Author Topic: Which ammo is most accurate in your Sportster .22 Mag? (Read 2724 times)

MSP Ret · « **on:** February 19, 2004, 02:21:52 AM »

, OK Guys, here is the first post on this new forum, please advise me which ammo shots best in your H&R .22 Mag. I am interested in 1) breaking in my new Sportsters barrel 2) Ammo which has the greatest inherent accuracy out of my new micro-groove .22 Mag Sprtster 3) Which ammo any of you have luck with on varmits, in particular close shots on coyotes. I know some might say another larger caliber but I got this just to set up a close range, light weight coyote gun. SO, which ammo and bullet construction/wieght? Thanks in advance for any help....<><.... :grin:

scruffy · « **Reply #1 on:** February 19, 2004, 04:07:57 AM »

Barrel break in - CCI mini mags, the bullets are much harder lead than really anything else I've seen so I think it did a good job of cleaning out the burs. 2 boxes of CCI's worked well for break in, plus it gave me two plastic boxes for other shells.

Most accurate (50 yards) - Win silver box, under .5" at 50 yards. Soft JHP, but not explosive. On squirell it yielded between a dime and a nickle exit wound. But good penetration.

Used for coyotes - Win Supreme 34gr, black box. If you visually inspect the bullet it looks like the Win 45gr 223 varmint pack bullet, which is highly explosive. The visual difference is the 22 mag version have the front 1/3 cut off. Accuracy is on par with the silver box ammo.

Out of a 5" pistol, to simulate reduced velocity impacts without shooting long range I tested the win supreme black box and the Remington Vmax's. At reduced velocities the Vmax didn't open up, but shot right through the apple I was testing with. The win supremes continued to apple sauce the apples.

Since the win supremes were more accurate than the vmaxes (.5" at 50 for the supremes compared to 1" at 50 for the vmax) and the supremes consistantly opened up at a wider range of velocities, I choose to use the win supreme for coyotes. Or I had anyway until the rumor of a mt lion running around my part started. Now I'm 223 or larger when I'm calling...

Now I have my sportster mag set up for the range. It's wearing a 6-18x50mm target/varmint scope and it's ready for some long range testing. This summer I hope to set some targets up at 100, 150, 200, and possibly beyond and for accuracy, bullet drop, and most importantly, damage analysis. After turkey seasons over, warm calm June and July days, large mowed hay fields, many boxes of ammo, basket of apples (doubles as good deer attractant). Sounds like a relaxing day to me!

It'll be a few months, but I'll post my results.

But back to the subject, the Win supremes get my vote to use on yotes. They're not your fathers 22 mag round, that's for sure. After you do some tests I'm sure you'll be amazed. I still can't believe how much that little bullet does for no more velocity and energy it has compared to a centerfire 22. Winchester made a real winner.

Later,
scruffy

MSP Ret · « **Reply #2 on:** February 19, 2004, 04:33:29 AM »

Thanks Scruffy, That all helps greatly. What are your feelings about breaking in the barrel with jacketed rounds vs. the hard lead bullet of the CCI's? Also another question so I get it straight before I go to buy the ammo, is the .22 Mag CCI ammo called mini-mag or Maxi-Mag, or is there such an animal? I had purchased dome Winchester Dynapoint ammo when I picked up the gun but later read none here had any luck with that ammo in H&R's so I brought it back....Thanks again and would appreciate and value your further input....<><.... :grin:

scruffy · « **Reply #3 on:** February 19, 2004, 04:55:19 AM »

Sorry, typo - CCI maxi mags. (mini mag is the 22lr) My theory the stronger lead will bust off the burs better than the softer JHP's. I used cci MAXI mag hp's since I had a bunch. My rifle didn't like them accuracy wise, but they were fun to plink with. I think the JHP's just tore easier on the burs. I shot alot of JHP's through the rifle and the improvement in accuracy was slow. I used 100 cci's and accuracy greatly improved afterwards, groups shrunk in half. So did the harder lead remove the burs when the jhps had not? Or would have 100 jhps done the same as 100 ccis? I can't say with 100% certainty, but if I had to do over I'd use the cci's first for breaking.

later,
scruffy

Graybeard · « **Reply #4 on:** February 19, 2004, 06:04:08 AM »

Don't worry about breaking in your new barrel. It is a controversial subject even with high velocity centerfire rounds and with rimfire and low velocity rounds I'm convinced there is absolutely no need.

