Hey all,
Being a data hound (and a reloader) I get pretty obsessive about shooting results and cataloging those results. I'm still looking for the "best" workflow, but for now I've started tracking all rounds that go through my new CZ 455.
I brought her to the range on Saturday for some break-in and brought with me all my various brands of 22LR.
After a couple passes with dry, then wet, then dry patches, my plan was to run a few hundred rounds of "bulk" ammo to break in the barrel, then move to the "good stuff" to check which was the most accurate (and then I would begin bulk purchases). As it turned out, I ran out of time and was only able to shoot 19 groups of bulk ammo, but I tracked the results, and here they are!
Ammo used:
Aguila Super Extra
Federal "Target Grade" bulk
Federal "Game Shok" Bulk
CCI Mini-Mag
Winchester Bulk 36g Copper HP
RESULTS:
All shots taken from a bench rest (Caldwell Stinger)
Wind was "light and variable" - maybe 1-5 mph
Range: 50 yards
Temp: 75 degrees
Scope: Vortex Crossfire II 4-12 AO
22 groups of 5 shots recorded:
Compared to my only other 22LR (an old, abused Marlin model 60), these results were amazing for this cheap ammo - group sizes were about half that of the Marlin. That being said, they were pretty inconsistent, as might be expected. Also the sample sizes are honestly too small to derive statistically relevant conclusions, but it does give some general idea of relative accuracy and consistency.
Some observations:
1. The CCI Mini-mags are the most expensive (I paid $0.081 with tax & shipping) yet delivered the worst performance.
2. The Aguila were the cheapest ($0.052 with tax & shipping) and delivered the second poorest performance.
3. The Aguila did, however, leave nice black imprinted circles of either lube or carbon soot around each of the holes on the target paper.
4. My gut feeling is that the most accurate/consistent was the Winchester 36g bulk ammo (36g copper HP), with the Federal "Target grade" (lead RN) almost neck & neck with it. More experience may show them to be very similar or swap places.
I'm hoping my home range opens up for this coming weekend (its been closed for a month due to fires) and if so, I'll shoot a bunch more bulk ammo and then start recording results with the "good stuff" I've got on hand (Eley, Wolf, CCI, etc). Stay tuned for more results...
Being a data hound (and a reloader) I get pretty obsessive about shooting results and cataloging those results. I'm still looking for the "best" workflow, but for now I've started tracking all rounds that go through my new CZ 455.
I brought her to the range on Saturday for some break-in and brought with me all my various brands of 22LR.
After a couple passes with dry, then wet, then dry patches, my plan was to run a few hundred rounds of "bulk" ammo to break in the barrel, then move to the "good stuff" to check which was the most accurate (and then I would begin bulk purchases). As it turned out, I ran out of time and was only able to shoot 19 groups of bulk ammo, but I tracked the results, and here they are!
Ammo used:
Aguila Super Extra
Federal "Target Grade" bulk
Federal "Game Shok" Bulk
CCI Mini-Mag
Winchester Bulk 36g Copper HP
RESULTS:
All shots taken from a bench rest (Caldwell Stinger)
Wind was "light and variable" - maybe 1-5 mph
Range: 50 yards
Temp: 75 degrees
Scope: Vortex Crossfire II 4-12 AO
22 groups of 5 shots recorded:
Compared to my only other 22LR (an old, abused Marlin model 60), these results were amazing for this cheap ammo - group sizes were about half that of the Marlin. That being said, they were pretty inconsistent, as might be expected. Also the sample sizes are honestly too small to derive statistically relevant conclusions, but it does give some general idea of relative accuracy and consistency.
Some observations:
1. The CCI Mini-mags are the most expensive (I paid $0.081 with tax & shipping) yet delivered the worst performance.
2. The Aguila were the cheapest ($0.052 with tax & shipping) and delivered the second poorest performance.
3. The Aguila did, however, leave nice black imprinted circles of either lube or carbon soot around each of the holes on the target paper.
4. My gut feeling is that the most accurate/consistent was the Winchester 36g bulk ammo (36g copper HP), with the Federal "Target grade" (lead RN) almost neck & neck with it. More experience may show them to be very similar or swap places.
I'm hoping my home range opens up for this coming weekend (its been closed for a month due to fires) and if so, I'll shoot a bunch more bulk ammo and then start recording results with the "good stuff" I've got on hand (Eley, Wolf, CCI, etc). Stay tuned for more results...