Curious about rimfire accuracy potential

[jjhack]

I bench rested my Ruger M77 bolt action rifle today at 100 yards.

I was shooting stingers and getting consistent 2" groups with the Weaver V16 scope. They are really great hunting bullets but may not be the most accurate. 2" at 100 is Okay but wonder what do folks actually achieve at 100 yards with a .22 rimfire?

The CCI plain bullets, not sure what they call them, I think mini mags? shoot about 1.5" or so, but they hit 9" lower then the stingers. Those stingers are wicked good rounds for me. I have shot things well beyond what you would expect to kill with them and they simply folded several of those animals.

at 50 yards they are 1" or better accurate. I am shooting with a Volquartson barrel and trigger it also has a volquartson Laminated stock. Actually it's just a Ruger Action now.

 

[catchdog]

CZ American with Rem target ammo.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Competitions shooters prefer the .17HMR.

 

[jjhack]

Well it's nice that that is what they prefer, however this thread has nothing to do with the 17, it's about what a .22 rimfire can do.

Catchdog, what range is that group?

 

[jbcaptain11]

my marlin model 39a hits .75 in groups at 50 yards iron sights with a scope better this is with a bench rest anyway

 

[catchdog]

100 yards . it is sighted in with federal #550 that does not shoot quiet as well but is cheaper . Also it wont shoot that well after a good cleaning until I put about 75 rounds out off it . Every rifle is different . My brothers CZ American wont shoot the Rem target worth a crap . He's likes the Eley Match and mine wont shoot the Eley for crap . Both of our rifles will shoot the Federal # 550 pretty good . I know .22 ammo is hard to find and getting a bit pricy but just try a bunch of different ammo till you find what your rifle likes . If your just hunting with it you can sight in with the CCI mini mags . Or just stick with the stingers . I have killed a lot of woodchucks with stingers . out to about 130 - 140 yards . Most I had to shoot more than one time .

 

[jjhack]

I love the performance of the stingers, the accuracy is not bad, but we always want better. The question is, would I give up some performance for 1" tighter groups?

Right now they are mostly 1.5" to the outside of around 2"....shrinking that by an inch would give me astonishing great accuracy. But the cost may be subsonic lower performing bullets????

It's why I asked. If it was typical to get 1" at 100 yards the stingers would be shooting poorly for me. Considering 1" is outstanding then 1.5-2" seems acceptable.

 

[catchdog]

Maybe , maybe not . The Rem target is not a subsonic bullet . You may find a good fast HP that will shoot 1 inch groups and you may not . If the stingers are doing what you want ( hunting ) then stick with them . They were my go to round when I was hunting woodchucks with a .22 . But they also shot the best out of the rifle I was using at the time . And that was 1 -1.25 inch groups at 50 yards . You don't have to be able to shoot a jack rabbit in the eye at 100 yards to kill it . Just put one in its lungs and they die . But it sure is nice to do head shots .

 

[BelchFire]

The question is, would I give up some performance for 1" tighter groups?

Does that woodchuck know how hard it WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT when the shot goes whistling harmlessly by? I'll take a hit of any kind over a miss all day long. Go for accuracy says I.