WARNING! CCI 22 LR Velocitor ammo!

[Veral]

  I'm alarmed at the slow sales of this most wonderful 22 ammo to be made in 50 years!  My warning is,  don't let sales drop so low that it is dropped from manufacture!  I'm seeing it dropped from the shelves of large gun shops, and only because of slow sales.  I'm certain sales are slow only because customers haven't been informed that the extra money they pay is actually buying superior ammo.  -- My parinoia is due to the fact that both Midsouth shoothrs supply and Walmart have dropped it in the last year.

  In the late 50's early 60's, manufactures were making a rush to produce the fastest 22 LR ammo, and had the advertised velocity of 40 gr bullets up to 1450 fps, which is what the Velocitor ammo is.  But the only ammo which shot accurately that I could buy back then was Winchester's Super X, a copper plated bullet.  It was REALLY accurate and killed with real authority.

  Then in the 60's, all the ammo makers came to an agreement to hold 40 bullet velocity to 1200 fps, and that energy level is where it has stayed for 50 long years!  We've got lots of flyswatter offerings, light bullets going faster, which are great on tiny varmints if the ammo is accurate, which most isn't, but Velocitor is the only one to give us the power potential of the 50's!  Quite frankly, it could me condiserable higher with the many better powders and technology available today, but that's a moot point.  We have what we have, and should keep it!

  Velocitor has excellent accuracy potential in most guns, and if not super accurate, it can be with minor lapping, using the LBT lap kit.  The 250 fps velocity over other long rifle bullets puts them into better stability if there is no leading or the bore isn't too rough.  Power from a handgun will be higher than with other high velocity ammo from a rifle!   This ammo is hollow point, but the hollow is very shallow and larger in diameter, compared to all other HP ammo I've seen, which means it expands very reliably from a rifle, but I'm not certain at handgun speeds.  The most attractive part is that the mushroom doesn't get real large or break up like conventional HP's, which means penetration is far deeper than others, yet wounding is excellent with minimal meat waste.  I've shot similarly hollow pointed ammo, (did it myself) the 1200 fps stuff, through a deers ribcage, with the bullet stopping under the hide on the far side, and the kill being very quick for a 22 LR.

   If you have a survivalist mindset, or carry a 22 as an extra gun, in your auto to get meat with, or a hundred other reasons where the 22 may be needed for work that makes you wish you had a larger gun, carry this ammo.  You'll be glad you did.

[buffermop]

I think you will find most shooters looking for greater velocities in a small bullet have gone over to the .17 HMR .

[jk3006]

I use it exclusively in my 10/22 for hunting prairie dogs, squirrels, etc.  I love the ammo.  My friend and I recently purchased 2000 rounds of the stuff.  I hope it doesn't go away. 

[Veral]

  Buffermop:  The advantage with this ammo is not high velocity, to flatten trajectory dramatically, though it will be considerably flatter than 1200 fps ammo,  but killing powe, properly delivered, from the millions of rifles in existence which are chambered for the LR.  I'm sure the 17 HRM is a real zipper for varmints, but suspect it wouldn't leave much to eat on small game.  Never used one though, so that's conjecture.

jk3006:  Thanks for the performance recommendation.  It won't go away if a few more people realize it will give their standard 22 LR guns some real killing power advantage.

  I'd have given $10 for just one of these  cartridges a few years ago.  --  A friend asked me to come over and butcher a bore hog for him.  When I asked how big he said 700 pounds.  I had never seen the new super breeds yet, so was certain that it wouldn't very likely go over 450 pounds.  So I took my Colt Huntsman (10 shot semiauto).  When I saw the hog I was definately convinced it weighed all of 700 pounds, and it wasn't fat, but huge, lean and tough!  I told my friend we better use his 44 mag, but he had no ammo, so I got into the pen with that horse of a hog.  It wasn't afraid of me so I slipped the gun up where it would smoke his brow, to get maximum impact, but he never suddered when I shot!  The gun instantly went full auto, and as I laid the 10 rounds on him he slowly sank to the ground, still stunned somewhat, but stiff and able to move a lot more than I liked.  I got him finished with the sticking knife.

