Looking for .22LR rifle that works for me

[T-DOGG]

Doddg, you've put yourself into a tail spin, all because you switched to ammo your guns didn't like. Don't over analyze it.

Winchester ammo = bad
CCI SV = good

Match ammo = best
(try some, please )

 

[doddg]

By your way of reasoning, a very small group 100% outside of the circle would be worse than a group that covered the circle or even had 1 or 2 in the circle. You are grading based on accuracy as opposed to precision it seems. I know others have brought this up before, and at least you are consistent on your ratings (even if it is flawed ;-) ), but kind of makes my head hurt trying to read the analysis.

The amount of variables you introduce would drive me crazy. I honestly don't know how you can keep up with shooting all the different variations of guns, optics, adjustments, etc. Don't get me wrong there will always be some, such as wind, etc that can possibly be recorded but are beyond your control, but the self introduced ones would make me crazy. Probably just one of the reasons I gave up on my attempts at the precision stuff years back (that and not having good mentorship on it at the time).

I'm possibly interested in getting a varmint type of 17 HMR bolt gun to play with, but now wondering if it would just drive me nuts.

All that said, if you could do it every day, super consistently would it be as interesting to you? I'm guessing you would just push for more range, but the point is it's challenging so it keeps your interest.
That answer may be different for some, including me.

I would be happy to have a small group outside the circle.
Easy to dial it in over to the bullseye.
It is when it doesn't dial in that I go crazy (like yesterday).

Today, I had to dial in the CZ 455 from scratch b/c I put cantilever rings on it.
It started out shooting about 8" high & 8" to the right.
It dialed in nicely today by my standards with mostly 1 ragged holes on the 12 targets & a 94% & 100% accuracy.

 

[doddg]

Fun day at the range before & during some rains.
Ditched the Winchester Super X 1300 FPS after yesterday's dismal results.
Used CCI SV today at my delight.
Another X factor is me putting cantilever rings on the CZ 455 because the scope was not coming back far enough for my eye with just regular rings.

Never got a 100% before.
80% is acceptable & 90% is great.
Can't sell any rifle getting 90%.

Row 1 is mislabeled since 33/35 = 94%.

 

[doddg]

Doddg, you've put yourself into a tail spin, all because you switched to ammo your guns didn't like. Don't over analyze it.

Winchester ammo = bad
CCI SV = good

Match ammo = best
(try some, please )

Yes, I do over analyze everything including a vacuum cleaner every decade.
You won't believe the data figuring out when to retire, buy a house, car, or furniture .
You can't imagine the research for deciding:
- if to get a Covid vaccine
- which vaccine to get
- when to get it.

What threw me with the Winchester Super X was it did OK indoors, which is always worse due to no room for a back stock rest.
Then it went South outdoors.

I was just watching a vid last night with 22 plinkster, where he was using CCI SV at 50 yds,.
It was fine, but when he put in a match grade, it took away that 1 of 5 flier.
It would be fun to shoot 50 yds with match ammo like CCI SV does at 25 yds.

 

[wtburnette]

Yes, I do over analyze everything including a vacuum cleaner every decade.
You won't believe the data figuring out when to retire, buy a house or car, or furniture.

What threw me was that it hadn't done that bad indoors where I always do worse that outdoors due to the use of a stock rest improving outdoor shots.

I do have some coveted range quality that I'm saving if the need ever materializes to show off.
If not, I'll break if out.

I was just watching a vid last night (22 plinkster, I think), where he used CCI SV, which was fine, but when he put in something else it just took away that 1 of 5 flier.
It would be fun shooting 50 yds with good ammo like I can get with 25 yds with CCI SV.

Match grade ammo is what he used. If it was 22plinkster, it may have been CCI Green Tag, which he's pretty fond of, but could easily have been Eley TenX or something else. As I believe was previously mentioned, using good Match grade ammo should help reduce fliers, as that video demonstrated. The trick is, finding ammo that the specific rifle likes best. I've tried numerous match grade ammo in my 22 rifles and some shoot okay, but only certain brands shoot really well. Each rifle / barrel will prefer a certain type of ammo. Once you identify that you should see better results. Part of the fun is in the testing

 

[T-DOGG]

Two over analyzers telling another over analyzer to stop over analyzing.

