The Accurate Reloading Forums
the most accurate .22 WMR ammo
20 March 2008, 05:43
vapodogthe most accurate .22 WMR ammo
I just picked up a savage classic (sweet rifle with the accutrigger) in .22 WMR and since the ammo is roughly $10 a box I really didn't want to shoot all of them to find the most accurate.
So far I've tried Winchester 45 grain dynapoint and Winchester super-X jacketd hollow point and found them roughly equal in accuracy. Roughly 3/4" at 50 yards.
Then I tried CCI Maxi-Mag HP 40 grain and found it to be better. These run about 1/2" at 50 yards.
What's the opinions here?...who makes the most accurate .22 WMR ammo?
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."
Winston Churchill
20 March 2008, 18:39
PeterI suspect you will find that, like the 22 rimfire, it depends on the gun. I am going throught the same exercise (with different results than you)! I have tried Win SuperX, PMC Predator, Federal, Federal Premium and CCI Maxi mag. At 50 yards, Win SuperX and Fed Premium were the best and about the same, 1/2 inch. At 100 yards, the Win SuperX was much better than any of the others at 1 1/4 inches. However, there seems to be a significant variation in 5 shot groups even within the same ammo, so I am not sure what conclusion to draw. Perhaps 10 shot groups would be a better measure ie. greater confidence factor.
Peter.
Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright, that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong;
20 March 2008, 19:54
vapodogPeter,
thanks for the reply and the more I shoot this thing the more it appears I'll just have to wade thru the ammo to see for myself. There seems not to be a most accurate ammo....just gun specific.
So far I'm quite happy with the gun....it shoots fairly well with anything but you know how it is...when it comes to taking spriped gophers and the small prairie dogs one just has to have the most accurate ammo!
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."
Winston Churchill
20 March 2008, 21:20
SnowwolfeCooper uses the Rem 33 gr V Max loads when they test fire one of there rifles for accuracy.
It shoots very well out of my Savage 22 WMR.
My biggest fear is when I die my wife will sell my guns for what I told her they cost.
20 March 2008, 21:45
PeterThere was a thread somehwere not long ago about newer, lighter bullet ammo. All mine is older stuff with 40 grain bullets. The only exception is the PMS Predator which I bought recently, and which was around $7.00 per box. Someone also said that Wolf made some accurate stuff.
Peter.
Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright, that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong;
21 March 2008, 01:04
big johnsonI shoot an older marlin and it shoots the federal prem. at 1/2 " 100 yds.... has been the most acurate for me... but as someone said once in a while i get a flyer....these are the 60 grain.
faster horses, younger women, older whiskey, more rifles
21 March 2008, 01:59
Calif. HunterMy Marlin 882 shoots the Win Super X 40 gr HPs the best. I haven't tried any solids,since I shoot mostly varmints with it. It did not seem to like any of the more premium and/or lighter bullet loads well at all. I have probably tried 10 different brands and bullet weights, at least.
Like other rimfires, each rifle is a law unto itself, I think.
21 March 2008, 04:54
m stevensonI wil second Snowwolfe here and vote for the Remington Premier 33gr V Max. Consistantly better than anything else in 3 different 22 mags. My Ruger M77-22 mag will do 1/2"@100yds with the Rem V Max, and 3/4" w/ Winchester Supreme 32gr HP.
My dad's CZ bolt will do the same with both of those loads.
A friends' Ruger 10-22 mag prefers the Rem's and the CCI TNT's.
Mark
NRA Life Member
My Ruger 77/22 Mag shoots Remington Premiers and the older Winchester Supremes better than any other ammo, and I've tested all of the brands available.
Don
21 March 2008, 22:16
ireload2Check the reloading .22 WMR thread.
Reloading .22WMR hereThe two heavy bullet loads that I have tried, both the Federal 50 grain and the 45 grain Win Dyna point were two worst loads.
One problem you may run into is what might be termed "trumpet grouping". Loads that groups into .5 to .75 at 50 yards will group into 3" to 4" at 100. My theory is this is caused by the bullets dropping below the sound barrier before they get to 100 yards.
The only reliable groups I have gotten from any ammo comes from pulling Win 40 grn FMJs and replacing with a couple of different Sierras with the seating depth extend longer than factory ammo.
23 March 2008, 00:52
PeterSo, where do you guys get your 22 mag ammo? Where are the best prices? I just went to Grafs and they don't seem to have the Remington 22 mag ammo referenced above.
Peter.
Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright, that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong;
23 March 2008, 01:43
SnowwolfeSportsman Warehouse for me.
My biggest fear is when I die my wife will sell my guns for what I told her they cost.
23 March 2008, 09:24
308SakoFederal Premium 30gr HP, Winchester Supreme Black Box... 34 grain, Hornady' New Red tip is supposed to be awesome according to my former partner. Kimber Oregon SA, and Ruger 10/22M.
Member NRA, SCI- Life #358 28+ years now!
DRSS, double owner-shooter since 1983, O/U .30-06 Browning Continental set.
