Lapua or 'most any .22 ammo made for and used by biathlon competitors. I personally have never had much luck with Eley even though they're supposed to be at the top, must be lack of faith or something, or flinching at the cost of every round.
Most consistent velocity 22 LR Ammo?
- Thread starter Maple57
- Start date
If I understand what you're saying, you believe that while ammo accuracy dependent on the rifle in question, ammo has consistent velocity -- that is, it has the same velocity and same extreme spread -- from one firearm to the next.
The bores of .22LR rifles are not all the same. First of all they need not all be of the exact same steel. They also can have slight variation in not only chambers but also bore diameter. Some bores are tighter than others. This thread in RFC, which discusses variation in bore diameter h t t p s://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205605 That thread used to contain the following image before Photobucket scared off many users in mid-2017. Among other things (continued below)
not all bores have the same arrangement of lands and grooves. Some bores are longer than others. Some are taper lapped, while others are not. Furthermore, the condition of the bores can also vary between one rifle and the next, even within the same make and model. Some may be relatively new and unused, with little wear; others may be older and little more worn.
All these kind of factors help explain why the ammo velocity seen from one rifle to the next is not going to be the same (even with the same ammo from the same batch).
If I understand what you're saying, you believe that while ammo accuracy dependent on the rifle in question, ammo has consistent velocity -- that is, it has the same velocity and same extreme spread -- from one firearm to the next.
The bores of .22LR rifles are not all the same. First of all they need not all be of the exact same steel. They also can have slight variation in not only chambers but also bore diameter. Some bores are tighter than others. This thread in RFC, which discusses variation in bore diameter h t t p s://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205605 That thread used to contain the following image before Photobucket scared off many users in mid-2017. Among other things (continued below)
not all bores have the same arrangement of lands and grooves. Some bores are longer than others. Some are taper lapped, while others are not. Furthermore, the condition of the bores can also vary between one rifle and the next, even within the same make and model. Some may be relatively new and unused, with little wear; others may be older and little more worn.
All these kind of factors help explain why the ammo velocity seen from one rifle to the next is not going to be the same (even with the same ammo from the same batch).
Hmmm
You got me scratchin my chin.
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
This is how I decide on my ammo.
I will test each type at 100yds/m and do maybe 3X5rds of each type fouling/swabbing the bore between types.
With the best ammo, I will measure base to ogive and sort per thou... I will then retest at 100 and 200yds to find the best length range for that ammo. Usually the bulk of the ammo will fall within a 3 to 4 thou range and that shoots best... I use the outliers for foulers and practise.
Figure out your dope to whatever your max distance is and test on target way out there. If it tracks and repeats... go compete.
Have fun...
Jerry
I will test each type at 100yds/m and do maybe 3X5rds of each type fouling/swabbing the bore between types.
With the best ammo, I will measure base to ogive and sort per thou... I will then retest at 100 and 200yds to find the best length range for that ammo. Usually the bulk of the ammo will fall within a 3 to 4 thou range and that shoots best... I use the outliers for foulers and practise.
Figure out your dope to whatever your max distance is and test on target way out there. If it tracks and repeats... go compete.
Have fun...
Jerry
the trick with the labradar is to set it to handgun and place the unit 4 inches infront of the muzzle, then it will read subsonic .22 ammo.
I lot test ammo, swapping brands means nothing to me because you can get a great box of federal gold match and you can get a crap box of federal gold match......when you find a lot number that works in your rifle, buy a case, or two, or more if you can afford to.
I shoot a fair amount of rimfire ammo, I can't say how much because I don't count my shots or the empty boxes, I do know that purolater was here twice last year, once with a 14K ammo order and a second time with just a 4K order, I have a favorite rifle, but I also shoot 4 others for fun, I am no expert but I am well versed enough to tell you this, 100 meters and below, you can get away with CCI standard velocity, if you want to beat the guys shooting CCI, well then shoot SK rifle match....want to beat them? then go to center-x, but if you want to win overall, then shoot eley match.....
in the world of PRS, SK rifle match will get you to the top, eley match if you can afford it and can't call the conditions 80% of the time, SK if your good with wind and condition calls.......but do me a favor, order 100 rounds of each lot number in stock and shoot and compare them at both 50, 100 and 150 meters, pick the one that performs the best at all 3, order a case and be set for a while. the greatest injustice you can do to yourself is to run to the local store, buy a box of each to test, then run back to the store to by the one that worked for you, if you get lucky, you will get the same lot number, but chances are, your just getting a box label that looks the same with different ammo inside.