 

[doddg]

Match grade ammo is what he used. If it was 22plinkster, it may have been CCI Green Tag, which he's pretty fond of, but could easily have been Eley TenX or something else. As I believe was previously mentioned, using good Match grade ammo should help reduce fliers, as that video demonstrated. The trick is, finding ammo that the specific rifle likes best. I've tried numerous match grade ammo in my 22 rifles and some shoot okay, but only certain brands shoot really well. Each rifle / barrel will prefer a certain type of ammo. Once you identify that you should see better results. Part of the fun is in the testing

Yes! He used SV, then put in some Green Tag!
On another rifle (RPR, I think), he used some Lupua and in another some kind of Federal Gold Match type.
It's fun to see groups tighten up with using a match grade.
And, he doesn't run through 10-20 rounds to acclimate the barrel, he just shows what the match grade will do immediately, so I suppose the results would even be better after 20 rounds.

I guy gave me 5 rds of Lupua at MCFG at the range to try & I was fascinated how it tightened up my 50 yd groups a little.

 

[doddg]

Two over analyzers telling another over analyzer to stop over analyzing.

Funniest thing I've heard all day.
But, the day is young.

 

[wtburnette]

Yes! He used SV, then put in some Green Tag!
On another rifle (RPR, I think), he used some Lupua and in another some kind of Federal Gold Match type.
It's fun to see groups tighten up with using a match grade.
And, he doesn't run through 10-20 rounds to acclimate the barrel, he just shows what the match grade will do immediately, so I suppose the results would even be better after 20 rounds.

I guy gave me 5 rds of Lupua at MCFG at the range to try & I was fascinated how it tightened up my 50 yd groups a little.

Exactly. I have 200 rounds of Green Tag, a couple 50 round boxes of different Lapua ammo, some Eley Club, Eley TenX, two different kinds of wolf match ammo, some SK standard and lots of other non-match ammo to test with. Been interesting seeing what works and what doesn't.

 

[doddg]

Exactly. I have 200 rounds of Green Tag, a couple 50 round boxes of different Lapua ammo, some Eley Club, Eley TenX, two different kinds of wolf match ammo, some SK standard and lots of other non-match ammo to test with. Been interesting seeing what works and what doesn't.

Trying to save my CCI SV, especially b/c some pistols like my SW 41 must have it.
When I was trimming rifles, I tried to stay with just the CCI SV to compare apples to apples.

The Aguila Super Extra & CCI Blazer has done well for me.
The last time I bought a case of CCI Blazer I bought a 5000 rd case for $200.
If I would have known (as we all), I would have bought 3-4 cases,

My RPR did better with Aguila SE than it did with CCI SV once, surprising me, but didn't know if that was due to other X factors or not.
Looks like I'm going to keep the RPR for awhile, so I'll do a thorough test to verify that this spring.

Now that I'm down to "keeper" rifles, I want to establish a good baseline with CCI SV.
I will try out what other brands I have like I did with the Winchester Super X 1300 FPS, of which I'm putting them on the back burner for now.
They could end up being handgun fodder.

I have buckets of Remington Golden Bullets that I have as back up when my preferred ammo starts running low.
Got some 1400 rd buckets for $45 ($.03/ea), $50 & $60 & used to pay $70 ($.06/with tax) till I learned better).
I have some CCI Mini-Mags I have great hopes for.

 

[wtburnette]

Trying to save my CCI SV, especially b/c some pistols like my SW 41 must have it.
When I was trimming rifles, I tried to stay with just the CCI SV to compare apples to apples.

The Aguila Super Extra & CCI Blazer has done well for me.
The last time I bought a case of CCI Blazer I bought a 5000 rd case for $200.
If I would have known (as we all), I would have bought 3-4 cases,

My RPR did better with Aguila SE than it did with CCI SV once, surprising me, but didn't know if that was due to other X factors or not.
Looks like I'm going to keep the RPR for awhile, so I'll do a thorough test to verify that this spring.

Now that I'm down to "keeper" rifles, I want to establish a good baseline with CCI SV.
I will try out what other brands I have like I did with the Winchester Super X 1300 FPS, of which I'm putting them on the back burner for now.
They could end up being handgun fodder.

I have buckets of Remington Golden Bullets that I have as back up when my preferred ammo starts running low.
Got some 1400 rd buckets for $45 ($.03/ea), $50 & $60 & used to pay $70 ($.06/with tax) till I learned better).
I have some CCI Mini-Mags I have great hopes for.

