.22 recommendation to practice long range

[Creedmoor shooter]

I have pretty good luck with my savage mk3 btvss heavy barrel. One does not need an extravagant 22 and scope to shoot 200 yards. I've got a family cheap scope on mine and I can pop soda cans quite easily at 200 if the wind isnt blowing. The biggest thing is finding the right ammo for your rifle and needs. I shoot cci standard velocity and my rifle really likes them. This is a 5 shot group at 50 with it.

 

[Herr Nagler]

You can spend days and weeks trying to argue sub-sonic vs. super sonic.

In the end it's easiest to test ammo at distance (50, 100, 200, 250, 300 yards) and find out what shoots best in your gun. If that happens to be 1,440 fps CCI stingers then good on you - use that ammo. My experience is that Ammo that shoots great at 50 yards is not guaranteed to shoot well at 100 and .22 Ammo that shoots well at 100 might not shoot well at 200 ...

You have to test ...

 

[Aussie fella]

I'm a firm believer in "everything you need to learn can be done with a .22". I'm getting back into shooting and learning to shoot long range. I read with interest an article about shooting an egg at 200 yard. After doing a little more reading I saw that the CZ 455 varmint was a good choice, but it isn't made any more. What recommendations can others make?

Aussie made Lithgow la101 is hands down one of the best 22lr rifles you'll ever shoot, check them out on YouTube 22plinker or plinkster I forget which has some videos up and he calls it one of the best he has shot. I've got mates who have been shooting 50+ yrs and have said mine has the best trigger and action of ANY rifle they'd fired. Mine will dial a 4" gong at 220 yd all day long using a nikon 3-7x32 scope and just using hold-over not dialling in. I'm sure if I put a comp scope on it you could shoot much further, and my preferred ammo is cci velocitors at 1435fps 40gr, it'll drop rabbits at 150.

 

[Aussie fella]

Aussie made Lithgow la101 is hands down one of the best 22lr rifles you'll ever shoot, check them out on YouTube 22plinker or plinkster I forget which has some videos up and he calls it one of the best he has shot. I've got mates who have been shooting 50+ yrs and have said mine has the best trigger and action of ANY rifle they'd fired. Mine will dial a 4" gong at 220 yd all day long using a nikon 3-7x32 scope and just using hold-over not dialling in. I'm sure if I put a comp scope on it you could shoot much further, and my preferred ammo is cci velocitors at 1435fps 40gr, it'll drop rabbits at 150.

 

[Greyfox]

You can spend days and weeks trying to argue sub-sonic vs. super sonic.

In the end it's easiest to test ammo at distance (50, 100, 200, 250, 300 yards) and find out what shoots best in your gun. If that happens to be 1,440 fps CCI stingers then good on you - use that ammo. My experience is that Ammo that shoots great at 50 yards is not guaranteed to shoot well at 100 and .22 Ammo that shoots well at 100 might not shoot well at 200 ...

You have to test ...

I agree that ammo must be tested with your rifle. While accuracy testing is an important consideration, for the longer ranges(100-300+yards) velocity ES/SD(<SD 10) is also critical, much more so then when shooting typical 22 rimfire distances. I have found many HV loads(while very accurate at <100 yards) fall apart when testing velocity spreads.

 

[Zymurgist]

I have an old Marlin Mdl.60 that is a tack driver. Their "micro-grove" button rifling works really well to yield superior sub-MOA accuracy. In calm wind I get one-hole 5 shot groups out of it at 50 yards.

 

[Herr Nagler]

I tested lots of ammo and found at least 12 brands that would shoot one hole 5-shot groups at 50 yards in my sako finnfire range.

Of those 12 only five shot less than 1" inch at 100 yards.

Of those five the one that shot the best at 100 (less than 1/2") shot the worst at 200.

What greyfox said is spot on. Low ES/sD is critical beyond 150. The best Ammo in my rifle at 200 yards turned out to be Eley Tenex which held 1/2" elevation spread in calm conditions. I recorded an ES of 3 fps over 10 shots. The next closest Ammo was Eley match at 1.2" at 200. Everything else (Federal gold medal match and SK+ Etc) was 2.5+" at 200 yards.

Test and see what your gun likes.

