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How reliable is 22lr ammo?

2K views 17 replies 12 participants last post by  NIB 
#1 ·
Paul Harrell tests various 22s with several different guns. A good watch.
 
#5 ·
I agree with his conclusions on the lower priced, more bulk type ammo. i have even had quite a few duds from the first lot of the bulk packed eley standard brown. however, other eley and sk/lapua, i have had so few duds in the last 12 years i could certainly count them on one hand. and shooting bolt action stuff, when i have them (like with the eley brown) i usually try to get them to fire on a second strike after clocking the round, since it is higher $ ammo. when you get into match/target stuff the FTF pretty much go away.
 
#6 ·
Heck, I learned something within the first 3 minutes! I did not know that a rimfire cartridge had the primer 'spun' in to the inside of the rim and over time can shrink and create voids in the primer. PH informed me that that is why you can remove that misfire (dud), rotate the cartridge 180 degrees, and attempt to fire it again. Usually with success.

Live and learn!!
 
#7 ·
I'm not so sure about "over time". When you're shooting fairly fresh 22 ammo and you get duds due to missing primer I wouldn't say it was due to shrinkage? I think missing primer more likely due to an incorrectly moistened mixture where voids are set into the rim from the start.

Good to see videos like this. Maybe PH only mentioned spun primer because he was only using American made ammo? Or maybe PH has no idea that there are two other processes? There is another major process (not spun) which involves compressing inert primer into the rims of rimfire and afterwards a metered drop of water is added which activates the primer. This is done at a few European companies and Mexico. One, Sellier & Bellot dry headed their cartridges which is another process. (Some of their REX ammo show this). Dry heading is also compressing the primer (not spinning) but as I understand it is active when this is done which can be dangerous.
 
#9 ·
Duds



I believe that the faster the automated production of anything, ammunition included, is going to create defects in quality from time to time. Watching the production of .22 long rifle ammunition at the CCI facility, you can see the speed at which the process takes from start to finished product. Then, see the mind-boggling amount of ammunition produced each day. During the shortage, these machines were running 24 hours per day, along with longer hours for workers can add up to a recipe for lower quality products. We have all seen it in the other products we purchase, like automobiles(my favorite gripe), appliances, clothing, etc.
 
#8 ·
NIB I've never heard of any other way of priming rimfire ammo,do you have any more information on how they do it?

I started shooting .22's in the 1960's and have shot hundred's of thousand's of mostly .22 LR since then. When shooting semi-autos I get from 1-4 duds in a box of Winchester X-pert or 555s, when shooting bolt,lever or revolvers using the same ammo I get at most 1.
 
#11 · (Edited)
https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageN...0,724.PN.%26OS=PN/4,640,724%26RS=PN/4,640,724

Eley, Lapua and Fiocchi's Italian manufactured 22LR are all dry primed. Primer is not spun but rather compressed into 22LR's rim. Aguila in Mexico is also supposed to dry prime (they most certainly don't spin) although most of their primer looks like a messy clump? (Exception, Colibre and Super Colibre which look as if Eley themselves primed them in the UK?) Or Aguila primed these propellant less rounds correctly? See member Kitsap "how to prime" one of his threads is in Gray "Stickey" 22 S L LR section.
I believe that the faster the automated production of anything, ammunition included, is going to create defects in quality from time to time. Watching the production of .22 long rifle ammunition at the CCI facility, you can see the speed at which the process takes from start to finished product. Then, see the mind-boggling amount of ammunition produced each day. During the shortage, these machines were running 24 hours per day, along with longer hours for workers can add up to a recipe for lower quality products. We have all seen it in the other products we purchase, like automobiles(my favorite gripe), appliances, clothing, etc.
Clint sums up the manufacturing process in one sentence. :D

 
#14 ·
I believe that good quality rimfire ammo is just as reliable as good quality center fire. Its generally the guns that are not as reliable. I have had my share of centerfire factory duds. They are usually light strikes because the primers are not set deep enough and the firing pin wastes energy seating the primer. About the same thing happens with .22lr when the chamber gets dirty in a semi and the shell does not seat all the way. The firing pin will dent the shell but most of the energy is used to finish closing the bolt. I just think we tend to see it more with 22lr because we shoot at least 10x the number of rounds or we mod a gun to cycle with standard velocity and cause seating issues. As a matter of fact I dont every remember having a dud in a bolt action target rifle or a revolver, only in semis. Is that because I put more ammo through the semis or because I tend to put cheaper ammo through them.
 
#18 ·
Yes, a good amount on the bottom when the dry method is used and probably for good reason. When the spun method is used we see a good deal of primer on the side walls although the spun in primer loading's can also be accurate ammo I just don't think the wet spun method holds as tight of a weight tolerance (metering wise) as the dry can.

You're welcome on the link provided. You've heard of Eley Prime correct? The link is Eley's patent for the process.
 
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