What is Great ES / SD for 22 match ammo?

[dusterdave173]

What do you guys consider to be excellent ES and SD for 22 match ammo?
Is 30 ES 8 SD range generally considered good or do you look/ hope for much lower?

 

[PhilD]

Kind of hard to find ammo with an ES under 25fps especially if you shoot 30-50 rounds and even the best lots can reach 30fps. I won’t compete with ammo that has an SD above 6 and I’ve never found any lower than 4 with a good statically relevant number of shots fired 30 or more rounds. My practice ammo usually runs around 8. 50yd bench rest is more forgiving but I shoot small steel target arrays out to 250yds. The smallest target at 150yds is one inch square and the smallest at 250yds is 3” square. Doesn’t take much velocity difference to shoot over or under at those ranges.

 

[grauhanen]

It's worth keeping in mind that SD/ES doesn't necessarily reflect how an ammo performs on target.

Testing one box from a lot of .22LR match ammo over the chronograph can give misleading impressions. It's often necessary to test many boxes to see what a lot is like over the chronograph.

Most lots will have a range of SD and ES values/box. Even good lots can have SD values varying by 1.5 to 2.0 fps with ES ranging between the low 20 to mid 30 fps range.

See the examples below that illustrate the range of SD/ES.

 

[shoot4fun]

Went to verify zero at 50 yards. Shot a few different brands ammo and the best turned in a tight 20-shot group. The ES was 24 and SD 7. The ammo was Eley Tenex I purchased on a huge closeout at $30/brick and I bought an entire case for $300 plus sales tax. Why such a deal? It is from 2012 and had been found stuffed in a container until late 2025. To add to that, I had already shot two 10-shot groups of the same ammo and the SD was within a decimal point for each group (8.3 and 8.2) with ES 25.
My seemingly highly coveted Lapua Long Range turned in a ES of 47 and SD of 14 during the same session and same number of rounds fired.

 

[dusterdave173]

Thanks for all the constructive input!!

The ammo I have been winning with was approx 20 ES and 5-6 SD range--ball park but it is almost gone
I opened a new case I just got--It went to hammering right off the bat! Groups equal to what I had been shooting
I am Factory ARA shooter 50 yd
I ran a half a box it was 30 ES and 7.9 or so IIRC SD I was very happy with initial results but guess I was wishing the numbers looked better
I have a big match this week end--I will take the new and what I have left of my winning lot and cross my fingers
I WANT the new batch to be good stuff --might be all I get for the year if shortage in the market place persist
I feel dang lucky that it is as promising as it is I had not paid that much attention to numbers in the past as i am always at 50 yds and just trusted how it shot on match day
Thanks gang!

 

[shoot4fun]

Thanks for all the constructive input!!

The ammo I have been winning with was approx 20 ES and 5-6 SD range--ball park but it is almost gone
I opened a new case I just got--It went to hammering right off the bat! Groups equal to what I had been shooting
I am Factory ARA shooter 50 yd
I ran a half a box it was 30 ES and 7.9 or so IIRC SD I was very happy with initial results but guess I was wishing the numbers looked better
I have a big match this week end--I will take the new and what I have left of my winning lot and cross my fingers
I WANT the new batch to be good stuff --might be all I get for the year if shortage in the market place persist
I feel dang lucky that it is as promising as it is I had not paid that much attention to numbers in the past as i am always at 50 yds and just trusted how it shot on match day
Thanks gang!

The one thing about shooting 22LR is there's a guaranteed flyer in every box.

 

[Hi-NV Shooter]

Thanks for all the constructive input!!

The ammo I have been winning with was approx 20 ES and 5-6 SD range--ball park but it is almost gone
I opened a new case I just got--It went to hammering right off the bat! Groups equal to what I had been shooting
I am Factory ARA shooter 50 yd
I ran a half a box it was 30 ES and 7.9 or so IIRC SD I was very happy with initial results but guess I was wishing the numbers looked better
I have a big match this week end--I will take the new and what I have left of my winning lot and cross my fingers
I WANT the new batch to be good stuff --might be all I get for the year if shortage in the market place persist
I feel dang lucky that it is as promising as it is I had not paid that much attention to numbers in the past as i am always at 50 yds and just trusted how it shot on match day
Thanks gang!

