.22lr Accuracy at 100 Yards
- Thread starter Shmackey
- Start date
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Since 2011 I have continued to shoot small bore prone, I have upgraded my rifle to a 1976 version:
As my round and match count has increased, I have been using lighter triggers. I believe the rifle is set up for a 4 ounce first stage and an 8 ounce second stage trigger. I am of the opinion that a light trigger is an advantage as you move the rifle less upon trigger release. You can shoot exceptional scores with heavier triggers, you just have to pay more attention to your hand and finger movements.
I rarely shoot ten X cleans at 100 yards. These are exceptional match targets for me:
For me to shoot a 10X clean (the X ring is about ¾”) it has to be a really good day. Twenty two bullets are so wind sensitive that winds can’t be nasty gusty or swirling. I need enough sunlight to read the mirage. The slightest wind increase will blow bullets out to the nine ring. If the wind is consistent and predictable I can really lay them in the X ring.
You still can shoot exceptionally well with vintage 22 LR’s such as the Remington M37. Unless the M37 has an aftermarket trigger, the pull weight is no less than 3.0 pounds. The stock follows the match rules of the period, which were written by the military, so that a small bore rifle stock was as close in configuration to a type C M1903 or Garand stock as possible. This M37was owned by Larry Moore, Larry is on the front of this http://www.gunsmagazine.com/1956issues/G1256.pdf Dec 1956 Guns Magazine. The Club President shot long range with Larry Moore and was able to buy this M37 from Larry’s estate. It has an Eric Johnson barrel, which was first class in its day. The President shot in a local 22 LR prone match, but he decided to shoot “F Class”, that is with a rest. These are two of his 100 yard bulls.
For practice, I still drag out vintage blunderbusses, this H &R M12 is one I have been having fun shooting.
Recently I shot this target in practice, prone with a sling at 100 yards.Still, the horrible stock configuration and heavy (3 pound) trigger work against best consistency. With a better stock and trigger this would be a very competitive rifle.
Having enough 22 LR’s to compare, I can say that matching the ammunition to the rifle is critical for best accuracy. As a general rule, the more expensive ammunition is more consistent. However, I have shot some amazing groups with lower priced, Eley Club, RWS Target, SK Match plus. Rifles are picky, for example, the H&R M12 shoots my lot of Club very well, pukes on RWS Target. RWS Target shoots exceptionally well in my BSA Martini. I cannot explain it, perhaps it is due to randomness, but I really think, you have to test particular lots of ammunition in the rifle, and which lot shoots best in one rifle will not necessarily shoot best in another.
For reference, I copied these numbers from the Eley Presentation given at the 2014 Small Bore Prone National Matches at Elkhart IN 2014
Factory Range Ammunition Test results
Anschutz M1913 serial number 3,125, 490
Red Box Tennex
600 rounds, (100 meters) 22.7mm extreme spread
Walther rifle
Same lot Red Box Tennex
600 rounds (100 meters) 25.7 mm extreme spread
Eley has its own in door range, is not shooting these rounds outside where the winds can blow the bullets around.
As my round and match count has increased, I have been using lighter triggers. I believe the rifle is set up for a 4 ounce first stage and an 8 ounce second stage trigger. I am of the opinion that a light trigger is an advantage as you move the rifle less upon trigger release. You can shoot exceptional scores with heavier triggers, you just have to pay more attention to your hand and finger movements.
I rarely shoot ten X cleans at 100 yards. These are exceptional match targets for me:
For me to shoot a 10X clean (the X ring is about ¾”) it has to be a really good day. Twenty two bullets are so wind sensitive that winds can’t be nasty gusty or swirling. I need enough sunlight to read the mirage. The slightest wind increase will blow bullets out to the nine ring. If the wind is consistent and predictable I can really lay them in the X ring.
You still can shoot exceptionally well with vintage 22 LR’s such as the Remington M37. Unless the M37 has an aftermarket trigger, the pull weight is no less than 3.0 pounds. The stock follows the match rules of the period, which were written by the military, so that a small bore rifle stock was as close in configuration to a type C M1903 or Garand stock as possible. This M37was owned by Larry Moore, Larry is on the front of this http://www.gunsmagazine.com/1956issues/G1256.pdf Dec 1956 Guns Magazine. The Club President shot long range with Larry Moore and was able to buy this M37 from Larry’s estate. It has an Eric Johnson barrel, which was first class in its day. The President shot in a local 22 LR prone match, but he decided to shoot “F Class”, that is with a rest. These are two of his 100 yard bulls.
For practice, I still drag out vintage blunderbusses, this H &R M12 is one I have been having fun shooting.