I can not stress how much difference there is in lot to lot variance, when you experience it you will thank me, until then your just living in denial and running on a hope and a prayer
I lot test ammo, swapping brands means nothing to me because you can get a great box of federal gold match and you can get a crap box of federal gold match......when you find a lot number that works in your rifle, buy a case, or two, or more if you can afford to.
I shoot a fair amount of rimfire ammo, I can't say how much because I don't count my shots or the empty boxes, I do know that purolater was here twice last year, once with a 14K ammo order and a second time with just a 4K order, I have a favorite rifle, but I also shoot 4 others for fun, I am no expert but I am well versed enough to tell you this, 100 meters and below, you can get away with CCI standard velocity, if you want to beat the guys shooting CCI, well then shoot SK rifle match....want to beat them? then go to center-x, but if you want to win overall, then shoot eley match.....
in the world of PRS, SK rifle match will get you to the top, eley match if you can afford it and can't call the conditions 80% of the time, SK if your good with wind and condition calls.......but do me a favor, order 100 rounds of each lot number in stock and shoot and compare them at both 50, 100 and 150 meters, pick the one that performs the best at all 3, order a case and be set for a while. the greatest injustice you can do to yourself is to run to the local store, buy a box of each to test, then run back to the store to by the one that worked for you, if you get lucky, you will get the same lot number, but chances are, your just getting a box label that looks the same with different ammo inside.
I can not stress how much difference there is in lot to lot variance, when you experience it you will thank me, until then your just living in denial and running on a hope and a prayer
I didn't have luck with the Tennex, first 10 rounds would shoot into 1 hole and then it just went haywire at 50 meters, my rifle and chamber did not agree with the lube and my wallet didn't agree with the price of the red box over the black box
It is frustrating to a point, chasing accuracy in 22LR. It all boils down to determining what level of consistency and accuracy is worth your time and effort. You could be testing until you're blue in the face. Just waaaay way way too many variables going on here. Oh, and don't forget to rim sort each lot too....lol! Before you know it you'll have 20 different batches of each type of ammo to test. 
With Lapua ammunition, if you place a 3 in front of the lot number the velocity is in meters/second.
25533 would have a velocity of 325 mps. Multiply 325 by 3.28 and the velocity is expressed as 1066 fps. Or 1066.272966 on the Units Plus converter . . .
I've seen that on the internet too. Is there a source where this is confirmed by Lapua?
Of course it is useful to keep in mind that when an ammo maker indicates the MV of its ammo on a box, that is the mean average speed in the test rifles used by the manufacturer. It does not mean that the printed MV is the actual MV of each round, or indeed the average MV in your particular rifle.
Max Owner
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Does this mean we should be turning rims now?
If a shooter had only one rifle, would it be worthwhile to measure rim thickness?
So I did get out to the farm today to do some 22 testing with the CZ 452 Varmint.
Weather was about 40 F and the wind constantly changed as the wind storm for tomorrow is setting up… zero to 8 MPH switching between 5 and 7 o’clock… mostly around 5-8 mph.
Ammo tested was…
RWS Target Rifle,
RWS Target Pistol,
Eley Tenex,
Eley Club,
CCI Velociter,
Browning BPS 40 Gr 1435 FPS
I also got the Labradar to pick up the shots… Needed to get closer to the unit for it to register.
Results were interesting and inconsistent.
I could make few correlations between general accuracy based on velocity variations given the switchy wind conditions today. Having said that, there were a few obvious high and low shots that were explained by out of norm speed variations.
The difficulty today I think is related to the chilly air….
I noticed that the time it took me to write down the velocity and aim again resulted in loose groups, but when I did not write down the speed and shot more rapidly, the groups clearly tightened up…. A lot… I think it had something to do with heat in the barrel… if I shot fast enough, the barrel stayed warm and groups were reduced significantly. It was not that I just shot inside a specific wind condition… it was the pace of fire that made the difference.
