I'm now a believer in standard velocity .22 ammo.

I've quickly discovered that standard velocity .22 is the best stuff to shoot when you're trying to shrink groups and get better accuracy. I think the reason ALL the bulk .22 LR ammo is hi velocity is simply to maintain a certain power so that the various guns out there cycle the ammo so that people don't bash the ammo as being crap in reviews and internet media.

While CCI Mini Mags are renown for their quality, when you shoot them out further than 75 yards, they hit the transition for supersonic to subsonic and it affects accuracy. Standard Velocity .22 is subsonic and never had to deal with that transition down range. So, SV is accurate further out, it's quieter, and thus it's great for suppressor work too as it has less powder and leaves less dirt and blowback.

I think there's a case that can be made to dump the hi velocity .22 and use only standard and hyper velocity. Standard for target and ultra accuracy requirements and hyper velocity for the power when you need it.

The only downside to standard velocity is that for 500 rds it's going to cost around $40 when the bulk packs of 500 or more rounds will run for half that. I think manufacturers need to look at making bulk standard velocity and keep the price around $25.
 
Shockwave Wind Deflection

One thing I found out when shooting Rimfire Benchrest is that supersonic ammo has more wind deflection than subsonic because at some point, it goes through the transonic zone to subsonic and the resulting shockwave gives it more frontal area to be subjected to wind deflection. If it either starts out subsonic or stays supersonic, deflection is less.

It's not as important when shooting at game, but makes a big difference in target shooting, especially in group size.
 
In my auto pistols, I usually run something faster than std. velocity rounds for function more than accuracy. But when shooting my Anschutz 1416HB, I stick with subsonic (under 1100 fps). Reasoning being is that when an bullet travels from supersonic to subsonic, this transition induces some instability in the bullet which usually translates to decreased accuracy. This occurs in any bullet, from .22 to centerfire calibers, which is why larger caliber rifle shooters (.223, 308, 6.5 Creed, 338L, etc.) talk about how far the bullet stays supersonic as that transonic range doesn't help accuracy. You want to shoot 1K yds, the round should stay supersonic out to at least that 1K yd mark.

Secondarily you need to find the brand that shoots well in your gun, especially in a .22 which can be very fickle. What shoots well in mine may not in yours.
 
CMP photo (from 10/2012 or there abouts)

4S22RSURP-5000 Remington .22 Long Rifle Ammunition. US Military contract Remington .22LR ammunition 1990s production. Original packaging, 5000 rd case, consisting of ten (10) 500 rd bricks made up of ten (10) 50 rd boxes each. The 5000 round case is over packed in a sealed foil barrier for long term storage. This ammunition has a 40 gr., lead round nose projectile and a velocity of approximately 1135 fps., at the muzzle. $125 per canse + $24.95 S&H per case.

Post by OREST
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Back when it was available from the CMP, I bought 4 cases of this ammo. It was sold for less than "promo ammo" that you could get at Wal Mart. And, there was even a discount on the price for CMP Clubs.

Of course, CMP doesn't have any more of it. And neither do I.

Aloha, Mark
 
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Just last night I was testing various ammo from my 10/22 with its new Green Mountain barrel. Velocity didn't seem to be the determining factor in accuracy (I was only shooting at 25 yards). The best groups were 0.3" to 0.45", using both target ammo and high velocity hunting ammo.
 
cci sv was accurate and powerful to topple rams shot offhand at 100yds. anything in the forward part of the plate did the deed. yesterday in harris, mn bob
 
I am not sure it has to do entirely with velocity...

Here is a 25 yard grouping with my AR 7

Worst accuracy was attained with both the fastest AND the slowest rounds.

Mini mags actually shot best for this thin barreled 22.

http://imgur.com/NznJJvN
 
The .223 bullet is likely staying supersonic across the velocity spread at typical shooting ranges, a subsonic 22LR does not pass through the supersonic transistion zone and neither does the supersonic, at most ranges, .223/5.56 bullet. But a high velocity 22LR round transitions anywhere as close as 50 yards, more or less, and spends a lot of it's flight time in the transition velocity range. Subsonic 22LR ammo is often, therefore, inherently more accurate than the high velocity stuff at ranges beyond where the HV stuff transitions to subsonic.

3C
 
sigshepardo: If you were shooting from a solid rest with good sights, groups with accurate rifles should have been smaller than 1" at worst, at 25 yards. It's impossible to tell which ammo is shooting more accurately with results like you show.
 
Savage MK II BSEV and SV CCI

BSEV:A number of different rounds were tried in this Savage Mk II. CCI SV worked extremely well at 50 yards. All further experimentation was stopped for a time. Buck for buck it's the best in that Savage. I'm sure some of the $20.00 Match will do better. Two boxes of that stuff is pricey. Costs as much as two bricks of CCI SV's with change coming back. Being retired does not allow $20.00 a box:eek:.
 
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My 10/22 loves SK and Wolf, with PMC Zappers close behind. Everything else is all over the paper, especially Remington and Winchester.
 
My various 22’s seem to like Federal and CCI std vel ammo. Unfortunately, i have a lot of Remington Thunderbolt ammo. The 9422 eats it just fine, but the 39A doesn’t feed it well. The bolt actions don’t care what ammo. As for accuracy, the Remington is Ok, but the Federal and CCI are a bit better.
 
Marlin 39s can be quite finicky about feeding and extraction/ejection. Mine seemed to prefer CCI ammo to Federal. They also have a tight ejection port, so it's hard to pull one out if the extractor doesn't get it.
 
Just today, I took my old Ruger 10/22 out to the range, and just over my day pack, I shot 30 consecutive rounds through a 3" target @ 30 yards that measured right at 3/4ths of an inch (all well in the black, BTW).

This rifle is over 50 years old, has who knows how many thousands of rounds through it (my kid days; sometimes less than 50 cents a box of long rifle ammo constantly run through it...I've run this gun a lot through the years!) and has the original Weaver C4, 4X power scope on it. I shot this group today with CCI, 40 grn. STANDARD VELOCITY ammo. This stuff is the cat's a_ _ for .22 lr ammo. I just ordered 1000 more through Midway, today. Geeze but it's good to be able to get GREAT .22 ammo anymore! CCI standard velocity is all I need, certain sure! I got this rifle brand new back in '66 (if I'm remembering right) for $54.50 (thanks for the help, dad!). It's been said that every rifleman needs to own a 30-30 (I certainly do), but I think every rifleman should own a 10/22 besides (Just IMO). Still FUN (and accurate!) after all these years!
 
I gotta try the standard CCI. I mentioned the blazers earlier in this thread, but they are a high velocity round[yeah, I'm an idiot sometimes]. I have tried the CCI subsonic, minimags, CB shorts, but not standard.
 
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