Twist rate differences for Aguila 60 grain .22 lr?

[Monster Zero]

Aguila is selling a new .22 lr round called the Silent Sniper or some such thing. It features a 60 grain bullet seated on a rather short case.

It seems that the 60 grain (I think) bullet is very heavy for the cartridge. I wouldn't know if anyone has ever sold anything comparable to this or not. With the heavy bullet and short cartridge case, and being limited by .22 lr pressure levels, it has a lesser powder charge.

So, it seems attractive to use in a suppressed rifle because in addition to the reduced muzzle report, the bullet is also subsonic and there is no sonic crack from the bullet.

Okay, cool. Sounds like something fun to try.

However... There are reports that a standard barrel 10/22, for example, at 18" with a 1:16 twist rate, won't stabilize it. People are replacing 10/22 barrels with aftermarket barrels with faster twist rates.

My first question is, what about a bolt gun with a longer barrel? The Ruger American Rimfire has a 22" barrel with a 1:16 twist rate. The new CZ 457, I think it is, has a 24.8" barrel with a 1:16 twist rate. Would either of these stabilize the 60 grain bullet?

Or, what aftermarket barrels are available for common .22 rifles that have a faster twist rate? I tried looking at Midway and Brownell's and all I could find were 10/22 barrels.

I'm interested in some low-volume shooting, but I prefer bolt (or lever) guns. I was hoping to find a bolt gun off the rack that would do this at a reasonable cost, or to find a used .22 bolt gun and get a new barrel, if possible at a reasonable price point. I'm not sure that it is possible...

Anyway if anyone has information to share that would be cool.

TIA

 

[LoonWulf]

Aguila haw catalogued the 60gr SSS round for a number of years, and generally a 1-16 isnt fast enough to stabilize it, tho some guns with that twist rate do....well enough.

I believe that a few companies...tacsol, lija, and VQ maybe? Offer faster twist tubes for the 10/22

 

[mavracer]

Aguila SSS 60gr is far from new and twist vs bullet length isn't all black and white there's a grey area. And an advertised 1 in 16" probably isn't exactly 1 in 16" might be 15.8 or 16.2 even with one manufacturer.
According to my Streloc app that ammo should have a 1.72 stability factor in a 1-16" and should be stable but you're gonna have to try it to be sure.
22s in general are each their own enigma and what shoots good in one may not in another.

 

[GAF]

If you want to shoot this round it is a good idea to have a 1:9 twist barrel. I have found that barrels with a match chamber (T/C Classic and the R55) shoot these round like good target ammo. That has been my experience with these two guns that I own. They both have a 1:16 twist and a match chamber. I have heard of people with the same rifle not getting the round to stabilize. I have owned two T/C Classic`s and one R55 All Weather and they all stabilize this round even out to 100 yards, but I suspect YMMV on any given rifle or handgun.

 

[DM~]

Over the last few years I've shot some of them, NONE of them stabilize in any of my 22's that I've tried them in...

DM

 

[taliv]

my mem isn't great, but i think this round is more than 15 years old.

i'd want to push it in a faster twist for sure. 1-7 to 1-9. I would be very surprised if a 1-16 would stabilize it. if you're going to shoot with a suppressor definitely make sure it stabilizes in your rifle before shooting out your baffles.

 

[taliv]

quick google search: this page was top of the list http://www.silencerresearch.com/aguila_sss.htm and says you need a 1-9 and that it won't stabilize in 1-16

I always fired mine in an AR15 with a ceiner kit so was using 1-7 barrels mostly anyways.

 

[Odd Job]

For me it doesn't stabilize in any of these rifles:

1) Thompson Center R55 Benchmark (bought new 2007)
2) Another Thompson Center R55 Benchmark (bought second hand around 2012)
3) Rimfire Magic 10/22 family (Volquartsen barrel)
4) Mauser Model 201

Keyholed with all of those.
Wasn't any more quiet than using RWS Target Rifle through my suppressors, in fact it was worse in one way: lots of sparks from the eject port on the semi-autos.

 

[adcoch1]

It shoots good out of my old Savage 23, but it has a 26" barrel. It sounds like a hand clap out of that rifle. Drops really fast though, I haven't shot it past 50 yards.

 

[GAF]

For me it doesn't stabilize in any of these rifles:

1) Thompson Center R55 Benchmark (bought new 2007)
2) Another Thompson Center R55 Benchmark (bought second hand around 2012)
3) Rimfire Magic 10/22 family (Volquartsen barrel)
4) Mauser Model 201

Keyholed with all of those.
Wasn't any more quiet than using RWS Target Rifle through my suppressors, in fact it was worse in one way: lots of sparks from the eject port on the semi-autos.

I guess your experience and my experience shows us that each rifle can shoot a particular ammo differently and among the same brand.

