13 kinds of 22lr ammo tested in one day

[someguy2800]

I was just reading another post and was reminded of a test I did in 2014 when I shot a bunch of different ammo in one sitting from my savage mark II classic. This was back when 22lr ammo was impossible to find so I had collected a whole bunch of random ammo bought 100 rnds at a time whenever I could find it. I thought it would be interesting to test them all in one sitting so that if I ever needed to shoot that ammo I would be able to use this target as a reference for the point of impact. Group sizes below are just the center to center of the two farthest out hits.

My notes on the target say this was shot at 3-31-14 at 55 yards with no wind. Here is the gun



target



groups from left to right, top to bottom

Older Winchester T22 target 40gr = 1.11"
Federal Target 40gr RN = 1.64"
CCI Standard Velocity = .81" (my favorite load for years)
Remington subsonic = 2.07"
Unknown federal bulk = 1.23" (I was given this by an old Federal employee that had a 5 gallon bucket of it)
Winchester Subsonic 42gr max = .99"
Federal auto match = 1.28"
Remington Golden Bullet bulk = 1.24"
Winchester Hyper Velocity 40gr = .65" (note: this shoots very high compared to other ammo and its hot!)
Federal blue box bulk 36gr HP = 1.24"
CCI mini mag 40 gr = 1.44" first test, 1.22" second test
Winchester Super speed 37gr HP = 1.97"
CCI Velocitor = 2.05"

A few days later I also tested all of these in my buckmark pistol.



These groups were shot with the barrel sitting on a rest and a red dot sight on the top at 25 yards. The notes on the target says it was very windy



Remington golden bullet bulk 36gr = 1.28"
Federal auto match = 2.13"
Federal blue box bulk 36gr hp = 1.99"
Winchester T22 target = 1.78"
Remington Subsonic = .82" (won't reliably cycle action)
Winchester Super speed 37gr hp = 2.17"
CCI Pistol Match= 1.06"
Federal unknown bulk = .51" !!!!!
Federal Target = 1.10"
CCI Mini Mag 40gr RN = 1.08"
CCI Standard velocity = .774" (my favorite load, 3 shots in same hole)
CCI Velocitor =.96" (hunting load, high recoil, shoots 6-8 moa high)
Winchester subsonic 42 gr max = 2.08"

 

[eastbank]

some times it take a while to get the bore conditioned, i know if i clean real good or switch ammo brands my rifles will not do their best for more than a few shots down the tube. eastbank.

 

[fpgt72]

some times it take a while to get the bore conditioned, i know if i clean real good or switch ammo brands my rifles will not do their best for more than a few shots down the tube. eastbank.

I can echo this....I did the same thing only not quite so formal....I found if I switched types I would usually send about 5 rounds or so down range....then after that things would improve greatly.

I think it has to do with the bullet itself....does it have lube, does it have a jacket, hollow point or not.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

The better way to test rimfire ammo is to clean the barrel when you switch brands or even lot numbers.

 

[olkowsr]

Someguy2800,

This is EXACTLY what i was looking for the other day!

I'm about to either be a new CZ or Savage Mark-II owner and I wanted to see how CCI was compared to the goldenboys, most my shots would never be farther than 55yards.

Quick questions for anyone who is knowledgable...
- for a 22lr round in a gun like somguy2800's, is bullet drop really an issue up to 50 yards, say less than 2in (50mm)?

- Yes I know how to use the ammo manufacturers trajectory charts, however I want REAL opinions from users.

Thank you
Ron.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I zero my. 22 rifles at 50.

 

[olkowsr]

I zero my. 22 rifles at 50.

Granted I'm aware scope height plays a big role, but the bullet flies very true out to this range for you?
- standard velocity or subsonic?

I've got a Savage 64f 22lr and it cannot cycle lead rounds, but with standard velocity "golden bullets" it seems to drop an inch or two at 50 yards.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I shoot standard velocity ammo out of my scoped CZ. It is probably less than half an inch high at 25, dead in at 50, and probably drops close to 2 inches at 75.

 

[someguy2800]

My real purpose for doing this was to see the change in point of impact between different ammo, not group size. Some of this ammo I have only shot a little of, others I have shot thousands. The accuracy shown is pretty representative of what I expect all my regular rounds to do. CCI standard is my favorite in both. Remington golden bullet is my favorite bulk ammo in both. Federal blue box and Auto Match is among the worst.

As for trajectory I zero my rifle at 50 yards and my pistol at 25. Trajectory is not that much different with standard velocity and high velocity ammo. The hyper velocity types shoot very high and need to be resighted. The difference in drop between standard velocity and high velocity is dramatic at 100 yards. At very short range you have to hold over due to the sight height.

 

[kBob]

My point on the other thread was those ten rounds were fired in one sitting, one behind the other, no bore conditioning or cleaning between shots and ten rounds of ammo from four different manufacturers and no two rounds of the same type from any manufacturer.....yet all would have been at least nines and all would have been clean hits on a dime at 25 meters.

I think folks generally under rate the .22LR and its capabilities.

Oh and that rifle that printed this group of mixed ammo high on that target at 25 was at that time zeroed for 77 meters (yes, the steel piggies) with old standard velocity (subsonic) Remington White box Match ammo carefully stored from the late 1960's (alas all but gone these days).

-kBob

 

[Scooter22]

Good write up. You must have a shoulder of iron shooting all that in one day.