The only numbers that matter are what ends up as your score. regardless of what the numbers say ammo will either shoot good or it won't.
start believing what the target results are that's all that matters.

Lee

 

[doclu60]

The only numbers that matter are what ends up as your score. regardless of what the numbers say ammo will either shoot good or it won't.
start believing what the target results are that's all that matters.

Lee

Exactly! I have been shooting sanctioned RFBR since 2016 and informal for a couple of years before that. I have had a modicum of success in sanctioned over the years. I have never owned a chronograph, and I would have no idea what the sd's and es's of any of the ammo I have shot well with over the last 10 years were. I guarantee almost all of that ammo was tested before it was shot in competition though. Some folks over think the benchrest game almost to an extreme. If you are running a lot with the chronograph, it most likely means you already own that lot. So, in these days of testing before buying qty being almost nonexistent, what the hell difference does it make? You already own it. If it shoots great but the sd's and es's don't make you feel good what then? Don't shoot the ammo because of chrono readings?

You answered your original question in post #5. You were very happy with the results on target, but you were wishing for better numbers? Huh? Just another thing for you to worry about and waste time over for an answer that you already knew. Proper testing in your rifle tells the ammo story, not your chronograph.

Scott

 

[BowChamp]

I look for higher numbers.....you know.....2350...2400...2500!! LOL!!!

All my competition shooting has been at 50 yds. and as others have said, it's the score that counts.

I wouldn't get too caught up in chasing chrony numbers.

 

[1911nut]

Don’t the test centers collect SD/ES and group size?

 

[shoot4fun]

Don’t the test centers collect SD/ES and group size?

I look for higher numbers.....you know.....2350...2400...2500!! LOL!!!

All my competition shooting has been at 50 yds. and as others have said, it's the score that counts.

I wouldn't get too caught up in chasing chrony numbers.

If ES, SD and small test groups give someone confidence that they can shoot well they will shoot their best. So many variables are involved in rimfire that it's almost impossible to get them all covered. My son will be shooting this ammo and rifle Saturday and, given the fact he has very little practice time, I will give him some confidence that he at least has a chance to do well.

 

[dusterdave173]

The only numbers that matter are what ends up as your score. regardless of what the numbers say ammo will either shoot good or it won't.
start believing what the target results are that's all that matters.

Lee

That is what I try and do
I just have a very important match in a couple days and was debating with myself which lot to shoot--they seem equal on paper in same conditions but the numbers looked better on the one lot--I admit I have not shot many rounds of the new lot--I just wondered out loud do those numbers really matter?
I had one member say I do not even ask the right questions--but hey--I am willing to ask and ask and ask --and listen.......there is So Much experience here and the more of it I hear and am exposed to the better

Thanks to all for taking time to lend advice

 

[Hi-NV Shooter]

That is what I try and do
I just have a very important match in a couple days and was debating with myself which lot to shoot--they seem equal on paper in same conditions but the numbers looked better on the one lot--I admit I have not shot many rounds of the new lot--I just wondered out loud do those numbers really matter?
I had one member say I do not even ask the right questions--but hey--I am willing to ask and ask and ask --and listen.......there is So Much experience here and the more of it I hear and am exposed to the better

Thanks to all for taking time to lend advice

Take both and see which shoots best on the sighters. you're really messing with your mental game by guessing which one.
this is what will happen if you don't, ever miss will make you think maybe it is the ammo then you lose your concentration on what matters reading the conditions. all doubt should be gone when the command is given YOUR TIME STARTS NOW!

