How do you choose match ammo?

22 Long Rifle ammo is finicky. Tell us all about it here.
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BlauBear
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Post by BlauBear »

Centurion probably is large relative to match, so hard to chamber in match rifles. If you have some, give it a try! Most complain that it's dirty, but if your rifle likes a little fouling anyway...
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Post by Bob259 »

A lot of folks using it up here with good results, but it is to tight in my chambers.
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Post by Jerry G »

There was a little problem with the 1" thick rams but the turkeys semed to be OK. I can turn 1/4" birds too but all the 1/4" animals go down if you get at least 1/2 of a bullet on them.
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Post by #57 »

On Blaubears advise I tryed Fed Auto Match and it seems to be very concistant. No flyers, no obvious over or under loads. I only got to shoot about 150 rds of it but I went back and got a couple more of the same lot. I was able to shoot 5 groups of 5 at 50yds that the smallest was 1/2" and the bigest was 3/4" outside to outside. I threw out several that "I" had messed up. I also shot a 1 1/2" at 100yds. these were shot off a bench with a good rest. Ill be doing more testing later. I do have another question , when practicing is it OK to use plated bulits and then switch to lead for a match? fed 550s have a very simular flight path and are a third cheeper. but they are plated. thanks all #57
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Post by BlauBear »

Plating is hard on the rifling and flakes off in the bore, so avoid it. Automatch is pretty reasonable for consistent ammunition and it's as low as I would care to go. Practice time is hard to come by, so why waste it with questionable ammunition? Stay pretty close to what you plan to shoot at a match.

Federal 719 has similar ballistics to the Automatch with slightly better performance, so give that a try for match ammo. I used to shoot Eley Practice for practice and save Silhouex for matches, but with the run up in prices I use 711 in rifles that like it and Eley Target or downgraded Club in rifles that like that better.
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Post by silhouette13 »

i find the 719 fed to be very good, it is rated at the same 1200 velocity as auto match (my current choice) 719 is cleaner and a touch more consistant .
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Post by silhouette13 »

have you tried wolf? my rifle loves it, it also loves rws target rifle. the reason i shoot automatch is because i can get it at 11:30pm if i need to or get it on the way to a match. rws wolf and 719 fed are hit or miss at my local store. better to be confident in a pretty good ammo you are sorted with than not be able to find your go to ammo when it is match day

yeah yeah everyone ....my wife wont let me buy 2 cases :D

cci std in a cardboard brick used to be good in my rifle but now it is the same as the plastic box stuff which is night and day IN MY GUN.

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Post by durant7 »

Ammo selection. In a word. TIME and objectivity driven by chemistry lab report (remember those) record keeping. Week to week, month to month, year to year record keeping. Like a binder for each gun.

That said, I try to use the same target format. Test and test and test. Eventually you will find the optimal ammo. Then, try to repeat a month later and confirm you get the same results.

Here is my current ammo of choice. #1 to#4 as the gun dialed in on 711B vs the Eley I had just been shooting. These were shots 21 to 40. So. As everyone says, YMMV. You must buy 2 boxes of everything and start the process. Then, buy more of the top 5 and have an extended shoot off and make the decision which is typically a $ vs performance decision.

I have played with cheap ammo and yes, I managed 10 rams with 510 but I got lucky. Good ammo hits more animals and improves confidence and thus ability. I learned first hand after last year at Pe Ell. Good ammo makes a difference! Thanks Nomad!

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Post by Senator vitaman »

Beware of using mini-mags or high velocity. Some clubs only allow standard velocity, and one guy broke a target. I later saw that he was using mini-mags.
when practicing is it OK to use plated bulits and then switch to lead for a match?
It's still practice. For silhouette, more practice is probably more important than practicing with lead, though it might affect your gun's accuracy or zero slightly. I use federal bulk for practice and then CCI for matches. (I'm cheap)
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Re: How do you choose match ammo?