  Those bullets had all gone through a good half inch of hide and stuck into the skull, but even though 10 were stacked in an inch and a half circle they couldn't crush his skull.                 One Velocitor would have decked him instantly.  I'm not guessing, as I've shot BIG beef with the old 1450 fps ammo 50 years ago and it penetrated completely through the brain and on into the bone behind.

[jk3006]

"jk3006:  Thanks for the performance recommendation.  It won't go away if a few more people realize it will give their standard 22 LR guns some real killing power advantage."

Yes, indeed!  That's why I like it so much.  It hits WAY harder than the standard velocity stuff.  Standard velocity hollow points (36 grains at 1280 fps) will at best flip a small to medium sized prairie dog at 50 yards.  The Velocitor will do that at best out close to 100 yards.  It shortens the gap in killing power between the .22 lr and the .22 mag.  It makes the .22 that much more versatile, while still being able to use it in the exceedingly-fun platform of the Ruger 10/22 lr, which has all kinds of aftermarket options available to it.

By the way, I've chronoed the Velocitor and the Stinger at exactly 100 yards, and they registered almost the same velocity (only 5 fps apart, I think).  Of course, the Stinger is only 31 grains.     

My friend and I will be ticked if the Velocitors are discontinued. 

 

[btmidwest]

Velocitors shoot so well in three of the four 22's I use that I've stopped shooting the eleys I was so fond of.  To say I was surprised would be an understatement  Got my vote.

[Veral]

  To word it as briefly as possible.  Velocitor ammo will do heavier work than any other LR ammo available, while probably being the most accurate of any hunting ammo.  It is fine for varmints, but not explosive like Stingers an some other ammo designed for varmints.  Western ground squirrels often get back down their burrows after body hits with Velocitor bullets, but most don't with Stingers, which makes the stingers a bit more rewarding, but doesn't make the pest any deader.  If the range is over 75 to 100 yards, I believe there will be more dead varmints per box of Velocitor than any other ammo, and if a coyote, feral dog, or mountain lion shows up, you'll be more capable of tagging him too.

  When shot into water bottles, Stingers are about done after 2 inches, which means edible small game is ruined.  1200 fps hp's, depending on the brand, give up several inches shorter than Velocitors, and mess up edible small game too much to suit me.  Velocitors are still real busy doing deadly damage after 10 - 12 inches of penetration and destroy less edible meat than other hp's.. 

   i

[DWTim]

Sorry to hear it.

I see a problem: Around here, the highest volume users of rimfire ammo are league shooters. If that bullet actually moves at the advertised velocity, it is already banned from use on every 50 ft. club range that I know of.

Does it make a fair varmint exterminator for the larger types? I'm thinking racoons. It may be worth my while to have some in the cabinet.

[jk3006]

Velocity in my 10/22 is around 1380 fps or so.  As far as raccoons are concerned, I've never shot one.  However, I've read lots of threads regarding Velocitors on the Rimfire Central forums, and people there have said that they perform really well on the bigger varmints like coons.  Like Veral said, they penetrate deep.   

[Veral]

  Yes it is very effective on animals like raccoons, and much larger.  If you are only interested in extermination, stingers may make you as happy if you keep your sights on the head or chest area, and they are unlikely to travel far after hitting the critter.  But their very shallow penetration put's their truely useful limit at unedible varmints  of up to maybe 15 pounds, and accuracy probably won't be as good due to the shorter bearing bullet.

  Velocitors have a very shallow and wide hollow point, which makes them expand to smaller diameter than any other 22 ammo I'm aware of.  This and the greater power makes them capable of taking on deep penetrating work that 1200 fps solids are getting limited with, while still being able to punch nice size wounds, deep through vitals.  If I haven't made myself clear yet.  These will take 200 pound deer down very effectively if placed in the center of the ribcage on broadside shots.

