Sorting 22LR Ammo
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- bebloomster
- Regular contributor
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:06 pm
- Location: Hi Desert, Ca
Sorting 22LR Ammo
Does sorting out your 22LR ammo by rim thickness really make all that much of a difference? I shoot CCI SV paper box that is actual CCI (not Federal) based on the lot numbers. Smith & Wesson Model 71, 7" barrel.
A day without sunshine is like..... night.
- bebloomster
- Regular contributor
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- Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:06 pm
- Location: Hi Desert, Ca
- bearandoldman
- Ye Loquacious Olde Pharte
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- Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2005 10:30 am
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I was just looking over my journal from sorting .22 ammo by rim thickness and weighing.
Aquila Match Pistol, Eley Sport, Federal Match, and Wolf Match all had rim thicknesses consistent at .031-.033.
Eley Target at .028-.031, and CCI SV both the paper and plastic, at .036!
In weighing the rounds I found.
Aguila Match Pistol 50.8-51.4, but, 7 of 100 were 52.2-52.5
CCI SV at 50.5-51.1
Eley Sport @ 50.9-51.8
Eley Target @ 50.8-51.6
Federal Match @ 53.3-53.9
Fiocchi M320 match @ 51.3-52.6
Wolf Match Target @ 51.3-52.0
I'm seeing more and more that the Aguila Match Pistol is the preferred round in my MK III
Interestingly, I did some informal group testing @ 50 ft indoors using CCI SV in both the 100rd plastic, and the 50 round cardboard box.
The cardboard box ammo was close to 1/2 the group size of the plastic ammo??
Makes me wonder if they are indeed the same......
Aquila Match Pistol, Eley Sport, Federal Match, and Wolf Match all had rim thicknesses consistent at .031-.033.
Eley Target at .028-.031, and CCI SV both the paper and plastic, at .036!
In weighing the rounds I found.
Aguila Match Pistol 50.8-51.4, but, 7 of 100 were 52.2-52.5
CCI SV at 50.5-51.1
Eley Sport @ 50.9-51.8
Eley Target @ 50.8-51.6
Federal Match @ 53.3-53.9
Fiocchi M320 match @ 51.3-52.6
Wolf Match Target @ 51.3-52.0
I'm seeing more and more that the Aguila Match Pistol is the preferred round in my MK III
Interestingly, I did some informal group testing @ 50 ft indoors using CCI SV in both the 100rd plastic, and the 50 round cardboard box.
The cardboard box ammo was close to 1/2 the group size of the plastic ammo??
Makes me wonder if they are indeed the same......
- bebloomster
- Regular contributor
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:06 pm
- Location: Hi Desert, Ca
They might not be. The 100rd plastic box ammo is produced in the CCI plant. The 50rd cardboard box may be produced at either the CCI plant or by Federal. Take a look at the lot number on the box. If it begins with a letter than it was produced by CCI... if it begins with a number than it was produced by Federal. I always look for lot numbers beginning with a letter.perazzi wrote: Interestingly, I did some informal group testing @ 50 ft indoors using CCI SV in both the 100rd plastic, and the 50 round cardboard box.
The cardboard box ammo was close to 1/2 the group size of the plastic ammo??
Makes me wonder if they are indeed the same......
A day without sunshine is like..... night.
- bebloomster
- Regular contributor
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:06 pm
- Location: Hi Desert, Ca
rim gaging
I did some Ransom testing a few years back on a good lot of Winchester Dynapoints.
I spent hours rim gaging a thousand rounds with a Neil jones rim gage one winter, hoping I would find the magic rim thickness. I also then spent hours on the Ransom rest, testing the different thickness'.
Net result, don't waste your time for pistol shooting. The only thing I found was a rare thin rim which I'm thinking corresponded to the occasional dud round. The rim was just too thin for either the priming mixture to be spun inside or too thin for the firing pin to reach and adequately smack (thats a technical term) the rim to ignite the primer.
The groups for all thickness' were all about 1 1/2" @ 50 yards. So anything outside the 'x' (and there's a lot of them) was my fault.
