22LR factory ammo chrono data

[Morne]

So, I was recently able to buy some .22LR ammo for a reasonable price. Specifically, I found the Remington "Bucket O' Bullets" for $64. That seemed reasonable. I had some stuff left over from before the craziness but not a lot. As much shooting as I have been doing lately, I needed it.

Then I got to chatting with some shooting friends about the velocity of .22LR from shorter barrels. Around the same time I read some concerns about, "The ammo factories are pumping out ammo so fast that their quality must be slipping." If ever there was a job for the Chrono, this was it!

Meteorological Data = 80 F, 75% RH, 30.04" Hg
All rounds fired from a Taurus 94 revolver with a 2" barrel. Chrono was about 10' from muzzle. Each data set comprised of 30 rounds. Units are in feet per second (fps).

Remington "Bucket O' Bullets" 36-gr CPHP
Average = 891
ES = 350.7
SD = 66.4

Federal Target Grade Performance 40-gr LRN
Average = 939
ES = 56.2
SD = 17.0

Remington Thunderbolt High Velocity 40-gr LRN
Average = 896
ES = 100.1
SD = 24.6

While hardly an exhaustive list of .22LR ammo, I found the data interesting. The brand new "Bucket O' Bullets" sucked out loud. The old Remington Thunderbolts I had laying around were OK. The Federal Target Grade delivered not only the highest velocity but also the tightest ES & SD of the bunch.

Don't get me wrong, at this point I am willing to live with the large ES from the bucket for training use. Wouldn't use it in a match!

I will try to get some data from a semi-auto later and post it.

One other thought - as a handloader I agonize a lot about the ES & SD of my own recipes. Seeing this from factory, granted it is rimfire rather than centerfire, has me thinking that maybe I am being a bit too much of a perfectionist. It would be interesting to run some larger numbers of centerfire factory ammo over the chrono and see how they do.

[JustaShooter]

Very interesting results. I can't say I'm at all surprised at the ES/SD for the new Bucket O' Bullets. I do wonder if a sample from an older batch pre-panic would be better, or not. I've never cared for their Golden Bullets, they just haven't performed well in my firearms. And as badly as they have performed I could believe that's just how it is for them.

[Aesinsp]

Those velocities seem to be in the subsonic range. Just stating the obvious.

[Dave Shooter]

One more data point. I recently ran some Winchester SuperX over chrono. Box said 1280 fps. Average velocity from a 3 inch S&W model 63 was 1010 fps. Didn't record sd.

[Brian D.]

One more data point. I recently ran some Winchester SuperX over chrono. Box said 1280 fps. Average velocity from a 3 inch S&W model 63 was 1010 fps. Didn't record sd.

Ammunition factories seem to use "fast" test barrels to get the stated results.

[Morne]

This time I used my Ruger SR-22 with 3.5" barrel and a CGS Hydra suppressor

Meteorological Data = 84 F, 63% RH, 29.96" Hg
All rounds fired from a Ruger SR-22 semi-auto pistol with a 3.5" barrel. Chrono was about 10' from muzzle. Each data set comprised of 30 rounds. Units are in feet per second (fps).

Remington "Bucket O' Bullets" 36-gr CPHP
Average = 960
ES = 132.7
SD = 31.7

Federal Target Grade Performance 40-gr LRN
Average = 969
ES = 61.4
SD = 15.0

Remington Thunderbolt High Velocity 40-gr LRN
Average = 926
ES = 138.6
SD = 33.6

Once again the Federal Target Grade gave the tightest ES & SD. I am starting to really like that one. The Bucket O' Bullets wasn't any worse than the Thunderbolts this time. Shrug.

[eugene]

Barrel length makes a big difference. 2 and 3" barrels are going to give a lower fps.
For example https://www.cci-ammunition.com/rimfire/ ... /6-31.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; from my Henry Survival AR7 averages 1300fps, higher than listed due to a longer rifle barrel. I'm trying to remember now which power maker listed a 10" barrel for testing.

[AlanM]

According to Optimum Length Of A 22lr Barrel?

With average standard velocity ammo and 22 lr barrel, you will only get about 14 inches of powder burn per shot. For maximum velocity, the best overall barrel length would be between 14 and 18 inches according to data from tests.