  Story time anyone?  -- A neighbor who I met when I came here, when he was twelve, which is when the ammo makers were bragging 1450 fps velocities, shot the record black bear for north Idaho, and the record stood for almost 20 years.  Dumb kid, sure.  Thought his 22 would kill anything, so when the bear came around his house, he took his 22 out to run it off.  When it reared up over him he slipped a 40 grain bullet up through it's throat into the brain and it slumped down dead.  A 16 year old neighbor boy in Michigan, when I was 16, had a similar experience on a 400 pound black bear, one slug behind the ear and it was down.  Another neighbor used his 22 on an escaped convict which came to the farmhouse for food.  The boy had just heard about the dangerous criminal on the loose, so when he sneeked by the window, the lad put him to sleep forever with one pellet in the neck. 

  Kids today are just as dumb, and adults overwork the 22 continually.   Why not carry the best small game ammo there is available when hunting small game and be a little more capable of perhaps saving your own bacon someday.

[Ak.Hiker]

I stopped by the Sportmans Warehouse in Anchorage yesterday and they had a good supply of the Velocitors in stock. I went ahead and picked up some. Have you ever used them in a handgun? From my testing they seem to be the hardest hitting load in a .22 handgun as well. 

[Deadlast]

Don't post much, but saw Veral's name tagged with this, so 1 1/2 cents worth:

Didn't know they were disappearing from some shelves, as stocked up big time last year when finding out how good  Velocitors were after a lot of field use.

1. penetrate as hollow point very deeply for .22 rimfire (have been told they are designed as "Gold Dot" type bullet. Most exits here slightly smaller than a dime. They also instill more shock than the other Hi-Speed hollow points, excepting the stinger type bullets. In other words if you shoot a raccoon with a Velocitor that decides to run, he in most cases will go down a little quicker than say, hit with a power point. Not a lot of difference, but enough you will notice in field use.

2. Will penetrate through and through on coyote up to 80 yds. on a pure lung hit, including ribs but not shoulders. Usually go around the 80 yd. mark before sliding on their belly.

3. They will penetrate through and through on deer (urban control work) 80 lbs. and under, when hit as described in No.2. The deer will usually run to any cover, and either drop, or lay down and go to sleep. Usually takes about a minute to drown.

4. Their speed and bullet design seems to give them about a 25 yd. edge on the other hi-speed rimfires on the wind drift that is NOT
consistent on direction and wind speed (e.g. changing wind gusts). This can be a help in the sqiurrel woods for you guys who do only head shots, on those gusty/windy mornings.

5. Most important, they seem to be very accurate in a great number and types of .22 rimfires, even many of those with the "match" chambers.

About the only disadvantage I've found as as a rimfire round, is that they can be a little rough on extractors that are NOT smooth (e.g. burrs), in some semi-autos.

Veral, hope the above encourages some who have not tried them, to give them a whirl. I remember the SGB's disappeared also, until CCI was gracious enough to manufacture more for wishes of those who liked them.

[Veral]

  Thanks for the wonderful field reports.  My information was based solely on knowledge of lead bullets, and use of somewhat similar ammo 45+ years ago.  Your information states exactly what I said but does it SO much better!

  The SGB thing is what I am trying to prevent with this ammo, with is far superior to the SGB, which has no extra power and such a small flat that it only helps effectiveness on small game a tiny bit, almost to little to detect in my experience. and that at close range.  CCI is part of the huge Blount corporate structure, and if you aren't aware, ALL decisions by huge major corporations are based on the bottom line $$$$$$$$$$$ numbers.  If sales drop it goes.  Period.  If sales are good it stays no matter if it's trash, so long as people are stupid enough to buy.