Post by Kevin6q »

Practice with the ammo you plan on using in a match. You will benefit from understanding how the ammo is effected by weather, you, and your adjustments to the sights. Just popping the preferred ammo into the rifle on match days will improve scores but not as much as if you practice with the same preferred rounds. If you're chasing the ammo during practice is it you or the poorly fitting ammo that's responsible for the miss?
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Post by kevinbear »

You nailed it Kevin, I would add that after chronographing many different brands and grades of ammunition I have yet to find inexpensive one that "tested acceptable" for 100 meters. Not to contradict myself but a certain amount of improvement can be achieved by sorting ammunition but is tedious and time consuming, and really is only worthwhile on quality ammunition.
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Re: How do you choose match ammo?

Post by TOP PREDATOR »

by consistancy on paper and through a chrony at multiple ranges. i also take into account price for performance given, as i do shoot alot.

here's a test i did awile ago on various ammos:

Set up used: firearm : Savage mkII 20” free floated bull barrel 1-16 twist, 1lb. trigger, lam. Stock, 20 moa base.,
scope on 20x, 25 yd zero. Less than 3 mph wind, shot at 1” circle. From harris bipod and rear bag from bench,
crony at 10 ft. from muzzle. 26degree (f) avg air temp. shot at 50 and 100 yards. Ammo tested was readily available
and $ paid locally, sub or near sub sonic match/target type. Barrel dry swabbed b-4 each group, clean barrel
groups b-4 each shot. 30 seconds between each shot. B.C.’s not found on each, range between .114 to .144 (g-1 g-7) drag models.

How groups were measured – MG = major grp (excluding flyers) EG = ext. grp (including flyers), Flyer Ratio FR = #of flyers per rnds. shot.
Did it with clean and dirty barrel groups.
Came up with rating system to suit ammo with different shooting styles. Took (5 shots) Clean Barrel Rating ”CBR”=MG+EG+flyers divided by 3.
Dirty Barrel Rating (10 shots) “DBR”= MG+EG+flyers divided by 3, Consistency Rating “CR”= MG+EG+flyers of CBR and DBR divided by 6,
Value Rating “VR” (bang for the $) adds price per round divided by 7, and overall rating “OAR”=CBR+DBR+CR+VR divided by 4.
Also came up with a multi yard rating, avg. performance at both distances. The lower the number, the better rating.

1. Wolf Match Extra–1024 FPS 14 Dev. - avg. grp -1.25”, c. barrel .75”MG, 1”EG, 0/5 FR d. barrel -.75”MG, -1.25”EG, 1/10 FR
CBR .5, DBR 1, CR .75, VR .67, FR 1/15, OAR .730 $.20, pricey, dirty residue, low # flyers, 1 made it -1.25”

2. Wolf Match Target- 943 FPS 24 Dev. – avg. grp 1”, c. barrel -.75MG, 1”EG, 1/5 FR d. barrel -1”MG, -1”EG, 0/10 FR
CBR .91, DBR .6, CR .79, VR .69, FR 1/15, OAR .749 $.14, dirty residue, low # flyers

3. Rem./Eley T Rifle – 1021 FPS 24Dev. – avg. grp -1”, c. barrel -.5”MG, -1”EG, 2/5 FR d. barrel -.75”MG, -1”EG 1/10 FR
CBR 1.16, DBR .91, CR 1.04, VR .92, FR 3/15, OAR 1.01 $.20, semi dirty residue, flyers killed it, highly lubricated

4. Rem. Sub Sonic- 947 FPS 46 Dev. – avg. grp 1.25”, c. barrel .5”MG, 1”EG, 2/5 FR d. barrel .75”MG, 1.25”EG, 1/10 FR
CBR 1.16, DBR 1, CR 1.08, VR .94, FR 3/15, OAR 1.04 $.08, dirty residue, good groups for price. 38gr h. point

5. Federal G Medal -1059 FPS 18 Dev. – avg. grp 1.5”, c. barrel +.5”MG, 1.5”EG, 1/5 FR d. barrel -1”MG, +1”EG, 1/10 FR
CBR 1, DBR 1, CR 1, VR .87, FR 2/15, OAR .968 $.10, clean shooting, nice flyer ratio, a decent neutral ammo, no complaints

6. CCI Green Tag – 988 FPS 31 Dev. – avg. grp -1.5”, c. barrel -.75”MG, 1”EG, 1/5 FR d. barrel 1” MG, 1.5”EG, 1/10 FR
CBR .91, DBR 1.16, CR 1.04, VR .91, FR 2/15, OAR 1.07 $.14, semi clean, price held it back compared to above. 2 far out flyers.

