Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires CZ 22lr at 100 yards, Take 1

So I finally got to shoot my new CZ 455 Lux outdoors.
Not what I was hoping for, more like what I was afraid of.
Between my mediocre skill & vision (through a nice but only 6X scope), and my reliance on a very sensitive rest I didnt expect to shoot any eye popping groups but I was hoping for better than I got after shooting some terrific groups at 25 yards.

I shot a bit of std vel, even some of the good stuff.
Aguila SV ran around 2 inches. So did CCI SV, Fed GM and some old Rem target.
Wolf Match Extra gave me a 1.5+ group.

But as I learned to eliminate some of the issues with my setup things got a little better.
I shot a group with CCI Select (40gr lead rn, 1200 fps) where I adjusted my elevation after recoil after 3 shots, then fired 2 more.
The group showed 3 in about 3/4", then 2 edge to edge about 2 inches higher than the other 3.
Ah hah...! Nope.
I shot another without making any changes to my set up and got a roughly 1 X 1.5 box.

Conditions were a little breezy but not at all bad. Probably 5 to 10 mph wind and I held off when the breeze would pick up.

Ill be investing in a good rest in the near future. I'm sure the rifle can do much better and i want to prove it to myself.

Hmm. My marlin model 60 will shoot 2 1/2" at 100 consistently off the bench with a cheap Bushnell 3-9X40 and CCI Mini-Mags.

Shooting 22's well at distance is no joke..we shoot eggs at 300 yards here and get hits but sometimes no matter how great I think my hold is I'll miss 20 times high low left and right before connecting..

From KMS. - Hmm. My marlin model 60 will shoot 2 1/2" at 100 consistently off the bench with a cheap Bushnell 3-9X40 and CCI Mini-Mags.

Sure, but 100 yards in Texas is like 25 yards in Rhode Island.

Kragman,
Looks like you are on the right track.

ThosE groups look like the norm when you shoot a solid MOA 22LR in real world conditions.
Lots of 4 shots in 1inch or less in those groups.

Have you done anything with the bedding or trigger?

IMHO,You need a bit more optics than 6x if your are going to shoot conistently small groups at 100 yards

Considering the conditions (poor setup, 5 - 10 mph breeze and 6x scope) it's a wonder you did as well as you did.

Thanks guys.

I'm going to figure out a better rest (probably an "X" bag) and play around with different ammo.
The really can't change though - it is the only scope I know of that actually mounts at the height I need and clears the bolt.

I haven't touched this rifle other than to shoot it - no bedding or remaining of the action screws, no trigger work (and for fine shooting it could use a little help) or anything else. I've only got roughly 300 rounds of mixed ammo through it so the trigger isn't showing any wear in improvement either.

I'm guessing that if I can get some of my personal wobble out of my rest I may be able to hold around 1" at 100 pretty consistently.
That would put a smile on my face.

Good shooting Kragman.
I have to agree that you needed more scope for 100yds. Of course, 30 + years ago it wasn't needed, but these days with modern technology and all bigger scopes are needed more than ever. Heck, I had to go to 7X .

Wind and .22's don't play well together. 100 yards is really stretching out a .22 for any real accuracy you will need super consistent (expensive) ammo and a very calm day. The .22 is made for 50 yard target shooting in my experience. If you like to play with rimfires at 100 then the .17hmr is in a whole other league.

Bingo. Doping the wind at long range is what separates the masters from the wannabe's. When testing a rifle's accuracy you need a solid rest- the gun should lay in the rest so there's no input from the shooter to keep the crosshairs dead still on the aiming point. By not doing that you are making it more of a shooter's skill test than a pure accuracy test.

There was a time when I shot frequently and would have called myself a good shot, but now I'm not the shooter I was and just plain rusty to boot.
Shooting 22s at 100 seems like challenging fun to me and I'm going to pursue it.
I'm probably not going to buy a dedicated rifle for it so that means staying with the 6X and just getting better.
A trigger improvement seems likely but not a "bench" trigger - that rifle is definitely a squirrel gun.
I certainlyly noticed some unavoidable wobble as I was applying trigger pressure. And my groups seemed to come in a little when I stopped trying to finesse my trigger pull. Still, not a bad trigger as is, just not a target trigger. A couple of bricks may help.

