Mixing Ammo

[joatmon]

Do you shoot lead and lead plated 22's during one session without cleaning between them? If not how much cleaning between types?

Thanks Aaron

[Mk42gunner]

I have in the past. As long as the barrel wasn't leading, I never had a real problem with it.

If you are concentrating on shooting groups on paper, you might have to fire a few rounds to condition the bore to the new lube.

Robert

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Aaron, Shoot em!!!!!!!!!

If your into down and dirty bench rest target competition, well then do whatever rings your bell.

I read on the forums how a person must season a barrel with "X" or "Y" ammo and how many shots it takes before shooting groups for record, and again for high levels of competition this may be a plus.

However, if in fact this would make my rifle shoot better, then I had better start earning money or big tall gold colored things to put on the shelf with my CLARK CUSTOM 77/22 with it's Walther barrel. AS it just plain shoots very well, as in VERY WELL just switching from one ammo to another without cleaning or seasoning.

I'll be the first to admit that I am not a high level competitor, but I do have a good stack of targets shot with lots of different ammos, both high end $$$$ and typical off the shelf cheaper ammo and as such have a very good idea how well my rifle shoots.

Are you in competition????????? If so do whatever it takes to give you a possible edge. If not, just shoot em and enjoy.

Now, the quality of the barrel, not cost but quality, WILL VERY LIKELY make a difference.

A friend and I have had some informal, "shoot offs" and with the high end ammo, his much less expensive rifle shot right with my CRuger, but in our second session with typical off the shelf offerings, it was a whole different story.

That second session showed me why I'd spent the bucks - yes, quality may/should come with cost, but not always - as that Walther barrel ran circles around the other barrel/rifle with the cheaper ammos.

Two things, ------ the better barrel WILL on average just simply shoot better, and it will likely shoot more brands/types/prices, including cheaper, better.

So, not to put you or your rifle down, but is it of the barrel quality level where it will shoot a broad range of ammo well, OR will you need to test many brands/types/prices of ammo to find the sweet spot?

Your testing will tell you that, and once you find the sweet spot/ammo your rifle grooves on, maybe you should do as the hard core target shooters do, go out and buy a few cases of that brand/type/lot number just to make sure it always proforms at it's best.

Enjoy the trip with your .22, they are FUN, and just maybe you should dwell on the fun and not worry a great amount about the "ifs" unless of course that is your thing! ENJOY!!

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[375RUGER]

Never crossed my mind to clean a 22 barrel when switching bullets. Only on a rare occasion do I clean the bore anyway. I also don't shoot for money nor do I have a 22 that cost more than $212.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Hey there 375RUGER,

The cleaning thing goes round and round and round over on the Rimfire Central forum. To clean or not to clean WILL remain a question. Some do some don't.

As per the seasoning the OP refers to, that seems to be the common wisdom.

However, as I said earlier, if it really makes that kind of a difference, then I and my CRuger should see about making some money.

For if the rifle will shoot that much better after being seasoned, it will be awesome to behold.

CDOC

[joatmon]

Thanks for all replies. Reason for the question is I have a few .22 guns and want to get the best out of them for grins and giggles. I also am a bulk box horder,always have been. Now in my mid 50's I need to start shootin em so's I ken get em shot en my life time. Since I've stacked em back in all types and brands there's plated and pure and I wondered about alternate layer build up. Thanks for all the feed back. OL"COOT my arms run from elcheepo to factory target from years ago (mod 49 Ithica to Winchester 75)

Aaron

[uscra112]

I've been fairly carefully evaluating .22 ammo at the range in three rifles, including a bone-stock 10/22.

So far I have not seen any issue with shooting plain after plated or vice versa. Having been mucking about with weight-sorting bulk ammo to get it to shoot better, I have been shooting maybe a dozen "culls" from a particular brick before I start shooting the sorted lots for the record. I do seem to see that the rifle(s) will take that many to "settle down" upon switching ammo. Haven't done any statistical analysis of it - just an impression.

(BTW the sorting is tedious in the extreme - if you want accuracy, buy good ammo. My excuse is that I'm a retired process control measurement guy that just can't give it up.)