Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Testing: Ruger American & W/W 40 gr. H/P (1,435 FPS!)

All: Two weeks ago I stumbled into a great deal from a friend of mine who sadly is rather ill (liver cancer) and is thinning out his large accumulation of firearms.
I was with him last fall when he bought this stainless Ruger American Rimfire in 22 L.R. added a scope made by Nikon and then he set about to test ammo. Its been to the range just twice with him but not afield, and now sadly my friend needed to sell it.
This Ruger American has the stainless action and stainless semi-heavy barrel 18" barrel.
No sights and it has the Ruger style "Accu-Trigger" (which is very pleasing by the way!)
The 4x12 scope has additional stradia wires and dots that I will familiarize myself with soon.
My friend later bought several boxes of the new Winchester 40 grain "Hyper Velocity Hollow Point Copper Plated Varmint & Small Game" 22 L.R. bullets and he sold them all to me with the Rifle.
I had never shot these bullets and I am pretty sure they are a somewhat new offering.
I have not chronographed them yet but the advertised speed of 1,435 F.P.S of the 40 grain bullets sure got my attention!
I believe the item number on the box for these bullets is "XHV22LR"?
It is not clearly marked.
Been real busy and have only been to the range once with this rig and the intended ammunition. Got it sighted in quickly and easily and was very impressed with the two 5 shot groups I made with the set-up there at 50 yards.
When I get more time and a "calm enough" day I will shoot this combo at 100 yards.
Time finally came yesterday for the new rig and new ammo to draw "first blood"!
I am hosting some Hunters from Florida, Louisiana, Illinois and New Hampshire this week and the snow quit yesterday so off we go!
To say I was impressed with the performance/lethality of the new Winchester 22 H/P ammo would be a gross understatement!
This ammo is the best 22 L.R. I have ever used on Ground Squirrels and I am stating that after only shooting 300 rounds of it at Varmints yesterday!
With the 12 power scope (no adjustable objective sadly!) I was bonking Gophers (straight downwind!) at 125 - 140 yards rather regularly!
And the terminal effects of this 1,435 F.P.S. H/P ammo was noticeably better than any 22 L.R. I have used before! And I am pretty sure I have used all the American made offerings in 22 L.R. H/P ammo.
Over this past winter my friend ordered and installed a Boyd's high comb type laminated Varmint stock for this Rifle and it sure fits me to a "T"!
And it is way better looking than the factory plastic offering that came with the Rifle originally.
So a big thumbs up on the Ruger American Rimfire with its very pleasing accuracy, great trigger and the unbeatable Ruger Rotary Magazine!
I am guessing I kill't about 220 Ground Squirrels yesterday on this Rifles first outing, out of the exactly 300 rounds I fired.
For those not familiar with early season Ground Squirrels the males are constantly chasing and fighting each other this time of year and seldom hold still for even 6 seconds! I touched off at least 15 shots at Gophers who were no longer "there"!
The bottom line on this new Winchester ammo is "amazing"!
I was very impressed with it.
So far I have only seen this ammo for sale at "Cabela's" type stores!
In my opinion it would be well worth the while of any small game and Varmint Hunters to seek out and try this new Winchester offering.
I have a spare Leupold 4.5x14 variable scope with adjustable objective and fine Du-Plex crosshairs that I may use to replace the non-A/O scope on this Rifle, as soon as I get time to do so.
I nearly forgot to mention how "handy" this stiff and short barreled Rifle was yesterday - I shot it from the cab of the VarmintMobile about 90% (off of "window bags") of the time yesterday as the outside temperature barely got to 40 degrees!
Anyway it was sure easy to handle there with the 18" barrel.
Out of 300 rounds fired I never had even a single failure to extract, failure to feed or failure to eject!
I did have one failure to fire but ejected the case onto the ground and forgot to retrieve and inspect it (for depth of firing pin strike).
Two big thumbs up for both items tested.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I purchased the same type rifle a few months ago and have been really impressed.
The stock is somewhat ugly, but adequate.
The short stiff barrel is very handy.
A little trigger adjustment and mounted a scope and it is my favorite knock around rimfire.

Sorry to hear the bad news about your friends there V.G.

I was at Sportsman's Warehouse up in Roseburg the other day when heading up to Pottandia....

it was one of these Tactical Set ups, looking like their Long Range Percision Rifle set up...

was on sale for $399.... chambers available in 22 LR, 17 HMR and 22 Win Mag....

I'm sure it will motivate the kids, and grandkids... allowing them to be Rimfire Rambos....

You are causing me to want to buy more 22 ammo. I need to try that hyper velocity HP for accuracy in my Tikka. Oddly enough, my wife is grumping about all the 22 ammo I have, so I’ll need to be a bit sneaky.