Any recommendations for a good rest? I could see spending $100 or so on one.
Its time to upgrade my spotter too (an old B&L Discoverer 15-60) so I'm not going crazy on a rest unless there's a very good reason.

And is there anyone out there who specializes in CZ rimfire trigger work? Otherwise its probably a Yo Dave kit for me.

Thanks all

Ive tried several rests and still use them. But it's hard to beat regular sand bags. My hunting buddy uses blue jean legs filled with sand. Brownells sell bags similar to shot bags. Hasbeen

I've got a 12x Chicken on my 452 and couldn't be happier. Was trying to get a 16x, but they were out.

Sure helps my old eyes.

I'm gonna try my current rest differently and use a McGuyver'd rear bag just to try it. Looks like a jeans leg for me too.

Hey LocalDirt - what's a 12X chicken? I'm not up on all the slang the cool kids are using these days... My phone doesn't even have a ballistics app on it.

Krag...dirt is talking about a SWFA SS 12x. Very happy with the several I use. LOTS of room to play with in elevation turret should you ever want to go further with your .22..
Dirt looks like they have discontinued the MOA 16X

Gotcha.
Sadly, the only higher power scopes I know of that MIGHT fit the Lux are another Burris Mini or maybe one of the Burris 4.5-14x32 Timberlines. They probably won't though unless I pull the rear sight and I really don't want to.
Maybe there are some very compact high mag Airgun scopes out there that would work but I'm not familiar with them.

Don't get me wrong - it would be great if I had scope options but I think the 6X is fine for a squirrel gun.
I found it pretty easy to hit golf balls at the 100 yard berm with it (rested) and I've never taken a 100 yard shot at a squirrel.

I'm kinda trying to use a field rifle as a bench rest gun, and I'm having fun trying.
But as such it will always have limits (me too!) and the challenges might make it more fun.

Still - one of those old 4-12 Mini's with target turrets and the same fine reticle as my 6X would be an excellent set up.

BTW - somebody in Czechoslovakia shot a 1/4" test group at 50 meters with my rifle with the open sights before it left the factory, so I've got a heck of a head start on shooting some dynamite groups. Of course, if I ever get there I'm taking all the credit. lol

Wind is the issue, I have shot MOA many, many times with an old BSA Martini Model 12, and with a CZ 452 Silhouette. Trouble is it is not repeatable on a regular basis. Depends on the wind. NO ammo really makes it better other than using known good ammo. 50 yards, now that is different.

Mule Deer recommends setting up wind flags along the shooting lane. Waiting for the flags to be disturbed about the same for each shot helps reduce the effect of the wind. Fortunately, we do get some still days here, and the range I use most is sheltered well and oriented in line with the prevailing wind direction.

As a kid, I used to shoot at old beer bottles rested agsinst a collapsed barn in South Central Pennsylvania. On a really windy day, the hold-off required at 100yards was amazing.

I had a 453 American that would group 5 Aguila Match Rifle and RWS SSHP in the .4s consistently at 50, with some in the .3s. Worth a try. The Aguila match ammo is a great bargain when you can find it.

I use the Caldwell BR rest and really like it, but I have also just used sand bags and was fine with those too.

I'm sure my former post about scope size seemed a bit sarcastic, as it was meant to be, but in my opinion scope power is not necessarily the answer as much as glass clarity is. Besides, more magnification equals more crosshair movement.
I've posted this before, but as an experiment I cleaned 2 of my better shooting rimfire rifles and then used the ammo they both shot extremely well at 50yds. One rifle had a 6x Burris Mini AO the other used an 8-24X40 Browning (Bushnell 3200). The target tells the story........................


These are a couple of targets shot at 100yds. using the same Burris 6X scope. It was a nice day with no to little wind. The black portion of the Bullseye is 1 1/8".


I doubt if I could have shot tighter groups with more scope power.
I can remember when the 6X Westerner scope came out. It was considered a scope for out west where you would have the opportunity to shoot long distance.

No worries K22! I enjoyed your post and I hope you keep them coming.

I'm hoping to get more 100 yard time in this weekend. If I do ill post "Take 2"