Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires What's your best shooting target/matchgrade ammo

Thanks bsa. In truth, these last 4 to 5yrs has seen my shooting ability deteriorate a bit. I suppose I could hang with some, but not at the top of my game any more. But I'm not as young as I used to be so that's my excuse.
I have become a big fan of the 17HM2, great little round. Not a big fan of the 17HMR. It might be more accurate than my 22 mag.'s, but my 22 Mag.'s a plenty accurate for Coyotes and Fox. That would be all I would shoot with a HMR and I have more faith in the 22 Mag. on those critters.
I'm taking this thread off track, so back to the 22lr.
The last targets I posted were all shot with the KDF K22. The top one was shot by Phil at KDF when I thought I had a problem with it. As the target shows it more than fulfilled their accuracy guarantee. Who knew Win. Super X would shoot that good at 50yds.

Dang, superX at 50 yards. That is pretty dang good. I've never had that kind of luck with it. Generally getting a flier that screws up a good group. Even the better super X T22 target ammo I have is not great.. That is also interesting about the 17HM2. I've often wondered about that cartridge. I've been seeing more of it on the shelves lately too. I really like my Savage A17, but it's an HMR and a semi auto. That rifle is a tack driver though. I am going to be selling one of my Savage stainless 93R17 17HMR rifles here shortly. Just don't need it anymore. It is also a tack driver, but the A17 shoots just as good.

Eley Match (black box) in my Anshutz 64.

Ya, I know, that humbled me. That was their guarantee, to shoot a 1/2" group at 50yds. with Win. Super X. It was the reason I bought one, then several more.
I think they were the first factory pillar bedded rimfire rifles.
You really need to pick up a 17 HM2. They make the Savage A17 in 17HM2 also.
My 17HM2 is a Sako Quad and it shoots exceptionally well. The Hornady Vmax shoots as small of groups as the Eley HM2 in the Sako. I'm thinking real hard about picking up a CZ 457 American and putting a Lilja 17HM2 tapered barrel on it. That should be a fun project.



https://savagearms.com/blog?p=savage-a17-hm2-review

CCI Standard Velocity 40 grain RN has always shot very well in all of my .22’s!

My Winchester model 52 target rifle especially will stack them!

Only 1 of my rifles likes that ammo. Generally they like Federal Automatch and American Eagle much better. Not a big CCI fanboy, I guess...

I wasn’t until I shot it. For hunting use the American Eagle 36 grain HV HP’s have done the best. They shoot almost as good as the CCI’s in my rifles.

For me since I'm too cheap to shoot Lapua it's SK Standard and an old stash of Wolf Match Extra & Target (this ammo was made by Lapua).

I understand current Wolf is an Eley product, have not shot any, and don't know if Eley changed the recipe.

This ammo shot in Sav MII BTV that's pillared, trigger tuned to 2#, epoxy bedding.

I'll shoot CCI SV now and then.

Has anybody here ever tried the Paco Kelly or Neil Waltz tool for bullet resizing and/or hollow pointing?
A while back, I did some experimenting with the Waltz tool and was impressed with the results…this was with a wide variety of ammo out of a CZ455

A lot of my buddies at my club in Washington really like CCI standard velocity "target" ammo. They actually swear by it. I can't tell you how many different rifles I've tried it in, hoping to find one that really likes it. Even my Kidd barreled 10/22 likes American Eagle H.P's better. However, with that being said, low and behold I finally found one rifle that loves it too. I found this out the other day, when I was testing different ammo on my Savage MKII target rifle:


This is a great example of why we test different ammo in our rifles. Actually I think it's cool when you find a rifle that likes the cheaper ammo. I have some that love the Federal Automatch, of all things.



From my most recent tests, I'd say that the newer Wolf made by Eley may be a little more consistent shooting than the older Wolf made by Lapua. If I remember right, the newer stuff is in the plastic box:


The older Wolf being in a cardboard box:


I still don't know which is better, the Wolf match extra, or the wolf match target?? I've tried both, and they shot so close, that it was hard to discern.

In no particular order

Federal UltraMatch UM22
Lapua Midas +
Lapua center X
Eley Match

When you get into the top tier ammo- the most accurate ammo will depend on which gun it’s being shot from.

Of course we’re always looking to walk the line between price and accuracy. That’s where SK shines

Thanks for the list Robert. I appreciate it!!

An Anschutz 64 MPR & Fed GM 900B has been the best combo I've used. The GM zlsoshinedina 7" Mod 41 Smith as well. Now using older Wolf with good results. It matches old Fed. in the Annie @ 50 in a Kidd.

