Ammo Test!

[T.Mihm]

So, being in high school still, I'm a tight wad when it comes to buying ammo. The only stuff I've put through my Marlin is Federal Value Pack 550rd bulk stuff. Until a few days ago.

I picked up some CCI Mini-Mag in 40gr CPRN. I decided to conduct a test, of course, and also included the Fed Value pack and Champion Target. I shot at 25 yards (novice shooter, any further than that and I would feel like there would be enough shooter margin of error to throw results off) prone from a bipod. I shot two, five-shot groups of each type. These are the results.

FVP- .839", .588" AVG .7135"

FCT- .972", .981" AVG .9765"

And the CCI?

CCI- .341", .209" AVG .275"

Holy (*^%!!! Both groups were a ragged, oblong hole at 25 yards. And since its a round-nose instead of the hollow point, I'd assume it'd do better at longer range as well. I can't wait to test it at 100 yards.

I've been leery of posting results on the 100 yard shoot before this ammunition. Now I can't wait to head to the range!

-Travis

 

[diggler1833]

Re: Ammo Test!

Different rifles like different ammo. Apparently you found what yours likes. Time to stock up and start practicing. Good luck.

 

[cattle buyer]

Re: Ammo Test!

Try some Fed AutoMatch- AM22 from WallyWorld, comes bulk in 325 round cartons. They has some bad lots early on but made em good. The stuff shoots great in my Win 52C, a 10-22 and Win 490 as well as a couple Colt 6" Match Targets. You will have to spend a few more bucks for the true match stuff if you chase the one hole, try Wolf MT and or ME as well.

 

[Grump]

Re: Ammo Test!

A bit of a surprise, but my tests were during my college days in the 1980s.

We got Eley and RWS for the big matches, and at 50 feet (indoor gallery was what we were shooting) that stuff would put 5 and 10 into a 1/4-inch hole through any decent rifle.

Winchester T-22 was getting discontinued on the commercial side, but Olin White Box is what we called the stuff the Army ROTC team had. The "Match" version was in virtually the same box and was almost as good as Eley/RWS. The regular stuff was capable of hitting the international target 10-ring, a pin-prick size white dot.

The Army version of that target had a 10-ring the size of a typical period at the end of a sentence. Most of the time, CCI solids and Federal Champion could hold that standard. By then, the ragged hole is getting to be about .40 edge to edge.

Bulk ammo was new and erratic. We couldn't get anything from Remington to hold the 10-ring, not even the "Target" stuff. Yellow Jackets were the worst--they would group like 1/2-inch center-to-center, which would have been good 3 times as far a way. CCI Stingers were only slightly better, and too expensive for practice ammo anyway.

There are few things better for confidence than just switching ammo and getting 5 more points per target. Maybe you don't suck so bad after all, eh???

 

[T.Mihm]

Re: Ammo Test!

Haha. "Suck" is comparative. Lol. I put ten shots on the 100yd target, and went about 94-1X. I may have scored better had I had more ammo, but I only had 15 rounds of the CCI, and my 5 shot sighters didn't get me on the mark to start.

Oh well. I got 96/100 on a 50 yard target, a new personal best. All of my shots were strung out vertically. Trigger finger/thumb position issue?

-Travis

 

[Grump]

Re: Ammo Test!

For vertical stringing, start with consistency of the support arm in the sling and to the hand stop/sling swivel. Then go to cheek weld and double-checking sight alignment (some people tend to drift their head upwards while concentrating on the front sight).

Next, check buttplate pressure and position on the dominant arm shoulder.

Finally, neutrality of the firing hand grip on the rifle, and try for lack of pressure between the elbow and hand there. The grip should be enough to totally counter-act the trigger pull. That's a bit more critical with heavier (2 lbs and heavier), but the touchstone here is whether tripping the trigger can disturb the point of aim.

 

[Sapper524]

Re: Ammo Test!

Don't count out subsonic ammo - pick up a box of CCI Subsonics - my Savage Mark II loves them.