Blindstitch
New member
What about CCI birdshot/ratshot/snakeshot.
But whatever that's besides the point.
Lesson learned with my .22LR rifle and new scope
- Thread starter Pep in CA
- Start date
What about CCI birdshot/ratshot/snakeshot.
But whatever that's besides the point.
bamaranger
New member
.22 ammo
There are many that believe that subsonic/standard velocity .22 lr cartridges are generally more accurate overall....consistently shoot smaller groups, than the hi-velocity fodder. By example, high dollar, dedicated .22 match ammo is all "standard" velocity.
There is another belief that .22 std velocity is more accurate at longer range (100 yds plus) as the slug does not loose stability as it slows from transsonic to subsonic speed out around 75 yds or so......
All well and good, but it may take a very high end rifle, optic and conditions to determine that........most .22's are of the sport and plinker ilk and we are happy with what accuracy we can get, at the standard plinking distances we mostly shoot, period. A blue collar .22, with bulk ammo that will shoot into 1 inch or so, " inches at 100 yds, is a good .22 indeed, but is not the norm.
You may not find that hi-vel ammo will make a big difference in your ability to hit at 100, though it will likely flatten your trajectory by an inch or so, you will still be 5-6 inches low out there with a 50 yd zero. You may find that the hi-vel groups may be bigger. You may find no distinguishable difference in group size between the two.
But by all means, keep shooting and learning. Best to you.
There are many that believe that subsonic/standard velocity .22 lr cartridges are generally more accurate overall....consistently shoot smaller groups, than the hi-velocity fodder. By example, high dollar, dedicated .22 match ammo is all "standard" velocity.
There is another belief that .22 std velocity is more accurate at longer range (100 yds plus) as the slug does not loose stability as it slows from transsonic to subsonic speed out around 75 yds or so......
All well and good, but it may take a very high end rifle, optic and conditions to determine that........most .22's are of the sport and plinker ilk and we are happy with what accuracy we can get, at the standard plinking distances we mostly shoot, period. A blue collar .22, with bulk ammo that will shoot into 1 inch or so, " inches at 100 yds, is a good .22 indeed, but is not the norm.
You may not find that hi-vel ammo will make a big difference in your ability to hit at 100, though it will likely flatten your trajectory by an inch or so, you will still be 5-6 inches low out there with a 50 yd zero. You may find that the hi-vel groups may be bigger. You may find no distinguishable difference in group size between the two.
But by all means, keep shooting and learning. Best to you.
bamaranger said:
That is my plan. I have a brick of standard velocity and a brick of high velocity ammo. I plan to make notes on how many clicks to adjust my scope at various distances with my scope zeroed at 50 yards. Whichever ammo produces the best results will be the ammo I choose going forward.
Thanks for the excellent info and encouragement.
as was said before, the drop from super sonic to sub sonic can cause turbulence, this is pretty similar to the problems that aviation engineers had. Planes built for subsonic flight had problems working at the higher speeds running through air. Look at the wake of air behind a bullet in any of the technical sites.
If your round has a slight inconsistency in velocities, it will reach that zone of dropping to subsonic at varying places.
With subsonic ammo you won't find that place where the wake breaks up. This could be why you are finding that your 100 yard groups are not consistent with your shorther range groups.
The old timers used to use rifles at long range that had trajectories that dropped the rounds at long range like a thrown baseball. Adjust the sights.
Using subsonic will have your rounds dropping a lot farther and being more affected by wind, but you may actually find that you get better results anyway. there is a facebook page called long range rimfire. It is run by folks in the uk and europe, and unless these guys are just totally full of it, they will be able to push you in the direction of better perormance with rimfire at long range. These guys are mostly people who can't own centerfire rifles. Seeing a stack of rabbits on the ground with holes under the ear on everyone of them, shot at long range in the long fields full of "vermin" hares is amazing. These are the english version of prairie dog hunters. They may not load their own ammo, but some of these guys are shooting rifles and kits that break the 42,
$2,000 mark. They are serious. they all seem to use Ely.
If your round has a slight inconsistency in velocities, it will reach that zone of dropping to subsonic at varying places.
With subsonic ammo you won't find that place where the wake breaks up. This could be why you are finding that your 100 yard groups are not consistent with your shorther range groups.
