22LR Ammo, most accurate for Hunting Use

[Zermoid]

Hi folks,
Many of you sound like avid BR and Target shooters, hope you also hunt as I'm looking for thoughts on accurate hunting ammo, I don't mind using solids or "target" ammo if it has enough power to take squirrels.
I have a,don't Laugh) Norinco JW-15 that I use for hunting and used to use for target shooting with a local club, I could outshoot the guys with their heavy barreled target rifles! I did polish the bolt and raceway and worked the trigger till it was light and smooth. Also refinished that hideous Chinese stock finish,it literally looked like it was dunked in varnish and hung to dry) and it now is checkered and Tung Oil finished, also added a woodburning of a Squirrel on a limb as it was going to be my Squirrel rifle!
It is very accurate with some old CCI Blazer ammo I had since around 1998, I found that by lightly twisting the bullet and only using the tightly crimped ones accuracy got even better. Unfortunately I'm almost out of that original lot and the ones I purchased recently seem to have gone downhill as far as quality control goes, the old batch about 75-80% were tight, now I'm lucky to find 1 out of 10 rounds that have a tight crimp.
Yes it is a finicky gun, but with the right ammo it can do cloverleafs at 50 yds, sometimes one ragged hole. Guess the Chinese made good barrels anyway!
Also do you think glass bedding would help any? Barrel currently is free floated in original wood stock, I usually bed the first 6 inches of the barrel and free float the rest. Any chance it would make it less finicky?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[FroggyOne2]

Wolf match target.

 

[CatShooter]

I tested a bunch in a 40X Rimfire, and found CCI MiniMags and Remington Subsonic HP's to be quite good for hollow point hunting ammo.


.

 

[jb77]

Plus 1 on the CCI Minimags. I have also found the Remington 40gr hollowpoint Golden Bullet to be outstanding in my 22's.

 

[TRECustom]

Z, did you notice nobody laughed? I have a Tu-33/40 copy of a G 33/40 Mauser. The only .22 rifle I have that's more accurate is an old T-bolt. The TU is the only .22 I have that will mount a KAR-98 bayonet. You just never know when you might have to go hand to hand? with an enraged rodent.

The action is identical to the JW-15 and is pretty cobby. It is a "copy" of an old BRNO .22 which has become a CZ now.

If it helps, the CZ ZKM 452 .22lr mags are a perfect fit. I couldn't find Norinco spares and tried the CZ's. Viola!

On the ammo preference, it appears to like the Hanson std velocity .22lr best, but shoots Super X hollowpoints well enough that I haven't needed the bayonet.

Enjoy, Tom

 

[Zermoid]

I got a bunch of 22 ammo sitting here, need to get out and do some test firing, went to gun shop a while back and just went down the isle picking up random boxes, I'm not even sure what I got!

Don't underestimate the need for a bayonet, I had a Squirrel go Kamikaze on me once, blasted him out of a tree about 40 yds away with a 12 Ga. and he hit the ground running straight for me! Fell dead about 6 inches from my feet, weird!

Hey, Wolf? Is that Russian, like the cheap ammo in 7.62x39, 45 ACP, 9MM, etc.? Or is there another Wolf brand? If it is Russian is it actually good? Really? Never looked at that stuff as anything more than cheap blasting ammo.

Thanks for all the suggestions, if none of the current pile of ammo works out I'll definitely look for some of those, if I don't already have them! I know I grabbed some Elley boxes. No clue which loads. BTW it Hates CCI Stinger and most other light and hyper fast bullets I've tried, 40 gr or if possible heavier might be the way to go. Any 22LR loads that have a more than 40 gr bullet?

 

[FroggyOne2]

Wolf is accually owned by Lapua now. It is great stuff for smallbore. With a barrel tuner, you can get the stuff to shoot as good as about any of the expensive stuff. I won the Dewer match once in the state championships and over all class with Wolf Match Target, my Winny 52D loves the stuff.

