“Clean” .22LR ammo recommendations?

[User00033]

I have two .22LR semi autos for rabbit shooting. A 20yr old stainless synthetic Ruger 10/22 with a DPT suppressor, and a 12yr old Remington 597 with MAE full barrel suppression and their ST muzzle can on the end. Both rifles will give me good groups at 75m if they are in the mood. But both rifles can be erratic though and I get fed up with them and take the old Anschutz instead.

Took out the Remington this morning, first time in 6 months. All over the place. Got annoyed and stripped it down. Found the suppressor was full of crap from the .22 ammo (CCI Stinger). Cleaned it out again, lubricated, reinstalled, shot a 1.2” 5 shot group at 75m.

Had a coffee. Tried the 5 shot group again, group starts to spread after the third shot. Put another 5 in the mag, all over the place.

Disassembled the suppressor again and this is what came out:

View attachment 84862

Cleaned it up, and… another 1” group. This Remi is a tack driver when it’s in the mood and is usually a lot more accurate than the 10/22 has ever been.

So seems that a dirty suppressor is affecting accuracy (very badly). The CCI Stinger ammo has been very effective for me as most of my .22LR shooting is 60-70m (smart bunnies) and often out to 100m+. I zero at 75m. When the semi-autos are in the mood they are great and I need them for when the bunnies are really thick.

I just don’t remember the CCI Stingers being so bloody dirty. It is a new lot that I’m using. Can there really be this much variation between lots?

So looking for ammo recommendations from semi-auto users. Need a clean, reliable, fast, hard hitting pill capable of knocking over a hare at 100m. Thanks.

 

[tarponhead]

Try CCI HV's - a bit cleaner but most .22LR leaves crud in the mod. Try using a SAK mod - mine gathers the crud but is easy to clean and slightly oversize so no chance of snagging - at £40 wirth a try. For hares at 100 I moved up to .17HMR - much better knock down and no need for semi-auto.

 

[Kalahari]

I thought all 22 rimfire ammunition was pretty dirty.

David.

 

[8x57]

I thought all 22 rimfire ammunition was pretty dirty.

David.

It certainly is David but there is some ammo manufactured specifically for .22 semi autos that is much cleaner. However I can't at the moment think of any that is expanding. Most of it is target type ammo. HK and RWS immediately come to mind.

 

[User00033]

[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]Tarponhead's suggestion of the SAK suppressor is a good one because I think the dirty ammo problem is exacerbated by the design of the current suppressor. However the current suppressor is integrated with the full barrel suppression and I'm not sure that an off the shelf solution is going to fit easily. I'll take it to Darren at DPT and see what he has to say.[/FONT][/FONT]

[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]The DPT suppressor on the Ruger is not fouling to anything like the degree of the other one. But the rifle is still not behaving itself. So it maybe coincidence and unrelated who knows. [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=.SF UI Text]
[/FONT]
[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]It would be a shame to stop using the CCI stinger ammo as it is an outstanding performer on rabbits, hares, possums and cats.

[/FONT][/FONT]

It certainly is David but there is some ammo manufactured specifically for .22 semi autos that is much cleaner. However I can't at the moment think of any that is expanding. Most of it is target type ammo. HK and RWS immediately come to mind.

I didn't know that and I will do some research thanks for the suggestion hopefully there's something available here that will clean things up because I am getting a bit ticked off having to strip these rifles so often.

 

[8x57]

Sorry but I meant to type SK (made by Lapua) not HK.

 

[User00033]

Sorry but I meant to type SK (made by Lapua) not HK.

Thanks mate that explains why I couldn't find any referenc HK other than Heckler & Koch!

 

[Effnjeff]

I have had great luck with RWS Ammo in 10/22s. It is clean burning and doesn't gum the up the action. SK has been good for me too. Eley ammo leaves the action very gritty and stops cycling after a few shots.