Recently I shot this target in practice, prone with a sling at 100 yards.Still, the horrible stock configuration and heavy (3 pound) trigger work against best consistency. With a better stock and trigger this would be a very competitive rifle.
Having enough 22 LR’s to compare, I can say that matching the ammunition to the rifle is critical for best accuracy. As a general rule, the more expensive ammunition is more consistent. However, I have shot some amazing groups with lower priced, Eley Club, RWS Target, SK Match plus. Rifles are picky, for example, the H&R M12 shoots my lot of Club very well, pukes on RWS Target. RWS Target shoots exceptionally well in my BSA Martini. I cannot explain it, perhaps it is due to randomness, but I really think, you have to test particular lots of ammunition in the rifle, and which lot shoots best in one rifle will not necessarily shoot best in another.
For reference, I copied these numbers from the Eley Presentation given at the 2014 Small Bore Prone National Matches at Elkhart IN 2014
Factory Range Ammunition Test results
Anschutz M1913 serial number 3,125, 490
Red Box Tennex
600 rounds, (100 meters) 22.7mm extreme spread
Walther rifle
Same lot Red Box Tennex
600 rounds (100 meters) 25.7 mm extreme spread
Eley has its own in door range, is not shooting these rounds outside where the winds can blow the bullets around.
scottishkat
Member
I used to shoot in 200 yard NRA matches in MA over 20 years ago at Old Colony in Duxbury and there were plenty of 22lr shooters that held their own with Win 52's and Anschuts.
That little rifle is capable of exceptional accuracy at 100 yds
Good luck and shoot straight
Bob
That little rifle is capable of exceptional accuracy at 100 yds
Good luck and shoot straight
Bob
General Geoff
Member
My factory-stock Marlin 980S-CF with a $75 Simmons scope on it will do 2 inch groups all day at 100 yards, with cheapo bulk ammo. With better ammo, the rifle is capable of 1.5 inch groups. These are 5 round groups, btw.
MCgunner
Member
My old Remington 512 bolt gun shoots 1.5 MOA at 100 yards on a calm day. Won't when it's windy, of course. Time of flight can be measured with a calender. I've not tried it with match ammo, this is with high velocity stuff. It shoots one hole groups at 50 yards with RWS Target, seems to prefer that to Eley match or 10X, go figure. I got that old rifle 53 years ago for my ninth birthday and it still shoots lights out. No telling how many squirrels it's taken over the years and it's beaten up plenty of Marlins in "plinker shoots" with the gun club I used to belong to. 
Red Cent
Member
Thank you for the nice words. I am cherry picking my targets of course, there are trash cans full of targets I don’t want to talk about and will deny having made. If anything, it is all down to practice, practice, and more practice. Small bore prone matches end either October or November, because the weather, rainy season comes in and match directors don’t like showing up and being the only person at the range. So in the down period, I have been playing with some of the vintage rifles I started shooting. I posted the H&R M12 targets, just recently shot my M52D. I am surprised on just how well I shot the M52D with a scope, and some of the iron sight groups. I was not as consistent seven years ago with the rifle and that proves I have learned something since then.
My Anschutz match 22LR’s have stock adjustments that put me into one orientation as I shoot. Head position, hand position, shoulder position, can be dialed in and it makes one heck of a difference in consistency. Of the rifles I shoot, 22 LR's are the only ones where trigger pull consistency shows up on the target. You see the bullet move if you hit the trigger too hard or off axis. Everything affects everything.
So having learned some things from the “better” rifles, I am finding that my vintage rifles were actually, quite accurate, if you learn how to shoot them. Still, working on shooting a 1200 out of 120 rounds, or a 1600 out of 160 rounds. Talked to Joe Farmer at the Nationals, he is 85, and still shoots the occasional 1600, go Joe!
Picture of Joe here: http://riflebarrels.com/winners/default.htm
Ar180shooter
Member
This is a target I shot at 50 yards, 5 shots each, all consecutive, no re-shoots. Rifle was a stock CZ 452, ammunition was Eley Club.
Group sizes were as follows:
0.183"
0.390"
0.273"
0.286"
0.337"
Average = 0.294" (rounded up)
Group sizes were as follows:
0.183"
0.390"
0.273"
0.286"
0.337"
Average = 0.294" (rounded up)
There are some good shooters on this board. I guess I've got few cherry picked targets myself. I have quite a few of them I guess so at some point it gets beyond sheer luck. But with a .22 there's always some luck involved because the ammo isn't perfect. And as was said before the trigger pull is critical. It doesn't take much to move a bullet around 50 yards down range when you're measuring groups by the 1/100th of an inch or less.