 

[jclin]

Wolf centerfire ammo is Russian made steel cased blasing fodder in Tula. The Wolf .22 target LR is/was actually made by SK Jagd, which was an East German outfit. The .22 LR ammo now uses Lapua brass and primer and Vithavouri powder, as the Lapua company runs part of SK. The casehead markings on my Wolf .22 has the same cross within a circle that the "real" Lapua has as well. The Wolf .22 indeed shoots much better than its price would suggest, especially back when Match Target was $20/brick. Now its about $40/brick. Still a good bargain compared to the "other" match ammo from Lapua, Eley, RWS, etc.

 

[jthyttin]

For adequate terminal results, you probably want something else than traditional round nose 22LR. As suggested, hollowpoints are good and so are CCI SGB flatnose,CCI claims it will match Minimag 40gr solid for trajectory).

As to the accuracy, it will depend on your gun. If you can run 10rds or so from each box over chronograph, it will give good hints in accuracy over 50y,large ES means lots of vertical).

Inside 50y,actually 50 meters) reasonable changes in velocity don't really affect accuracy. The ammo my gun shoots best at 50m has something like 30-35fps ES.

 

[Zermoid]

Hey Tom,
As far as mags go I bought a half dozen or so of the 5 rounders when I got the rifle, and, I'm sorry to say 3 10 rounders for the JW-15. Do not make the same mistake. The 5's feed flawlessly, the 10's I'm lucky to get 1 or 2 to feed without manual help, and I've tried rebending lips, stretching the spring, polishing the lips, you name it I've probably done it and they still don't feed. So I carry a bunch of loaded 5 rounders and spare ammo, it works, and how often do you need more than 5 shots to take a squirrel or 2?

FroggyOne2 and jclin,
Thanks! Look for the Target version of Wolf!
I'm assuming they are solids, I prefer HP for safety while hunting as HP's tend to break up when they hit something and solids tend to bounce,a 22 bouncing off a rock 25 yds away and coming back to hit you in the thigh stings, trust me on this) but I will use a solid if it's the most accurate, I really wish I had bought several bricks of the CCI Blazers when they were made better! Lack of advance planning, this time if I find something it likes I'm getting at least 4 bricks of it! That hopefully will make me set for life with hunting ammo.

Thanks Again all!

 

[PestShooter]

I like CCI Mini Mags. They seem to woke well. You should always test different types of ammo in your gun before deciding on one that groups the tightest. Different ammo will shoot differently in different guns.

 

[FroggyOne2]

Lack of advance planning!


That is me!

 

[Ackman]

Nobody can predict what'll work in your gun. You just have to try different things and find out for yourself.

 

[2506]

Some of the most accurate 22lr ammo I have ever fired was some old PMC Zapper. I use to use the old Winchester Wildcat solid 22lr to hunt small game with when I was a boy. The bullet was a soft lead and had a profile almost like the CCI small game bullet. It worked very well. If you want something left to eat do not use the hyper velocity HP stuff like the CCI Stingers. You will not have much left to eat if you do. Each rifle will tell you what it likes and does not like. Try a bunch of different ammo. Any type bullet will work OK if you head shoot them.

 

[Zermoid]

PMC Zapper? PMC made rimfire? Used to shoot alot of their 30 Carbine and more recently 6.5x55,they were the only reloadable brass I could find around here for quite a while) but don't remember ever seeing 22 ammo by PMC, of course most of the local gun shops are on the small side around here.
Got to plan on a day to go shooting, in addition to the 22 I've got several test batches loaded for a new 44 mag to try out, a new load for the 6.5, and a couple new loads to try out in the 45 and 380 autos. Unfortunately test firing days are boring for the kids and I have to go alone and do the target changing myself. The neighbors don't mind me firing a few shots out back once and a while, but I don't think they would be too happy about an all day barrage!
Definitely will have to pick up some of the MiniMags and the Wolf Target. I have some CCI SGB but I don't see anything about flatpoint, are there 2 different loads?
Hanson I'll have to look for, don't remember seeing that brand before. Heck I even got a box of Elley Match Pistol Ammo! Didn't realize it was pistol! What the heck, try it too!
I'm mostly looking for accuracy, any standard or faster load will do as I usually go for the head shot, which means I need an inch or better at 50 yds, and smaller is preferred! I know the rifle can do a 3 shot ragged hole at 50 yds with ammo it likes. Just need to find another ammo it likes.

