"Abnormal" 22 loads & "Abnormal" Groups

[Squid556]

A while back I bought a half dozen different .22LR loads to print out of the Henry Survival rifle. Figured y'all might enjoy seeing how they performed.

Three shot groups from 25 yards, prone, with factory irons.

36gr Mini Mag
36gr Federal
36gr Armscor
40gr Blazer
All shot in a similar manor, two shots bring close together while throwing the third slightly.

What I didnt expect was such a hard POI shift with the 32gr Stinger... And I'm not sure what to even say about the ultra slow 40 grain Quiet 22.

I've had my suspicions with those two loads before in that rifle, but never compared it like this. Explains quite a few misses I had before this. It just struck me as odd that the fastest AND the slowest performed so badly.

I'm not saying this is a statement of all rifles performance with these loads, just what they did for me out of this flimsy pilot rifle.

 

[55fairlane]

Interesting results.....thanks for sharing

 

[Aszerigan]

CCI Minimags are still the best 22LR in my opinion. Consistent quality and good accuracy. No surprise in your results. Nice pics, thanks for sharing.

 

[DadSmith]

I have similar results with Stingers in my 10/22 at 50yd it was actually around 1.487" 10 shot groups.

Here are my test results when I went hunting for the most accurate round for my rifle.

22lr velocity test

Rifle used is a stock Ruger 10/22. CCI Stinger 10 shots Avg fps: 1508 Highest fps: 1539 Lowest fps: 1464 Extreme Spread: 75 Standard Deviation : 22 50 yard 10 shot group 1.487" Agulia Super Extra 40gr 10 shots Avg fps: 1205 Highest fps: 1232 Lowest fps: 1170 Extreme Spread: 62...

www.indianagunowners.com

 

[Squid556]

I have similar results with Stingers in my 10/22 at 50yd it was actually around 1.487" 10 shot groups.

Here are my test results when I went hunting for the most accurate round for my rifle.

22lr velocity test

Rifle used is a stock Ruger 10/22. CCI Stinger 10 shots Avg fps: 1508 Highest fps: 1539 Lowest fps: 1464 Extreme Spread: 75 Standard Deviation : 22 50 yard 10 shot group 1.487" Agulia Super Extra 40gr 10 shots Avg fps: 1205 Highest fps: 1232 Lowest fps: 1170 Extreme Spread: 62...

www.indianagunowners.com

That’s some great data. Those Eley force loads are crazy good. Your data really shows how much more accurate the Ruger is than the AR-7. Although in my mind they really are two different animals. Hard to fairly compare accuracy.

Later on after my test, I scoped the survival rifle and went to 50 yards. Mini Mags were 3 inches at 50 yds. That was fine with me considering the rifle.

However I ended up trying a box of that sweet SK yellow box. Took my group all the way down to 1 inch at 50 yds. Worth a try if you haven’t already.

 

[DadSmith]

That’s some great data. Those Eley force loads are crazy good. Your data really shows how much more accurate the Ruger is than the AR-7. Although in my mind they really are two different animals. Hard to fairly compare accuracy.

Later on after my test, I scoped the survival rifle and went to 50 yards. Mini Mags were 3 inches at 50 yds. That was fine with me considering the rifle.

However I ended up trying a box of that sweet SK yellow box. Took my group all the way down to 1 inch at 50 yds. Worth a try if you haven’t already.

I think if you start searching for a load like I did you will run across one your rifle loves. Then stockpile it if possible. It just takes time and $$ to buy all the different types of ammunition and test each one. Try Eley force and Agulia Super Extra 40gr when you get a chance.
You might be surprised how accurate your rifle is once you find the right ammunition it likes.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Accuracy and .22LR platforms is so....fickle.

someone's rig will only "be accurate" with the $20 / box super holy moly match ammo...

while someone else's rifle will have just as good results with Remington Golden Bullets...

Maddening!

 

[BE Mike]

My "go to" .22 ammo for rifle and pistol is CCI Standard Velocity. I have a buddy who swears by the CCI 36 gr. HP's out of his S&W M&P .22 rifle. Looks like it works for those Swamp People too, but they only look for groups at distances measured in inches!