I've known rifle silhouette shooters who were able to take advantage of tighter rim thickness tolerances, but for pistol shooting I found it to be time consuming without any net improvement in my shooting. As my testing priorities are for improving my end results, I have never repeated the test.
FWIW
I spent hours rim gaging a thousand rounds with a Neil jones rim gage one winter, hoping I would find the magic rim thickness. I also then spent hours on the Ransom rest, testing the different thickness'.
Net result, don't waste your time for pistol shooting. The only thing I found was a rare thin rim which I'm thinking corresponded to the occasional dud round. The rim was just too thin for either the priming mixture to be spun inside or too thin for the firing pin to reach and adequately smack (thats a technical term) the rim to ignite the primer.
The groups for all thickness' were all about 1 1/2" @ 50 yards. So anything outside the 'x' (and there's a lot of them) was my fault.
I've known rifle silhouette shooters who were able to take advantage of tighter rim thickness tolerances, but for pistol shooting I found it to be time consuming without any net improvement in my shooting. As my testing priorities are for improving my end results, I have never repeated the test.
FWIW
"A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.” – George Washington
- bebloomster
- Regular contributor
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:06 pm
- Location: Hi Desert, Ca
Won't be on the 500 box. Another possibility... look on the back of the 50 rd box and see if it is "stamped" in. Not printed but impressed in lettering. Just checked one of my dark blue CCI boxes and that is the way I found it there.perazzi wrote:couldn't find any of the typical numbers.
This is what I can find.
2452900 D0021 on the 500 box ...
A day without sunshine is like..... night.
Re: Sorting 22LR Ammo
I have a Smith 41 and 3 Mark II. Had bad luck with Reminginton and Winchester .22 in bulk packs. Other than that almost no difference between other bullets and guns. Least jamming problems has been with CMP and Eley Sport. My .22 Rifle is extremely picky about various ammo.
More musings and ramblings.
It was sooooo beautiful today, I had to run down to the outdoor range for the first time this year.
Shot some of the .22 ammo at 25 yds to see what it did.
all 2 handed off a sandbag with my UltraDot cranked up to 4 (or was it 5?)
CCI sv (the 50 rd cardboard box) 1.125" spread. (5 rds) (only shot one group)
Aguila Pistol Match, .964 5 rds, and two other groups comparable.
Aguila Rifle Match, 1.029 backed up by another similar group.
Velocities of the pistol match across my chrono were in the 950 fps range,
the Rifle match slightly less, in the 925 range. I suspect the stuff is identical except the boxes. They both weigh in the same range within .1 gr of each other.
My .45 I can't figure out. It definately doesn't like sandbags, or the Lee rest, I suspect I need a grip adapter for a scope to really see what it will do.
I was experimenting with ClayDot and did get a group in the 1 1/4 range, of course it was the only 5 rounds of that I had, so I can't confirm it.
I even tried 10 shots bullseye outdoors for the first time....
I love springtime...
And I saw my first Pheasant of the year
It was sooooo beautiful today, I had to run down to the outdoor range for the first time this year.
Shot some of the .22 ammo at 25 yds to see what it did.
all 2 handed off a sandbag with my UltraDot cranked up to 4 (or was it 5?)
CCI sv (the 50 rd cardboard box) 1.125" spread. (5 rds) (only shot one group)
Aguila Pistol Match, .964 5 rds, and two other groups comparable.
Aguila Rifle Match, 1.029 backed up by another similar group.
Velocities of the pistol match across my chrono were in the 950 fps range,
the Rifle match slightly less, in the 925 range. I suspect the stuff is identical except the boxes. They both weigh in the same range within .1 gr of each other.
My .45 I can't figure out. It definately doesn't like sandbags, or the Lee rest, I suspect I need a grip adapter for a scope to really see what it will do.
I was experimenting with ClayDot and did get a group in the 1 1/4 range, of course it was the only 5 rounds of that I had, so I can't confirm it.
I even tried 10 shots bullseye outdoors for the first time....
I love springtime...
And I saw my first Pheasant of the year