 

[chugcatsts01]

:crazy::crazy:I shoot a Marlin 880 SQ with 3x9 Leupold Vari-X, and a Bush - master ES2 Shorty w/ Leupold 8.5 X 25 Tactical with a CIENER .22 LR Conversion kit. Both guns are zeroed in at 100 yards and shoot 1" MOA groups consistently. I hunt 'Nutria' a 20 to 35 LB Rodent that has invaded Florida from South America via Louisiana thanks to the 'Old Owner' of LOUISIANA HOT SAUCE. The have large tusks and tear up roots of planted crops and multiply by the thousands. I use Aquila 22 Super Maximum Hyper Velocity 30grain plated hollow points on calm days, they are rated at 1750FPS, my Chronograph read 1650. If it is windy I use CCI 40 GR HP Velocitor, they will drop a large 'Nutria' with one shot at 125 yards. I have killed a 34 pounder at 205 yards with the Bushmaster/Aquila combo when I shot him in the jaw and he started to scurry up a muddy bank. I hit it 6 more times out of 9 rounds in the magazine and half the meat was still good. At 75 yards the 30 gr HP turns a Dove into a puff of feathers.
Halfbreed II

 

[dlebeck]

Let's see, where do I start? OK, the guy that said the old PMC Zappers are great, your are so right sir! I currently have almost 200,000 of them left and I use them in all three of my Ruger MKII handguns. I also have 4 Ruger 10/22's and they all like different ammo: one loves Elley Brown, one loves WW high velocity, one lives on CCI's and Wolf Match, and the other won't hit shit no matter what I put in it unless I do one very important thing, and that leads me into my point and advice for you. Spend 85 bucks and buy a rimfire loaded round comparator! If you do you will never - ever - go back to being without one. I also have three of the original Kimber of Oregon bolt guns and these are very fussy about headspace. One will only shoot a very specific headspace, the other two will shoot one hole all day long as long as all the rounds have the same headspace and I adjust my scope accordingly. I do however stay away from the cheap federals, they are just plain junk. Thunderbolts on the other hand are wonderfully cheap and if sorted will shoot very well and any that don't find a pile, I give to the grand kids for blasting ammo when they come over. So go forth, spend some money and enjoy life to the fullest.

Doug

Post Script: what to have some real fun? Get a 22 Hornet!

 

[Zermoid]

"Get a 22 Hornet!"

How far do they go? Max Range that is?
Around here I'm lucky to be more than 2 miles from nearest houses, I worry enough shooting up into a tree with a 22LR! I try to always shoot with trunk or limb behind the squirrel but they don't always co-operate with that. I use a 12ga alot for squirrels mostly for that reason, hate picking hair and shot out of then though, 22LR head shots are much neater, and no wasted meat. But I worry about where that slug comes back down with a rifle, so.......

 

[PFAK]

I have a 10-22 Target model and a new Kimber Pro-varmint both
in .22LR. They will both avg. in the 3/8' or better at 50 yds. with Eley Sub-sonic HP hunting rounds.These are 5 shot groups.
Strangely enough the 10-22 will do the same with Wolf Match but
the Kimber just sprays them. This ammo is about $6.00 a box.

 

[cliffy]

.22 Long Rifle CCI Velocitors are the most potent 40 grain hollow points, and they ALWAYS go bang. At over 1600 fps from a rifle length barrel, they are without peer. Even from a Ruger Mark III Competition 6 7/8' barrel they ALWAYS go bang and really leave a mark. cliffy