While I've no experience with the specific rifle you have I do have considerable experience with Marlin .22 Mag. rifles. My very first .22 Mag was a Marlin not so long after it first came out. This was very early 60s. My current .22 Mag is a Marlin 882SS. I've also shot the round in TCs, Brownings and Mossbergs over the years. Perhaps others I'm forgetting at this time.

I've yet to find a better performer than the original 40 grain HPs from Winchester and/or CCI. Try both to see which your rifle prefers. Back in my NRA Silhouette competition days with TCs I generally found that the CCI shot better. In my current Marlin 882 SS the Winchester 40 grain HPs will consistently shoot under an inch at 100 yards. The CCIs under 2" but not always under 1.5". So all I use is the original offering from Winchester in mine.

As with all rimfires what one likes is not necessarily what another will even if the two came off the assembly line one behind the other. You'll really have to try the various choices available and see what your rifle likes. Let it tell you what to use. But don't over look the original offerings. I'm convinced the newer stuff has nothing on them.

GB

MSP Ret · « **Reply #5 on:** February 19, 2004, 07:41:15 AM »

Thanks for all the replies and info, I guess I'll just go down and buy a box of every .22 Mag the store has in stock and try them. It will be a lot of shooting, probably over a couple of days but someone is going to have to do it, it might as well be me. Its up to about 35 degrees and the sun is out right now, the range is still snow covered, perhaps in a few more days I can shoot, until then I'll try to find what I need to set up the gun, bore sight it and get ready to shoot....<><....

scruffy · « **Reply #6 on:** February 19, 2004, 11:10:51 AM »

What kind of glasses are you putting on it?

later,
scruffy

MSP Ret · « **Reply #7 on:** February 19, 2004, 11:54:52 AM »

OK, Here it goes for what it's worth. I am going to mount an old (but as new, never used) Weaver Quick Point. I bought it from SWFA for $1.95!! plus $6.00 shipping from thier "Sample List". Here is the rub, they sold it as a rifle and shotgun scope missing part of the base. Well I have an old Weaver Quick Point which has lost it's adjustment. Easy job, get the as new Quick Point from SWFA, scavage the mount pieces/screws from my old Quick point and I'm in business. Not so fast, scope arrives, an S-1 model, shotgun ONLY, mounts at a 45* angle on the left side of the shotgun reciever. OK, I can deal with that, use the complete bottom half of my old Quick Point, 3 screws and I'm all set, good to go!!. Wait a minute, canot find my old Quick Point!! It's here somewhere. I'll find it (I hope). Those old Weaver Quick Points were pretty good at running shots and heavy timber/greengrowth hunting, and no batteries!! I expect it to do OK out to about 50-75 yards on coyotes. Hope to find the pieces parts and put it together. The good part of my search was I found the external horn speaker and inline amp I got to put my electronic caller together with, I put those pieces together with the Walkman player I'm going to use. Already have the tapes, copied from my hunting buddie's CD's. Now to get a battery holder for 8 "D" cells (1.5 volts each) or possibly use two 6 volt lantern batteries. I'm just about good to go on that project. I also found my long lost Lee powder dipper set, happy days!! Eureka!!!, Just thought of another place to look for the old Quick Point. That being said, if it doesn't work out I have recently ordered a Leupold "Rifleman" 2x7x33 with a Matte finish. Just waiting for the postman. If I use that I'll mount it with Millet medium height Angle Loc rings. I have the high Angle Locs on my .223 with a Simmons Whitetail Calssic 6.5x20x50 and they work great. Long answer, hope one of these plans works out, really want to try that Quick Point...<><.... :grin:

raynor · « **Reply #8 on:** February 19, 2004, 01:15:24 PM »

MSP, My Sportster shot the Federal 50 grain HP's about the best. It would shoot a touch over 3/8" at 50. ~~ SV

MSP Ret · « **Reply #9 on:** February 19, 2004, 01:33:53 PM »