23 March 2008, 23:49
ireload2Sportsman's warehouse but they are bad about letting stock run low.
24 March 2008, 00:14
PeterI assume that Sportsmans Warehouse is a retail storefront and not a mail order?
Peter.
Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright, that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong;
28 March 2008, 00:30
StonecreekAs Peter says above, some guns will like some ammunition, and other guns' preferences will vary.
In my Kimber M82 (Oregon), it does best with the rare and expensive RWS ammunition. I don't know where you can find it these days -- the three boxes I have left are at least 15 years old -- and it's liable to cost a fortune if you can find it. It chronographs much faster than any other 40 grain ammunition.
Next in line is the regular Winchester 40 grain stuff. 45 grain Dynapoint is economical and also surprisingly accurate in my gun (less than an inch at a hundred yards on a calm day), however it prints three inches lower than the RWS at that range.
My gun just doesn't like CCI at all. That's not to knock CCI as it does well in my .22 LRs, but simply not in the Kimber WMR.
The heavy Federal 50 grain ammunition does poorly in my gun.
The cheap Filipino Armscor ammunition is sufficient for casual plinking, but not much else.
I've never tried Remington. Their .22 LR is abysmal in everything I've tried it in, so I just don't have the incentive to try the WMR. Who knows, it may be the cat's whiskers.
06 April 2008, 23:11
lofter
Anything worth doing is worth doing right the first time.
19 April 2008, 02:13
PeterI have just posted the results of some testing I did using various types of 22 mag ammo in my EAA Biathlon rifle. The thread is titled EAA Biathlon, here is a link (hopefully).
https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=...=882104258#882104258Obviously YMMV with a different rifle, however, the CCI VMAX Black Tip ammo performed the best not only in this rifle but also in my Taurus 22mag revolver, my Ruger Single Six, and my Grendel semi auto. So, That is what I shall be using in the future. I still have my Mossberg in 22mag to test!
Peter.
Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright, that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong;
30 April 2008, 10:01
vapodogI went to the range today with Winchester Supremes, Winchester Dynapoints, Hornady V-Max, CCI TNTs, and CCI maximag 40 grain bullets and did a lot of shooting.
At 50 yards every one of the samples I tried would easily dispatch sparrows consistantly but at the end of the day there was a clear winner.....My gun shot the CCI 40 grain maximags the best.
Those 40 grain bullets would consistantly take the heads off a sparrow at that range. Sorry I didn't take photos but the groups on paper run roughly 3/8" 5-shot.....it seemed the gun shot better as the day went on.....I didn't clean it as it proved to be fussy about wanting to shoot a fouled barrel.
The worst groups I fired was about 3/4" at that range and this is actually quite good.
The Savage rifle with the accutrigger is a sweetie for sure and the 3-9X scope highlights targets at that range very nicely.
The 33 grain offerings shoot about 1.5" higher so I'm going to resight in for them and go to a prairie dog town and shoot them up but first thing I'm doing is to get a couple bricks of the same lot # from CCI.....
As I suspected....there is no bad ammo for the WMR.....it's what works in your gun! For me...it's CCI!
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."
Winston Churchill
30 April 2008, 22:54
ireload2Vapo,
What might surprise you is you can get groups like that at 50 yards but the smae ammo will groups into 2.5 to 3 inches at 100 yards.
At reanges where extra power of the 22 WMR is an advantage over the 22 LR, the accuracy falls off.
01 May 2008, 01:18
vapodogI have not fird the gun at 100 yards yet but might get out in a few days for a repeat.
Thanks for the heads up.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."
Winston Churchill
01 May 2008, 08:12
260remguyWhen I cull deer with a 22 Magnum, I use PMC Predator 40 grain softpoints. They shoot 0.75" groups in the Marlin 982S and Savage 93BVSS rifles that I use and can be used for head and heart/lung shots. I usually carry a Rossi 515 with 3 rounds of 40 grain PMC and 3 rounds of CCI snake-shot when I go afield, if for no other reason than force of habit.
Jeff
03 May 2008, 19:48
ireload2.75 groups at what distance?
That is easy at 50 yards.
Nearly impossible at 100 yards.
04 May 2008, 06:12
260remguyAnywhere out to 75+/- yards. That is as far as I feel comfortable shooting deer in the head. If culling at longer ranges, I use a Winchester 100 in 308.
Jeff
17 July 2008, 02:02
K9 Banditquote:
One problem you may run into is what might be termed "trumpet grouping". Loads that groups into .5 to .75 at 50 yards will group into 3" to 4" at 100. My theory is this is caused by the bullets dropping below the sound barrier before they get to 100 yards.
Yup. It becomes too unstable when outdoor shooting. I have tested some @ 100 yards in a warehouse and I still got tight groups.
"capturing bin Laden is not a top priority use of American resources"
Bush, September 06
"Those weapons of mass destruction have got to be here somewhere."
"Maybe under here?"
Bush, March 04