 

[ThomasT]

I am sure that round has been around for well over 20 years and IIRC a lot longer that that. And it doesn't stabilize in any of my normal 22 barrels. So I bought a barrel from Tactical Innovations that has a 1/9 twist and a factory taper to fit the Ruger 10/22. I would like to report that it works well but I have never shot it. I put it on the rifle once to check the fit and then removed it. It also comes threaded for a suppressor but I don't own one of those.

I really should try it out. I am curious to see if it will shoot the 40gr ammo as well as the 60gr stuff.

I forgot to add that there used to be a seller on GB that sold a 10/22 barrel with a 1/11 twist they claimed was better than the 1/9 twist. You may want to do a search on GB and see if they are still sold and check out rimfirecentral for feedback on these barrels and the 60gr round.

 

[BigBlue 94]

I shot quite a few of the SSS about 15 years ago. Accuracy was okay out of my marlin bolt gun and Steven's 22-410.

It never was realy accurate, but it took some squirrels. Was about half as loud as the ol super maximums from aguila.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Wasn't any more quiet than using RWS Target Rifle through my suppressors, in fact it was worse in one way: lots of sparks from the eject port on the semi-autos.

This.

It's a stout charge in the short case, and the shorter case uncorks the back of the bore that much earlier; port pop with the 60 gr. SSS is significant.

I recommend American Eagle 45 gr. Suppressor, or any subsonic CCI loads.

 

[Obturation]

In a savage 72 theyre very accurate, dont know twist rate. In a marlin 15 not accurate. In a marlin 39 its 50/50. Not worth a darn in a mk3 ruger.

 

[az_imuth]

I have a Polish wz48 training rifle that is supposed to be a 1:14 twist, but have never measured it to verify. If it is indeed 1:14, I wonder if that would stabilize the SSS round. I may have to get some and try it out. I'll dig the rifle out of the safe here in a bit and see what the twist rate really is first.

 

[CraigC]

Need a faster twist, barrel length makes no difference. With the newly available subsonic hollowpoints, I really don't see a reason for messing with them.

 

[Obturation]

Need a faster twist, barrel length makes no difference. With the newly available subsonic hollowpoints, I really don't see a reason for messing with them.

The weight of the projectile is the appealing part of the sss. My opinion of aguilas quality isn't what it could be , but they produce some items that no other company is making. So for a niche, thats ok with me.

I understand about a subsonic hollow point thats designed for the lower velocity being more effective. Most of the time the sss tumbles on impact because of its shape, so it does some damage. The heavier extra long 60 grain bullet tumbles from the muzzle on most guns, not on others -twist rate, bore diameter and whatever else is affecting it. A shooting buddy of mine has a remington pump 22 with a smooth bore (for snake shot ) and it shoots any type of subsonic odd ball 22 really well. Even the dreaded aguila colibri, which never stabilize because of their weight/length.

It all depends on your needs or wants from your 22 "critter gitter". The sss has good penetration and can cycle a semi auto thats set up for it .

I use a well worn winchester 250 for pests because its a lever action, it feeds anything and its worn -its long range accuracy isn't great but with the distances i shoot at its fine, the sss doesn't shoot well out of it.i mainly use cci cb shorts .im in illinois, no nfa items.

OP- i see what your wanting to do with this rifle, just shoot the ammo you choose from the barrel you already bought. Then you'll know what you're dealing with, then report back.

 

[BigBlue 94]

I used them for the 60gr bullet, not the subsonic aspect. I used the supermaximums because they were the fastest. In all my shooting with aguila rimfires, I've had less issues than any other brand of 22 other than cci.

 

[jmorris]

As above they tumble out of most of the .22’s I have fired them in. I wouldn’t shoot them with a suppressor until you know they don’t tumble out of your firearm.

FWIW lot of “standard velocity” 22 long rifle is subsonic out of rifles and lots of “high velocity” .22 lr is subsonic out of pistols.

 

[TTv2]

Shoots very well from my Mossberg 702 Plinkster and IIRC, Ruger Charger. Horrible from Marlin XT22 with 22 inch barrel and I suspect all Marlins due to the microgroove rifling. One thing that is a big issue with the SSS is the POI changes significantly due to the bullet being 50% heavier than normal.

Try it in your guns and see what results you get, there's no guarantee any twist rate will stabilize the SSS load as it's such an odd projectile. BTW, the SSS has been around a while, it's not new.

I wouldn't use them in short barrel handguns, velocity will be too low to do anything with and not enough rifling to stabilize. 4 inch barrel would be minimum pistol barrel I'd shoot it from. I'm soon to buy a Heritage with a 6.5" barrel and I'll give the SSS a whirl in it to see how it does.

 

[GAF]

If one is interested in this round there a 1:9 twist barrels for the Ruger 10/22 and the 10/22 take down model`s.