Please recommend ammo choice for my Model 17
- Thread starter psyfly
- Start date
Congrats on a fine gun.
If you're looking for target ammo recommendations, every .22 has it's own preference, but in general, I'd start with 40 grain "standard velocity" ammo, which is what target match ammo usually is. For me, CCI Standard Velocity tends to be accurate in most of my .22s. Each has an ammo it likes a bit better, but for a single all-arounder, CCI SV has worked well and was affordable and relatively easy to find locally. Unfortunately, it (and all .22 ammo) is very hard to find nowadays.
If you're looking for target ammo recommendations, every .22 has it's own preference, but in general, I'd start with 40 grain "standard velocity" ammo, which is what target match ammo usually is. For me, CCI Standard Velocity tends to be accurate in most of my .22s. Each has an ammo it likes a bit better, but for a single all-arounder, CCI SV has worked well and was affordable and relatively easy to find locally. Unfortunately, it (and all .22 ammo) is very hard to find nowadays.
NoSecondBest
New member
Mr.Borland is spot on with his reply. CCI Std. is the best place to start. It's shot very well out of all my target guns. It never shot poorly and sometimes rivaled the best ammo I had.
I take all my .22 rimfires to the range to check which bullet performs best (accurate). My 17-6 likes the Peters high velocity solids. It does like some of the target type rounds also, however since I shoot lots of .22s cost prohibits their use.
BTW, I am always amazed how different brands/types of rimfires perform in individual shooters.
BTW, I am always amazed how different brands/types of rimfires perform in individual shooters.
carguychris
New member
One issue you are likely to encounter is that many vintage .22 Smiths have tight chambers. This demands bullets that are consistently sized, and powder that burns clean, since a heeled .22LR bullet has to be pushed through the crud left by the previous shot. Ammo that fails on either count will have you cursing, because the cylinder will either fail to close, or the DA trigger pull and hammer-cocking force will be excessive due to the case heads dragging on the recoil shield.
I recommend pretty much anything made by CCI or SK (FYI, SK Standard Plus is the same thing as Wolf Match Target); the higher-priced Winchester Super-X hunting loads (more info below); Federal ammo, particularly Auto Match; and, for cheap plinking, Remington Golden Bullets. Despite all the online vitriol hurled at the Golden Bullet, my M18 shoots it better than any other flavor of cheap bulk pack, and it always chambers readily.
I recommend against Remington "blue box" Target (oversized), along with most every other Remmy .22 load besides the Golden Bullet; Winchester T22 Target (also oversize); Winchester 333 & 555 bulk pack; and pretty much anything made by Aguila.
FWIW I've read that some inexpensive so-called "target" ammo is deliberately manufactured slightly oversize to better fit the bore of a gun without a match chamber. This is not an issue with a bolt rifle, but the article warned that it can be problematic with revolvers and semi-autos. I believe this is the issue with the Remington Target and Winchester T22. OTOH high-priced target ammo is meant to be shot from a match chamber and is not oversize.
The "crud factor" may also make it difficult to shoot .22LR after shooting .22 Shorts, and to shoot .22LR hyper-velocity loads after shooting .22LR. OTOH my M18 typically displays only fair to middling accuracy with .22 Shorts, so I generally don't shoot them in it.
I recommend pretty much anything made by CCI or SK (FYI, SK Standard Plus is the same thing as Wolf Match Target); the higher-priced Winchester Super-X hunting loads (more info below); Federal ammo, particularly Auto Match; and, for cheap plinking, Remington Golden Bullets. Despite all the online vitriol hurled at the Golden Bullet, my M18 shoots it better than any other flavor of cheap bulk pack, and it always chambers readily.
I recommend against Remington "blue box" Target (oversized), along with most every other Remmy .22 load besides the Golden Bullet; Winchester T22 Target (also oversize); Winchester 333 & 555 bulk pack; and pretty much anything made by Aguila.
FWIW I've read that some inexpensive so-called "target" ammo is deliberately manufactured slightly oversize to better fit the bore of a gun without a match chamber. This is not an issue with a bolt rifle, but the article warned that it can be problematic with revolvers and semi-autos. I believe this is the issue with the Remington Target and Winchester T22. OTOH high-priced target ammo is meant to be shot from a match chamber and is not oversize.
The "crud factor" may also make it difficult to shoot .22LR after shooting .22 Shorts, and to shoot .22LR hyper-velocity loads after shooting .22LR. OTOH my M18 typically displays only fair to middling accuracy with .22 Shorts, so I generally don't shoot them in it.