The old timers used to use rifles at long range that had trajectories that dropped the rounds at long range like a thrown baseball. Adjust the sights.
Using subsonic will have your rounds dropping a lot farther and being more affected by wind, but you may actually find that you get better results anyway. there is a facebook page called long range rimfire. It is run by folks in the uk and europe, and unless these guys are just totally full of it, they will be able to push you in the direction of better perormance with rimfire at long range. These guys are mostly people who can't own centerfire rifles. Seeing a stack of rabbits on the ground with holes under the ear on everyone of them, shot at long range in the long fields full of "vermin" hares is amazing. These are the english version of prairie dog hunters. They may not load their own ammo, but some of these guys are shooting rifles and kits that break the 42,
$2,000 mark. They are serious. they all seem to use Ely.
Once again, thanks to everyone for your helpful replies. The lesson I learned was that a shooter should understand the flight trajectories of the ammunition he shoots. Being inexperienced, I had assumed that the drop of a 22LR round from 50 to 100 yards was insignificant.
Obviously I was quite wrong, but I now have a plan to deal with it. Everything is a learning process.
BTW, for what it's worth, this post just made me a Senior Member.
Obviously I was quite wrong, but I now have a plan to deal with it. Everything is a learning process.
BTW, for what it's worth, this post just made me a Senior Member.
Last edited:
Well how 'bout that. You are now a senior member. Congrats!
I don't recall what type of 22LR you are shooting but this is just my tips for you.
If it is a Ruger 10/22, which I hope it is then you are pulling down a 6 pound
trigger. Swap it out for Ruger's 3 pound trigger assembly. $79.00.
It really improved my consistency at 100 yards. All yardages really.
What you want is a cartridge that is always going to do the same thing and
I found through a couple Appleseeds that
Aquila Super Extra copper plated 40 gram, Eley primed round nosed do the trick.
They are high velocity. I tried some sub-sonics and whats the point?
Get your bullet down range fast with the followers going straight through the
initial hole. Doesn't happen in real life but close.
IMHO, 100 yards is as far as you are going to get some accuracy.
Anything farther than 100 yards and for me, it is a center fire rifle like
.223/5.56.
Glad you found a great passion.
I don't recall what type of 22LR you are shooting but this is just my tips for you.
If it is a Ruger 10/22, which I hope it is then you are pulling down a 6 pound
trigger. Swap it out for Ruger's 3 pound trigger assembly. $79.00.
It really improved my consistency at 100 yards. All yardages really.
What you want is a cartridge that is always going to do the same thing and
I found through a couple Appleseeds that
Aquila Super Extra copper plated 40 gram, Eley primed round nosed do the trick.
They are high velocity. I tried some sub-sonics and whats the point?
Get your bullet down range fast with the followers going straight through the
initial hole. Doesn't happen in real life but close.
IMHO, 100 yards is as far as you are going to get some accuracy.
Anything farther than 100 yards and for me, it is a center fire rifle like
.223/5.56.
Glad you found a great passion.
If you look at benchrest shooting at 50 yards the ten ring (equivalent) is .50 inches and hitting the ring tosses the shot to the next lower score.
You have only .25 inches on either side of the bullseye, and your bullet is .224 inches, so really, how much room for error does that leave?
You have only .052 inches to either side of the x if you want to make the ten. The x is a dot.
People shoot those competions and get 25 rounds to fire, and there are plenty of scores that pass the 2000 point range with some making perfect scores.
As i said, people who can't legally own centerfires such as in britain have to work with what they have, rimfire, and the results with the .17 that they get is amazing. Blasting the brains out of a hare at several hundred yards like we do with prairie dogs is a huting sport.
You have only .25 inches on either side of the bullseye, and your bullet is .224 inches, so really, how much room for error does that leave?
You have only .052 inches to either side of the x if you want to make the ten. The x is a dot.
People shoot those competions and get 25 rounds to fire, and there are plenty of scores that pass the 2000 point range with some making perfect scores.
As i said, people who can't legally own centerfires such as in britain have to work with what they have, rimfire, and the results with the .17 that they get is amazing. Blasting the brains out of a hare at several hundred yards like we do with prairie dogs is a huting sport.