Both 5 shots in the Annie, many more groups were close so no flukes, but these may be best.

50


100

Looks pretty good gunzo.. Funny how that wolf ammo shoots heart shaped groups, like my rifles do.

I want to do a shout out to STRSWilson here, for sending me his Wolf Match Extra. Did a little testing with it the other day in a couple different rifles, let my girlfriend shoot some in some of my rifles too. We had a fun day, testing ammo, and testing my Volquartsen trigger I just installed in my 10/22 clone. Here are some results:

3 targets shot back to back:





Now, that is not the best grouping ammo in that rifle, but it's satisfactory. I'm not complaining!!

I even took my new Winchester model 52 out, and even though I did not want to do this quite yet, had a head to head match with my old 1949 model 52B:


Shot 2 targets with the old 52B:



Not bughole groups, like this rifle has shot, but still not bad. Pretty consistently accurate ammo, amongst all of my 22 rifles.

It's the same ammo, that I tested in my new to me Winchester model 52 reproduction sporter, right after I got it:


At the moment, that Wolf Match Extra ammo is my most accurate ammo, thanks to STRSWilson for sending it to me. Much appreciated buddy!!!!!!

There’s a 500 round brick of Federal Gold Medal UM on Snipershide for $375….i have no affiliation with the seller

https://www.snipershide.com/shootin...medal-ultramatch-22lr-ammo-um1b.7202565/

I still have a couple bricks of older Eley Tenex that shoots great in most of guns. Wolf Extra Match is excellent as well.

Bringing this one back to the top.

Good stuff guys. You are right, when you say a lot of it depends on what rifle/rifle type you are running this ammo in. As some of you know, I'm out there looking for ammo all the time. I like running across a good deal on good ammo. A few days ago, I had to go to California, and then to Reno, so I stopped at some of my favorite spots. Here's some of what I found:


I love trying that old ammo in stuff. I have a few different new rifles to try this in too, so that makes it even better. Earlier today, I went to the range to do some testing with the new rifles and ammo.

One rifle that is not picky with anything, I should have just left home. It even shoots Automatch and American Eagle well.

Ruger 10/22 with Kidd barrel with the new FGMM. This is 1995 manufacture, and shoots just as well as my old stuff, that was made in 1992:



It's a waste of time, showing groups with that rifle. That sob is a shooter. Lets see what the new CZ 457 did.
SK Standard Plus, in the old box:


Lapua Master:


That chidt shoots as good as it looks:


Norma Match, that I found at Cabela's. They only had one box!!! Or I would have bought more. I've generally had pretty good luck with Norma match. This box was no exception:




Dropped one out, wish I had more to test. But it appeared to shoot well. The CZ 457 American is not a target/varmint, or benchrest type rifle. It shoots pretty good for what it is. Now I need to go and test some SK HV Match ammo... We'll see how that works in this rifle...

Thanks for sharing your results in this thread! It's much appreciated!!

I haven't really tested that much, primarily due to availability, secondly due to my ADD.

From what I did test in my B14R, I settled on Lapua LR. SK LR on the left, Lapua LR on the right, 10 shots at 50yds:





I normally only shoot from a bench for load development and testing, paper has it's benefits, but frankly bores me to tears. I'd rather shoot steel from positions.

Well, you got to shoot paper to know what your rifle and ammo is going to do. I think that Lapua and SK long range match is pretty popular stuff. Seems to do real well. However, I'm not going to be paying $20+ per fu cking box of 50 for 22lr!!!

Check out this video. This guy has close to 10 grand in his set up. If I were shooting a rifle like that, I'd maybe be shooting Lapua long range:

In this type of shoot, it is imperative that the ammo you use is consistent.

It's also known that every rifle responds differently to different ammo. Being the most expensive, does not guarantee it's going to shoot the best in all of your rifles too. I'm just trying to see what you guys are having the best luck with, and which ammo is the most consistent, across the board. It's also funny that some rifles are extremely picky/finnicky while others are like a honey badger (just don't give a chidt).

Also, as far as shooting. It's all good. Whether its paper, steel, varmints, off the bench, or offhand. Pulling the trigger is pulling the trigger.

Someone made a comment about Norma match, in a different thread. Saying it's been terrible for them. I'll say it's been excellent for me and all of my rifles. It didn't matter if it was old or new lots either... There are also a lot of guys that love TAC 22, and that has been absolute garbage in a lot of my rifles. Go figure..