Practice versus match ammo.

Z

zanemoseley

New member
Just bought a Bill Myers custom Anschutz 1913 off the classified ads. This will be my first rimfire BR rifle but I've shot 3P with an Anschutz 54 before and shot a lot of SK plus which might not be good enough even for practice on BR. What is a good practice ammo for under $10 a box? I'm sure I'll pick up some Eley Tenex for match use but want to get some trigger time to develop my technique without spending $18 a box. Also where's a good place to order paper targets?
 
I practice with what I have found my RF Benchrest Rifles like to eat. I am a bad enough shot and wind reader, to further handicap myself by using less accurate (in my rifles) ammo that might give me false results.

Bob
 
Agree with Bob

I like putting my best foot forward.
Like to get ready for match with what I'm going to use.
No problem with practice ammo like the real thing.
 
Well I'm not try to use "bad" ammo. Just saying if Tenex gets me a .25" group average at 50yds and something like RWS Target Rifle get me .3" groups it would be perfectly acceptable for practice. Maybe I haven't gone down the rabbit hole deep enough to mentally prepare for $18 a box ammo across the board lol.
 
Keep in mind that the majority of us are shooting either Eley Match or Midas+. Won’t take long for you to figure out shooting 10x & getting your arse handed to you it isn’t worth it.

Keith
 
I never could understand practicing with sub par ammo. How do you know if an errant shot was you or the ammo. I practice with what I shoot in a match.
 
linekin said:
Keep in mind that the majority of us are shooting either Eley Match or Midas+. Won’t take long for you to figure out shooting 10x & getting your arse handed to you it isn’t worth it.

Keith
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What do you mean by 10x? You're not referring to Tenex are you? Sorry I'm a newbie.
 
Both of my BR Quality RF Rifles shoot the best with less than the most expensive ammunition. Just have to fine out what works best for your rifle. May not be $18.00 a box.

Bob
 
zanemoseley said:
Just bought a Bill Myers custom Anschutz 1913 off the classified ads. This will be my first rimfire BR rifle but I've shot 3P with an Anschutz 54 before and shot a lot of SK plus which might not be good enough even for practice on BR. What is a good practice ammo for under $10 a box? I'm sure I'll pick up some Eley Tenex for match use but want to get some trigger time to develop my technique without spending $18 a box. Also where's a good place to order paper targets?
Click to expand...

As many have posted, shoot the ammo in practice that you would shoot in a match. To find that ammo, you must test in the best conditions you can. You should shoot groups, and when you find a lot, not BRAND, that shoots good/best, you also need to shoot a card or several. You could refine this exercise by doing the same on different days when temps, slight variations in wind, etc are different.

Keith was referring to Tenex when he typed 10X. Common switch on the name, used quite often. I shoot Center X, Midas+, Eley Match, and Tenex. I mostly shoot Match and Center X. You do not test BRANDS, well you could, but the best way is to test lots. Your rifle will tell you what lot to buy. Don't worry about brand, and if your wallet doesn't mind, cost. If you test enough, you may find a lot of any of the above that will shoot the best. One lot of Tenex may be killer in your rifle, the next 10 lots of Tenex may suck. There may be a lot of Match (more economical) that is better than the more costly Tenex you found. Same with Lapua. Midas+ costs more than CX (Center X). My second to last test at Lapua in Mesa, Az found a lot of CX that blew away any Midas+ we tested. Unfortunately, there were only 7 bricks of it. I bought it all. If there had been 2 cases of it, I would have bought it all. Not because it was cheaper though, but because it shot better than anything I had ever tested in that rifle.

Don't equate cost of ammo to being the 'best' ammo. Also understand, if you find a super lot, buy as much as you can. When that lot is gone, it's gone and the whole process starts over again.

As far as targets go, all three of the 'major' sanctioning bodies sell targets for their game. ARA, IR50/50, and ABRA. I use their targets for testing how a lot performs on the card, but for testing groups or tuning I make my own. I use foam board (Wallyworld, hobby/craft stores) and draw a grid on it with a ballpoint pen and metal ruler. The foam board cuts nice clean bullet holes and a 20 x 30 inch piece in 1" squares gives a ton of aiming x's to test with. Cost for one board is around a dollar. Hope some of this 'long' post helps.
 
When I buy .22 RF Match Ammo I get a list of the lots currently in stock by the supplier I will be using (usually the same one all the time). I will then buy a few boxes from each lot that has plenty of inventory. Why get some ammo that shoots really well and not be able to get more. Then as soon as I get it, I shoot targets and find out which lot of which brand works the best, that has plenty of inventory and order in a major supply. Unfortunately if you get really serious about this it gets really expensive, but not always in the cost per box, just the amount you lay out to get enough to make a difference.