7. Rem. Tar. 22 s. vel. - 1086 FPS 66 Dev. – avg. grp 1.5”, c. barrel -.75”MG, 1”EG, 2/5 FR d. barrel 1.25”MG, 1.5”EG, 1/10 FR
CBR 1.25, DBR 1.25, CR 1.25, VR 1.08, FR 3/15, OAR 1.20 $.08, clean shooting, not too good out of dirty barrel

8. Winc. S.X. T-22- 1056 FPS 50 Dev. – avg. grp. 1.75”, c. barrel -.75”MG, 1.5”EG, 1/5 FR d. barrel -1”MG, 1.75”EG, 2/10 FR
CBR 1.08, DBR 1.5, CR 1.29, VR 1.11, FR 3/15, OAR 1.24 $.06, semi clean, decent economical ammo in c. barrel. Flyers killed grps.

Of the Rem. s.s., Fed. G.medal, and CCI g.t., at 50 yards very comparable, ranked the Rem’s higher due to lower price. Point of impact POI perspective,
Fed, Rem/Eley, CCI Wolf t.e. and targ. had close POI’s. Winc. T-22 POI was completely on the other side of the bull. All of the ammo dropped
between .25” and 1.5” from a 25 yard zero. ON TO PART 2 100 YARDS

PART 2 - 22 AMMO THRU MKII 100 YARDS

Set up used: firearm : Savage mkII 20” free floated bull barrel 1-16 twist, 1lb. trigger, lam. Stock, 20 moa base., scope on 20x, 25 yd zero.
Less than 3 mph wind, shot at 1” circle. From harris bipod and rear bag from bench, crony at 10 ft. from muzzle. 26degree (f) avg air temp.
shot at 50 and 100 yards. Ammo tested was readily available and $ paid locally, sub or near sub sonic match/target type. Barrel dry swabbed
b-4 each group, clean barrel groups b-4 each shot. 30 seconds between each shot. B.C.’s not found on each, range between .114 to .144 (g-1 g-7) drag models.

How groups were measured – MG = major grp (excluding flyers) EG = ext. grp (including flyers), Flyer Ratio FR = #of flyers per rnds. shot.
Did it with clean and dirty barrel groups.
Came up with own rating system suit ammo with different shooting styles. Took (5 shots) Clean Barrel Rating ”CBR”=MG+EG+flyers divided by 3.
Dirty Barrel Rating (10 shots) “DBR”= MG+EG+flyers divided by 3, Consistency Rating “CR”= MG+EG+flyers of CBR and DBR divided by 6,
Value Rating “VR” (bang for the buck) adds price per round divided by 7, and overall rating “OAR”=CBR+DBR+CR+VR divided by 4.
Also came up with a multi yard rating, avg. performance at both distances. The lower the number, the better rating.

Some ammo faired well at 50 yds, fizzled at 100 and visa versa. Sometimes price isn’t what it’s cracked up to be either. FPS were noted in 50 yard test. Also included drop from 50 to 100 yards.

1. Wolf Match Target - avg. grp. -1.75”, c. barrel 1”MG, 1.25”EG, 1/5 FR d. barrel 1”MG, -1.75”EG, 1/10 FR
CBR 1.08, DBR 1.25, CR 1.16, VR 1.02, FR 2/15, OAR 1.19 $.14, just bet the pricier Extra, tight groups, low flyers.
Shot almost equally out of d or c barrels. 11.5” drop.