Thanks SV, as I have said several times (on the old site) "You Da Man!!!". I guess it's OK to say here but I sure hate to hear it on the golf course!! Sounds like something they would say over on the AR site, but enough of that. Happy Days!! I found my old Weaver Quick Point, missing a screw and clip from the mount which I scavaged off an old scope ring I found in a bag of parts next to the Quick Point. I temporarily mounted it on my new Sportster and it looks as if the windage and elevation adjustments work!!! I'll bore sight it tomorrow out back and see if they do. Now I have my recently purchased, as new Weaver Quick Point for a shotgun, what to do with that??? If anyone out there has an old (functioning or not) Weaver Quick Point with the bottom half/mount preferably for a centerfire rifle or even if it's for a rimfire I would like to buy it. It dosen't matter if the upper half is there or if it works or not , I can use the pieces to switch around with my Shotgun model..Thanks, look in those old boxes in the cellar, if you find one, I would appreciate it....<><.... :grin:

ironglow · « **Reply #10 on:** February 19, 2004, 04:20:06 PM »

Generally speaking, I am a CCI fan, using probably more of them than other brands.
I know some folks have had success vith the HV 30 gr loads, but the 40s work better in my .22 mags.
Recently, I tried PMC Predator 40gr HPs....they shot very well from my Anschutz and my NEF Sportster..
The woodchucks I shot with them didn't complain either, they just got smacked flat!
I would like to try the other PMC rimfire ammo, esp. Zappers and the subsonic Moderators....but they are hard to find around here!

hellacatcher · « **Reply #11 on:** February 19, 2004, 04:49:33 PM »

The best I have found so far are also the PMC Predators but am still trying different ones have noticed that 22 mags are hard to find except certain ones. :?

raynor · « **Reply #12 on:** February 21, 2004, 06:29:56 AM »

Here's a 4 shot group at 50 yards using Federal 50 grain HP's. Measures .230 center to center.

Sportster 22 mag with 3-9 BSA, shooting off sand bags. Couldn't make myself shoot the 5th shot, know I'd blow it. I'll just keep it around to show buyers what these guns can do. ~~ SV

MSP Ret · « **Reply #13 on:** February 23, 2004, 12:29:59 PM »

Well guys I got out to the range with my new short range coyote setup yesterday. A new Sportster in .22 Mag, as issued by H&R, synthetic stocks (forearm replaced today with a synthetic Storarm forearm) standard weight barrel and a great trigger from the factory. Barrel is a Marlin manufactured 16 groove micro-groove. Sights are an old Weaver Quick Point I had but for the last 16 years or so thought was broken!! Went to my friendly local sporting goods store and left with a box of CI Maxi-Mags, a box of CCI Maxi-Mags+V and a box of Winchester Supremes (Black Box). After a little tweaking of my back yard bore sight job I found that the Weaver Quick point showed a red dot about 4+" across at 50 yards and I was able to shoot groups of about 1.5 inches with the CCI Maxi-Mags and Winchester Supremes (black box). The Winchester was a bit smaller but not so that any coyote would ever notice. I could not even find the CCI Maxi-Mags+V on the target, they were a bit high and right (I think) and off the paper, I was so happy with the others I'll wait to try them another time, it was cold and snowcovered while I was shooting. I sighted in the 50 yard target at 2" high and centered. At 100 Yards the red dot from the old weaver covered about 8-9 inches and I was getting 3.5-4" groups, dead centered in the bullseye!!!. I know the group size leaves something to be desired but this is 1) a brand new gun, first time fired 2) and old "short range" sight 3) It will do fine for a light, quick pointing, short range coyote gun for the woods and thick greengrowth where I hunt. Now to shoot, shoot.shoot....<><.... :grin:

Nightrain52 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 23, 2004, 02:08:25 PM »

Good shootin there SV. Looks like you have a tackdriver for sure. MSP. Ret-not bad for a new rig.

scruffy · « **Reply #15 on:** February 23, 2004, 02:39:53 PM »

That's how my sportster mag started out! After a couple hundred rounds things really shrunk up. Please let us know how it does in the field! I'm still going back and forth on what scope to keep on mine. I guess I'll stay with the 6-18x50 for now. But hearing how yours is doing makes me really want to get another 3moa millet reddot like I have on my mini. hmmmm, reddot. :wink:

Anyway, let us know how she "field tests".

later,
scruffy

MSP Ret · « **Reply #16 on:** February 23, 2004, 03:50:38 PM »

Scruffy, that 3 moa sounds great. I thought I'd try this since I had it and NO BATTERIES, I really like to try to keep things simple, the dot however is a bit large for long distance "delicate" work but should do fine for what I have in mind for it, I'll keep you guys posted....<><.... :grin: