.22Lr amo and the importance on testing what works for you. In your rifle.

[Erik Hamburger]

I have only recently acquired a .22Lr and did what everybody always recommends: Try out 4-5 different brands/types of Amo and see what works in your rifle.
Interestingly the RFD suggested Eley Subsonics would work best in my Browning Buckmark Semi-Auto Carbine, but after testing a range of amo twice, the results were actually that Eley Subsonic didn't cycle very well (Typically 2 out of 10 rounds would jam) AND was very inaccurate. However, RWS Subsonic were very accurate (Sub 1" Groups tested at a realistic rabbit hunting distance of 50 Yards) and cycles fine.
In my rifle.
So yes, this is just to feedback to the forum that it is true, every rifle 'likes' other amo, and the time and money testing is well spent.

 

[stubear]

I must admit I find the RWS subsonic to be a very good .22 round - Thats what I always shoot for target rifle as well.

I've used the Eleys but found them to be far less accurate and more expensive to boot!

 

[Thetownie]

so true.
Take time to test different makes

 

[TOMMO.B]

Winchester Super X hitting rabbits at 80 to 90 yards all day. plus every where sells them.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Test their grouping at 100 yards and not just 50 or less.

Clearly you need to do testing on a windless day.

K

 

[Bigboab29]

I had some issue with subsonic ammo and it was dropping way lower than it should at 75 yards given the factory stated fps so i got two rifles, an old brno with a 24'' barrel and a cz455 with a 16 inch barrel. I picked 3 varieties of subsonic ammo, eley subsonic 1065fps, winchester subsonic 1065, cci subsonic 1050. I hooked up the magnetospeed and got cracking. I tried the eley first and got an average of 970fps 20es out of the brno and 910fps and 22es out of the cz. The winchester got and average of 1060fps and 170es out of the brno which led to some of the bullets going supersonic and cracking, with the cz i got 990fps and 45es. Lastly i tried the cci through the brno and got 1030fps and 25es, with the cz is got 980fps with a 25es. so the only ones that actually reached the factory stated speeds were the winchester through a 24 inch barrel but every 3rd or 4th round went supersonic and cracked!! the most accurate was the eley but then it was 100-150 below factory stated velocities.

 

[Ray7756]

You done the right thing, not only does different makes like different ammo but different guns like their own ammo, I have a rugger 10-22 one of the most common around but the vast array of ammo that people say is spot on with that fifle, is not always correct, I tried about 10 different types before settling on CCI for mine, and my mate who has exactly the same rifle says cci are rubbish in hi, so its ammo for each individual rifle

Ray

 

[Erik Hamburger]

Test their grouping at 100 yards and not just 50 or less.

Clearly you need to do testing on a windless day.

K

Thank you, but no... I don't find 100 Yards a realistic hunting distance for hunting rabbits at night with a .22Lr. I use a Thermal to find them and a red LED torch mounted on the rifle scope. Most are shot at 20-35 yards.
I am of the view that you should zero your rifle at the distance at which you are most likely to use it most of the time.
Ditto for my deer rifles, btw...

 

[Highlandsjohn]

Thank you, but no... I don't find 100 Yards a realistic hunting distance for hunting rabbits at night with a .22Lr. I use a Thermal to find them and a red LED torch mounted on the rifle scope. Most are shot at 20-35 yards.
I am of the view that you should zero your rifle at the distance at which you are most likely to use it most of the time.
Ditto for my deer rifles, btw...

Amen..

 

[geordieh]

He said test the grouping at 100 yards not set the zero some will really start to open up after about 65 yards so if you have a round that shoots well at 50 yds it may be crap at 80

 

[Hornet 6]

He said test the grouping at 100 yards not set the zero some will really start to open up after about 65 yards so if you have a round that shoots well at 50 yds it may be crap at 80

Which if you never shoot past say 50 yards is immaterial.
Like the OP I have no interest in the accuracy of a round once past the max distance I shoot at with that round.

