Where does the cost come from?

[Luisyamaha]

I recently started trying out Eley ammunition. They have many cost categories in the .22LR cartridges (I don't know if ELey makes anything else.) What I've been able to get locally is Benchrest Precision, $15.00/50, Match, $20.00/50 and Tenex $25.00/50.
I haven't shot the Match or Tenex yet.
I figured the more expensive is "better". Definitely the Benchrest Precision has been better than anything else so far in my CZ-455. We'll see how groups develop with the more expensive Match and Tenex.
But my question is, what do they do to make the difference in price between them? Is it better quality components, such as powder, priming compound, bullets and cases? Or just basically the same components with much tighter tolerances of the amount of all these components?
I noticed the bullets for both the Match and Tenex seem to be the same, but different from those on the Benchrest Presicion.
Also, tolerances for rim thickness were tighter for the Tenex than for the other two. Out of 50 Tenex measured ALL measured were the exact .042" rim thickness, where the Match had 3 or 4 (out of 50) with slight variances up or down of .0005" or so. The Benchrest Precision had slightly bigger variances, to the tune of .001" (.041" , .042", .043") again for 50 measured.

Cheap ammo, Aguila, Federal Auto-Match, had more rim thickness variance (.041" thru .044" ) but sorting by rim thickness had no measurable differences.
The cheap stuff gives me .700"-.750" four, consecutive, five-shot 50 yard groups. Eley Benchrest Precision has given me .365" in the past, but lately I've been getting more like .440" or so. Tenex and Match still to be shot. Maybe I've reached the limit of what is possible of myself and/or my equipment. We'll see once I get to shoot the Match and the Tenex.
I'm shooting a CZ-455 off a Harris bipod and a rear bag. Leupold 6-18X, and a Yo-Dave trigger kit. Very solid bench. No wind flags, but mostly no wind.

Opinions?

Luisyamaha

 

[Liven The Dream]

Costs are up everywhere. $ not worth a $.

 

[SBS]

You reach a point where better ammo does not produce better groups -- unless you are shooting a top end rifle. Even then, accuracy varies by lot number and how well your rifle shoots each lot. Yes, the better ammo is more consistent in all respects and Eley does make different projectiles for the Match and Tenex than the cheaper stuff.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

If you testing go the one that gives you Acceptable groups with a price if you’re willing to pay, for me it’s Eley Target

 

[CharlieNC]

I have read that the quality of the compents and how well the lot grades out when shot in their lab determines the label. Numerous lots of Match have shot great for me, better than Tenex, and your testing will tell the story. Hopefully you can get more of the same lot from which you make the determination.

 

[PWNolan]

You reach a point where better ammo does not produce better groups -- unless you are shooting a top end rifle

In the 30+ years I've been shooting 22 LR more seriously I've never found this to be true. If I feed my rifles (even the inexpensive ones) poor ammo I get poor results. The better the ammo the better the results in general

 

[Jefferson]

both the top 2 manufacturers take the untested ammunition coming off the production lines and TEST THEM IN HALF A DOZEN BARRELLED ACTIONS

then the results show the manufacturer which box to out them in based on the shooting in those barrels

Then the cost is put into the labelled boxes

that is why test all lots and offerings in your rifle to see which lot and level works best IN YOUR GUN

rimfire is rimfire and has it’s quirks but the journey is the adventure

 

[jds holler]

So the other day My Bro in law came up and we mounted a scope on his new 10-22, (a deluxe model of some sort)

We went up to my shooting spot and sighted it in, and both he and I shot our 10-22s. Conditions were horrible, with wind blowing about a minimum of 10 with gusts to 30. After getting both rifles grouping in the right POA, we settled down and shot several groups. (fifty yards) I had about four different brands of ammo, Rem, CCI, WIN, and the best performer Anguilla. And it was the best by far, shooting several groups under an inch. And these were hollow points. The Winchester was the worst, but frankly we had trouble keep anything except the Anguilla under two inches. Both rifles were shooting about the same which made me happy since mine is almost 60 years old. jd

 

[SBS]

In the 30+ years I've been shooting 22 LR more seriously I've never found this to be true. If I feed my rifles (even the inexpensive ones) poor ammo I get poor results. The better the ammo the better the results in general

Unless you're shooting top end rifles. at some point the rifle becomes the limiting factor. If it were not so, serious BR matches would be won with basic .22 rifles. The guys winning these matches don't buy expensive rifles because they're well heeled -- only because it takes them to win. If you want to shoot small, it takes both a good rifle and good ammo. Cheaper ammo has more flyers, and so do cheaper rifles.

 

[SBS]

both the top 2 manufacturers take the untested ammunition coming off the production lines and TEST THEM IN HALF A DOZEN BARRELLED ACTIONS

then the results show the manufacturer which box to out them in based on the shooting in those barrels

Then the cost is put into the labelled boxes

that is why test all lots and offerings in your rifle to see which lot and level works best IN YOUR GUN

rimfire is rimfire and has it’s quirks but the journey is the adventure

Can't speak for other brands, but with Eley, this is only done with Match & Tenex. As stated above, the grades lower than that don't even have the same projectile. I too have tested and used a number of lots of Match that shot great in a particular rifle, but maybe not in all rifles.

