Rimfire Ammo

[Troy G]

Is there a tendancy towards a specific brand of rimfire ammo for smallbore silhouette?

Specifically, what are most people using in the Anschutz 1712 with the factory barrel?  I am trying to save a little time and hopefully money rounding up ammo brands worth testing so that I may venture into the realm of smallbore.  As if I didn't have enough trouble trying to shoot HP!

[GeoNLR]

Troy,

Your milage may vary..BUT this is what I found out with my 1712 factory barrel...


Brands / model not worth looking at:

Eley Practice
Eley Practice 100
Eley Standard Brown box
PMC Scoremaster

All of the above were $1.50 - $3.00 per box and had "Un-scorable" groups at 100 yards shooting 5 shot groups. I tried MUTIPLE (as in 5-6 lots) lots of each and found that each "settled in" and shot similar to the others.


Worth looking at -

Wolf MT
SK Standard plus

You can usually find these around $2.50 a box and last time I tested lots of the SK I had 16 of 29 (5) shot groups shoot sub 1" at 100. Some Lots AVERAGED under 1".

Have never liked it much but have heard people say positive things about the yellow box agalia (sp) standard velocity. It's around $1 a box if I remimber correct.

Then I shot some of the Eley EPS, about $7.50 a box unless you go to winnie and get the mis-marked for about $425 a case. Shoots lights out and your friends will still talk bad about you for buying 5 cases b/c it shot so well through your rifle...LOL.


My take-

($2-3 per box range) Find someone that has GOOD quanties of the Wolf or the SK in stock (ChampChoice or ChampionShooters) and order 4-5 lots to try out. Try them out quick and order 2 cases of the lot that shoots the best through your rig. I went 4 cases one time with the SK but did have some primer issuies by the time it was all gone, never had a problem when ordering 1-2 cases at a time.... My bet is that you find one that shoots an inch or so at the rams through your 1712..after that...it's just practice...LOL.

EPS is HARD to beat... at least shoot some so you can decide for yourself if the price difference is worth it. Last year I switched to air rifle for practice so I justified going from $2.50 to $4.25 per box for ammo, you may be looking for the best and not justification...


Chicken

[RamSlammer]

G'Day All
            Down here in OZ we shoot at the local club every week and the majority of the "Annie" shooters are using SK magazine. This is standard in a 500 round tin. It's very greasy and some blokes wipe it down and some don't, wiping it only seems to keep the action clean as both methods shoot the same. 1712 fwt off this forum uses Eley Club in his and is shooting probably the best scores of us all. I use Federal Champion and am happy with it in my 1712 fwt and 54ms. I think that SK would be a good starting point but for the cheaper stuff give Federal a go.
Juddy

[Jerry G]

I have a 1712 FWT and get good groups with all of the Eley ammo.  I am shooting the white box now and I get 5 shot groups of just a little over 1 inch at the rams.  Wolf worked quite well also.  I have also heard the Mexican Eley shoots good.

[eeleater]

Mostly I have been shooting Eley Match EPS- but lots I had, not selected for that gun.  I tried some old Lapua Master L and it shot better- at least in that lot.

I noted with the colder weather I was getting some elevation changes with the first shots using the Eley Match EPS.  This was about 2 MOA low on first shot then a bit less on the second-so enough to be a problem.  The only biathalon ammunition I have been able to get is Eley Biathalon Sport, at about $42 per brick.  It shoots well overall- but has an ocassional flier.  Shoots well enough that at the last match shooting the hunter gun in standard class as well as hunter I shot 32 and 32 and then in the next match 35 and 35.  Some of those fliers must have compensated for my usual mistakes :grin:

[Troy G]

Looks like I have easy access to Lapua and Eley.  I still have have a mixture of Lapua (no Midas) that I had bought awhile ago to try in an older BRNO mod 2 that I ended up getting rid of.  It shot El Cheapo American Eagle better at 100 meters than it did Lapua Master.  Any of the ammo that I did try at 100 was not acceptable ram accuracy.

Thanks to all who have posted a reply to my question.  Looking forward to getting my 1712, not looking forward to paying for it.  

[1armoured]

Hey Troy,
Pay for it and smile. It's a great investment.

I've had my 1712FWT since they were first available from Anschutz, and never regretted it. Many thousands of rounds have been 'invested' down the barrel.
I have used plenty different types of ammo, mostly whatever is reasonably priced, or on 'Special' at the time, and they all knock silhouettes down, if you aim in the middle of the target, and are correctly sighted in for the ammo.

I've found SK the most affordably consistent and Eley Tenex the best.

I like Tenex because of the muzzle velocity as well as the accuracy,
about 1070 fps. (Expensive, though, so save it for special occassions).
In my mind, with offhand, the quicker lock and barrel time, the better,
and the Anschutz/Tenex combination is great, with no noticable rebound/muzzle flip, that you can get when the velocity/pressure starts going up.

I mostly use SK Standard Plus. (The tins of 'Magazine' are a bit greasy)
It's very affordable, esp if you're putting a lot of lead down the barrel.
I believe that the low end Lapua is the same stuff, but haven't used it. Everything else I have used of Lapua I have had no problem with.
Great Quality Company.
The secret is to test group at 100mtrs and chrony whatever is available at a reasonable price, and then make your own mind up. You need to be confident with what you are using, or half the battle is already lost !
Cheers, and 'Straight Shooting'.
SeanNZ