Bob
 
Test lots

I miss the ELY analyzer, last ammo I bought I used it to pick test lots
had good luck. Shoot 2 times a week with friends that relie on me to find ammo.
 
rkittine said:
When I buy .22 RF Match Ammo I get a list of the lots currently in stock by the supplier I will be using (usually the same one all the time). I will then buy a few boxes from each lot that has plenty of inventory. Why get some ammo that shoots really well and not be able to get more. Then as soon as I get it, I shoot targets and find out which lot of which brand works the best, that has plenty of inventory and order in a major supply. Unfortunately if you get really serious about this it gets really expensive, but not always in the cost per box, just the amount you lay out to get enough to make a difference.

Bob
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The above, for a newbie (our OP), sheds more light on testing ammo. For others, that seriously shoot sanctioned RFBR matches, the above post is not breaking news. Since the OP has not stated his goals, or type, of RFBR matches he intends on shooting, I kept my original post to speak to the 'flavor' of his post. When shooters ask questions about brand types and cost, it is fairly obvious they are not aware of specific lot testing.

Indeed when a good lot comes up it will, as a rule of thumb, shoot good/great, in many different rifles. Time is of the essence in testing/procuring ammo as soon as possible. Before I learned that, I missed out on several really good lots that I drug my heals on getting tested, only to find out that one great one of the lots I ordered was gone after I got them tested.

When selecting lots, you must do your homework. The buying of lots that have a bunch of stock can be satisfying in the fact that there may be inventory when you purchase after testing, but it could also indicate the lots aren't that good as well. Doing your homework, you need to watch inventories as new shipments (lots) come in. Anyone who is deep into the game has seen lots of good ammo sell out in just a few days. Sometimes catching a lot that has lesser quantity is better to test, as long as it is done quickly, and you may find considerably better ammo than testing the lots that are left over. They are most likely still in stock for a reason.

Lapua protects the lots that are allocated for the test centers. You have to test in their facility to buy those lots. Now, was I surprised when the good lot I found there was down to 7 bricks of inventory?......not at all. It was a depleted inventory lot for a reason. Getting 7 bricks was better than getting none of it.
 
So when I'm testing ammo is one box per type & lot good enough? Do you shoot (10) 5 shot groups and average them to determine what shoots well? I just got my new/used custom Anschutz 1913 bench rifle but still waiting for my Golden Eagle scope and need to get some Kelbly rings and a rest ordered. What do you consider to be good groups for a semi-competitive rifle? I was hoping to get consistent 1/4" grouping at 50 with good ammo.
 
zanemoseley said:
So when I'm testing ammo is one box per type & lot good enough? Do you shoot (10) 5 shot groups and average them to determine what shoots well? I just got my new/used custom Anschutz 1913 bench rifle but still waiting for my Golden Eagle scope and need to get some Kelbly rings and a rest ordered. What do you consider to be good groups for a semi-competitive rifle? I was hoping to get consistent 1/4" grouping at 50 with good ammo.
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Lots of custom built bench guns struggle with 1/4" consistency, a 1913 will generally be well behind that.
Unless you are going to be exclusively shooting fun, or club stuff you might want to rethink the rifle.
 
zanemoseley, I do not consider one box enough. Minimum 2 boxes per rifle, for budget conscious testing. After getting to know a rifle/barrel combo, you get a better idea of what to expect when testing.

Tim has brought up a good point as well, accuracy potential in the real world. Several questions come to mind here. I have seen several posts you have made here and elsewhere. I don't recall you stating your type/level of RFBR you are interested in, or the what the level of custom work that has been done to your Annie. Hoping to shoot ARA, IR50, or ABRA Heavy Outlaw and hoping to be competitive? Just shooting club/fun matches at a local club? Rifle has custom barrel, bedded in a BR stock, barrel tuner, etc...? I do recall you mentioned somewhere you have shot prone or 3P in the past.

When testing at a tunnel, at or below 13mm outside (gross) groups, consistently, are in the ball park of being pretty darn good. 25.4mm per inch, so at or a little below 1/2" gross measured. This would be using several 10 shot groups, which is typical at both Eley and Lapua test tunnels. As Tim has pointed out, that's not that easy to achieve.

More information on your goals would be helpful. Just the fact you are interested in shooting RFBR, no matter the level, will keep myself and many others involved in the conversation with better information to reach your goals.

Scott
 
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