying and shipping them either.

My 20 year old 10/22 isn't as picky as the OP's. Federal Bulk shoots poorly, but most others shoot well. Top shooter in my 10/22 is CCI Velocitor.

As a last resort you could try fire lapping.

 

[HRnightmare]

Same results with me....My 10/22 breakdown 50th Anniversary edition loves the CCI and its the most accurate ammo I have shot thru it.