Winchester 22-250 White Box 45 gr. Ammo - 03/19/11
I was moping around today bemoaning the fact that I have a new Varmint Rifle and the wind won't allow me to shoot it - and hasn't calmed for many weeks now!
Right around noon I am crossing town and I look out my car window over at the County Seat clock tower and the flag pole (with the U.S and Montana flags on it) the flags are hanging straight down!
Not ruffling a bit.
Even though noon is normally about the windiest part of the day in these parts I decide to do a U-turn and head home and load up my new Rifle and range gear and head for the range.
I arrive at the range with my 22-250 Ruger #1-V in stainless steel and set up as quickly as I can.
I am shooting what is left of a 40 round box of Winchester 22-250 45 grain Varmint ammo that comes in their white boxes.
These Winchester 45 grain bullets did well for my last barrel break-in and initial sight in tests on a different 22-250 Rifle.
I rarely shoot factory ammo but I got some of this Winchester ammo at a bargain price some time ago.
Anyway I set may portable target stantion at 30 yards and fire a shot and correct the scope.
I am now noticing the "dreaded wind" on the back of my neck - not much just 2 or 3 MPH.
I decide to forego anymore 30 yard shooting and take the target out to 100 yards.
On my way back to the bench the wind is now almost steady.
I quickly fire another few rounds - I am finally pleased with the bullets impact position on the target and fire three more rounds for group.
I am pleased with the small triangle group the three shots formed as I look at them through my 48 power range scope.
The wind won't calm now at all and is up to 6 or 8 MPH - I decide to try to wait the wind out.
I take my steel rule out to 100 yards and measure - the three shots - they are just under .70"!
Not bad I think and then then I revise that up, to GOOD!
After all its factory ammo and I only have a Leupold 3x9 variable scope on the Rifle for now.
That is about as good as I can shoot with a 9 power scope (once back to home the 3 shot group measured .681").
The wind won't quit and it is now no longer at my back but "quartering" my line of fire.
Poop I say.
I decide to call it a day and head out to my target for retrieval.
On my way out there I spy a fully intact orange faced clay pigeon.
I decide to set it up at 100 yards and blow it to smithereens with my new rig.
I prop it up and head back for one last shot - I squeeze the shot off and nothing happened to the clay pigeon.
The clay pigeon is still propped up there at 100 yards.
I look through my 48 power scope and there dead center in the orange face is a 22 caliber hole!
Not a crack or chip is evident just the 22 caliber hole dead center.
I would have thought it would have shattered?
I debate another shot at the clay target - but now I have 10 fireformed pieces of brass and enough factory ammo to shoot another day.
I wish I had gotten to shoot more today but the quartering wind makes for "iffey" results.
I notice on the end of the Winchester 40 round box of factory ammo the original price tag is still there - $30.25, or about 75 cents a round!
I bought this stuff at a gunshow IIRC and paid less than the marked price for it some time ago.
On my way home I stop at my local sport shop and they have this 3 boxes of this same ammo for $31.50 a box.
My wheels are turning - new brass is $44.00 per 100 cases (44 cents apiece) and loaded ammo that has shot well now in two different Rifles for me is 75 cents apiece.
I think I am going to try a couple of 5 shot groups with this ammo and if it shoots nearly as well as what the 3 shot group showed today I may just buy those 3 boxes of factory ammo and use it up on Prairie Dogs and Rock Chucks this spring! Then I will have about 140 fireformed cases dedicated to this new rig.
I have not as yet used this ammo on Varmints though - has anyone out there used the factory Winchester 45 grain JHP ammo on Colony Varmints?
Is it explosive?
Is it lethal?
Is it at all prone to ricochet?
Any direction/observations will be appreciated.
Way to go Winchester folks - this is some accurate and fairly affordable ammunition.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
Right around noon I am crossing town and I look out my car window over at the County Seat clock tower and the flag pole (with the U.S and Montana flags on it) the flags are hanging straight down!
Not ruffling a bit.
Even though noon is normally about the windiest part of the day in these parts I decide to do a U-turn and head home and load up my new Rifle and range gear and head for the range.
I arrive at the range with my 22-250 Ruger #1-V in stainless steel and set up as quickly as I can.
I am shooting what is left of a 40 round box of Winchester 22-250 45 grain Varmint ammo that comes in their white boxes.
These Winchester 45 grain bullets did well for my last barrel break-in and initial sight in tests on a different 22-250 Rifle.
I rarely shoot factory ammo but I got some of this Winchester ammo at a bargain price some time ago.
Anyway I set may portable target stantion at 30 yards and fire a shot and correct the scope.
I am now noticing the "dreaded wind" on the back of my neck - not much just 2 or 3 MPH.
I decide to forego anymore 30 yard shooting and take the target out to 100 yards.
On my way back to the bench the wind is now almost steady.
I quickly fire another few rounds - I am finally pleased with the bullets impact position on the target and fire three more rounds for group.
I am pleased with the small triangle group the three shots formed as I look at them through my 48 power range scope.
The wind won't calm now at all and is up to 6 or 8 MPH - I decide to try to wait the wind out.
I take my steel rule out to 100 yards and measure - the three shots - they are just under .70"!
Not bad I think and then then I revise that up, to GOOD!
After all its factory ammo and I only have a Leupold 3x9 variable scope on the Rifle for now.
That is about as good as I can shoot with a 9 power scope (once back to home the 3 shot group measured .681").
The wind won't quit and it is now no longer at my back but "quartering" my line of fire.
Poop I say.
I decide to call it a day and head out to my target for retrieval.
On my way out there I spy a fully intact orange faced clay pigeon.
I decide to set it up at 100 yards and blow it to smithereens with my new rig.
I prop it up and head back for one last shot - I squeeze the shot off and nothing happened to the clay pigeon.
The clay pigeon is still propped up there at 100 yards.
I look through my 48 power scope and there dead center in the orange face is a 22 caliber hole!
Not a crack or chip is evident just the 22 caliber hole dead center.
I would have thought it would have shattered?
I debate another shot at the clay target - but now I have 10 fireformed pieces of brass and enough factory ammo to shoot another day.
I wish I had gotten to shoot more today but the quartering wind makes for "iffey" results.
I notice on the end of the Winchester 40 round box of factory ammo the original price tag is still there - $30.25, or about 75 cents a round!
I bought this stuff at a gunshow IIRC and paid less than the marked price for it some time ago.
On my way home I stop at my local sport shop and they have this 3 boxes of this same ammo for $31.50 a box.
My wheels are turning - new brass is $44.00 per 100 cases (44 cents apiece) and loaded ammo that has shot well now in two different Rifles for me is 75 cents apiece.
I think I am going to try a couple of 5 shot groups with this ammo and if it shoots nearly as well as what the 3 shot group showed today I may just buy those 3 boxes of factory ammo and use it up on Prairie Dogs and Rock Chucks this spring! Then I will have about 140 fireformed cases dedicated to this new rig.
I have not as yet used this ammo on Varmints though - has anyone out there used the factory Winchester 45 grain JHP ammo on Colony Varmints?
Is it explosive?
Is it lethal?
Is it at all prone to ricochet?
Any direction/observations will be appreciated.
Way to go Winchester folks - this is some accurate and fairly affordable ammunition.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy