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22 ammo

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Sep 9, 2021
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Got bit by the long range 22 bug. It's alot of fun. With the exception of some mini-mags, all the 22 ammo that I have ever bought. Came in a bulk box. And it just isn't consistent enough for this game.

Before I go out an buy 1 of every flavor. What brands should I be on the lookout for?
 
I’m not going to be much help for anything long range, most of my shooting in the last ten years or so has been within 50 yds. I collected a decent variety of .22 ammo during the “.22 famine“ a few years ago. I shoot mostly shorts around the property (bunny control). I have found Remington and CCI to be the most consistent for my uses.

What distances are you shooting at?

This may be something I could get into :smokin:
 
Just plinking with this thing. Ruger precision 22lr, swfa 12x.. Has a 30moa rail, rings add another 30moa. Zeroed at 50yrds. Spent a bit of time plinking at 258yrds and then stretched it to 613 yards lol.

Bipod off the hood of a hot truck, gusty as hell wind, sun in your eyes, shit ammo. And that was the most fun I have had with a rifle in a long time

36.3 mils of adjustment lol.

Reading about it. Seems the standard velocity is more consistent at distance than the high velocity..
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Try Wolf match 22. It’s made by Eley.
 
Elay, Lapua center-x, CCI sv, SK standard+ or rifle match. I have the RPRR as well as the comp 10/22,a 457 and a few others. We were doing matches out to about 300 yds.
My rprr likes the center-x so I was using it or one of the elays (I cant remember which) for matches and either the CCI sv (cheapest) or SK standard+ (cheaper)for practice or dicking around. The rugers really dont seem to like the higher velocity stuff.
 
Watching this as I have a CZ 457 on the way that I'd like to start stretching out a little further.
 
Yes, do not get super-sonic shells. They're great at short distances for blowing up gophers and such, but in long distance shooting when it goes transonic, the bullet goes all to hell. I did a big test with my S&W M&P AR15 Performance Center model and it liked the Wolf Extra the best. I've got a Voodoo on order, so I'll test again once I get it...and the barrel is broken in (:flipoff2:).
 
My Tikka shoots CCI SV in one ragged hole at 50, it’s not quite that good at 100 but it’s still a respectable group. Eley match shoots worse.

I’m no expert on it, but from my understanding any of the high velocity/mini mag type rounds will be worse at longer ranges, due to them going trans-sonic and possibly tumbling.
 
I think I’m going to start looking for another .22 bolt action for some long range plinking

The vintage Remington will stay in service as the go to bunny gun :grinpimp:
 
Thank you.. will order up a few different bricks and see what it likes.

Is the Norma Tac worth messing with? Seems like I see it on sale all the time

The vintage Remington will stay in service as the go to bunny gun :grinpimp:

My 94/22 hasnt shot much besides cb shorts in quite awhile
 
i had this written down a few years ago and i think i can remember it correctly, but there is some correlation between SK and Wolf ammo.

wolf match extra = SK rifle match
wolf match target = SK standard plus

all the prices of things are messed up these days, but used to be you could get SK cheaper than wolf.

for good quality ammo, id stick with Wolf, Lapua, and SK.
 
Interesting information, to be sure. I have always used the high velocity stuff in my dedicated .22lr just to get the damn thing to cycle 100%. I'm sure the barrel has finally been lovingly and meticulously broken in (emphasis on :flipoff2:). So, if I understand correctly, my dedicated.22lr will never be a tack driver at a 100 yds or more if I care about it cycling properly? Whew, I thought it might be my optic (I'm using irons), or worse, me...:laughing:
 
Seems to be a pretty popular opinion. Most are shooting a lot farther than 100yrds with them though
 
i had this written down a few years ago and i think i can remember it correctly, but there is some correlation between SK and Wolf ammo.

wolf match extra = SK rifle match
wolf match target = SK standard plus
Yeah, that's correct, and of course the extra was the most expensive of all the ammo tested, but the CCI SV was a close second for less than half the price.

Edit; It seems it was made by SK up until 2018 and now it's made by Eley in the UK.
 
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Interesting information, to be sure. I have always used the high velocity stuff in my dedicated .22lr just to get the damn thing to cycle 100%. I'm sure the barrel has finally been lovingly and meticulously broken in (emphasis on :flipoff2:). So, if I understand correctly, my dedicated.22lr will never be a tack driver at a 100 yds or more if I care about it cycling properly? Whew, I thought it might be my optic (I'm using irons), or worse, me...:laughing:

im not following what you are trying to say?

your groups will be much better at 100 yards if you start out with your MV being subsonic. it doesnt mean it wont group ok at 100 yards or not be minute of squirrel, it just means when the bullet goes transonic, it can affect if in an unpredictable way and affect the groups. in my opinion, on some of that high velocity stuff that goes transonic, the wind at 100 will have just as much effect as the sonic transition will.

also remember, speed of sound is temperature dependent. sound is at 1180 when its 100 degrees out. so on hot days, that transonic will happen sooner as your high velocity bullets slow down.

if you are shooting high velocity stuff when its colder, speed of sound at 32 degrees is about 1080, your high velocity ammo may not slow to subsonic by the time it hits your target at 100 yards.
 
Yeah, that's correct, and of course the extra was the most expensive of all the ammo tested, but the CCI SV was a close second for less than half the price.

Edit; It seems it was made by SK up until 2018 and now it's made by Eley in the UK.


yeah i think its different now.

i always liked the Gemtech ammo and stacked it deep. it seems to be hard to find these days. but i think it was made by CCI with the 42 grain bullet.
 
im not following what you are trying to say?

your groups will be much better at 100 yards if you start out with your MV being subsonic. it doesnt mean it wont group ok at 100 yards or not be minute of squirrel, it just means when the bullet goes transonic, it can affect if in an unpredictable way and affect the groups. in my opinion, on some of that high velocity stuff that goes transonic, the wind at 100 will have just as much effect as the sonic transition will.

also remember, speed of sound is temperature dependent. sound is at 1180 when its 100 degrees out. so on hot days, that transonic will happen sooner as your high velocity bullets slow down.

if you are shooting high velocity stuff when its colder, speed of sound at 32 degrees is about 1080, your high velocity ammo may not slow to subsonic by the time it hits your target at 100 yards.
Simply this: My dedicated .22lr isn't the most accurate rifle I own/shoot. Now I can blame the ammo for, well, the somewhat large groupings. My .223 rifles have tighter groupings than the .22lr. and my M1A is a tack driver (or as much as it can be) with NM irons. I am more concerned with the .22lr cycling than with accuracy, I guess. I would be ecstatic with a 2 inch group, hasn't happened yet. I wasn't fully aware of the dynamics of .22lr ballistics until I read this thread....

Carry on...
 
anyone have or know of what is comparable to CCI Green tag? have a gun that likes it, looking for cheaper and available alternatives that would be an easy substitute. i may just have to do some trial and error testing on the different ones i have.
 
anyone have or know of what is comparable to CCI Green tag? have a gun that likes it, looking for cheaper and available alternatives that would be an easy substitute. i may just have to do some trial and error testing on the different ones i have.
The SV CCI lead nose came in a close second to the Wolf Extra, YRMV, but at $5 a hundred vs $30 a hundred for green tag, I say it's worth a try.
 
The SV CCI lead nose came in a close second to the Wolf Extra, YRMV, but at $5 a hundred vs $30 a hundred for green tag, I say it's worth a try.

i have a feeling like most of those rimfire lines, the more accurate and higher priced brands are just the lots that tested the best out of the regular run-of-the-mill line. likely green tag is the top 10% in accuracy of of CCI SV.
 
Hell, i'm just having problems paying more than $0.03 per round. Been a while since I bought 22 ammo
 
I will just leave this here...


In particular;
  1. The nonlinear Magnus moment acting on caliber .22 match bullets at transonic and subsonic speeds causes a slow-arm limit cycle yaw of approximately 1.8 degrees. The slow arm grows to the limit cycle value at about 50 metres range, and the limit cycle persists out to 100 metres range. The limit cycle yaw adds approximately 2 percent to the zero-yaw drag, but has an insignificant effect on accuracy, retained velocity and wind sensitivity.
 
i have a feeling like most of those rimfire lines, the more accurate and higher priced brands are just the lots that tested the best out of the regular run-of-the-mill line. likely green tag is the top 10% in accuracy of of CCI SV.
One of the youtube channels laid it out like that for SK IIRC.

Edit Pursuit of Accuracy
 
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i have a feeling like most of those rimfire lines, the more accurate and higher priced brands are just the lots that tested the best out of the regular run-of-the-mill line. likely green tag is the top 10% in accuracy of of CCI SV.
Green tag, standard velocity in plastic case and pistol match are the same exact ammo. Standard velocity in the paper box is the same case and bullet just different powder. CCI uses several powder suppliers to avoid single source issues. The only difference is they are sorted by lot accuracy tests.
 
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Here is a pretty realistic test. Of course it wasn't done in a National laboratory but it speaks for itself.

 
Green tag, standard velocity in plastic case and pistol match are the same exact ammo. Standard velocity in the paper box is the same case and bullet just different powder. CCI uses several powder suppliers to avoid single source issues. The only difference is they are sorted by lot accuracy tests.
Good call. 1000 rounds of plastic cased SV inbound
 
My b14r likes SK/Lapua.
My 597hb likes Eley.

Eley runs a thinner rim than SK. .038 to .042 so headspace can make a difference on which ammo your gun likes.



Last time I bought ammo sk+ was $89, and sk long range match was $99. I'll keep buying lrm for that price.

It makes a difference at distance. Lots of ammo still hold moa to 50, even 100. Have to spend the money on the good stuff to get decent vertical at 300, 400, etc. I can hold everything on a 24" plate at 500, and it's fun as hell waiting for the "ting".

CCI went to hell with QC. I have 1 lot that prints nice tiny groups, and another that is more like a shotgun pattern. I quit buying their crap based on that alone.
 
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