.22 ammo accuracy

jds56

Is there a critical dimension or factor that most affects the accuracy or velocity of .22 LR ammo? Why do different brands or different lots of the same brand behave differently? I've tried sorting by weight to the .1 gr. but could see no improvement in consistancy.

Der Gebirgsjager

Given a good barrel to shoot it from, I believe that the accuracy of .22 ammo is reliant on precision of manufacure by a company that takes the time to assure that each component part of the cartridge is the same as all the others. Eley seems to get the nod from most folks for accuracy and uniformity.

ndbilly

Ditto the Eley comment. It's pricey for rimfire ammo but the groups I shoot with Eley are consistently better than the ones I get with with standard brands. Same gun, same shooting session.

HAL-9000

I know a lot of our guys at the rimfire shoots sort their ammo by weight, usually because they cannot aford the real good match ammo. I use the Federal Gold Match(about $18.00 for 500 rounds), but I'm just in it for the fun of it. The real shooters use that $10.00 a box ammo. I clean my barrel often, and practice my breathing and trigger pull. I have a Ruger 10-22T, I beat out some of the good shooters once in a while, but I'm never in the top 5. Serious shooters have serious equiptment and ammo.Good luckHAL

Guns & Glass

Measure the rim diameter, and thickness.Thickness being the more important. Seperate into lots by the sizes. You will see a difference in groups. You can buy special guages that make it easier.

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Happy Bullet Holes!

luger01

All of the above info is good, but allow me to add a bit.Gauges to measure .22 LR rims are available from Sinclair (www.sinclair.com). Not cheap, but worth it if you really want the best accuracy.Ammo: Excellent ammo is made by Eley, Remington (now the American maker/distributor of Eley) and Federal match grades. Shoot at least 50 rounds through a perfectly clean barrel before you shoot for score. Make sure your barrel is totally clean when switching ammo (brand and/or load), re-foul the barrel with another 50 rounds and shoot your groups. The different waxes used on different loads needs time to build up uniformly in a barrel - that is why you need to do the 50+ rounds. If you shoot 10 rounds of Federal Ultra Match, 10 rounds of Eley Club Xtra, and 10 rounds of CCI Green Label, you'll not really know what you, your rifle, and the ammo is capable of. You may find that 0.1" is all the difference between $10/box and $5/box ammo. Try as many different bands/loads/lots as you can. When you find one that works to your satisfaction - buy a large quantity. You may never find that specific lot again.Cleaning your barrel is as important as everything else combined. Rods are usually about the size of the bore, so there is a significant amount of contact with the bore. Buy and use the best rods (I recommend Dewey teflon coated) and either clean from the receiver end or use a muzzle guide. Even from the receiver end, I recommend using a guide, as wear on a match chamber will degrade accuracy.Oh, and be sure to have fun! We now have .22s that are some of the most accurate and enjoyable firearms available. They can also be the most challenging. Enjoy your sessions at the range and take a friend who doesn't shoot (yet). Have a .22 for your friend to plink with and learn on. We need more shooters in this country!

spclark

Luger01 - thanks for the tips; just started breaking in a new Kimber SVT & was wondering about the "shoot five & clean, shoot five more & clean" & why my groups'd tighten up when I got past thirty rounds or so & started shooting 10 rounds after cleaning. I'm using the only match Eley ammo I can find locally, I learned that much with another .22 (T/C Classic).Can you check that URL for Sinclair? I tried the one you posted & it took me to a web development company; nowhere can I find anything on .22 lr rim gauges there.

Rembrandt

I bought a rim thickness gauge years ago made by "Neil Jones Custom Products"....you can quickly weed out the fliers in a box of ammo and get more consistent rounds. Think I paid about $50 for it, not sure if they are still in business. Don't know if the address is still good, might give it a try... Neil Jones Custom ProductsRR#1, Box 483ASagertown, Pa. 16433(814) 763-2769 By far the most accurate .22 ammo I have every used was Eley Tennex...about the price of a box of shotgun shells, but worth every penny if you're shooting competition.[This message has been edited by Rembrandt (edited 01-06-2002).]

luger01

spclark,You got me. Guess I was in a hurry. Try www.sinclairintl.com. Do a search for "G-3 Rimfire Accuracy Gage". It's $25.25. The Rimfire Sorting Block is helpful (or you can drill holes in a wood block and do the same thing), too.

oz652

I really have to agree with Luger01, I went out and bought 100 rounds of everybodys ammo that was under 5.00 then sat down on a calm nice day set up with sand bags and a cement table and shot and shot and shot... My rifle did the best with Winchester super x solid copper jacketed, high velocity in the plastic see thru box. I went back to that store and bought a case. You will see a dramatic difference shooting at 75 yards and then 100, the little lr's putter out, especially at 125. Using a target board with 1" grid type targets you can measure the drop, and it gets significant. [This message has been edited by oz652 (edited 01-06-2002).][This message has been edited by oz652 (edited 01-06-2002).]

Rembrandt

Found the rimfire thickness gauge I refered to earlier, click on below....go to accessories/gauges.22 Rimfire Accuracy GaugeThis gauge permits rim thickness measurements and segregation into more uniform lots. Inexpensive ammunition may be "improved" and even match lots can be helped. GAU-RAG-22 .22 Rimfire Accuracy Gauge $44.00 http://www.championshooters.com/start.html [This message has been edited by Rembrandt (edited 01-06-2002).]

luger01

Nice gauge (Champion), but if you alreadu have a set of calipers, go with the Sinclair setup and buy a couple boxes of ammo.