 

[Erik Hamburger]

I am new to .22Lr rifles and also looked at this .22Lr amo specially designed for semi-auto's. I am aware of 3 Brands and two that may be suitable for you I have market bold:

• CCI copper-22. (HV, all-round target and hunting)
• Winchester M-22 (Subs, designed for target shooting)
• Eley Contact (Subs, designed for hunting)

Good luck!

 

[User00033]

I have had great luck with RWS Ammo in 10/22s. It is clean burning and doesn't gum the up the action. SK has been good for me too. Eley ammo leaves the action very gritty and stops cycling after a few shots.

Guesty, do you know which one of the RWS products you used? I'm looking at the High Velocity HP in their Field Line.

 

[Effnjeff]

Guesty, do you know which one of the RWS products you used? I'm looking at the High Velocity HP in their Field Line.

I have used a lot of the RWS range of 22 ammo including Club,, Target Rifle, Rifle Match, Special Match and R50 from the target types to Semi Auto supersonic and Subsonic hunting types. All have worked well in my 10/22 though admittedly it did not have the accuracy potential to demonstrate the more expensive stuff.
I ended up settling on Club which was reliable, clean, consistent and reasonably priced. A buddy uses Semi Auto in his 10/22 which is equally good if a little more pricey.

 

[C.J]

How much is fouling increased , by the wax coating , of non copper coated bullets ?

Does anybody make a copper coated,hollow nose , subsonic round ?

 

[User00033]

Removed the Remington 597's muzzle can first thing this morning and went for a walk on the flats where we haven't controlled rabbits since the summer months. Around the old sheds as usual there were lots of bunnies sitting out in the open and the old 597 delivered perfect accuracy shooting prone off a bag at 75-80 m with the CCI stingers. Over a couple of hours only missed one out of nine shots which is a fair bit better than the last couple of outings with full suppression. Went down again this evening with the wife who took the 10/22, again with suppressor removed, after stripping, cleaning the action, and retorquing the action screws and barrel band (i added a rear action screw), and re-zeroing. Whack, whack, whack and so it went on. There's definitely a problem with dirty suppressors on both these semi-autos.

 

[jthyttin]

[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]The DPT suppressor on the Ruger is not fouling to anything like the degree of the other one.[/FONT][/FONT]

Maybe the full barrel moderator includes some bleed holes so the effective barrel length is less? The gases vent into the mod before a decent burn is reached?

Also Stinger may be the least suitable ammo to keep a short barreled moderated 22 clean. In other words it should require longest barrel for clean burn.

I'd chrono the Stinger from both of your semiautos and compare to velocities in some longish barrel 22. From CCI line-up Velocitor and Minimag HP could be a bit cleaner burning? A bit slower but it doesn't matter at least trajectory-wise.

 

[jthyttin]

Does anybody make a copper coated,hollow nose , subsonic round ?

CCI has few offerings, 40gr Segmented Hollow Point at 1050fps and 710fps.

And then I've seen 22 Supressor (45 HP) with copper plating, maybe some special run. It's claimed 970fps, I found it transsonic but that's the case with all SS HP in two rifles I tried.

 

[Effnjeff]

I have never had problems with dirty suppressors on any of my rimfire or centrefires. It looks from your pic that your suppressor has moving sprung parts. Maybe these stick when sooted and cause inconsistency, Could you try another suppressor?
I see that you are after clean kills at 100m and I'm not sure if any 22 semi would be up that capable. I have a crazy OTT Kidd custom 10/22 and I wouldn't think it up to the job, especially with hunting style ammo. One last thing is you might want to take your barrel band off your 10/22 particularly of you have a rear action screw. Www.rimfirecentral.com is the place for 10/22 tips and advice if you want to wring the best accuracy out of yours.

 

[User00033]

Appreciate the comments overnight, some useful suggestions.

Maybe the full barrel moderator includes some bleed holes so the effective barrel length is less? The gases vent into the mod before a decent burn is reached? Also Stinger may be the least suitable ammo to keep a short barreled moderated 22 clean. In other words it should require longest barrel for clean burn. I'd chrono the Stinger from both of your semiautos and compare to velocities in some longish barrel 22. From CCI line-up Velocitor and Minimag HP could be a bit cleaner burning? A bit slower but it doesn't matter at least trajectory-wise.

