I've had a Kimber (of Oregon) .22 WMR for many years that shoots itti-bitti groups with the very accurate, very powerful, very expensive, and very hard-to-find RWS 40 gr. HP ammunition. I bought four boxes of it 15 years ago and am still hording most of it for "serious" shooting in the Kimber.
I lucked into a like-new Sako M72 in .22 WMR the other day and am looking for ammunition to try in it. It might also shoot the RWS great, but I'm not going to rob the small hoard of proven ammunition for one gun to feed the other.
In the intervening time since I worked with the Kimber there have been a lot of new .22 magnum loads come to the market. For example, back then Remington didn't even offer any .22 WMR ammo. So my question is, what's out there that you guys would recommend to try in my Sako? BTW, "back then" the W-W 40 gr. HP did pretty good, the CCI 40 gr HP was mediocre, and the Federal 50 gr. was terrible in my Kimber. I have tried some of the WW Dynapoint 45 plated lead. They are somewhat slow and group well enough for casual shooting, but they shoot NOTHING like the superb RWS stuff.
Posts: 13315 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001
Hope this helps! My rifle liked the CCI VMAX (Black Tip) 30 grain ammo. Peter.
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i've got a ruger 77 and an old brno 611zm. the brno will shoot winchester 40 gr within a minute of angle and anything else it patterns. the ruger shows a definite liking for the winchester 34 grainers.
Of the five or so types of ammunition I've tried thus far, the Federal with a 33gr Speer looks somewhat promising (which is surprising to me since this same bullet won't shoot for beans in my .22 Hornets). I did find just a handful of Win 40 gr HP that were very consistent in both 50 and 100 yard groups with the 100 yard groups going just above an inch. I used only three rounds of my much-revered RWS ammunition and found that this gun doesn't seem to like them at all, which is ironically an ease to my mind since I can now save all of them for the Kimber that does like them.
The local Wallywart has some old stock Winchester 40 HP at old stock prices, so I think I'll stop in there and relieve them of this burden.
Posts: 13315 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001
I have found .22 WMR to be very picky about ammo. What shoots well in one shoots terribly in another. My older Marlin loves the standard 40 gr Win HPS and shoots lighter bullets poorly. My Win 9422M loves the WIn Supreme 34-gr HPs and other lighter bullets. A friend's .22 mag likes the Fed 50 gr (which seem too slow for me, but to each his own.)
Posts: 284 | Location: Orange, CA | Registered: 05 January 2005
Originally posted by Calif. Hunter: I have found .22 WMR to be very picky about ammo. What shoots well in one shoots terribly in another. My older Marlin loves the standard 40 gr Win HPS and shoots lighter bullets poorly. My Win 9422M loves the WIn Supreme 34-gr HPs and other lighter bullets. A friend's .22 mag likes the Fed 50 gr (which seem too slow for me, but to each his own.)
I think you are correct in your observation. The "preference" for certain brands of ammunition seems stonger in the WMR than in the LR. I was surprised when the little Sako scattered the RWS ammo around the target when the same ammunition shoots tiny clusters in the Kimber; likewise, the CCI's don't do at all well in the Kimber while they show promising performance in the Sako.
Posts: 13315 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001
My A-bolt does terrible w/ anything other than CCI ammo. anything CCI it shoots very well. Maxi mag HP's are under 1" 5 shot groups. +V are a close second.
Posts: 447 | Location: NH | Registered: 09 May 2008
Originally posted by Stonecreek: I've had a Kimber (of Oregon) .22 WMR for many years that shoots itti-bitti groups with the very accurate, very powerful, very expensive, and very hard-to-find RWS 40 gr. HP ammunition. I bought four boxes of it 15 years ago and am still hording most of it for "serious" shooting in the Kimber.
I lucked into a like-new Sako M72 in .22 WMR the other day and am looking for ammunition to try in it. It might also shoot the RWS great, but I'm not going to rob the small hoard of proven ammunition for one gun to feed the other.
In the intervening time since I worked with the Kimber there have been a lot of new .22 magnum loads come to the market. For example, back then Remington didn't even offer any .22 WMR ammo. So my question is, what's out there that you guys would recommend to try in my Sako? BTW, "back then" the W-W 40 gr. HP did pretty good, the CCI 40 gr HP was mediocre, and the Federal 50 gr. was terrible in my Kimber. I have tried some of the WW Dynapoint 45 plated lead. They are somewhat slow and group well enough for casual shooting, but they shoot NOTHING like the superb RWS stuff.
Last sunday I tried out the new leadfree CCI 22mag HP ammo in my Ruger 4 5/8" SS Single Six.The box said 2050fps with 280 ft lbs.I had my muffs on but I could still hear the crack when I fired at a 100 yard berm,it's accurate and would be deadly on a varmint.Midway advised they will soon be getting in 500 round bricks for about $52. I wish I had a 22mag rifle to try them out on a coyote,fox,digger squirrel,etc.
Seems most of you have tried everything but the Rem 33 gr stuff? You really should give this ammo a try. In 4 different 22 mags it was easily the most accurate ammo for all 4 rifles.
My biggest fear is when I die my wife will sell my guns for what I told her they cost.
Originally posted by Snowwolfe: Seems most of you have tried everything but the Rem 33 gr stuff? You really should give this ammo a try. In 4 different 22 mags it was easily the most accurate ammo for all 4 rifles.
Could be good ammunition. I have a prejudice against Remington rimfire ammunition as it is the only LR ammunition that has given me problems in feed/function and seems to be low-powered, also. But the .22 WMR could be entirely different.
Posts: 13315 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001
I have recently gone through the ammo selection drill with my 9422M and it seems to like the 45-50 grain bullets best. Based on a number of reasons, I have settled on the 45 grain S&B ammo which shoots minute of angle from my rifle. The federal Classic 50 grainers were as accurate, but did not load smoothly, as the bullet tips touched the rear of the barrel/chamber as the lifter raised the cartridge. The 45 grain is also a bit faster, at just under 2000 fps. Interestingly, the CCI lead free 30 grain loads formed a 3 inch group a few inches up and left of the dead-on Classic and S&B. Guess that I will just let my grand son use them to shoot tree stumps to get used to the rifle.
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Posts: 2294 | Location: Republic of Texas | Registered: 25 May 2009
I shot a buddy's Blaser R93 with the 22 mag barrel set up. He had told me that he liked the Remington Premier 33 grain VMAX but I didn't believe how good it shot until I shot the best group I have ever shot with a rimfire rifle.
Posts: 2155 | Location: Oklahoma | Registered: 03 October 2006
When I was teenager and the Winchester 9422M came out, I got one and loved it. Back then the pickin's were slim on the ammo. Only 40 grains (as I recall) in hp or fmj. I finally got rid of it (wish a thousand times I didn't) and a couple of years ago got a CZ. What a difference a few decades make on ammo selection. Mine shoots the 50 gr. Federal very well and am still seaching for a really good combo. I haven't tried the Remington Premier yet because I am a tight wad and didn't want to spend the extra on them. But you folks have now called my hand on it so I will be looking for some soon. You sure can find a lot of information on this board. Thanks guys.
Posts: 163 | Location: Vincennes, IN | Registered: 29 January 2004
I shoot a Volquartzen .22 WRM and the Rem 33 grain V-Max bullet will hold better than 1/2 MOA... It is amazing, and the recomended ammunition for the rifle. Hornady 30 gr V-Max is way fast 2250 ft/secs in my rifle, and the Winchester silver box 40's still do acceptable work.
Member NRA, SCI- Life #358 28+ years now! DRSS, double owner-shooter since 1983, O/U .30-06 Browning Continental set.
