Dreamer
Regular Member
imported post
OK, I'll admit, only 50 rounds were with the Para. I love to shoot but I'm not rich--I'm a grad student, after all...
But the other 350 rounds were in my new Walther P22--I FINALLY got it out to the range (after having it for nearly 3 months without shooting it)
I had bought several boxes of various High Velocity ammo of different brands, to feed it through and see which type the Walther liked best. I'd been told that they really like CCI Velocitor, so I had a box of that. Also, a box of CCI MiniMAGs, a box of Fiocci HV, Winchester Wildcat, Remington Viper, and Federal Game-Shok.
It was a fun day, even with some chronic FTF's with some brands, one double--feed, and even a stovepipe (I didn't know that was even possible with a .22LR pistol...) Brass all over the ground, lots of targets with LOTS of holes (mostly inside the 10 ring, from 7 yards, with a few glaring exceptions) and just a REALLY fun day at the range...
So if you have a Walther P22, and are looking for an ammo report, here is mine. Now, remember, every gun is different, but I feel pretty confident in this report...
First off, I'll tell you that I wasn't shooting at "standard" targets. These are B-27NCJA targets that I reproduced at a GREATLY reduced scale so that I could print them off on 11x17 sheets at the local copy center. WAY cheaper than full-size B-27s and the smaller target forces me to shoot MUCH tighter groups.
I was shooting these targets at 7 yards (21 ft), freehand, open sights.
Weather was warm (56° F.) and clear, with a slight, intermittent cross-breeze.
Firearm used was a box-stock Walther P22, black slide/OD green frame.
Pistol was field-stripped every 50 rounds and given a cursory wipe-down and rail cleaning, to keep things fair between the first box of ammo and the last box.
CCI MiniMAG (100 rounds)
Great ammo, and pretty darned reasonably priced too! Snappy but VERY manageable recoil, even, flawless cycling and feeding, and just a REAL joy to shoot. (relatively clean ammo too) Very accurate (best groups of any ammo I tried today--each mag shot 1.5" groups, almost all in the 9, 10, and X rings.*
CCI Velocitor (50 rounds)
Decent ammo. Feeds flawlessly, ejects like clockwork, and has a slightly more snappy (and louder) recoil than the MiniMag. Shot groups were not nearly as tight as the MiniMag, although almost all shots were inside the 9, 10 and X ring.*
Fiocci HV (50 rounds)
The loudest round I shot today. Also had inconsistent recoil. Shoots dirty. And here's the REAL kicker--the stuff shoots all over the paper. I had shots all the way out into the 8-ring, but from there to the center, the shots were pretty evenly distributed--no real "groupings". Had on average, 1 FTF per magazine.
Winchester Wildcat (50 rounds)
I will never buy this stuff again. Had the WORST record as far as FTF's. Shot groups were OK (not as good as CCI but better than Fiocci). Sure it's cheap, but if the stuff causes a FTF every 3rd round, what's the point. Maybe I might use this stuff in my old Ithaca single shot rifle, but it's just not suited to use in a semi-auto pistol like the Walther.
Remington Viper (50 rounds)
Another "budget" brand. Not as dirt-cheap as the Winchester, but not much more either. However, this stuff wouldn't feed worth a darn either, with FTFs happening about every 4th round. RElatively accurate though-with most rounds falling inside the 9-ring.* But accuracy only matters if it will actually cycle reliably...
Federal Game-Shok (50 rounds)
Tight groups (almost as tight as the CCI), relatively reliable (only about 4 FTFs during the course of the whole box), and manageable recoil for an HV load. Seems a little overpriced for the performance, but then again, this is a "small varmint" round, not really a target round. Maybe it performs fantastically against groundhogs and prairie dogs when shot from a rifle. But with the occasional FTF, I just don't see the sense in paying extra for "knock down" performance when I'm just shooting paper...
So I can recommend the CCI MiniMags for use in the Walther P22. These rounds out-performed 5 other well-known "High Velocity" brands both in cycling reliability AND accuracy.
My only complaint about the CCI's is those plastic boxes they come in. I'd rather see them change their packaging to something a little more landfill-friendly like the cardboard boxes everyone else uses, bit I guess I can use these CCI boxes for holding art supplies or something around the workshop...
Now, tomorrow, I may be going to the shotgun range, and shooting some 5-Stand (well, let's say I'll be ATTEMPTING to shoot some clays--whether I hit them or not remains to be seen...)
