I tend to buy .22LR from Walmart as it has been the cheapest source for a .22LR that runs well in my 10/22. Recently someone discovered this stash and bought out "my" supply of Winchester 333. It's not the best .22LR out there, but it runs pretty well in my HC3R, and 10/22 combo. Walmart still had the other Winchester XPERT HV in 500 round format but was fractions of a penny more expensive per round. I figured it's a tiny bit more expensive, no big deal, let's give it a try. When loading it, it seems to feel higher quality than the 333. The 333 often has slightly loose lead projectiles in the crimp/case. The XVs all felt solid on the other hand. The 222/333/555s have a copper plating of some sort, these appear to be lead only, and both are definitely waxed, the XVs slightly more heavily waxed. They are also slightly heavier as confirmed on a very accurate scale, in batches of 10 rounds at a time of each, over multiple comparisons, even though they are the same grain and fps, and also appear to have the same case with the same stamping. Perhaps the slight difference is in the wax? I was hoping to get even better functionality and even fewer malfunctions. Nope!
I regularly get stove pipes, and a scary number of "duds" with the first box of XV I've been through. In multiple boxes of 333, I had 2 back to back that were duds, and 1-2 more duds total in what has been well over a thousand rounds. So far my first box of XVs around 5-10 duds out of 500 total. And by dud I mean, pin hits it, I eject it, I reload it, hit it in a different spot on the rim again, and still nothing. And it's definitely leaving a nice solid dent on the rim, and ran the 222/333/555 without issue. And a stove pipe every other mag or so with the XV, while I rarely ever had any with the 333s. Basically, lesson learned, my 10/22 doesn't like XVs.
Now to the inconsistent record keeping. I have made 3-4 purchases of .22LR at Walmart, usually 2-3 boxes at a time. Each and every time I have bought ammo a the same Walmart, there has been a different procedure. Even the managers don't seem to quite know how to handle everything. Heck, since the PAL doesn't have my address on it, I don't even give them my real address. I figure if they really need it, the real authorities can access it with the CFO, as opposed to some random binder under the counter at a Walmart. Yes it has my name and PAL number, but the wrong address for each purchase. And it is the law within Ontario to record this information after all so technically unless you're buying "used" and not "new", it has to be recorded after all.
I purchased some .22LR from Le Baron today. And it seems like they are trying to hide ammo from people or something. I called them earlier in the day and they said they had 222 (same as the 333 just in 222 format) and Winchester Super X, that were both way over priced. They had the 222 for ~$12 + tax, while Walmart has the 333 for~ $13 + tax. And Winchester Super X and Remington Thunderbolt, that were even more expensive than their 222 per round they were selling that was already overpriced. They also had some Winchester Wildcat in the 500 box format for a fair price, around the $0.045/round I aim for considering that's what I get the 333 for. I asked them while on the phone, ok how much do you have? "We have many many boxes of each those 3 kinds". So I go by there, and they only have the 222 and Super X. So I ask for the Wildcat. The cashier asks how many, I ask for 2. Trying to somehow maintain some positive gun karma and not buy out the stock. She says she only has 1. I tell her straight to her face I called here an hour ago and spoke to either you or the other cashier, and was told there were many boxes. She asks the other cashier whom says she's got one by her counter, so they sell me 2 total in the end anyways. But I found that exchange pretty weird . . . as though they were either trying to hold out on me, or really just that bad at their jobs? Oh and though they asked to see my PAL, and recorded name and PAL#, she did not ask for my address.
Hoping the Wildcats will run more reliably than the XVs. At least as well as the 222/333/555s would be nice as I get less than 1% malfunction rate with those with my HC3R/(10/22) setup. Anyone run XVs well in their 10/22 setup? Although I wish I had gotten those last 3 boxes of 333 from my local Walmart, hoping whomever got them is enjoying them
Will probably still finish off the 3 more boxes of XV I have left. Hopefully it was only the first box that was this agreeable with my 10/22.
The Wildcats are the first non-hollow point I'll have fun through my 10/22. Might even load even more reliably being round nose and not hollow point. Interesting packing format too, basically a grid of the bullets, with an inverted grid interspaced with the first grid, in tiny boxes. I'm used to the more plebeian loose in a box. If I stick to my 2 HC3Rs only, and not use the 10 round rotary anymore, each little box will refill the 2 HC3Rs once, which kinda works out nicely.
I regularly get stove pipes, and a scary number of "duds" with the first box of XV I've been through. In multiple boxes of 333, I had 2 back to back that were duds, and 1-2 more duds total in what has been well over a thousand rounds. So far my first box of XVs around 5-10 duds out of 500 total. And by dud I mean, pin hits it, I eject it, I reload it, hit it in a different spot on the rim again, and still nothing. And it's definitely leaving a nice solid dent on the rim, and ran the 222/333/555 without issue. And a stove pipe every other mag or so with the XV, while I rarely ever had any with the 333s. Basically, lesson learned, my 10/22 doesn't like XVs.
Now to the inconsistent record keeping. I have made 3-4 purchases of .22LR at Walmart, usually 2-3 boxes at a time. Each and every time I have bought ammo a the same Walmart, there has been a different procedure. Even the managers don't seem to quite know how to handle everything. Heck, since the PAL doesn't have my address on it, I don't even give them my real address. I figure if they really need it, the real authorities can access it with the CFO, as opposed to some random binder under the counter at a Walmart. Yes it has my name and PAL number, but the wrong address for each purchase. And it is the law within Ontario to record this information after all so technically unless you're buying "used" and not "new", it has to be recorded after all.
I purchased some .22LR from Le Baron today. And it seems like they are trying to hide ammo from people or something. I called them earlier in the day and they said they had 222 (same as the 333 just in 222 format) and Winchester Super X, that were both way over priced. They had the 222 for ~$12 + tax, while Walmart has the 333 for~ $13 + tax. And Winchester Super X and Remington Thunderbolt, that were even more expensive than their 222 per round they were selling that was already overpriced. They also had some Winchester Wildcat in the 500 box format for a fair price, around the $0.045/round I aim for considering that's what I get the 333 for. I asked them while on the phone, ok how much do you have? "We have many many boxes of each those 3 kinds". So I go by there, and they only have the 222 and Super X. So I ask for the Wildcat. The cashier asks how many, I ask for 2. Trying to somehow maintain some positive gun karma and not buy out the stock. She says she only has 1. I tell her straight to her face I called here an hour ago and spoke to either you or the other cashier, and was told there were many boxes. She asks the other cashier whom says she's got one by her counter, so they sell me 2 total in the end anyways. But I found that exchange pretty weird . . . as though they were either trying to hold out on me, or really just that bad at their jobs? Oh and though they asked to see my PAL, and recorded name and PAL#, she did not ask for my address.
Hoping the Wildcats will run more reliably than the XVs. At least as well as the 222/333/555s would be nice as I get less than 1% malfunction rate with those with my HC3R/(10/22) setup. Anyone run XVs well in their 10/22 setup? Although I wish I had gotten those last 3 boxes of 333 from my local Walmart, hoping whomever got them is enjoying them
Will probably still finish off the 3 more boxes of XV I have left. Hopefully it was only the first box that was this agreeable with my 10/22.The Wildcats are the first non-hollow point I'll have fun through my 10/22. Might even load even more reliably being round nose and not hollow point. Interesting packing format too, basically a grid of the bullets, with an inverted grid interspaced with the first grid, in tiny boxes. I'm used to the more plebeian loose in a box. If I stick to my 2 HC3Rs only, and not use the 10 round rotary anymore, each little box will refill the 2 HC3Rs once, which kinda works out nicely.
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