standard velocity in ruger 22/45?

[susieqz]

hiya guys.
i keep hearing that standard velocity ammo is more accutrate than high velocity.
i've been shooting 22lr with around 1200fps.
i decided to experiment with incredabley expensive rws target rifle, that only goes 1070fps.

well the size of my groups was cut in half !
i can't afford this often but there are cheaper standard velocity.
thing is, these slow rounds won't cycle in my 22/45.
mostly, i hand eject, tho one was powerful enow to stovepipe.

the ruger manual says shoot either standard or high velocity.

does anybody know what i can do to make this gun work with standard velocity?
i don't need fast bullets, i need accurate bullets.

 

[Olympus]

Is it a new gun? My 22/45 initially wouldn't cycle standard velocity ammo. So I put a couple bricks of high velocity through the gun to break it in and then it cycled the standard velocity ammo just fine. Another thing to try is buying one or two boxes of several different brands and see if one brand works better than another. Then stock up on that brand.

 

[susieqz]

thanks, olympus. that's great news. the pistol is less than a month old/.
i've shot it 600-800 times so far.
i'll shoot another brick or two to loosen it up.
i think the trigger is getting better the more i shoot anyway.

 

[71velle]

I shoot CCI standard through mine and the groups shrink.

 

[highlander 5]

I've used CCI and Fiocchi standard velocity in my Rugers and they function just fine.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

i keep hearing that standard velocity ammo is more accutrate than high velocity.
i've been shooting 22lr with around 1200fps.
i decided to experiment with incredabley expensive rws target rifle, that only goes 1070fps.

well the size of my groups was cut in half !

Standard velocity ammo is more accurate in RIFLES, especially in longer range shooting. This is because High Velocity ammunition is initially supersonic, and then drops below the speed of sound as it goes downrange. This transition between supersonic and sonic velocities plays hob with accuracy.

In pistols, virtually ALL .22 LR ammo is subsonic, so you don't have that transition problem.

I suspect your improvement in accuracy was due to two factors -- first that the RWS target ammo is made to very high standards, and secondly that your particular handgun likes that ammo.

 

[reddog81]

My 22/45 lite cycles standard velocity and even most subsonic rounds. Accuracy varies depending on the ammo.

 

[sappyg]

Can't remember the last time one of my 22/45s wouldn't cycle good SV ammo. Good for me us is CCI SV.

Shoot, clean, .... shoot somore.

 

[susieqz]

well, i;ll shoot a few thousand rounds thru it n see what happens.
i have to do that anyway, because i'm not good with this gun.
i'll shoot til i am.

 

[Capt. Ct.]

I have put about 650 Federal bulk pack through mine with one bad round.

 

[joneb]

susieqz, this may help clear up some confusion.
http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/22.html
The velocity questimations on your box of ammo are usually for rifle length barrels.

 

[susieqz]

i mostly shoot the federal bulk because my experience has been the same as capt ct's.
everyone seems to like CCI high velocity best but i see no more accuracy using them.
my goal is consistantly hitting a 4'' target at 50 yards, so the ammo has to cooperate.
got my new burris today so i bet my goal is doable.

 

[dakota1911]

In 22s you look till you find ammo they like then buy more of that brand, and lot number, if you can.

 

[susieqz]

you gotta be rich to do that.
this great rws stuff costs 14 cents/round.
i can shoot center fire for that.

 

[snooperman]

I shoot SV CCI in mine and the groups are better than high velocity stuff. I have no problems with SV in any of my 22 pistols,, including S&W 41, High Standard guns , Ruger and Browning Buckmark too.

 

[susieqz]

i just went out n fired 30 rounds of federal, then put in a clip of standard while the gun was hot. the standard cycled !!!
now, i just gotta find standard i can afford.
CCI is cheaper than RWS, but if i could find bricks i could afford i could shoot more.

 

[Jim NE]

I really like my 22/45. I told myself that I wouldn't buy another .22 caliber weapon until the ammo become more available and cheaper, but I'm glad I got it because when you start looking for .22 ammo, you can find it.

For the past year, standard velocity has been noticeably more available around here than HV, and of that, CCI standard was the most common. I'm still surprised how it varies from region to region. I think the standard is cheaper than the high around here.

 

[susieqz]

jim, what standardsdo you like best?

 

[zb338]

I have been shooting bullseye target for many years.
Everyone who shoots bullseye uses standard velocity
ammunition.

Zeke

 

[susieqz]

you guys convinced me. i just ordered1000 rounds of rws, but i need to find something cheaper.
i paid more than $.14/round !

 

[DaddioDan]

Standard velocity, hyper velocity, high velocity, lead bullets, hollow points (never understood this for a .22), whatever-is-available in .22, my 22/45 eats 'me all. Only the rarest of hiccups and usually ammo related - bent or loose bullet, dud, or whatever.

And it's the absolute bottome of the line 22/45 model - molded in non replaceable grips. Only things I've done to it are to install a $10 mag disconnect bushing and take out the LCI.

I've mastered the reassembly secret handshake (MUCH easier with the the mag disconnect bushing in) so it gets cleaned after every range trip.

It's pure 22 madness to shoot. And it is a little tack driver. Still working down a 1200 round bucket of Golden Thundershots. Starting to rebuild the .22 ammo stash with whatever is available and reasonably priced.

The only round that won't cycle is the .22 snake shot. But seriously, it wouldn't do anything more than irritate a snake,

 

[susieqz]

i guess guns of the same model can be quit different. mine routinely fails to load thunderbolt n chooses to give poor groups with most ammo.
i've just installed a burris fast fire so i'll get exact data about each ammo.
i'm too poor with iron sights to run meaningful tests, except that rws stuff was dramatically better.

 

[340PD]

You may consider installing a Volguartsen trigger assembly in your Ruger 22/45. That will make your groups shrink no matter what ammo you are shooting.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I choose to skip that expensive VQ package. I use only the VQ sear. I drill and tap the stock trigger and put in set screws for pre and post travel take up adjustment. If the gun is a III, I put in a II bushing to eliminate the mag disconnect. While doing this, I polish any rough surfaces. I have done a couple of dozen and ended up with happy campers....A time or two, I skipped the VQ sear and just stoned the stock one. Results were about the same.

 

[susieqz]

thanks, 340. i really want that kit installed but the nearest smith is 90 miles.
my trigger is crisp but heavy.
thing is, i'm not sure i can put everything back together if i do it myself.
i did manage to eliminate the mag safety n install a new hammer bushing, so i may get up the courage.