 

[DadSmith]

I found a few pictures that uploaded to a cloud I forgot about. My old cellphone died and I lost a lot of information and photos. I now have everything going to the SD chip instead. Old dog learning something the hard way as usual.

These are all 10 shot groups.

25yds


50yds the circles are point of aim. My rifle is shot in using CCI Segmented hyper velocity.


50yds

 

[BE Mike]

I found a few pictures that uploaded to a cloud I forgot about. My old cellphone died and I lost a lot of information and photos. I now have everything going to the SD chip instead. Old dog learning something the hard way as usual.

These are all 10 shot groups.

25yds
View attachment 186891

50yds the circles are point of aim. My rifle is shot in using CCI Segmented hyper velocity.
View attachment 186892

50yds
View attachment 186893

Nice tests! I'm not surprised that your rifle likes Eley .22 ammo, but I am surprised that it likes Eley high velocity over Eley standard velocity offerings. I once owned a Ruger 10/22 and it didn't shoot well with anything! My Savage/ Anschutz bolt action shoots minute of squirrel with CCI Small Game Bullet.

 

[snorko]

Oddly in my Henry AR7 Aguila 60gr SSS shoots surprisingly well.

 

[DadSmith]

Oddly in my Henry AR7 Aguila 60gr SSS shoots surprisingly well.

I want to try that if I ever find some.

@BE Mike Eley Contact did good at 25yds but really opened up at 50yd that was surprising to me.

 

[Squid556]

I want to try that if I ever find some.

@BE Mike Eley Contact did good at 25yds but really opened up at 50yd that was surprising to me.

We just got some in at the shop. King and country in north Manchester. I planned on listing it on gunbroker today actually. PM me if you’re interested.

 

[Mgderf]

Accuracy and .22LR platforms is so....fickle.

someone's rig will only "be accurate" with the $20 / box super holy moly match ammo...

while someone else's rifle will have just as good results with Remington Golden Bullets...

Maddening!

I have more .22's than I care to admit and I don't think any two shoot the same even using ammo from the same box.
I have an 1885 Low-Wall in .22lr that shoots just barely low with CCI Mini-mags, while my Mossberg model 44 shoots slightly high with the same ammo.
My Ruger 10/22 shoots pretty much to point of aim with Mini-mags, but my Chiappa 1911 throws them all over the place.

 

[55fairlane]

Cci mini mag is my go to in my AR22....shoots well enough to pick up medals at Camp Perry.....my Anschutz really likes RWS.....but like most target rifles it will shoot well with just about anything....even golden bullet....

 

[snapping turtle]

My main 22 is a marlin 39a and it shoots Remington thunderbolts well.(someone said that guy who has a gun who shoots golden bullets well would be around well almost) It will shoot standard mini mags very well. It does great with lots of rounds. I got like two cases of the rem8ngton rounds very cheap at an estate sale and was very pleased at the accuracy considering the price per round. Maybe it was a good batch but I have about 900 left out of 10k. THUNDERBOLTS are as dirty as a girl who drinks every night at the bar and has no job. So I have to clean the marlin often to keep the accuracy up. After fifty rounds she needs a patch or two. Can’t say how many tree rats and ground hogs have met their maker with this combo.

My Kimber 82g like lead 40 grain at 1007 FPS. any faster of slower and the accuracy suffers. Harmonics? no breaking the speed of sound maybe. Unknown. It and the marlin have 24 inch barrels. It is my most accurate rimfire but it is 11 pound rifle. S and b standard was my go to but I am out of it and ely match has filled in when I can get it.

The ruger target 10-22 like Winchester wildcats well. Once again I got a steal of a deal back went ammo was not gold. The Remington stuff is to dirty for the auto and it will fail within several mags and then needs a complete clean to get her running again.

the pistols a browning silly wet buckmark shoots Federal lighting well enough to keep up with the ruger target to 45 yards. Can put down tree rats but they have been known to drop and run. So if I hunt I have to give up so accurate rounds for a hollow point federal round.I wish I shot pistols better as this one is accurate pistol much better than I can shoot it.

the ruger mark 2 government will shoot any standard or high velocity stuff. It is not as accurate as the longer browning so I took the scope off and it is just a practice pistol now. It wore a swift four power scope for years and I had made some great shots with it. The browning is just better in the roll of scoped 22 pistol.