 

[Toecutter]

I had bought a truckload of SK years ago. Perfectly passable at 100, but as you said, not the best at 200.

 

[George Dean]

I'm a firm believer in "everything you need to learn can be done with a .22". I'm getting back into shooting and learning to shoot long range. I read with interest an article about shooting an egg at 200 yard. After doing a little more reading I saw that the CZ 455 varmint was a good choice, but it isn't made any more. What recommendations can others make?

Unless you're looking specifically for a bolt gun, the Marlin 795 is a very accurate .22 LR
with a ten round magazine. I have one which is extremely accurate at 100yds. I bought a picatinny rail and added it atop the dove tail cuts. and placed a 20 MOA mount with a Simmons .22 LR MAG scope with the adjustable objective lens atop that. Light weight, inexpensive (On sale price about $149 base). I picked up about 9 extra magazines and take 10 on a range trip, plus an extra 100 in the box. I have the trigger down to 2.5 pounds and it's a ball to shoot. I'm hoping my club has an Appleseed event to use it in.

CCI .22LR seldom fails in this rifle. Bulk, inexpensive ammo not recommended.

Check out Nutnfancy's video, following the below one. He demonstrates the rifle's accuracy.

 

[del2les]

eggs at 200, get out the checkbook!! Rifle AND scope. You aint getting out of this one cheap

Altus Solutions for sure
Custom barrel, bedding, TRIGGER

maybe:
Sako Quad Varmint
Anschutz BR gun
Tony Kidd Super Grade

Why? There are numerous 22LRs that will accomplish this. I have an old Rem 513T I began with decades ago that still shoots 1/2" groups, sometimes better, at 100 with several types of ammo.

I had it drilled and tapped and mounted a 6-24x target scope and used it to train for Palma and 1,000 yd shooting at reduced ranges and scaled targets. It did wonders to improve our scores, wind reading, etc.

I have seen Ruger 10/22 Target models with select tested ammo break eggs and hit golf balls at 200 all day long

Our club used DCM 541x and M12 models that were very accurate

 

[Greyfox]

eggs at 200, get out the checkbook!! Rifle AND scope. You aint getting out of this one cheap

Altus Solutions for sure
Custom barrel, bedding, TRIGGER

maybe:
Sako Quad Varmint
Anschutz BR gun
Tony Kidd Super Grade

There are many factory grade rimfires that can serve nicely as a long range trainer. The very high-end target rifles that you mention are very neccessary for formal competition where anything more then .25"(or even less), 10 shot groups at 50 yards will not cut it. Sometimes you can get luck and get this kind of performance from a less costly factory rifle. I have a Savage BVSS that is exceptionally accurate, and does very well in 50 yard competition. If you can put together a rifle/ammo combination that can keep its shots in .5MOA at 100 or 200 yards with low velocity spreads, you will have an excellent LR trainer, hunter, or PRS rifle. The major issue with long range rimfire work is dealing with wind drift. Learning wind IS in fact the primary training benefit of the rimfire trainer given you have established the basic shooting skills and developed an accurate and consistent ballistic solver for your rifle/load. I have witnessed several <$500 factory rimfires that can consistently hit an egg at 200 yards IF the wind is either accurately understood, or non-existent. In a 5-10MPH gusty wind....good luck!!! My approach is to test my rifle/load 10-20 shots for velocity spreads under the typical span of temperatures that I will use the rifle. I will also test accuracy/precision at 50, 100, and 200 yards. Once I have a good load, If possible, I like to buy a sufficient supply of the 'same" lot ammo. VelocityES can vary from lot to lot. If I can keep my groups under .5MOA and ES under 20FPS, SD <10FPS, I can hit egg sized targets to 200, and the typical 8-10" rimfire PRS steel out to 350 yards,... given I have a good wind read.

