22 ammo

[Rsadams]

Ok after doing what I do to my rifles to get what I want I just finished a Ruger precision rimfire with that same work but still wasn't exactly pleased with my results.... So on the advice of every good rimfire shooter I know I bought some better ammo and that's what this post us about....

I have shot CCI standard velocity forever and have really never found a rifle that didn't like them , some of course more/less than others... unfortunately in the last year or so I have been getting not so good results from it and thought it was the rifle... After selling it and buying the RPR I was basically in the same boat.... I finally bought some SK match and OK you guys were 100 percent correct.... I was shocked at the difference... The group size and consistency where outstanding compared to the CCI of course it was also twice as expensive but groups where twice as small... I absolutely know there's a difference in junk .22lr ammo and won't even buy it for plinking anymore... I promise you there was nothing wrong with the rifle I sold and it kinda ticks me off it was more of a hunting gun but had always shot incredible on paper... Ohh well the RPR will meet my needs better for the long range stuff I am doing now and shoots tiny at fifty and under for my local range competition stuff plus it's threaded and one day I want to pick up a suppressor for it....

Edit... Just for fun on the day I took the SK ammo for testing I also took my lab radar and chronographed some of the CCI and the velocity was crazy all over the place AND DEFINITELY explained the crazy flyers and groups and this was with a different lot that shot pretty well compared to the previous batch I had.... This lot shot one hole at 25 but the SK was twice as small even putting 4 out of five in what seemed one tiny hole that's about the size of the bullet... The wind was picking up and I didn't want any excuses from 50 or 100 yards with the wind... I wonder if the QC has fallen down at CCI over the last couple of years because of COVID or something... A ten shot group with the CCI produced an sd of over 110... That seems crazy high even for rimfire... I didn't even bother with the SK ammo... This has opened a whole other world for me and I look forward to trying some lapua , tenex etc...

 

[1813benny]

Every manufacturer's quality ebbs and tides over time and CCI is no different. Right now, every manufacturer is pushing out as much as they possibly can in order to support demand.

With that said, you have had your "smallbore ammunition epiphany" regarding how much it can vary between manufacturers. As a follow up, you will also find out that the difference you saw between the CCI and SK can also be that much between lots of SK.

For maximum accuracy, you have to spend the money for the best ammo you can afford and test multiple lots.
Best Regards
ken

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

@ Rsadams,..
SK Match, SK Standard Plus and Wolf Match Extra, ALL Shoot, pretty Small, in My custom, 10-22 with, a Bentz Chambered, Green Mtn., 20" Barrel and,.. YUP, it's Worth, the extra Dinero, IF, wanting to See, your Rifle "Shoot",.. "NEAR" it's Best, potential.. IMO
ONLY Accurate Rifles,.. ARE,.. interesting !
Personally, I WON'T, waste my Time with,.. CCI Std Vel or, Federal Auto Match,.. anymore.
NOTE; My Rifle is NOT, a BR "Match grade" Rifle,.. BUT,. "close" ! ( Minute of Sage Rats,.. Head )

 

[CharlieNC]

I am about to finish shooting my remaining cheap ammo in my BR rifle, and will not buy anymore as I find using it for "practice" causes more problems than solutions. Too many false signals. For me Eley Match and Center X shoot superbly, and if a shot is off I know it was me or the wind (the cheap stuff cannot shoot inside the difference the wind makes).

 

[kyotekiller25]

For the price, you can't beat SK. I shoot the standard yellow box, Rifle Match red box, and the Long Range Match out of my CZ457/Bartlein. I've taken the long range match out to 500 yards on a 20" plate several times now.

If you really want the best, you're going to pay 2-3x more for the best lapua and eley stuff, but that will tell you what your rifle is truly capable of.

CCI SV shoots really well out of my 457 also out to 200 yards, comparable to the SK yellow and red box stuff, but after 200 the SK long range blows them out of the water.

 

[Chilly807]

I just finished lot testing some SK ammo, not at a test facility but over a period of 5 range trips.
I've had good luck with Standard Plus over the years, it was decently consistent and you could usually find a good lot if you tested 3 or 4.

This time I tested 3 lots each of Std Plus, Rifle Match, Biathlon Sport and Long Range Match. For once the results showed that you do get what you pay for.