I have a Springfield model 15 Boy Scout style rifle that is older than biden’s grandma. It shoots ok up close and I have CCI quiet stuff for it currently. I have never really shot it for groups and it‘s dispatcher roll seemed to be perfect for the CCI quiet. Tin cans at 10 yards.

so Yes the ammo stash needs updating. Nice to see others showing off groups with rifles to see the group sizes. Heck I have ammo older than I am. When I was into ammo testing I would clean the barrel between brand or style changes and then Fire three rounds to season the barrel for the new round. Then shoot the group, I found it was more telling accuracy wise than just switching out rounds in a mag and shooting a target. Another thing I found is the first round in the ruger mark 2 shot high if I did not fire the new round from the mag. In other words a high first round when dropping the slide onto the fully loaded mag. If the mag was loaded with 7 rounds I could slide drop the round fine. Weird once you have shot enough rounds to see that little things make a difference.

 

[Jlong51454]

I am a semi cheapskate. I got a savage mark II to compete in our weekly club match. I tried several different ammo types and the best was cci standard velocity. One of the really experienced guys gave me a box of wolf match extra and that stuff was the ticket. I went home and looked up the price on that stuff and I just couldn't justify 12 cents a round. I got some of the Norma tac22 and it shot about the same as the cci standard. I bought a 13/16 lock collar off ebay and started trying it out on the barrel in different positions I finally found a sweet spot .65 inches from the muzzle and that thing will hold .4-.6 groups all day. I shot it at our last match and some of the older guys were really surprised I could get that kind of accuracy with the cheaper ammo and a factory rifle. 22's are finicky animals but once you find a tune they like its nothing but fun, IMHO.

 

[Squid556]

I am a semi cheapskate. I got a savage mark II to compete in our weekly club match. I tried several different ammo types and the best was cci standard velocity. One of the really experienced guys gave me a box of wolf match extra and that stuff was the ticket. I went home and looked up the price on that stuff and I just couldn't justify 12 cents a round. I got some of the Norma tac22 and it shot about the same as the cci standard. I bought a 13/16 lock collar off ebay and started trying it out on the barrel in different positions I finally found a sweet spot .65 inches from the muzzle and that thing will hold .4-.6 groups all day. I shot it at our last match and some of the older guys were really surprised I could get that kind of accuracy with the cheaper ammo and a factory rifle. 22's are finicky animals but once you find a tune they like its nothing but fun, IMHO.

I’ve done a little bit of testing with barrel tuners. A guy could really get lost playing with all the variables! I have a customer who shoots serious bench rest rimfire. Says he likes to use a tuner, especially when shooting non pet loads.

That savage is no joke! For the money they offer the best accuracy in my opinion. Another rimfire junky I shoot with bought one and dropped it in a Boyds stock. From what I’ve seen it usually shoots .5 minute at 50

 

[snapping turtle]

Accuracy and .22LR platforms is so....fickle.

someone's rig will only "be accurate" with the $20 / box super holy moly match ammo...

while someone else's rifle will have just as good results with Remington Golden Bullets...

Maddening!

I had several marlin 39a’s at one time. When I thinned the herd three of the regular 39a’s were still in the running as they grouped great. One had wood that was gorgeous looking so it went into the keep pile. I needed to choose one of the two left. Both grouped great with mini mags. Both grouped great with federal game shock. Both shot Winchester wildcats about the same. One shot great with Remington golden bullets and one did not. Looking at 11k rounds of golden bullets from an estate sale (maybe the best estate sale I purchase I ever made) that one stayed around. That was years ago and it still is grouping those golden bullets great. I think I am now down to a small pack left of those 21k rounds and other than them being maybe the dirtiest rounds ever I will be sad to see them all shot up.