 

[George Dean]

There are many factory grade rimfires that can serve nicely as a long range trainer. The very high-end target rifles that you mention are very neccessary for formal competition where anything more then .25"(or even less), 10 shot groups at 50 yards will not cut it. Sometimes you can get luck and get this kind of performance from a less costly factory rifle. I have a Savage BVSS that is exceptionally accurate, and does very well in 50 yard competition. If you can put together a rifle/ammo combination that can keep its shots in .5MOA at 100 or 200 yards with low velocity spreads, you will have an excellent LR trainer, hunter, or PRS rifle. The major issue with long range rimfire work is dealing with wind drift. Learning wind IS in fact the primary training benefit of the rimfire trainer given you have established the basic shooting skills and developed an accurate and consistent ballistic solver for your rifle/load. I have witnessed several <$500 factory rimfires that can consistently hit an egg at 200 yards IF the wind is either accurately understood, or non-existent. In a 5-10MPH gusty wind....good luck!!! My approach is to test my rifle/load 10-20 shots for velocity spreads under the typical span of temperatures that I will use the rifle. I will also test accuracy/precision at 50, 100, and 200 yards. Once I have a good load, If possible, I like to buy a sufficient supply of the 'same" lot ammo. VelocityES can vary from lot to lot. If I can keep my groups under .5MOA and ES under 20FPS, SD <10FPS, I can hit egg sized targets to 200, and the typical 8-10" rimfire PRS steel out to 350 yards,... given I have a good wind read.

Doh, it never even occurred to me to take my Kestrel and Chronograph to the range & play with them and the .22. Thank you! Another case of tunnel vision.

 

[GonzoK34]

I have over the years fiddled with the 22LR/22Mag in various rifles. In most cases they were specific to economy of scale target practice, shooting squirrels, raccoons, skunks, fox, prairie dogs and bobcat.
The primary problem was none of them worked or functioned in the same manner as my 243, 7-08, 308, 30-06 or 300WM. All were on Rem700 actions.
Several years past a friend asked me what I taught of the 22 Hornet. Having owned one 50 years ago I told him to buy one. He did a CZ 527 American.
After a couple of desert coyote hunts. I was so impressed with his rifle that I bought one. True 22 Hornet ammo isn't on your local shelves. BUT, I reload so a set of dies, lots of Hornady brass, bullets, and Lil-Gun have made my life so much better.
I've been using mine all most twice a week to hunt coyotes, bobcats, the stink rats, and prairie dogs. I gave my son all of my 22LR rifles. Only keeping my 9422 22LR lever action Winchester.
My CZ is setup just like all my big game rifles. NightForce 3-15 x 50 NSX, harris bipod, home made cheek rest. I pillar and glass bedded the action.
Results coyotes to 300yds, prairie dogs to 380yds, skunks wherever they show up. One buck deer at 150yds on private property in Texas. Which made my hunting buddies eat crow.
Cost overall is reasonable, brass 400 pcs, 13grs lil-gun, 40gr Sierra Blitzkings, and Sierra 40gr Matchkings. Accuracy is awesome.
Within the 400 mark any small game takes a ride home with me.
Good Luck

 

[George Dean]

I have over the years fiddled with the 22LR/22Mag in various rifles. In most cases they were specific to economy of scale target practice, shooting squirrels, raccoons, skunks, fox, prairie dogs and bobcat.
The primary problem was none of them worked or functioned in the same manner as my 243, 7-08, 308, 30-06 or 300WM. All were on Rem700 actions.
Several years past a friend asked me what I taught of the 22 Hornet. Having owned one 50 years ago I told him to buy one. He did a CZ 527 American.
After a couple of desert coyote hunts. I was so impressed with his rifle that I bought one. True 22 Hornet ammo isn't on your local shelves. BUT, I reload so a set of dies, lots of Hornady brass, bullets, and Lil-Gun have made my life so much better.
I've been using mine all most twice a week to hunt coyotes, bobcats, the stink rats, and prairie dogs. I gave my son all of my 22LR rifles. Only keeping my 9422 22LR lever action Winchester.
My CZ is setup just like all my big game rifles. NightForce 3-15 x 50 NSX, harris bipod, home made cheek rest. I pillar and glass bedded the action.
Results coyotes to 300yds, prairie dogs to 380yds, skunks wherever they show up. One buck deer at 150yds on private property in Texas. Which made my hunting buddies eat crow.
Cost overall is reasonable, brass 400 pcs, 13grs lil-gun, 40gr Sierra Blitzkings, and Sierra 40gr Matchkings. Accuracy is awesome.
Within the 400 mark any small game takes a ride home with me.
Good Luck

I like your thinking, but I have a 20" AR for that type of hunting.