.22LR Ammunition Review for Accuracy

[Rayne]

I started out on this beautiful morning to see which type of ammunition my Greene Mountain Bull barreled Ruger 10/22 rifle likes.

I tried 10 different ammunitions;
CCI SV, 1080 velocity, 40gr round nose lead bullet
Federal HV Match, 1200 velocity, 40gr round nose lead bullet
Eley Target, 1085 velocity, 40gr round nose lead bullet
Norma Match-22, 1100 velocity, 40gr round nose lead bullet
Aguila Super Extra, 1130 velocity, 40gr round nose lead bullet
Aguila Target Competition, 1080 velocity, 40gr round nose lead bullet
Aguila Rifle Match, 1080 velocity, 40gr round nose lead bullet
RWS Rifle Match, no velocity given, 40gr round nose lead bullet
Wolf Match Target, 1050 velocity, 40gr round nose lead bullet
Wolf Match Extra, 1050 velocity, 40gr round nose lead bullet

These are the same cartridges I tried in my Marlin bolt action last year. The Marlin had a clear favorite, but the Ruger wasn’t as picky.



I started out shooting at 25 yards, but soon realized that I wasn’t going to be able to tell the differences in the one ragged hole groups that the first five cartridge brands made. So I moved back to 50 yards and still had to use a caliper to determine group and MOA size.



After going through all the brands, I examined the groups and chose to shoot a few again to verify their groupings.




The conclusion is easier to read in the table below.

Norma*- .781 MOA w/out a flier I didn’t call. 1.27 MOA with flier included
Norma - .790 MOA
Wolf Extra - .855 MOA
Wolf Extra - .872 MOA
RWS - .88 MOA
Aguila Rifle Match - .934 MOA
Aguila Super Extra - .95 MOA
RWS* - .98 MOA w/out a flier I didn’t call. 1.77 MOA with flier included
CCI SV - 1.02 MOA
CCI SV – 1.06 MOA
Eley Target – 1.05 MOA
Aguila Super Extra* – 1.09 MOA without flier I didn’t call. 2.24 MOA with flier included
Wolf Target – 1.13 MOA
CCI SV – 1.15 MOA
Wolf Target – 1.23 MOA
Federal HV Match – 1.23 MOA
Aguila Target – 1.27 MOA
Eley Target – 1.28 MOA
Aguila Target – 1.29 MOA
Aguila Super Extra – 1.32 MOA
Aguila Rifle Match – 1.37 MOA
Norma - 1.83 MOA
Federal HV Match – 2.43 MOA

I would have declared Norma the winner, but the fliers I didn’t call makes me leery to risk having a flier during a match, which is what I’m trying to get away from with CCI. Wolf Match Extra was consistent in both my Marlin and this Ruger I’m going to purchase more of it to try and see if it subMOA group size holds true. I’ll also need to see if reliability and function are an issue. Great group sizing isn’t a bit of good if it won’t function and be reliable in your rifle.

Here are a few more details about shooting conditions and the rifle.
I was shooting at 9am, it was about 75 degrees, overcast with a gentle breeze on our farm lane. Shooting prone, unsupported except for a USGI loop sling. The rifle is a Ruger 10/22 with a Green Mountain stainless bull barrel, it has a 3# trigger and the rifle itself weighs right at 7.5lbs. It’s topped with a Vortex 2x7x32 BDC scope using weaver rings and an EGW extended base.



*Disclaimer* This was not a true scientific testing. I did not clean the barrel between each brand of ammunition or shoot any fouling shots before shooting each group of five shots. As much as I want to know which ammunition this rifle likes, I had neither the time nor inclination to clean after each brand. There are many other variables that I think would make a bad group before cleaning the barrel and fouling it between brands. Fatigue of the shooter, varying weather conditions as the day drags on to name just two. So take this review for what it is, what my rifle likes may not be what yours does.

 

[NyleRN]

I've got a 16" blued GM bull on my 10/22 in a magpul stock. I haven't shot a lot of different loads but like yours mine doesn't shoot the federal HV match very well. It does best with Eley target and a close 2nd is CCI SV

 

[d.kaufman]

Nice review. I just picked up a couple 10/22s' off a fellow ingoer last week and me not being able to leave well enough alone decided to trick one out and picked up a Keystone 18" stainless steel, fluted bull barrel, hogue overmolded thumbhole stock, tandemkross vblock and eagle claw extractor and spring, and a bx trigger group. Still waiting on the bx trigger and i still need to get a scope mount yet. Already have a scope to top it with. Cant wait to try her out!

 

[NyleRN]

Here's a target I shot this evening. 45yds is all I safely have.

2018-05-19_08-08-40 by Nyle Sullivan, on Flickr


Here's the rifle I shot it with. Didn't feel like digging in the back of the safe to get to the heavy barrel 10/22. Savage B22 FV SR. A real jewel for a factory rifle. Won it on GB when they first came out for $206. Medium threaded profile barrel, new improved stock, accutrigger set at 2# and breaks like glass. The bolt operation is slicker than butter on ice. All you can hear is the firing pin when the suppressor is attached. Nikon 4-12x P22 rimfire optic

2018-05-19_08-08-28 by Nyle Sullivan, on Flickr

 

[Bigtanker]

I've the same barrel on my 10/22. I haven't tried the Eley yet but it does like the CCI SV a lot.

Here is a 100 yrd 5 shot group. The 3 in the tight group are a little over 1/2".

 

[lovemywoods]

For the newer members who haven't met Rayne yet, this lady can shoot! When you meet her, maybe she'll tell you why her nickname is "Twig Sniper".

 

[Rayne]

For the newer members who haven't met Rayne yet, this lady can shoot! When you meet her, maybe she'll tell you why her nickname is "Twig Sniper".

