Most accurate .22 ammo for Smiths?

[JohnnyK]

In the process of breaking in my new 63 3" and firing some groups to see what's most accurate in it.

I'm doing 8-shot groups so I don't inadvertantly use different chambers for grouping various loads and have that as a variable.

I've got the red Hi-viz front sight on this new gem and find it somewhat distracting but have a serrated ramp on order.

I've tested ten loads so far from the bench at 25 yds. with the best being a tie between Remington Target 40 gr. lead and military issue "white box" Remington 40 gr. lead. Don't know that much about what the difference is between the two but the bullets are of a slightly different shape. Just over a 2" average for 8 shots.
The next best is, believe it or not CCI Velocitor at 2.5". The worst I've tested is Winchester Wildcat at 5" plus.
What do you guys find is an accurate (and economical) load in your J and K frames?

 

[murphydog]

Every gun differs; I have shot tiny groups with one ammo brand/type with one gun that looked more like patterns in another gun. If you find one your model 63 likes, try to stock up on that particular brand, type and lot if possible. Enjoy!

 

[Sportsterguy]

Exactly what murphydog says. CCI stingers seem to shoot very well in all of my .22's. Have some Ely match left over from the old days. Tackdriver out of a 6" 17. Shotgun pattern out of a 2" 34 snub.

 

[SW357Addict]

My 617 10-shot shoots the best with CCI Mini-Mags and CCI Mini-Mags HP. In fact, I think the CCI's with my 617 or more accurate than I am. The Federal 40gr Wal-Mart bulk packs also have good accuracy considering the price.

 

[VAdoublegunner]

Accuracy in the 22LR and anything that shoots it is a world unto itself. It is one of the most persinckety matches out there!

Most of my S&Ws, Rugers, Marlins, Winchesters and anything else like Win Dynapoints. They are always a first choice, but seem increasingly harder to find and more expensive when I do. Also good for moderately inexpensive ammo are CCI Blazers and CCI Mini-Mags. I've had pretty decent performance from Federal Lightnings too.

You just have to try a bunch of different stuff. One of my friends got a 4 5/8" three screw Ruger Single Six. That gun wouldn't shoot anything well. We tried a dozen different types of ammo. I had a couple of boxes of Rem Thunderbolts with me and said you might as well shoot this up just to make noise. Thunderbolts, as most people seem to experience, will lead your barrel into a smoothbore in short order and even if they don't aren't much on accuracy. Yet in that Ruger they were printing 2" groups at 25 yards!
22LRs ... go figure!?

 

[MajorD]

every 22 is different even those of the same model with various faovites as far as ammo goes. I do think the hi viz sights were a mistake for smith as they give a very chunky sight picture far inferior to the old black sights.

 

[semperfi71]

All of the previous posters are dead on. You may have to spend a lot of time shooting a lot of different types and brands of .22 ammo to find the "sweet load". You will find out that the "target grade" stuff sometimes shoots worse than the "economy grade".

However I have 5 S&W .22s, formally a Colt Peacemaker .22 (I sold it to buy a Smith), a .22 auto, and a Remington .22 bolt action rifle.

On the average Federal "Lightning", an economy lead bulleted .22, shoots well in almost all of them and is the most accurate in 3 of the S & W .22s and the Remington.

You may want to try a box.

You will not be wasting mone on buying .22 ammo that is less accurate in your .22, it can be used for plinking loads and most of it will shoot well enough to be close to that "supreme accuracy" load.

 

[TSQUARED]

I have found that the SV ammo by either Aguilla, CCI or Remington produces the tightest groups in my Colt and S&W revolvers.

 

[Model_60]

My Model 17-4 really seems to like the Winchester/Super-X 40 gr. "Power Point HP" ammo. This was recommended to me by a friend and gun shop owner, who also has two model 17s.

Many brands of .22 ammo will shoot "okay" to pretty well in my Smith 17, but the above is the best I have found thus far.

 

[dickttx]

I have only used Remington, Winchester, and Federal bulk in my 617. Rem has been the worst, Win a small bit better than Fed, but with an occasional FTF.
I recently found a High Standard Sport_King from 1951/53, with both a 6 3/4 and 4 1/2 barrel.
Fed and Win shoot flawlessly in the long barrel, but Win won't feed or fire about half the time in the short barrel. I hadn't planned to buy any more Rem, but may to test the HS short barrel.
I haven't a clue as to why so much difference in the performance of the two barrels, and this is my first .22 pistol.