2. Wolf Match Extra - avg. grp. -2”, c. barrel 1.25”MG, 1.75”EG, 1/5 FR d. barrel 1.5”MG, -2”EG, 1/10 FR
CBR 1.33, DBR 1.5, CR 1.42, VR 1.24, FR 2/15, OAR 1.37 $.20, lost some performance at 100, but still very good.
Pricier than #1. 10.75” drop.

3. Federal Gold Match - avg. grp. 1.75”, c. barrel .75”MG, 1.75”EG, 2/5 FL d. barrel .75”MG, 1.75”EG, 3/10 FR
CBR 1.5, DBR 1.83, CR 1.33, VR 1.44, FR 5/15, OAR 1.53 $.10, gained where others slipped, reliable ammo for the price
9.25” drop.

4. CCI Green Tag – avg. grp. +2.25”, c. barrel 1.5”MG, 2”EG, 1/5 FR d. barrel 1.75”MG, +2.25”EG, 3/10 FR
CBR 1.5, DBR 2.33, CR 1.92, VR 1.66, FR 4/15, OAR 1.85 $.14, stayed steady to 100yds, 1 or 2 flyers opened the group,
pricier than fed. 11” drop.

5. Winc. Sup. X t-22 – avg. grp. +2.25” c. barrel 1.5”MG, 2”EG 2/5 FR d. barrel 1.5”MG, +2.25EG, 3/10 FR
CBR 1.58, DBR 2.25, CR 1.92, VR 1.67, FR 4/15, OAR 1.86 $.06, not bad considering $, similar to CCI g.t. at more than half the $. 9” drop.

6. Rem./Eley Targ. Rif. – avg. grp. -2.5” c. barrel 1.5”MG, 2” EG, 2/5 FR d. barrel 1.75”MG, -2.5”EG, 3/10 FR
CBR 1.83, DBR 1.81, CR 2.13, VR 1.85, FR 5/15, OAR 1.91 $.20, expected much more for the $, reshot and same results.
Heavy lube effecting grps? 10” drop

7. Rem. target 22 – avg. grp +3” c. barrel 1”MG, 3”EG, 1/5 FR d. barrel 1.5”MG, +2.25EG, 3/10 FR
CBR 2, DBR 2.75, CR 2.38, VR 2.05, FR 6/15, OAR 2.29 $.08, 10” drop

8. Rem. Sub Sonic- avg. grp ? groups were so erratic and open (over 4.5”) no real data could be collected, took it out of 100 yd running.
Big surprise as it performed exceptionally well at 50. $.08. reshot, same results.

Both Wolf ammos similar, slightly different POI, Rem./Eley had similar POI with Rem. targ 22. Winc T-22 was once again left to the bull. Overall rating (OAR) was more inline with avg. grp. size which at 50, didn’t match up as well. Price per round at 100 seems you get what you pay for, excepting the Rem./Eley.
This led to me to ask which ammo does best including 50 and 100 yard performance, taking into account a broad spectrum of data over multiple ranges. So….ON TO PART 3 MULTI YARD RATINGS


PART 3 – 22 AMMO THRU MKII MULTI YARD


MULTI YARD RATING (MYR) - Rates ammo on best avg. performance at 50 and 100 yards using data taken and results.
MYR/CBR = CBR of 50+100 divided by 2, MYR/DBR = DBR of 50+100 divided by 2, MYR/CR = CR of 50+100 divided by 2,
MYR/VR = VR of 50+100 divided by 2, MYR/OAR = THE MYR’S CBR+DBR+CR+VR divided by 4. Flyer Ratios are also for both ranges,
30 rds total each brand. Also took avg. grps. from 50+100 divided by 2 to give an average group between both ranges.
The MYR would be extremely valuable for a silhoutte match where various ranges are shot through the match.