RCL: Can you adjust that "Accu-Trigger" type trigger?
If so I did not know that.
I do have both factory boxes (from the Ruger Rifle and from the scope) but I have just not had time to
read" the manuals!
Thanks for the heads up on that.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Seafire: By coincidence my good friend here named Darrell bought one of these tactical (tacticool?) Ruger American Rifles in 17 HMR and added an "$850.00" scope to the much cheaper Rifle just a month ago.
He was in town Saturday buying an "adapter" for the rail on the bottom of the Ruger for a Harris swiveling bi-pod.
Anyway he (former 1,000 yard bench rest record holder!) said this Rifle (Ruger American Rimfire Tactical) is THE most accurate rimfire Rifle he's ever owned!
Anyway I give great credence to his assessment!
Yes it will definitely appeal to "some" in the gun world - frankly I was surprised when my friend bought one of these Ruger Tactical's as he is very "traditional" kind of shooter.
My laminated stock Ruger American Varmint in 17 HMR is also VERY accurate (with Weaver 4 to 16 variable and Hornady 17 HMR ammunition).
Good for Ruger I say with all their offerings and taking a "chance" here and there.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

603Country: I am sure that you will like the terminal performance of the Winchester Hyper-Velocity" hollow-points and I can only hope they will be as accurate for you as they are for me.
These bullets would be worth sneaking around a bit.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I love that ammo and the Browning version. A couple of magazines I've read shot those Winchester hyper velocity in the rifles being tested and the ammo grouped really well. I've used the Browning version quite a bit on jackrabbits and there is a definite increase in "stopping power". I my little Bersa 3.5 inch barrel 22 pistol, those rounds seem to expand better and is more cost effective than the Velocitors. I am looking forward to trying the Aguila Interceptor hollow point rounds when they're available. Here is one of the links.
https://www.rifleshootermag.com/editorial/review-tikka-tix-mtr-22-lr/357086

HARDBALLER: Come to think of it last fall I bought a couple boxes of the Browning uppity velocity ammo - intending to give it a try.
I have not tried it as yet!
Its been a busy winter here in SW Montana.
Are you saying (and if so I'm sure you are correct!) that Winchester makes the Browning uppity velocity ammo for them?
Thanks for the link.
I like the Tikka "plastic" stock much more than the Ruger offering - even though the Tikka stock is not very impressive either.
Oh well - there is something to say about utility (cheapness).
Thanks again.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Have you tried CCI's 32 grain segmented 22LR?
Velocity is the same as Stingers at just over 1600.

700LH: No I have not tried them. In your experience are they plenty lethal on small game and Varmints?
Thanks for the tip.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Correct, Winchester makes Browning labeled ammo of recent manufacture.

I bought some of it for testing in my 77/22 RSI. I had a couple of FTFs in that, and also in a CZ 455. Accuracy wasn't exceptional in either, or awful. Not long ago, I almost picked up a couple of bricks of the Browning stuff on sale, but the reviews mentioned the same problem with that. So, it appears that maybe there are at least occasional issues with QC. Too bad, as I also read sterling range reports on the stuff, but as I almost always buy by the brick or more, the risk is too much for me, and I'll stick with dependable Velociters, which offer similar performance and always go bang. Those who have good lots, congrats on your good fortune. Enjoy.

Just recently found out they were available.
They are hard to find except on the net and I have not found the 40-grain ones for sale local yet.
Hoping to try the 1600's tomorrow. have read they are "devastating" on small critters.

700LH: I spent a few of hours with friends Hunting Ground Squirrels in the "nice" weather again today.
Less wind and the Winchester 40 grainers at 1,435 F.P.S. really made an audible and impressive "plop" sound upon "contact"!
I shot 200 rounds today and NO missfires, missfeeds or failures to extract or eject.
I am getting low on this ammo and need to replenish.
I may have to change my policy and search the net for availability of these.
Any suggestions appreciated.
Really getting to like this new Ruger American!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

700LH: Thank you for that link - I tried it and came up with several "leads".
I had the aforementioned ammunition out again today "Varminting", and touched off 200 more rounds of it.
I, again, am so impressed with the lethality and reliability of this ammo!
Thanks again.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Sounds like Winchester's version of CCI Velocitors.
Same weight bullet, same velocity.
Been using Velocitors on woodchucks for a year now and I'm impressed.
Woodchucks can be hard to anchor with a .22. These do the job nicely.

Fugawe: Interesting info on the Velocitors because the nearest place to me that sells the 1,435 F.P.S. Winchesters is 105 (one hundred and five) miles away (each way!).
I'll see if any of the closer stores have any Velocitors.
Indeed Rock Chucks can pack away with a lot of 22 L.R. lead!
Thanks again for that info.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I have fired some of the Browning badged stuff that VG is shooting out of a 22 handgun. It is noticeably louder with more muzzle flash.