SD and extreme spread numbers from the chronograph showed that the Long Range Match (all 3 lots) was significantly better than the others, although the Biathlon wasn't too far behind. I was getting extreme spread of 19-22 fps with the LRM, vs 30-50 fps from Std Plus, and SD of 6 fps vs 12-16.

At 20-50 yds, extreme spread isn't as much of a problem, but at 100 it turns into one.

Groups with Long Range Match were measurably better on every day that I tested, also. The Biathlon and Rifle Match turned in some excellent groups on occasion, but didn't do it as consistently. The Std Plus didn't perform nearly as well as other lots of it that I've tried in past years.
I could probably find one that did with more testing, but by that time I might as well just buy a bunch of the best lot of LRM and be done with it. Likely cheaper in the long run too. I've had some success with CCI SV in the past as a very basic Match ammo, but the consistency just isn't there. And considering the price difference, I wouldn't expect it to be.

 

[kyotekiller25]

Mirrors my findings also. The LRM is just a bit more overall consistent than the standard and rifle match. Not near as many random flyers. I want to say my ES is also around 20 with the LRM versus 30 or 35 with the standard and rifle match.

 

[1Merlin]

To date I have only tried 3 lots of SK Long Range and have found it to be erratic and not as consistent or accurate as even SK Standard. I had high hopes as Lapua LR shoots very well out of several of my longer barreled rifles. Didn't happen with the SK LR

 

[ebb]

Where do you buy SK and Wolf match ammo these days? I have shot it before and Wolf match, both did real well for me, but I can't remember where i used to get it.

 

[kyotekiller25]

To date I have only tried 3 lots of SK Long Range and have found it to be erratic and not as consistent or accurate as even SK Standard. I had high hopes as Lapua LR shoots very well out of several of my longer barreled rifles. Didn't happen with the SK LR

Local shop has some lapua long range $180/brick and super long range $220/brick. I've been thinking about trying the long range, but it's $75 more per brick than the SK LRM, which shoots great out of my rifle. The other part of me doesn't want to try it, because if it shoots considerably better, I might just have to switch.

Have you tried both, or just the long range?

 

[kyotekiller25]

Where do you buy SK and Wolf match ammo these days? I have shot it before and Wolf match, both did real well for me, but I can't remember where i used to get it.

Online usually. Unless one of your local shops carry it.

 

[ebb]

There seem to be no local shops left around here. I looked at PSA and they had Norma match , RWS match, Eley match, Federal gold medal match, Wolf match, SK match, printed on the box, but in the description called Berger Bullets match, and a bunch more foreign makers with a product they called match, yet none were in stock. Online is a little vague.

 

[1Merlin]

Local shop has some lapua long range $180/brick and super long range $220/brick. I've been thinking about trying the long range, but it's $75 more per brick than the SK LRM, which shoots great out of my rifle. The other part of me doesn't want to try it, because if it shoots considerably better, I might just have to switch.

Have you tried both, or just the long range?

Never tried the Super LR as I have yet to find the strength or lack of good sense to spend that much to play games with. I am heading in that direction though. I still have a couple of bricks of different SK LR and 5 different bricks of Lapua LR nd have tested them in most of my rifles. I have no idea why or when the higher speed Lapua will work better but in a couple of rifles it is definitely better than Midas but, for me, Center X still works better than the high speed stuff in most rifles I have. I recently bought 2 boxes each of 10 different lots of Eley Team and found only disappointment. The best lot was decent ... kinda. SK for banging steel and Lapua for real efforts is still my go to ammo.

 

[kyotekiller25]

Just type in SK long range match in your Google bar...all kinds of places have them in stock right now.

Or search in ammo seek. It'll show everyone that carries them, whether in stock or not, and prices.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Where do you buy SK and Wolf match ammo these days? I have shot it before and Wolf match, both did real well for me, but I can't remember where i used to get it.

Some Lady owned a Shop that sold, all the .22 lr Match Ammo I used to Buy ( Pre-Covid ) and I Bought enough, to Last Me,.. several, Years !!
YUP,. I Forgot where, I Bought them also,.. LOL !
Someone HERE,. "Knows",.. wait for,. IT !

 

[Rsadams]

Unfortunately in the little town I live in anything good is extremely hard to find if not impossible... I need to find a place where I can order from lots and maybe put some good stuff away...

 

[MUP]

Yes, the difference most often is between junk and match grade ammo, and group sizes do correlate to each in my experience. And, I might add, I'm broke bc of this revelation discovery.