  I've been pondering how to add this information, but am hampered, so far as testing it myself, because the Fed won't allow me to shoot any more.  --  Velocitor bullets are dry, depending on the heavy plating to prevent bore fouling.  In other words a jacket so far as bore friction.  With jacketed Winchester 22 mag, a very thin smear of Tetra lube will increase velocity by 50 fps and totally eliminate copper fouling.  Would some with a chronograph and enough interest give this a test with Velocitor ammo and add their input to this post?  Please.  The bullet is strong enough to handle impact speeds of at least 200 fps higher, so IF 40 or 50 fps can be gained, it would be a beautiful plus to this great ammo.

  You stated that Velocitor bullets go completely through 80 pound deer with chest hits.  Do they exit it far side skin?  I've found this an interesting measure of a bullets terminal performance potential.  When a bullet slows until it's terminal effectiveness is near its limit, the skin will catch and hold it.  I've seen the skin over a deers entire ribcage pulled loose when large diameter expanded bullets, which were nearly spent,  were held by the skin.  In other words, if one could see the far side of a deer at the exact second, a tent of skin would stand out several inches off the deer, then snap back.  If a 22 LR bullet makes it through the far side deers skin, it has at least 4 inches more of effective terminal performance penetration left.  i.e. It will take on an animal with a 4 inch thicker chest and have about the same terminal effect.

[Deadlast]

Veral

Just caught your post here, sorry didn't get back sooner.
OK to PM you to answer questions. I don't keep the log books, will have to answer from memory unless books available tomorrow.
Don't like to put up on public forum, PETA (and other like slime) and I do not get along very well.

Will check back here sometime tomorrow, if possible.

[.308 Win.]

  I love the Velocitors myself.  I've shot them into wet newspaper to see how they perform and I swear, they mushroom like an A-Frame or Partition, only smaller.  Great little penetrator, too. I smacked a coyote with one last spring that was messing with the cattle and he didn't go very far.  Excellent performance in a .22 LR round, which is still king of the rimfires as far as I'm concerned.     

[Deadlast]

Veral,

Short answers:

Yes, they will (Velocitors) exit the smaller deer, and most times larger deer at 50 yds. or less. Around the 80 yds. mark, starts getting iffy on the pass through with the larger deer. These little bullets ARE  penetrators. Can not give you any info on bone pass throughs, and have also witnessed the "tent" effect you mentioned on the offside.

Just an estimate: 95% pass through on young of the year to 80 yds. 50% on the 140/150 lb. adults to 80 yds. Hope this OK to post here, trying to answer your question.

.308 Win mentioned the A-Frame and/or Nosler on a minature scale, and have to agree whole heartedly with that.

[Veral]

You posted exactly where I hoped you would, and your information is deeply appreciated.  Thank you.

[flyboy]

   Velocitor has excellent accuracy potential in most guns, and if not super accurate, it can be with minor lapping, using the LBT lap kit. 

Veral: 

I like Velocitors a lot, and have some hundreds stored.
I've been looking all over my bench and shelves for your lapping kit, as I may try to go further with lapping my 77-22.  I tried it "just a little bit" , because I was afraid of ruining the bore. A slight, but noticeable increase in accuracy and consistency was noted.  D'you think a little more would be a good thing?

I have a CZ with a tight bore, which I am a little chicken to touch. They are supposed to come  lapped  from the factory. 

How do you tell how much is enough?

[Veral]

  The method I like best for lapping 22 rimfires is to shoot 5 shot groups at 25 yards with a handgun or 50 with a rifle.  When accuracy stops improving, stop shooting lap bullets.  No need to clean the gun.  Just go to your regular ammo.  Keep in mind that lapping must be done with low velocity ammo, and the best I know of is CCI Pistol Match, because it is the slowest of any I've tried.  The fairly recently made 60 gr ammo would be excellent for lapping, but many guns won't stabilize it, so it wouldn't be a good choice when using accuracy as a standard to know when one is done lapping.

  Yes, lap the high grade rifle too.  It won't take as many as production rifles, but accuracy will improve by lapping it some more.  The reports I've had come back have been a shrinking in group size of 50%.  Such as from 1/2 inch at 100 yards to 1/4 inch.