As far as velocity consistency went there were a few stand outs…
Eley Tenex 17 FPS ES over 10 shots,
Eley Club 23 FPS ES over 10 shots,
RWS Pistol Match 24 FPS ES over 10 shots
Browning BPR 61 FPS ES over 10 shots
CCI Velociter 120 FPS ES over 10 shots
With a 100 yard zero, a speed variation of 60 FPS equals 1.58 vertical inches at 200 yards and 4.62 vertical inches at 300 yards…. And a few of the ammo tested is less than half of this.
I did have conditions lay down long enough to get a particularly good 5 shot group at 300 yards that was under 0.9 inches wide and 4.6 inches high. After walking out to the target to take a picture conditions got dicey again and I shot a 10 shot group that was more like 12 inches high and wide.
So, I’m not sure what I can draw from all this as far as inherent accuracy potential…
I did get some good drop data though based on a 100 yard zero the RWS Pistol Match needed 40.75 MOA for 300 and the Browning PBR needed 32.25 MOA. The BC for the RWS Pistol Match worked at .135 and the BPRs more like 0.110
Through the scope at 100 yards I could clearly see the 1435 FPS rounds dart around on the way to the target, whereas the 1070 FPS ammo took a more constant and predictable line… Transonic barrier effects were obvious at 100 but not at 300 under these switchy conditions.
Weather was about 40 F and the wind constantly changed as the wind storm for tomorrow is setting up… zero to 8 MPH switching between 5 and 7 o’clock… mostly around 5-8 mph.
Ammo tested was…
RWS Target Rifle,
RWS Target Pistol,
Eley Tenex,
Eley Club,
CCI Velociter,
Browning BPS 40 Gr 1435 FPS
I also got the Labradar to pick up the shots… Needed to get closer to the unit for it to register.
Results were interesting and inconsistent.
I could make few correlations between general accuracy based on velocity variations given the switchy wind conditions today. Having said that, there were a few obvious high and low shots that were explained by out of norm speed variations.
The difficulty today I think is related to the chilly air….
I noticed that the time it took me to write down the velocity and aim again resulted in loose groups, but when I did not write down the speed and shot more rapidly, the groups clearly tightened up…. A lot… I think it had something to do with heat in the barrel… if I shot fast enough, the barrel stayed warm and groups were reduced significantly. It was not that I just shot inside a specific wind condition… it was the pace of fire that made the difference.
As far as velocity consistency went there were a few stand outs…
Eley Tenex 17 FPS ES over 10 shots,
Eley Club 23 FPS ES over 10 shots,
RWS Pistol Match 24 FPS ES over 10 shots
Browning BPR 61 FPS ES over 10 shots
CCI Velociter 120 FPS ES over 10 shots
With a 100 yard zero, a speed variation of 60 FPS equals 1.58 vertical inches at 200 yards and 4.62 vertical inches at 300 yards…. And a few of the ammo tested is less than half of this.
I did have conditions lay down long enough to get a particularly good 5 shot group at 300 yards that was under 0.9 inches wide and 4.6 inches high. After walking out to the target to take a picture conditions got dicey again and I shot a 10 shot group that was more like 12 inches high and wide.
So, I’m not sure what I can draw from all this as far as inherent accuracy potential…
I did get some good drop data though based on a 100 yard zero the RWS Pistol Match needed 40.75 MOA for 300 and the Browning PBR needed 32.25 MOA. The BC for the RWS Pistol Match worked at .135 and the BPRs more like 0.110
Through the scope at 100 yards I could clearly see the 1435 FPS rounds dart around on the way to the target, whereas the 1070 FPS ammo took a more constant and predictable line… Transonic barrier effects were obvious at 100 but not at 300 under these switchy conditions.
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If someone measured rims and culled those that aren't supposed to shoot in a rifle because they have the "wrong" rim size, that would leave a potentially significant percentage of the ammo unfit for serious accuracy. I don't know how large a proportion that might be. But without another rifle that could use those "unfit" rounds it would reduce the number of useful rounds in a box of ammo that may cost a fair bit already. So instead of 50 rounds, sorting might tell you that you have only 40 or 35 good rounds in that box. On the other hand if someone were trying to make bulk ammo shoot like match then it would not matter very much.
