Copper Coated .22 vs Bare Lead

[BillinAlamo]

Anyone ever shoot their tightest groups with anything from Remington?

 

[Jaco1234]

For 22 ammo, copper plated tends to be high velocity, lead is usually low velocity.
Across the board, as a gross generalization, for center fire as well, low velocity is usually more accurate than high velocity.
There are optimum loads, (bullet weight + powder charge) for each gun.
If you have ammo, shoot it.

 

[Sebago Son]

In CCI 22LR ammo, the fastest is Stinger and it is copper plated?
So Stinger is not as accurate?

Couldn't prove it by me....

 

[GnarlsR2]

Couldn't prove it by me.... View attachment 783092

My question about velocity was based on not having lots of experience with 22LR accuracy testing. I did read that accuracy is highly dependent a list of technical "physics", like spin drift, going on during the shot and lots of ammo design factors, rifle specs, etc. Some experts say that for better accuracy the 22LR ammo that is sub-sonic is more accurate than the velocities over 1125 fps.

I sighted in my Ruger 10-22 with a scope at 50 yards using Eley Match 40 gr 1085 fps. I picked that ammo simply because it seemed to have great reviews by the expert 22LR competition shooters.

 

[desi2358]

Anyone ever shoot their tightest groups with anything from Remington?

Many years ago. We're talking the 1970's, I had excellent results with Remington in a couple guns I owned. Better than any other brand I tried in them. A Remington 581 and a Ruger 10/22. Not match guns but I tried several different brands and loads till I found what shot best in them. Which, at the time, was Remington Standard velocity. I will admit that I never shot any of the foreign match ammo (like Eley, RWS, etc.) because no place I bought ammo back then ever had any of it.

Later, Remington QC went out to lunch, saw lots of issues. Got to the point where if I found any with the old U head stamp I would buy it but if it had the newer REM stamp I would pass. After I got into the gun business we stocked it in the store and it sold even though there were quite a few complaints. Some of those same complainers still bought it anyway...... The last few years it seemed to be getting better and I have shot some of the newer stuff. Seems reliable enough and groups decently in my guns. Other than sighting in I haven't shot it for groups, most of my shooting is for fun, mainly at reactive targets. Don't hunt any more or shoot competition.

 

[AJ]

Everyones ideas of what is accurate are very different.

 

[Green Frog]

A point not mentioned yet is the current, noticeable variation from lot to lot of the same brand. This is why some dealers offer trial packs of several different brands and lots. Then, after testing them all, the customer can order a larger amount of the one their gun "likes."
Did that "strange smell" seem like burning plastic @pharmer? If so, it may have been the priming compound. When I shoot Ely or any of the "Ely primed" stuff it smells like burning styrene to me.

 

[diyj98]

Is the copper coated .22 ammo less likely to leave lead in the barrel than uncoated rounds?

Most if not all modern 22 LR ammo has some sort of lube or coating on the bullets. I've never done a scientific experiment, but I've never noticed the copper washed bullets to lead any more or less than others. It's interesting that I don't believe any real match ammo has the copper wash, but I guess match ammo is generally lower velocity as well so the manufacturers might argue that it isn't needed like on the high velocity stuff.

 

[Dave.357]

Is the copper coated .22 ammo less likely to leave lead in the barrel than uncoated rounds?

Years ago I tested every brand I could find.
There were less flyers in expensive ammunition.
Sorting by rim thickness helped group size in
The bulk ammo class.
Plated bullets are not better or worse.
Most high velocity ammo is plated not
Better or worse. Testing is only way to tell
What your .22 Will produce the best group
with.

 

[Model19man]

I used a good bit of Aguila some years back. My only complaint is that their quality control is pretty inconsistent. One batch will shoot well; the next won't. I bought a bunch one time (maybe a case) and it had about 10% misfires. While that's the only time I can recall misfires with Aguila, I stopped buying it.

I bought 1000 Aquila primers a couple years ago because Norma was offering free shipping and a great price. Upon receipt I loaded up several hundred of them. Some went bang, some didn't. I pulled some of the ones that didn't and found they had no anvils. Norma refused to refund my money and the primers definitely have no quality control. I won't be buying anything else from Norma or Aquila ever again.

 

[Dhawk46]

I have found that CCI SV seems to give the best groups in my Kimber's and my CZ 452-American.