And who gave me the nickname of "Former Tree Sniper"?


Good Shooting NyleRN and BigTanker. Both of you have a couple shots that have dropped on the CCI SV and that's what I find happening more often than I'd like. If I have a group open up, I want it to be my fault, not an equipment issue. I have shot a lot of CCI SV and I've always been satisfied with it until lately. Since I have been shooting much more lately to hone my skills for competition, my standards have changed, I guess.

 

[halfmileharry]

NIce write up Rayne. I love a good "layman" review.

I sold my GM heavy 10/22 last fall but it really liked the CCI MiniMag 40grs best of the over the counter stuff. Consistent less than 1" at 50 yds.
I didn't do the rifle justice due to not taking it seriously at different distances.
I tried about all the regular .22LR ammo including the SV.
The SV CCI seemed to be inconsistent at best.
I've got some old Winchester Wildcat all of my rifles like but it's not coated and fouls quicker than most

 

[Bigtanker]

Here is my setup. GM barrel with a Tac-Star stock, a BX-25 trigger topped now with Vortex Crossfire II 4x12.

 

[Bigtanker]

I really need to get some better pictures.

 

[Broom_jm]

I have shot the Norma ammo from an old bolt-action Marlin 80G as well as a 10/22 with standard (awful) trigger and barrel. The groups from the Marlin were very good, with the exception of 1 flyer out of every 10 rounds, almost without fail.



The pattern repeated itself with two subsequent efforts from the Marlin. From the 10/22, I could actually "hear" the flyers...the action cycled more softly and they dropped out of the group even more significantly. Also, I hate how slippery the Norma ammo is. It makes it difficult to load magazines when you can hardly hang onto the dang things!

ETA - Note how the groups get tighter? If you don't think seasoning a barrel when changing from one 22 ammo to another is important, this target should change your mind.

 

[Expat]

Thanks for the well done report Rayne
I have never tried Norma or Wolf. I will keep an eye out for some.

 

[Rayne]

I have shot the Norma ammo from an old bolt-action Marlin 80G as well as a 10/22 with standard (awful) trigger and barrel. The groups from the Marlin were very good, with the exception of 1 flyer out of every 10 rounds, almost without fail.

View attachment 66977

The pattern repeated itself with two subsequent efforts from the Marlin. From the 10/22, I could actually "hear" the flyers...the action cycled more softly and they dropped out of the group even more significantly. Also, I hate how slippery the Norma ammo is. It makes it difficult to load magazines when you can hardly hang onto the dang things!

ETA - Note how the groups get tighter? If you don't think seasoning a barrel when changing from one 22 ammo to another is important, this target should change your mind.

Question, I would think if you could actually hear the flier, which I know exactly what you mean, cause I could too, shouldn't the shot be low, instead of high? Or is your target upside down compared to the writing?

Very nice grouping, what yardage were you shooting at and how big are the grids on that paper? Thanks for sharing.

 

[Dead Duck]

I get a kick out of 22 rifles that love certain ammo.

When I bought a 10/22 for my 3 girls, I went to the range with a few boxes of each flavors for the rifle to try. I bought a bunch of pricey match ammo from Lapua, Eley, RWS, etc... as well as some standard Federal, Remington, Wolf and a variety of CCI.

Their gun is a standard stainless 10/22 with the stock barrel chopped and threaded to 16 inches. (the only mod)

Out of all that expensive match grade and other ammo, it consistently preferred the CCI Mini-Mag 40gr. The rest was all over the place but that particular CCI was dead on. I did this on a few trips with the wind dead still and the temp the same.

Every 100 round box of the Mini-Mags we do see at least one flyer. You know it's a flyer before it even hits because it sounds different and it is delayed in hitting the target. Some have been up to 5 inches off at 50yds with not even a breeze.

Every gun is different with 22lr.
They eat what they love.

 

[Broom_jm]

Question, I would think if you could actually hear the flier, which I know exactly what you mean, cause I could too, shouldn't the shot be low, instead of high? Or is your target upside down compared to the writing?

Very nice grouping, what yardage were you shooting at and how big are the grids on that paper? Thanks for sharing.

Excellent question: I can't explain why two of the flyers from my bolt rifle were high, when I could hear and then see low flyers from the 10/22. These were 10-round groups at 50 yards. The small squares are 1" grids and the black squares are 4" x 4". I was very happy with the groups (once the barrel was seasoned) but those dang flyers! Not pictured is several more 10-round groups with the same rifle/ammo, almost always with one flyer to spoil the group.

 

[d.kaufman]

Getting my build together. Still waiting on a few parts but looking good for now. Should have the rest of my parts by Friday. Cant wait to try her out. Have probably 6-8 different ammos' to try out. If i cant get out this weekend, will definitely try it out after the Ingo youth shoot in a couple weeks. Heres how it looks so far.

 

[BlackGun]

Sweet Pics Fellas....... Makes me want to build my 10-22. Nice write up Rayne!

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

Is there a reason you only used 40gr lead round nose?

 

[teddy12b]

The timing of this thread couldn't have been any more perfect. I've got an older savage FV-SR that I've been playing with in the backyard out to 300 yards. I'm going to run a sample of ammo between 100 and 150 yards to see how things are grouping at a little bit of distance for a 22lr so I can make a better decision on what to use consistently for my 300 yard gong. So far, I've been plinking away with mostly federal target and wolf match. I'll post results when I get them.

Love this topic!

 

[Rayne]

Getting my build together. Still waiting on a few parts but looking good for now. Should have the rest of my parts by Friday. Cant wait to try her out. Have probably 6-8 different ammos' to try out. If i cant get out this weekend, will definitely try it out after the Ingo youth shoot in a couple weeks. Heres how it looks so far.

VERY Nice! What stock is that?