1. Wolf MatchTarget–MYR/CBR .995, MYR/DBR .925, MYR/CR .978, MYR/VR .855, MYR/FR 3/30, MYR/OAR .938, avg. MYR grp -1.5”

2. Wolf Match Extra–MYR/CBR .915, MYR/DBR 1.25, MYR/CR 1.08, MYR/VR .956, MYR/FR 3/30. MYR/OAR 1.22, avg. MYR grp -1.62”

3. Federal G. Match–MYR/CBR 1.25, MYR/DBR 1.42, MYR/CR 1.17, MYR/VR 1.16, MYR/FR 7/30, MYR/OAR 1.25, avg. MYR grp 1.62”

4. Rem/Eley T. Rif.– MYR/CBR 1.5, MYR/DBR 1.36, MYR/CR 1.58, MYR/VR .925, MYR/FR 8/30, MYR/OAR 1.34, avg. MYR grp -2”

5. CCI Green Tag– MYR/CBR 1.21, MYR/DBR 1.75, MYR/CR 1.48, MYR/VR 1.29, MYR/FR 6/30, MYR/OAR 1.43, avg. MYR grp +1.88 “

6. Winc. S.X.T-22-MYR/CBR 1.33, MYR/DBR 1.88, MYR/CR 1.60, MYR/VR 1.39, MYR/FR 7/30, MYR/OAR 1.55, avg. MYR grp +2”

7. Rem. Target- MYR/CBR 1.63, MYR/DBR 2, MYR/CR 1.81, MYR/VR 1.56, MYR/FR 9/30, MYR/OAR 1.75, avg. MYR grp +2.25

8. Rem. Sub Sonic- open and erratic groups at 100 (over 4.5”) could not be measured accurately or consistently.

When you look at the different #’s and catagories throughout this series, you can judge an ammo that suits your type of shooting
(cleaning barrel between shots - CBR and the size of groups), using a dirty barrel or sustained fire (DBR and the size of groups),
the price / economy / value of an ammo vs. performance (VR), and how many flyers to expect, using an ammo at just 50, just 100,
or both (MYR). Although these ratings are made up by me (as far as I know don’t resemble anyone else’s, if so I apologize), they do
reflect the overall outcome of the ammo based on real world data.

I hope to test others in the future (aguila, lapua, etc.) as time, weather, and funds allow, and maybe a high velocity 22 test, but until then,
this is what you can expect out of the ammo tested through a MKII.

**update** did a seperate test on aguila golden eagle rifle match ammo. posted in "what's the popular ammo now" thread viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2507 page 2 towards the bottom - SCORED VERY WELL COMPARED TO OTHERS FOR HALF THE PRICE.

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Re: How do you choose match ammo?

Post by Jason »

Thanks for the info, TP. Do you think the results would have been different if the temperature hadn't been so cold? I see that you note a 26 degree (f) temperature for this. My match ammo (Eley, Wolf/SK specifically) has changed accuracy fairly dramatically when going from 40 degrees (f) or so down to 25 (f), which is the lowest temp that I've tested in. For instance, the Wolf ammo went from 1.5" 5-shot groups at 100m to more than 2.5" when going from 40 degrees to 25 degrees. Above 40 degrees, I have seen some differences also but not anything dramatic. The ammo that lost accuracy in very warm (80+ degrees f) temperatures might have been due to it being close to the speed of sound at lower temps and just edging up against it at higher temperatures, resulting in turbulence as it crossed that threshold.
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Re: How do you choose match ammo?

Post by TOP PREDATOR »

oh god yes, temperature, humidity, elevation etc., all comes into effect when shooting at longer distances 100, 200+ yards with any cartridge, especially the 22lr.

i actually have three charts in my data book, one for summer 85 degrees, one for spring / fall 65 degrees, and winter 35 degrees. group POI could change 1-2 inches at 100 yards, 2-4 inches at 200 yards, etc. with the change of seasons. has to do with the thinness of the air and how the pill travels through it. more resistance on the bullet in humid conditions, = more drop, higher elevation thinner air, = higher impact than sea level, and on and on...
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Re: How do you choose match ammo?

Post by Jason »

I understand that the point of impact will change. I was asking if you had noticed that the group size for different ammo changed greatly with temperature/humidity changes.
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