 

[dusterdave173]

Since I started shooting matches my perfect CZ is way less than perfect--I am now chasing ammo like all the rest. The thing that gets me is one lot of CenterX just shoots same hole all day long--next batch will put three in one hole then the crazy shot ( again and again) --My Garmin has helped me see it was that one crazy round not me--so this weekend I started weighing rounds--WOW! What an eye opener--there were some wild outliers in the lots I tested--No doubt that is where the fliers are coming from --at least I hope weeding them out will help--what a PIA
The other thing is we opened a 2 year old case of SK Semi Auto cheapo--got it to play with casual plinking--and WOW! It is shooting lights out in 3 different CZ rifles--Like it was top shelf stuff--ES spreads like very expensive ammo--so...who knows?
We did stumble into a great lot of SK Rifle Match last week--and the cool part is my new Favorite seller Whidden had plenty more of that lot in stock after we tested--That is unheard of in the last year or two. We just buy and try--take what does not make us happy to the next match and let someone else try it--they snap it up and never complain so it shoots ok for somebody sooner or later.
The guy that wins every match with us says he weighs every round he shoots and matches them up dead nuts no plus or minus--he claims finding the speed/brand your rifle likes first--then getting Plenty --then weighing out lots that are dead on --has taken him to a new level. And we are shooting Factory Rifle class--No telling what the Race gun guys do. He could be jacking with me so I have greasy fingers for a week before each match--But I am giving it a try--The plus and minus I have found so far is eye opening.
Who knows? John Whidden said to me on the phone that he hoped to take some of the Vudoo out of the 22 game--with the new testing center. OK.......I am rooting for him

 

[JSH]

$15/50 ammo will seldom make a factory rifle into match rifle. I have witnessed several times folks spending $ on an undeserving rig, only to be disappointed.

 

[dusterdave173]

JSH has a good point--I agree but....Our MTR Cz's get hold of a fantastic lot of ammo and they score up there with the big dogs sometimes--we have had several matches recently where Factory CZ's were scoring up there with top of the Vintage class-- 500's with 30+ X count in 50 yd bench match
I agree with your main point but Killer lots of ammo can make a good shooter look great and prove just how good the rifle really can be--I guess that is the goal --get all we can out of whatever we are shooting
When I look at the Race rifles scoring 500 with 45x and then look at our class winner with a factory CZ MTR shooting 500 with 34x I smile ( and dream of doing it too)

 

[Dgd6mm]

Thank God for separate classes.

 

[Luisyamaha]

I won't be able to go back to the range with the 22's for another week or two, but I'm kinda having mixed feelings about what I want to happen with the expensive ammo. If it groups under .375" or so, I'll feel the need to not shoot anything else on it, costing me a lot of money. On the other hand, if it is over .500" I'll be happy shooting $3.00 ammo and getting +/- .750" all day long. But I need to find out the rifle's potential.

We'll see.

 

[Luisyamaha]

BTW, there's also a Clark Custom 10/22 to be tested with the ELey after I'm done with the CZ. So far, it has been shooting slightly worse than the CZ.
Clark Custom barrelled action with SS 16" barrel, on a Boyd's laminated stock with Bushnell 4-16X 50mm scope. Same arrangement, Harris bipod and rear bag.

Luisyamaha

 

[PWNolan]

Unless you're shooting top end rifles. at some point the rifle becomes the limiting factor. If it were not so, serious BR matches would be won with basic .22 rifles. The guys winning these matches don't buy expensive rifles because they're well heeled -- only because it takes them to win. If you want to shoot small, it takes both a good rifle and good ammo. Cheaper ammo has more flyers, and so do cheaper rifles.

I get that the high-end rifles are going to perform at a higher level than the cheaper rifles. I have several high-end rifles, including two custom RFBR rifles. Of course the low to medium grade rifles aren't going to perform at the level of the high priced ones. But it's been my experience that high priced match ammo shoots way better than bulk/plinker ammo in lower priced rifles too. Even medium grade ammo like SK Standard+ or Norma TAC-22 shoots noticeably better. Have you not tried good ammo in a budget rifle before? If not try it sometime

Sure, you're not going to win a big ARA UL match using a Savage bolt-action with Midas+ ammo but you sure could win a ARA factory class match doing it

 

[PWNolan]

$15/50 ammo will seldom make a factory rifle into match rifle. I have witnessed several times folks spending $ on an undeserving rig, only to be disappointed.

Years ago I "upgraded" from two old Mossberg bolt-action rifles (42b & 144LS) to an old Remington 513T that I refinished and brought back to life. That old rifle shoots fabulous as long as I feed it ammo. One day a friend lent me his Anschutz 1413. I took both rifles out to our 50 yard range and shot groups with both of them using a variety of match ammo (Eley Tenex, Eley Match, Federal Ultra Match, etc). That old Remington shot the same tiny little groups as that Anschutz did. Maybe even better in some cases. Yes, both are factory rifles and neither is going to compete at the level of the customs but that Remington factory guns shoots very well for a lowly factory rifle.

I own at least 15 bolt-action 22 LR rifles today including that Remington 513T. They all shoot better with good ammo. Typically the higher priced the ammo the better they shoot.

Will my CZ 452 American or Tikka T1x win a ARA UL match? Nope! Neither will either of my Anschutz rifles. But they sure do shoot well with the $15/box ammo

 

[dusterdave173]

500 with 32X So the factory CZ MTR's beat the Vintage class winner this week and were within 10X of the unlimited Not bad for cheap rifles ($840 out the door here local)
50 yd bench shoot

 

[VLNBYR]

Please stop it with the better ammo shoots better. The last thing I need in my life is another 50,000 shooters pounding the ammo market looking for Midas+.