Eley Black vs R50 vs SKLR rimfire ammo

Cody S · Sep 12, 2024

I have options to get ahold of some of each of the above, plus I can get lot tested ammo from Ohio eventually, probably in the eley variety but whatever they have.
I've heard really good things about RWS in general and I know a few of my local friends shoot and win with it, but they all shoot an older lot.
do you think I'll have the same luck with a new, somewhat random lot of RWS R50 or are they just like everyone else in that you really have to match the speed? because that old lot shot at like 1109 in any barrel from 18 to 24 inches, and it shot damn good in my savage, plus all their nice rifles. would different lots be different speeds like every other brand?
I'm afraid I shot a box of a magical lot of RWS R50 and now I'll never find anything that good again lol.
I've got some midas+ that's good but also 60fps slower so more drop and wind.
I've stopped shooting rimfire while I get a new gun built, but it's almost done and when it is I only have a thousand rounds to shoot, I'll be out in a couple months at best.
I'm trying to learn about who makes better ammo in general and which is the better option most likely for me to take.
this is a long range/prs toy.
if you know of any sweet long range rimfire ammo I can order online let me know.

oldrifleman · Sep 13, 2024

My answer is simple, I no longer trust Eley. I gave them another shot with the ultra long range and that was a bust. I go with Lapua but have some trust that RWS had it’s act together.

Cody S · Sep 13, 2024

I will heavily consider centerX or long range for ammo testing if it's available next year when I free up enough funds for a couple cases.

Kadams1563 · Sep 13, 2024

You get what you can find. I have been searching for a case of SKLR for months.

I don’t want to fiddle with buying random lots of 50 round boxes because the time you get them and test everything is sold out.

Cody S · Sep 13, 2024

Kran09 said:
Todays Eley Tenex is really consistent. I use to weigh an rim guage ALL my ammo. But if I am in a pinch and do not have sorted ammo, I do not fear Tenex for match use.

is tenex produced any differently than black box?

Mainer · Sep 13, 2024

Kadams1563 said:
You get what you can find. I have been searching for a case of SKLR for months.

I don’t want to fiddle with buying random lots of 50 round boxes because the time you get them and test everything is sold out.

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jbell · Sep 13, 2024

Cody S said:
is tenex produced any differently than black box?

As long as nothing has changed with Eley it is the same exact ammo. The Tenex and black box are based on how each lot test at the time of manufacturing. I have found several times that a particular lot of black box out preforms a particular lot of Tenex, but this is in 1 rifle and is normally the exception rather than the rule.

NHPiper · Sep 13, 2024

My dad has bad really bad luck with Eley in the last 18 months. Tons of light strikes and failure to ignite in several different guns. He sent it all back to them and called it a day.

jbell · Sep 13, 2024

NHPiper said:
My dad has bad really bad luck with Eley in the last 18 months. Tons of light strikes and failure to ignite in several different guns. He sent it all back to them and called it a day.

Good info, I haven’t purchased any Eley in several years. I am kind of a SK & Lapua guy…

NHPiper · Sep 13, 2024

jbell said:
Good info, I haven’t purchased any Eley in several years. I am kind of a SK & Lapua guy…

Same. The SK Long Range just seems to go bang every time.

He actually shoots CCI Standard out of a semi-custom 10/22 and it still pretty consistently groups under an inch at 100yds. I have had the same experience, but it falls apart more quickly at 200+ yds.

LR1845 · Sep 13, 2024

I just lot tested 12 lot numbers of Eley Match(black box)1 lot shot OK but not good enough for me to buy any more of it the rest was shit.
My vote would be for RW50 first and SK LRM second. I have 2 lots of RW50 and 1 lot of SK LRM that have shot outstanding in 3 different rifles.
I have shot a LOT of RW50 and it has been the most consistent 22 ammo I have ever used, group and ES wise.

Emerson0311 · Sep 13, 2024

NHPiper said:
My dad has bad really bad luck with Eley in the last 18 months. Tons of light strikes and failure to ignite in several different guns. He sent it all back to them and called it a day.

The rim on Eley ammo is significantly thinner than SK and CCI. It’s possible that this contributed to the issues with light strikes. When I headspaced my T1X for CCI instead of Eley, that small adjustment changed the feeding significantly also.

Lastsaint21 · Sep 13, 2024

Up to this point in my love affair with RImfire, RWS50 and 100 has by far been the best shooting, consistent ammo I have tried. The only down side is getting it, and that is the "worst of down sides"..

Cody S · Sep 13, 2024

I should point out, I'll have a chamber cut for RWS or SK, but everyone else seems to have good luck with his chamber jobs and any rimfire ammo they can find generally including eley. matter of fact my gunsmith shoots some lot tested black box and he wins many of the matches he shoots.
but I did not know eley was having such problems of late, ill make sure to test it before I buy a big amount.
thanks for all the info guys, it's hard learning about 22lr

LR1845 · Sep 13, 2024

Lastsaint21 said:
Up to this point in my love affair with RImfire, RWS50 and 100 has by far been the best shooting, consistent ammo I have tried. The only down side is getting it, and that is the "worst of down sides"..

I emailed Anschutz this morning asking when the R50 will be back in stock they said they will know more by the end of September.

