Accurate 22lr ammo

Hey Donnie. Glad you are finding time to get out there and shoot!

A couple of notes:
It takes multiple rounds of a type of ammo to season the barrel so that it shoots it consistently. By only shooting 5 rounds and changing, you are not allowing the barrel to adapt to the ammo to shoot it consistently. How many rounds I think depends on the ammo being shot and how similar they are, but usually you would shoot 10-20 round between comparisons.
The high velocity options aren’t usually as consistent and that shows with your results, so it makes sense that you are seeing what you are seeing.
 
Smok3y said:
Hey Donnie. Glad you are finding time to get out there and shoot!

A couple of notes:
It takes multiple rounds of a type of ammo to season the barrel so that it shoots it consistently. By only shooting 5 rounds and changing, you are not allowing the barrel to adapt to the ammo to shoot it consistently. How many rounds I think depends on the ammo being shot and how similar they are, but usually you would shoot 10-20 round between comparisons.
The high velocity options aren’t usually as consistent and that shows with your results, so it makes sense that you are seeing what you are seeing.
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Thanks. I actually keep a log book of my groups and you are right. The slower ammo is consistently the more accurate ammo, for me anyway. Of course, with .22, consistency is usually an issue, as is accuracy at longer range. I have been hitting a 16" gong with fair consistency out to 350 yards, and I believe I can move out a bit more. I don't know how much further out I can go and still hit 80% of my shots. I'm sure the higher velocity ammos will be better further out. We'll see. Of course, it will sure be fun to find out.
 
I think you will see that the higher velocity ammo will just continue to be worse the further you go. Longer distances is where the more expensive ammo (match grade standard velocity) makes the difference. I think at 100 or more is where you actually see the best improvement with the better ammo. Maybe it is because the visual difference on paper is so much wider.
 
Donnie D said:
Went to my range today and tested 4 ammos. Don't know how valid my testing is, as I'm not the best shooter, it was quite windy and gusty, and I only shot one 5 round group with each ammo from 150 yards. I consider any "flyers" in a group as just part of the group. In other words, I may have 4 shots in a quarter sized spot, and one 6" away. To me, that is a 6" group. That said, here are my results.
150 yards
CCI-Stinger, 32/1640, 6 3/4"

150 yards
Fed-HV Match, 40/1200, 4"

150 yards
CCI-Mini Mag Copper Plated HP, 36/1260, 3 1/2"

150 yards
CCI-SV, 40/1070, 2 5/16"

I'll run this test again in a day or two, and I'll shoot at least two 5 shot groups of each. Also may add CCI Velocitor to the mix.
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Some years ago, just for fun I did some 100+ yard rim fire ammo testing and I came upon Aquila Interceptor and its shot really well at 100 yards.. Its funny tho,, it didn't do all that well at 50 as compared to many high dollar match ammo types, but shot better then them at 100 yards. Believe my shot groups were just about a quarter size at 100 yards at an indoor range and were real consistant.. Just something to throw into your mix of ammo testing and its not expensive..Strangely enough, this a high velocity round at about 1400 fps, I remember being pretty darn impressed.
 
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Just got back from a match tonight and Ive got to tell you that the Center X is the bomb.. Its soooo nice to hit the target, right close to where you are aiming when using a factory squirrel gun.. What's also nice is that my choice of using a Savage as compared to the popular CZ, was correct. Now I have a real chance of winning this weekends competition..
 
Lager said:
The SK rifle match is a really good choice, its not real expensive and very accurate/consistent.. Its nice to shoot a round that goes where its supposed to.. Nothings worse then taking all the time to shoot at a target and have it miss. You don't know it was you, the weapon or the equipment that caused it..At least with some decent ammo, you have at least eliminated that variable..
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You might want to try the SK pistol match ammo. It is a little slower, a little cheaper, and little more consistent. My CZ’s have liked it a lot, and I generally don’t see flyers. My 457 also likes Eley match.
 
Best in my CZ455 is Eley Match. Center X was great and I’ve got some more to test. You want to go with Standard Velocity (SV) because it stays below speed of sound. High velocity bullets lose their shit when they slow down and transition from supersonic to subsonic ... so I hear.
 
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Sent my 455 back to CZ for accuracy issues. They fired several groups with different brands, Geco being their go to ammo for testing. Surprisingly the target they sent showed the best group by good margin was cheap Blazer. Hi velocity 40 grain plain lead. The scope was the culprit. I've pushed it a bit further myself against Lapua standard club and Winchster T 22. No big improvement and the stuff seems pretty consistent. Plenty good for hunting, silhouette, and popping off. Highly recommend it.
 
I was at the range yesterday shooting SK match pistol and got a couple 1/4” groups @ 50 yards. The guy next to me was shooting a CZ 457 MTR with the cheapest lead bullet SV Aguilla @ 50 yards. His groups might have measured .235 outside to outside. They literally looked like one shot. (Both of us were shooting 5 shot groups). He said the Aguilla gave the best groups of anything he had ever shot in his riffle. It shocked me! H e said he paid 1.89 a box for it on sale at Academy sports.
 
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Smok3y said:
Hey Donnie. Glad you are finding time to get out there and shoot!

A couple of notes:
It takes multiple rounds of a type of ammo to season the barrel so that it shoots it consistently. By only shooting 5 rounds and changing, you are not allowing the barrel to adapt to the ammo to shoot it consistently. How many rounds I think depends on the ammo being shot and how similar they are, but usually you would shoot 10-20 round between comparisons.
The high velocity options aren’t usually as consistent and that shows with your results, so it makes sense that you are seeing what you are seeing.
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You are exactly right about seasoning the barrel with the lube of what you are shooting. There is actually a formula for it that says shoot one round of ammo for every inch of barrel length.
The flip side of that, is if I shoot cheap stuff after something like Eley, Lapua, or SK, the cheap stuff will shoot really well for about 5 or 6 rounds, until the “good” lube is out of the barrel.
That seems to reinforce my belief that good lube is a big factor in accuracy.
 
Lager said:
Just got back from a match tonight and Ive got to tell you that the Center X is the bomb.. Its soooo nice to hit the target, right close to where you are aiming when using a factory squirrel gun.. What's also nice is that my choice of using a Savage as compared to the popular CZ, was correct. Now I have a real chance of winning this weekends competition..
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Glad you found something that works in your rifle. I normally shoot Eley Target and Eley Black Box. Once in a while I will shoot Center X and once the barrel is lubed with the new ammo (about 20 rounds) it is great stuff for my rifle also.
 
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