Neil.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Neither do I set out to shoot rabbits at 100 yards with a .22LR but here’s my reasoning:

I thought RWS subsonic grouped nicely in my Cooper JSR until I shot a competition that commenced at 10 yards and worked back in 20-yard increments to 100. At this extended range everything is magnified which makes it far easier to see a round’s true grouping capability including the frankly eye-watering () extent to which flyers, as relate to either significantly more or less propellant, open-up a group!

Each to his own though.

K

 

[8x57]

RWS actually detail the suitability (limitations ?) of their .22 ammunition in their catalogues. Like you say K when you start moving back it soon becomes apparent. Ammo that works perfectly well at up to 50m suddenly starts opening up quite markedly.

 

[Blackwood Outdoors]

Using night vision combined with range finder at night I've been headshooting rabbits out to 120yds, scope set at 10x mag 1 mildot 80yds, 2 mildots 100yds, 3 mildots 120yds holdover from a 50yd zero. In the past I have used night vision combined with a HMR to take out any guesswork and give me a laser flat trajectory, but utilising the rangefinder with the .22lr really ups its game, taking the guesswork out of the equation.

 

[Klenchblaize]

I've been headshooting rabbits out to 120yds.

Impressive and at least the round has less far to ricochet should you ever you miss!

K

 

[Cottis]

My Annie likes RWS subs which is annoying as they are slimy buggers but they do group well. Eley are not a million miles behind but out of interest, Eley do group slightly better at the further ranges. I know RWS have a lower BC than Eleys, so maybe this helps explain it. What I don't understand is that the RWS seem to buck the wind better in my rifle than Eleys. Eleys shoot lower, so maybe they have less oomph? Don't know. In any case, most of my shooting is under 75yds but out to 100yds is deffo doable if you are not hell bent on 100% headshots. From 75-100yds, I sometimes get the odd round drop into the neck or chest. Still dead but not as satisfying. It is a great rifle for NV work with the Wardy add on. Probably my favourite rifle.

Winchesters are waaaaayy too inconsistent in my gun. Too many crackers and they spray all over the place, literally. Had one box I couldn't group inside 4 inches at 54yd zero. Never bothered with anything else as Eley and RWS are so good and readily available (and cheap)

 

[Outback]

I have used RWS in a Marlin heavy barrel bolt action for years and have had no more than a couple of duds , super consistant and accurate .

 

[Heym SR20]

There is a very comprehensive testing going on here. Can't draw any conclusions though

Clean Or Not Clean Your 22 Barrel?Updated With 3 Rifles. More To Come. - Topic

 

[Muir]

I have lost count of the number of 22LR rifles I currently own. Probably two dozen, on the short end of a guess. I've owned probably 400 over the years. This is what I've learned:

:Never clean the barrel unless you absolutely need to. If you do, one scant drop of oil on a clean patch, follow with dry patches. No solvents. No scrubbing.

: Keep actions and magazines scrupulously clean.

: Price tag or 'reputation' is not an assurance of top accuracy. Twenty-two's like what they like. Feed them what they like best if you can, don't criticize performance if you can't. ~Muir

 

[User00033]

Using night vision combined with range finder at night I've been headshooting rabbits out to 120yds, scope set at 10x mag 1 mildot 80yds, 2 mildots 100yds, 3 mildots 120yds holdover from a 50yd zero.

Which is pretty much how we do it here, except the zero is set at 75m, scope at 9x, and first mildot is 100m, second at 120m, using CCI Stingers at ~1600ft/sec MV. But we shoot for the front quarters, not the head. A half inch or so holdover around 40-50m does the job. If we get bunnies closer than that, they are running and the wife and her deadly 20 gauge settle the matter.

Never clean the barrel unless you absolutely need to. If you do, one scant drop of oil on a clean patch, follow with dry patches. No solvents. No scrubbing.

The best rimfire advice you'll ever hear. Don't. You'll need half a brick to find yourself back where you started. Worst thing I ever did to my bunny gun.