Those golden bullets are some of the worst ammo I've ever had the misfortune to use. Many failure to fire, burning crap flying off and landing on my hands and other issues with it. I was lucky and the only box I ever bought I was able to trade with a friend who had a Walther P22 that loved that ammo for some reason, but choked on good stuff.

 

[doddg]

Those golden bullets are some of the worst ammo I've ever had the misfortune to use. Many failure to fire, burning crap flying off and landing on my hands and other issues with it. I was lucky and the only box I ever bought I was able to trade with a friend who had a Walther P22 that loved that ammo for some reason, but choked on good stuff.

I have read complaints about the Golden Bullets running poorly, but only had that experience with 1, maybe 2 semi-autos pistols I've had.
From my experience with GB, I thought it to be a viable "econo" ammo.
But, after reading comments like yours from others, I put them on the back burner & stopped stocking up on it.

 

[doddg]

Speaking of ammo, I have negative notes concerning:
- Rem. Thunderbolts (told dirty)
- Win. M-22 (a friend says they don't cycle for him)
- Am. Eagle (personal negative experience cycling in pistols)
- Win. Super X (personal poor POI)
- Armscor HV HP not work with my RPR, but OK with other things

 

[wtburnette]

A lot depends on the gun. For instance, the Winchester M-22. That stuff runs fine in my S&W Victory. What I said above about GB is an example. Ran like crap for me, even in my Victory which would run everything else fine, but my buddy could run it with no issues in his Walther. Just the nature of the beast for rimfire it seems.

 

[doddg]

A lot depends on the gun. For instance, the Winchester M-22. That stuff runs fine in my S&W Victory. What I said above about GB is an example. Ran like crap for me, even in my Victory which would run everything else fine, but my buddy could run it with no issues in his Walther. Just the nature of the beast for rimfire it seems.

When I started this journey nearly 4 yrs. ago, I had no patience with a gun than would not fire any ammo.
I sold more than one gun that I wish I still had, not realizing in my ignorance, that was simply part of the rimfire territiory.
I would try out any number of a dozen ammo brands that I had & would find the brands that worked with it, but I wanted my guns to work with any ammo, unrealistically.

As an example, I had a little Bersa .22LR, all metal satin nickel, DA/SA with a hammer that I ordered new b/c I had to have one b/c I liked that configuration & enjoyed the challenge of shooting smaller guns.
I sold it b/c it was finicky about ammo & thought it should work with any ammo.
I "accidentally" picked up another Bersa .22LR years after & shot it with no issue.
I don't even remember what ammo didn't work with it previous.

 

[wtburnette]

I'm a bit that way myself. I have a huge preference over my Victory, as it has eaten everything I've thrown at it, even the GB, though the GB had failures on occasion that I didn't get with anything else. My go to ammo for it is Federal AutoMatch, but everything has run in it. Even with the best ammo you'll occasionally get one that doesn't fire. I had one this weekend sighting in my Ruger American Rimfire Target. It was a match grade round that didn't go bang. Made me sad...

My Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Tactical is a lot more ammo picky. I've had issues with it with Federal AutoMatch and even CCI SV, though my Ruger Mark IV Competition has run everything just fine. Like I said, each gun is different, especially when you're talking rimfire.

 

[doddg]

I always research before I buy a gun.
I learned that no matter how wonderful a gun is, someone will be talking it down, so it has to be measured.
I never bought a Ruger 22SR b/c of bad reviews of unreliability with ammo, but many like it just fine.

After awhile, I discovered most were unremarkable from each other after testing out nearly all rimfires.
I really like the 4 revolvers & the dozen or less of semis that I have.
I've had 4 SW Victorys, actually one of the first .22s I bought, but liked the Browning Buckmark better.
I bought them for $275, $300, $325 & $400 ( last one had multiple magazines, trigger work & a red dot), but I never held on to one for long b/c other's shot a little better in my hand.

Ruger Mark IV Competition sounds intriguing.

 

[mcapo]

Ruger Mark IV Competition sounds intriguing.

Just gonna leave this here for sake of conversation.

 

[TJ Kackowski]

Just gonna leave this here for sake of conversation.

You just drop this photo around INGO like a bear poops in the woods ... is it really all that or just bright and shiny?

 

[mcapo]

You just drop this photo around INGO like a bear poops in the woods ... is it really all that or just bright and shiny?

Nope. Just bright and shiny. Wax it most everyday. I’d hate to get it dirty with gun powder or anything.