Lee

 

[Todd Earhart]

More data or information is always better "BUT" there is a place where a person can start to drown in data. I have friends that will not shoot matches because they have not found ammunition to meet their standards of what will win. This is fine and everyone has to satisfy in their own mind what they are trying to achieve. We work hard on equipment to keep it at a standard we are satisfied with but its a fine line between fun and a job. At the end of the day its, "what did the target score?"
Todd

 

[dusterdave173]

Take both and see which shoots best on the sighters. you're really messing with your mental game by guessing which one.
this is what will happen if you don't, ever miss will make you think maybe it is the ammo then you lose your concentration on what matters reading the conditions. all doubt should be gone when the command is given YOUR TIME STARTS NOW!

Lee

Thank you sir
I get it and appreciate the input

I watched Olympic ski lady Shiffron psych herself out at he start gate--she adjusted her equipment and everything just Way too much--you could see she was doing herself in--and she did--finished well behind her ability. I watch the pro golfers do the same thing with 4 holes to go--I truly understand what you are getting at
I am entering my third year--I hope I have all that junk behind me--I am calm and ready when I get to the bench--I am off to a heck of a start this season and my equipment is settled etc.
I just want to be thinking and try to understand all I can about this crazy sport

Again--Thanks!!

 

[BowChamp]

If ES, SD and small test groups give someone confidence that they can shoot well they will shoot their best. So many variables are involved in rimfire that it's almost impossible to get them all covered. My son will be shooting this ammo and rifle Saturday and, given the fact he has very little practice time, I will give him some confidence that he at least has a chance to do well.

ES and SD seems like a false sense of confidence at 50 yds. to me. As you stated, with all the variables in rimfire, wouldn't a shooters want to cut down on the number of variables he's chasing. Does the target not tell the story?

 

[BowChamp]

Take both and see which shoots best on the sighters. you're really messing with your mental game by guessing which one.
this is what will happen if you don't, ever miss will make you think maybe it is the ammo then you lose your concentration on what matters reading the conditions. all doubt should be gone when the command is given YOUR TIME STARTS NOW!

Lee

More data or information is always better "BUT" there is a place where a person can start to drown in data. I have friends that will not shoot matches because they have not found ammunition to meet their standards of what will win. This is fine and everyone has to satisfy in their own mind what they are trying to achieve. We work hard on equipment to keep it at a standard we are satisfied with but its a fine line between fun and a job. At the end of the day its, "what did the target score?"
Todd

These shooters say it way better than I can!

 

[BowChamp]

Exactly! I have been shooting sanctioned RFBR since 2016 and informal for a couple of years before that. I have had a modicum of success in sanctioned over the years. I have never owned a chronograph, and I would have no idea what the sd's and es's of any of the ammo I have shot well with over the last 10 years were. I guarantee almost all of that ammo was tested before it was shot in competition though. Some folks over think the benchrest game almost to an extreme. If you are running a lot with the chronograph, it most likely means you already own that lot. So, in these days of testing before buying qty being almost nonexistent, what the hell difference does it make? You already own it. If it shoots great but the sd's and es's don't make you feel good what then? Don't shoot the ammo because of chrono readings?

You answered your original question in post #5. You were very happy with the results on target, but you were wishing for better numbers? Huh? Just another thing for you to worry about and waste time over for an answer that you already knew. Proper testing in your rifle tells the ammo story, not your chronograph.

Scott

And this shooter also......somehow it didn't show up on my last post.

 

[Raydee]

Our 22 LR matches are shot at 100 yards, in my limited testing if your ES numbers were over 25 you are shooting in the back of the pack. In my case a simple firing pin spring change made a pretty significant difference when I noticed I was having extreme spreads close to and even into the 40’s. After the spring change I got them down into the 20’s and my targets immediately went up in score. My point of this post is sometimes it’s not the ammo, it’s the rifle.

 

[TRSR8]

The one thing about shooting 22LR is there's a guaranteed flyer in every box.

No, there is not