I’ll call the full barrel mod manufacturer and find out how it works. I’ve never taken it apart. Am a bit reluctant to do so. CCI Stinger has been deadly in these rifles in the past, very very effective, I’m still wondering if there’s a change in this batch of 500, or whether there’s something more fundamentally wrong with the rifle(s).

I have never had problems with dirty suppressors on any of my rimfire or centrefires. It looks from your pic that your suppressor has moving sprung parts. Maybe these stick when sooted and cause inconsistency, Could you try another suppressor? I see that you are after clean kills at 100m and I'm not sure if any 22 semi would be up that capable. I have a crazy OTT Kidd custom 10/22 and I wouldn't think it up to the job, especially with hunting style ammo. One last thing is you might want to take your barrel band off your 10/22 particularly of you have a rear action screw. Www.rimfirecentral.com is the place for 10/22 tips and advice if you want to wring the best accuracy out of yours.

I don’t have another mod with the same thread pitch so am looking at borrowing one to see if there’s a difference in fouling.

Yes, your 10/22 will kill cleanly at 100m with CCI Stinger. I was also doubtful until my mate proved it to me with his 10/22. We both use BDC reticles, range finders and bipods, shooting prone, and when conditions are right (wind, length of grass) the performance is deadly. I know the doubts will linger but seriously, try Stingers out if you haven’t already.

The barrel band was removed deliberately for the purpose of fitting a bipod, and the rear action screw mod done accordingly as per Nathan Foster guidelines (same as rimfirecentral). Then after a while the inaccuracy problem surfaced, so one of the things I did was refit the band (counterintuitive) and shoot off a bag. Accuracy improved markedly. AARRRGGGHHH! Not the outcome I wanted but that’s what happened. So… not sure what’s next there. I may try and convince myself to go custom with this rifle, I do love it, maybe a Truflite bull barrel, some VQ components, etc.

Yes, now I do recognise the need to try out more ammo, as discussed in the other thread. I have in the past used several different types and CCI Stinger was – bar this recent issue – by far the best for me. But it’s years since I experimented and I’ve forgotten most of it. Another good reason to keep a logbook. These rifles sat in the safe for 6 yrs while we were overseas and they get occasional use only… but they are bloody useful tools now that every summer we get bunny plague. Need to get them sorted. Thanks for the help so far.

 

[User00033]

Have had excellent support from the overbarrel (full barrel) suppressor manufacturer - MAE. Have disassembled the Remington to individual component level to the correct specs and rebuilt, including trigger assembly. Removed the muzzle can and discarded, having established it is not a MAE product but has been added by "previous owner" which is hilarious because I bought it "new" and the additional muzzle can, it seems, is a clever idea dreampt up by the retailer's inhouse gunsmith.... who was a mate of mine long since lost touch with, last heard of in the Arctic.

View attachment 85129

Went out back and set up at 50m and shot a 5 shot group off a bag in ~10 secs at 0.9" with the CCI Stingers. Dead bunny every time. MAE is telling me to use CCI MiniMags so the overbarrel suppressor reduces the velocity (1200-1250fps) to subsonic levels (bleed holes as previously suggested by jthyttin - thanks), thereby cycling the action effectively but with a "sub" sound signature. Yet to get hands on some MiniMags but will try this out. MAE has suggested a chamber ream to ensure cleanliness.

The Ruger 10/22 seems to be misbehaving for entirely different reasons. Suspect this either bad batch of Stingers, maybe also chamber fouling, and also this contradictory problem with action bedding. And probably some wear-and-tear as it has shot thousands of rounds in the 20 years I've owned it and slain god knows how many pests.

 

[SurreyArmoury]

lapua make some HV hollow point ammo it's hardened lead and very clean. (bit more money, but a good alternative)