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Weighing-Sorting 22lr ammo?

As the subject heading reads:
It is worth the time and effort to weight and sort 22lr ammo?
Especially when using top quality match ammo like Midas + or Eley Match, RWS, etc.

What is you process steps to do so?

If measuring rim thickness what tools do you use to do so, or would recommend?

New to precision 22 game.
Am trying ARA and NRA Smallbore F-Class
 
For top match ammo, it is essentially a waste of time as you cannot separate the weight variables. The only thing it might do is eliminate a squib round.
ken
 
... what Ken said. Lapua weights are so close it isn't worth the time. Sorting Eley EPS into weight groups then shooting it across a chronograph showed no velocity standard deviation or extreme spread difference. I've not tried to sort by rim thickness.

Mark
 
What the two above posts said. I sort by rim thickness, but only for bargain bulk ammo. It makes a difference there, but when you get to the higher quality ammo intended for match shooting, sorting by rim thickness makes no significant difference, as the rim thickness variance is much smaller (and tends toward the thicker end of the rim thickness spectrum, which also helps with accuracy) than with low buck bulk ammo.

I use the Gebhardt Machine Co. (101 Allison Street, Lock Haven, PA 17745, phone 570-748-6772) rimfire cartridge gage, which is not cheap (currently $150), but which is quite fast as rim thickness gages go and sufficiently accurate for what we're trying to accomplish with bulk pack ammo. The RCBS case measurement system also has a .22 RF gage block, but it is a good bit slower in use.
 
I beg to differ.

I shoot competitively 22 F-Class as well as BR at local matches. I use Eley Match (black box) that has been lot tested for accuracy in my guns. I found initially that weight sorting using a +/- .1 grain scale to be useless as was rim thickness sorting. However when I bought a +/- .02 grain scale the weight differences definitely helped. I sort to +/- .06 grains and get much more consistent results.

I have found it interesting that on some days one weights sorted group will shoot better that another sorted group. Kind of like the centerfire BR shooters tailor their loads for different temperature days.

Just to qualify myself: I am a High Master F-Class CF shooter and a Master F-Class RF shooter.
 
Travelor,
Do you have any chronograph data quantifying the improvement? I also use a lab scale, but what may not work for one brand or lot might work for another.

Hold any national records? :-)

Mark
 
Patriot, good question.

No but I have many had great success with eliminating flyers (those OH S**T shots). Next Match will be this coming Thursday. If the weather permits I will shoot the match over my chrono and post the results.
 
RAFII,
You can see that as usual, some will say sorting .22 ammo (even top of the line) is a waste of time, while others will tell you it is essential and worth the time if you want to be competitive. Personally, I've tried it both ways (in competition) using various quality rimfire MATCH ammo as well as practice ammo in my Anschutz. BTW, my practice ammo is Lapua Midas+ and Lapua CenterX, while my best shooting ammo is Federal Ultra Match UM22 and I'm mindful of lot numbers. My suggestion is that you try it both ways and see what it does for you and your rifle. Sorting seems to work for some, while others find no benefit. Until you try it, you won't know how it works for you. Sorting is nothing more than another tool that MAY have some beneficial use to you. But if you don't want to compete seriously, then you may be missing out on that slight edge you MAY need to win a match.

Alex
 
I don't believe anybody in the BR world sorts black or red box ELEY. Better lots of ammo pretty much eliminate flyers these days.
 
Not a High Master, but I have found that sorting by rim thickness helps to cut the flyers down to near zero, particularly at longer distances. We shoot a 100/200 yd prone match for rimfires only, and I have found that sorting reduces the elevation flyers (you can blame me for the windage flyers, still learning how to dope the wind).
Phil
 
Of the lots of black box eley I have sorted by weight and rim thickness, all have a share of misfits (however few) which are best removed.
 

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