Dstoenner · Sep 13, 2024

if it is summertime in NC, I go with whatever I have tested good out of my guns. I have 3 match guns. 1) 40X rebarreled, 2) Anschutz 54 rebarreled and 457 with just enough tweaks to still be factory for ARA. Each one like something different. I have tested what I have as random bought bricks. Sad to say these 3 rifles don't like Eley that well. They all like center-X but each with their own speed. But come cold weather time the only brand that will hold true is R50. My biggest problem is the availability of RWS in general. I am using what I have very miserly. Only for matches.

David

Cody S · Sep 13, 2024

I didn't know RWS was considered such a step up by everyone.
makes sense why all the local winners use it now.

oldrifleman · Sep 13, 2024

R50 is equal to centerX maybe midas have not tried it lately.

Cody S · Sep 13, 2024

my understanding is that centerX and Midas+ are really the same thing that just tested differently relating to fliers. same lines and procedures, same ammo, different boxes.
if that's the case when I get there and I do lot tested lapua ammo, I'll go for centerX if possible.
I have some centerX, midas+, sklr to shoot.

oldrifleman · Sep 13, 2024

They come off the same line, are tested, top lots go to Xact, next to midas+, followed by CenterX

spife7980 · Sep 13, 2024

Wish I had pics from two weekends ago testing of my eley match black box vs the sklr brick dad picked up for cheap.

With 17rounds each of both through my win52: the eley was an sd of 4 and submoa at 100 yards. The sklr red was an sd of 28 and multiple inches, like not being able to tell which dot the bullets were being shot at bad. Had an extreme spread of 128 fps.

That same trend held up on the martini international too. Might be the single worst ammo I’ve ever shot and I’m including the rem golden bucket in that statement.

Rws is great, it’s just pricey and never available when I need it

oldrifleman · Sep 13, 2024

spife7980 said:
Wish I had pics from two weekends ago testing of my eley match black box vs the sklr brick dad picked up for cheap.

With 17rounds each through my win52
the eley was an sd of 4 and submoa at 100 yards
the sklr was an sd of 28 and multiple inches

That same trend held up on the martini international too. Might be the single worst ammo I’ve ever shot and I’m including the rem golden bucket in that statement.

Rws is great, it’s just pricey and never available when I need it

That backs my expectations. SKRM was my practice ammo and what I gave my kids to shoot.

GIXXER2000 · Sep 13, 2024

The only way to truly know is first you need to LOT TEST!!. You really need at minimum 5 deferent lot of each ammo you plan to test. Once you find the lot that shoots best then compare against the others you have lot tested. I just did a lot test with Eley Match and I had 10 lots when I started. I choose the lots based on each lot having more then 200 boxes available. Here are the results,
6 lots were not good.
4 lots shot pretty good with 2 lots being the best. Of the best 1 lot was just slightly better so I ordered a case of the best lot.

oldrifleman · Sep 13, 2024

At that point you have picked a brand/ level so why not just send it to be tested at one of the centers.

Kahrhart63 · Sep 13, 2024

If you can point me in direction of R50 would greatly appreciate it. Havnt seen any in states for a while.

Cody S · Sep 13, 2024

oldrifleman said:
At that point you have picked a brand/ level so why not just send it to be tested at one of the centers.

The only thing I know for sure is I kind of enjoy shooting 22lr.
If I get eley or lapua it will be tested at one of their centers likely, correct. I'm just trying to figure out if testing centers or random lot of R50 might be better

RWS is sold by some locals, I heard about it through shooter friends. I may be able to get a box before hand to try for groups, I may just have to buy it site unseen, will find out in a few months.

Kahrhart63 said:
If you can point me in direction of R50 would greatly appreciate it. Havnt seen any in states for a while.

No can do. unless after I buy a couple cases they still have a few million rounds, in which case I'll come back here and update ya.

spife7980 · Sep 13, 2024

oldrifleman said:
At that point you have picked a brand/ level so why not just send it to be tested at one of the centers.

They mount it in a fixture and that doesn’t guarantee it’ll shoot like that when it’s shot in your set up.

VFL1911 · Sep 13, 2024

only problem with RWS is you can’t find it anywhere. I’ve been looking all year and it’s been sold out everywhere. Been dying to find some R50

LR1845 · Sep 14, 2024

spife7980 said:
They mount it in a fixture and that doesn’t guarantee it’ll shoot like that when it’s shot in your set up.

This is the very reason that's kept me from sending my Vudoos in to Lapua or Whidden.

Criver600 · Sep 14, 2024

SK/Lapua, same factory, use the same chamber.
My Winchester 52C likes RWS. I would bet it has a 52C chamber...... I have a really good case of R50, Norma Tac22 is also made by RWS. My 52C likes it as well, I believe I can easily win some local matches with the Tac22. Going to give it a shot

Good Shooting, see you at the range

Cody S · Sep 14, 2024

Criver600 said:
SK/Lapua, same factory, use the same chamber.
My Winchester 52C likes RWS. I would bet it has a 52C chamber...... I have a really good case of R50, Norma Tac22 is also made by RWS. My 52C likes it as well, I believe I can easily win some local matches with the Tac22. Going to give it a shot Good Shooting, see you at the range

tac22 is now on the list, thank you!
I don't know if it'll group for me but I can try to source a brick while I wait.

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