Beyond 14 inches, length of the barrel does not contribute to accuracy.

Pryor to reading the above I had always been under the impression that 16" was optimal for barrel length of a .22 LR rifle.

[JustaShooter]

According to Optimum Length Of A 22lr Barrel?

With average standard velocity ammo and 22 lr barrel, you will only get about 14 inches of powder burn per shot. For maximum velocity, the best overall barrel length would be between 14 and 18 inches according to data from tests.

Beyond 14 inches, length of the barrel does not contribute to accuracy.

Pryor to reading the above I had always been under the impression that 16" was optimal for barrel length of a .22 LR rifle.

I had heard the same - and since that is in the range they mention, it seems reasonable that for some barrel and ammo combinations it could be optimal.

Oh, and I'll take minor issue with the final statement you quoted:

Beyond 14 inches, length of the barrel does not contribute to accuracy.

I think they meant to say it does not contribute to *velocity*. As I understand it, accuracy is largely independent of barrel length, and typically shorter is better for accuracy for a given barrel diameter since it is stiffer. The only benefit to accuracy you get for a longer barrel is with iron sights due to the increased sight radius, which can make it easier to be more accurate.

[AlanM]

I took the 14" vs. accuracy comment to mean that an increase in sight radius from 14" to 16" has a negligible effect on accuracy however I hadn't taken barrel "whip" into consideration.

One thing that occurred to me is that I don't know if anyone makes fast burning .22 LR ammunition for use in pistols.

[eugene]

According to Optimum Length Of A 22lr Barrel?

With average standard velocity ammo and 22 lr barrel, you will only get about 14 inches of powder burn per shot. For maximum velocity, the best overall barrel length would be between 14 and 18 inches according to data from tests.

Beyond 14 inches, length of the barrel does not contribute to accuracy.

Pryor to reading the above I had always been under the impression that 16" was optimal for barrel length of a .22 LR rifle.

14-18" is still a lot different than 2-3"

[eugene]

One thing that occurred to me is that I don't know if anyone makes fast burning .22 LR ammunition for use in pistols.

CCI stingers maybe?

[weakhand luke]

Did you pick just one chamber within the cylinder to test the ammo?

So, I was recently able to buy some .22LR ammo for a reasonable price. Specifically, I found the Remington "Bucket O' Bullets" for $64. That seemed reasonable. I had some stuff left over from before the craziness but not a lot. As much shooting as I have been doing lately, I needed it.

Then I got to chatting with some shooting friends about the velocity of .22LR from shorter barrels. Around the same time I read some concerns about, "The ammo factories are pumping out ammo so fast that their quality must be slipping." If ever there was a job for the Chrono, this was it!

Meteorological Data = 80 F, 75% RH, 30.04" Hg
All rounds fired from a Taurus 94 revolver with a 2" barrel. Chrono was about 10' from muzzle. Each data set comprised of 30 rounds. Units are in feet per second (fps).

Remington "Bucket O' Bullets" 36-gr CPHP
Average = 891
ES = 350.7
SD = 66.4

Federal Target Grade Performance 40-gr LRN
Average = 939
ES = 56.2
SD = 17.0

Remington Thunderbolt High Velocity 40-gr LRN
Average = 896
ES = 100.1
SD = 24.6

While hardly an exhaustive list of .22LR ammo, I found the data interesting. The brand new "Bucket O' Bullets" sucked out loud. The old Remington Thunderbolts I had laying around were OK. The Federal Target Grade delivered not only the highest velocity but also the tightest ES & SD of the bunch.

Don't get me wrong, at this point I am willing to live with the large ES from the bucket for training use. Wouldn't use it in a match!

I will try to get some data from a semi-auto later and post it.

One other thought - as a handloader I agonize a lot about the ES & SD of my own recipes. Seeing this from factory, granted it is rimfire rather than centerfire, has me thinking that maybe I am being a bit too much of a perfectionist. It would be interesting to run some larger numbers of centerfire factory ammo over the chrono and see how they do.

[EricTheBald]

ES? SD?

[JustaShooter]

ES? SD?

ES = Extreme Spread - the difference between the highest and lowest velocity in the string.
SD = Standard Deviation - a statistical measurement of the amount of variation in the velocity data.