Here's one I don't post a lot.
And one more just for the people who say I always post the same groups.
I have quite a few of them I guess so at some point it gets beyond sheer luck. But with a .22 there's always some luck involved because the ammo isn't perfect. And as was said before the trigger pull is critical. It doesn't take much to move a bullet around 50 yards down range when you're measuring groups by the 1/100th of an inch or less. Here's one I don't post a lot.
And one more just for the people who say I always post the same groups.
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gamestalker
member
Oh man, I love shooting yotes at long range. Though it isn't much of a testament to accuracy, I like to walk the rounds in on them at 200 - 300 yds. with a 3x9 Leupold. I do it with one of my 10/22's, or with one of my Marlin 60's, it's a gas. I can usually get my mark on them within the first 3 shots, it's all over after that.
GS
GS
Yorkshire shooter
Member
Cz452
Hi all from across the pond,myCZ 452 would pull under 1ins groups at 100m with no real hardship wind being a factor,,but my rifle with over the counter SK ammo was a tack driver , the next 5 rounds same position ect use thunderbolts and the paper would look like a M60 beaten zone, you have to try lots of ammo:
Cheers Gary
Hi all from across the pond,myCZ 452 would pull under 1ins groups at 100m with no real hardship wind being a factor,,but my rifle with over the counter SK ammo was a tack driver , the next 5 rounds same position ect use thunderbolts and the paper would look like a M60 beaten zone, you have to try lots of ammo:
Cheers Gary
No target to show, but my best group to-date was .495 for five shots with a CZ 452 Lux, 3-9x scope, Federal Ultra Match, shot at midnight in a lighted outdoor tunnel range. I quit then because I assumed that was as good as it (read I) could ever get...
I've never attempted it again since I don't have any of the ammo, rifle, or range access that I used to.
M
I've never attempted it again since I don't have any of the ammo, rifle, or range access that I used to.
M
What the heck. Here's another one for those that claim I always post the same targets. Imagine that. They're surprised that I post my best targets. Hmm...
This one is from 90 yards with my Savage. .331 at 90 yards isn't bad is it?
Here's another 90 yard target I shot with my Marlin 60SS. I don't think they believe me when I say I have a lot of these. .284 at 90 yards shot off the hood of a truck resting on an old towel. I have two more groups on the same target BTW.
I shot this group right after the 3 shot group above again at 90 yards.
There are more for all you naysayers. Maybe I'll post those later. Well maybe one more now. 50 yards with my CZ this time.
So am I really cherry picking? Because I have a bunch more of these but I don't want to hog all the fun.
This one is from 90 yards with my Savage. .331 at 90 yards isn't bad is it?
Here's another 90 yard target I shot with my Marlin 60SS. I don't think they believe me when I say I have a lot of these. .284 at 90 yards shot off the hood of a truck resting on an old towel. I have two more groups on the same target BTW.
I shot this group right after the 3 shot group above again at 90 yards.
There are more for all you naysayers. Maybe I'll post those later. Well maybe one more now. 50 yards with my CZ this time.
So am I really cherry picking? Because I have a bunch more of these but I don't want to hog all the fun.
arspeukinen
Member
My most accurate .22lr rifle (Suomen Leijona, bolt action single shot) does one hole at 50m and always hits a beer can at 160 meters.
I am not familiar with that rifle at all. Can you give us some details? It sounds like a fine shooter.
I did a Google search and found some info. First that it's called "The Finnish Lion". That makes for quite a translation there. We have the term "finish line" which sounds very similar. But I'd like to know how common the rifles are in Finland. I saw where some were exported to the US but I've never even heard of one much less seen one. Are they all as accurate as yours? I understand that they take shooting seriously in Finland (along with driving). I've seen several photos on Google but no two of them seem to be the same so I'm at a loss as to what they look like.
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arspeukinen
Member
They were manufactured from the 30's to the 80's I think, so there are many variations.
Mine looks like this one http://fi.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suomen_Leijona
except has bipod and scope.
Mine looks like this one http://fi.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suomen_Leijona
except has bipod and scope.
Plastikosmd
Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2011
- Messages
- 828
I am a standard 40x guy
Iron sights at 100 , couple 5 shot dime groups
Even the sporter shoots well, too bad about the 5 th flier in this one at 100, 4 at least were in! Still working up ammo
Iron sights at 100 , couple 5 shot dime groups
Even the sporter shoots well, too bad about the 5 th flier in this one at 100, 4 at least were in! Still working up ammo
Plastikosmd
Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2011
- Messages
- 828
Not rare for sure, they are just my style!
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