I doubt it's going anywhere but in regards to improving accuracy I think they are going the wrong direction with lighter grain ammo for the majority of factory guns. Most 22lr's shoot best with 36-40 grain ammo. The 22mags I had did the same........better accuracy at 100 yards with 40 gr. There are exceptions but not many. The 22lr can be accurate with higher quality ammo. There is no current "higher quality match type ammo" for the 22mag and the newer stuff they come out with is 34-30 grains yet like 22lr's most have the same 1-16 twist and same original engineering PLUS current test fires with 40gr ammo. Put a high quality 40 gr ammo in the line up for 22mag and you will like have a bunch of moa to sub moa,5 shot @ 100, factory rifles out there. I would like to see that.
But there is more. Faster sells and faster/lighter helps with fragmenting bullets which a 22mag just like a 22Hornet is not noted for with 40 hp ammo and slow 1-16 twists ...........low bullet rpm's,fairly heavy bullet,modest velocities = less than ideal fragmeting bullets for varmints which do add kill power rather than just punch a hole through. They are offering likely better quality 22mag ammo but at the expence of accuracy in most 22mag's. Regardless of if the bullet frags or not accuracy is still the bottom line for kill power, fraging on varmints just adds a plus factor. The 40 grain also brings the highest bc and a round nose needs all the help it can get.
So imo they are going backwards. I would much rather see 40 gr hp ammo that was made by Eley,Federal,etc. that was simular to match grade 22lr ammo in quality despite the upcharge which would likely be a solid $15.00 per box of 50 or more. I would like to see what it could do with such. Likely I would see many 5 shot @100 moa factory rifles both new and old. It would increase the range on varmints with the 22mag because I don't care which rim mag you shoot nor which bullet type (frag or mushroom) at a certain distance on decent sized varmints (forget the ground rats for a moment) like Woodchucks,Rock Chucks (marmots) and P-Dogs it becomes a head shot game at distance and accuracy rules.
To date my rim mag pick for Woodchucks is a 17hmr having shot plenty with both. It offers tons of fragmentation at close range for off hand shots to the upper body of woodchucks (fast 1:9 twist,high rpms,high fps,light bullet = fragmenting/exploding=increase kill power) and past 100 yards the ft.lbs of energy equal out and the HMR is just wasy more accurate in most factory offerings for head shots. Meaning it kills woodchucks better and further for me with out any doubt.
I would like to see the 22wmr get the "right" ammo for it............for once. And just like many years ago it still holds true today. Give it some match quality 36-40 grain ammo like the 22lr. Have Eley pump out some 36 gr hollow points like the "white rabbit" 22lr ammo. I have little doubt the 22mag would then shine in the accuracy department. I would like to see this.........
If you want 30 gr rim mag ammo and for it to shoot moa in most guns they really need to start over with a 20 caliber rim magnum and a spitzer bullet. In the mean time give the 22mag some 36-40 grain match ammo and watch it shine
Most shoot decent with the Winny 40 gr Super X crap now. Think what it would do with some 36- 40gr match quality ammo.