 

[rockquarry]

I bought 1000 Aquila primers a couple years ago because Norma was offering free shipping and a great price. Upon receipt I loaded up several hundred of them. Some went bang, some didn't. I pulled some of the ones that didn't and found they had no anvils. Norma refused to refund my money and the primers definitely have no quality control. I won't be buying anything else from Norma or Aquila ever again.

I bought 1,000 Magtech primers some months back. First time I've ever bought foreign primers in sixty years of handloading. I buy quite a few primers, almost always in cartons of 5,000. I used up all the Magtech and they worked as well as American-made primers, but I still prefer US-made as I do with all ammo. The only rimfire ammo I've bought for some years now has been CCI SV and I always buy by the case. Foreign made ammo in the same price range may work as well as CCI SV, but it's unlikely it would be better nor would it shoot as accurately in so many handguns and rifles as CCI SV.

Spend a little more and get good American made rimfire ammo and primers.

 

[willt]

I have never heard copper washed vs other lubed bullets talked about when discussing accuracy, I thought the copper is just acting as another type of lube to prevent the barrel from leading up. Some things I have been told about shooting .22 over the years for extreme accuracy every barrel will have a favorite ammo that it shoots best and this includes ammo by lot number.

 

[AC4142]

I like the old Winchester wildcats.

 

[Dan W. Cady]

I am with you on that assessment! I have been shooting 22lr for about 65 years.

There were a bunch of dead Gophers in North Dakota that died of high velocity lead poisoning. In all those thousands of rounds I don't recall a single failure to fire. In those days most ammo Was lead.

 

[rockquarry]

Anyone ever shoot their tightest groups with anything from Remington?

That's a pretty good question...

 

[Dave Haynes]

When I got a model 41 I did a lot of testing to find the sweet spot. Expensive Eley and premium brands were no better or worse than average. Then I discovered that a lot of the expensive stuff was made in Mexico. The best .22 was old 50s Winchester Super X. The stuff we paid .72 cents a box for when we were kids. In a gross generalization I will say that old .22 is much better than modern .22. Anything that comes in a 50 rd box made 30 or 40 years ago is just better all around. The fact that new product is just dumped into a bigger box says a lot about quality control. "Range 1 Mile Be Careful" on the box says a lot about quality too. We never had dud rounds when we were kids.

 

[cowboy94916]

Back in the 70's I bought a Colt Ace Conversion for my .45. A short time later after a brick of ammo I brought it back to where I bought it and had a Colt authorized gun smith look at it. He was gone for a 15 mnutes and came back with a large ring of lead and my unit. He said you like non plated bullets I see. Then he explained that I would be a lot happier if I shot copper plated rounds or that I learn how to delead the unit. I switched to Remington Golden bullets and my leding problems ended.
And yes I had a Hi-standard Trophy that shot Remington Ammo better then anything else on the ransom rest.
Lastly, with 22 ammo accuracy its what a gun likes. Also, what you find acceptable, for the end purpose, be it hunting targets etc. I used to own a kimber .22, that loved stingers above all others, much to the dismay of many priare dogs in SD. Sometimes at distances that shocked me with the right holdover.

 

[MTC(SS)Ret]

I made a trip to the range recently with my 17-2 and shot CCI Standard Velocity, CCI Clean, CCI MiniMag Varmint, CCI MiniMag Target, CCI Velocitor, CCI Stingers, Aguila Super Extra copper plated and Federal Auto Match. The best accuracy I got was from the CCI Standard Velocity and Federal. I saw no difference between copper washed and Lead.
I remember reading somewhere that subsonic 22LR is inherently more accurate than super sonic and it had something to do with the super sonic bullet passing through its own shock wave which will upset its trajectory. A subsonic round follows the shock wave since it traveling at less than the speed of sound. IIRC match ammo is subsonic.

 

[venomballistics]

in some cases the plating is a must for reliable function.
In all cases, a new 22 is a lot of work.
You will need to gather samples of any and all ammo you can find, and see what runs in it.in the case of a recent acquisition, it's best so far is Aguilla HV followed by CCI blazer as a close second.
Winchesters hyper velocity seems to win the enhanced performance category.
of course, the offerings of Lapua, SK and Eley will be the next test string. but for most casual applications... she's a cheap date. and that's a bonus