I've included a pic of one of the targets with the Walther, so you have an idea of the scale of my home-made "B27-Mini" targets...
OK, I'll admit, only 50 rounds were with the Para. I love to shoot but I'm not rich--I'm a grad student, after all...
But the other 350 rounds were in my new Walther P22--I FINALLY got it out to the range (after having it for nearly 3 months without shooting it)
I had bought several boxes of various High Velocity ammo of different brands, to feed it through and see which type the Walther liked best. I'd been told that they really like CCI Velocitor, so I had a box of that. Also, a box of CCI MiniMAGs, a box of Fiocci HV, Winchester Wildcat, Remington Viper, and Federal Game-Shok.
It was a fun day, even with some chronic FTF's with some brands, one double--feed, and even a stovepipe (I didn't know that was even possible with a .22LR pistol...) Brass all over the ground, lots of targets with LOTS of holes (mostly inside the 10 ring, from 7 yards, with a few glaring exceptions) and just a REALLY fun day at the range...
So if you have a Walther P22, and are looking for an ammo report, here is mine. Now, remember, every gun is different, but I feel pretty confident in this report...
First off, I'll tell you that I wasn't shooting at "standard" targets. These are B-27NCJA targets that I reproduced at a GREATLY reduced scale so that I could print them off on 11x17 sheets at the local copy center. WAY cheaper than full-size B-27s and the smaller target forces me to shoot MUCH tighter groups.
I was shooting these targets at 7 yards (21 ft), freehand, open sights.
Weather was warm (56° F.) and clear, with a slight, intermittent cross-breeze.
Firearm used was a box-stock Walther P22, black slide/OD green frame.
Pistol was field-stripped every 50 rounds and given a cursory wipe-down and rail cleaning, to keep things fair between the first box of ammo and the last box.
CCI MiniMAG (100 rounds)
Great ammo, and pretty darned reasonably priced too! Snappy but VERY manageable recoil, even, flawless cycling and feeding, and just a REAL joy to shoot. (relatively clean ammo too) Very accurate (best groups of any ammo I tried today--each mag shot 1.5" groups, almost all in the 9, 10, and X rings.*
CCI Velocitor (50 rounds)
Decent ammo. Feeds flawlessly, ejects like clockwork, and has a slightly more snappy (and louder) recoil than the MiniMag. Shot groups were not nearly as tight as the MiniMag, although almost all shots were inside the 9, 10 and X ring.*
Fiocci HV (50 rounds)
The loudest round I shot today. Also had inconsistent recoil. Shoots dirty. And here's the REAL kicker--the stuff shoots all over the paper. I had shots all the way out into the 8-ring, but from there to the center, the shots were pretty evenly distributed--no real "groupings". Had on average, 1 FTF per magazine.
Winchester Wildcat (50 rounds)
I will never buy this stuff again. Had the WORST record as far as FTF's. Shot groups were OK (not as good as CCI but better than Fiocci). Sure it's cheap, but if the stuff causes a FTF every 3rd round, what's the point. Maybe I might use this stuff in my old Ithaca single shot rifle, but it's just not suited to use in a semi-auto pistol like the Walther.
Remington Viper (50 rounds)
Another "budget" brand. Not as dirt-cheap as the Winchester, but not much more either. However, this stuff wouldn't feed worth a darn either, with FTFs happening about every 4th round. RElatively accurate though-with most rounds falling inside the 9-ring.* But accuracy only matters if it will actually cycle reliably...
Federal Game-Shok (50 rounds)
Tight groups (almost as tight as the CCI), relatively reliable (only about 4 FTFs during the course of the whole box), and manageable recoil for an HV load. Seems a little overpriced for the performance, but then again, this is a "small varmint" round, not really a target round. Maybe it performs fantastically against groundhogs and prairie dogs when shot from a rifle. But with the occasional FTF, I just don't see the sense in paying extra for "knock down" performance when I'm just shooting paper...
* Note: The reason I had some shots outside the reported rings and groups was because I was, as is customary with my range-time, shooting every other magazine in a "Mozambique Drill". You gotta be prepared for the Zombies, after all...
So, at least on this day, in my Walther, the hands-down choice is CCI MiniMags in .22LR. Cycled like a steam locomotive, surprisingly accurate (considering it was from a tiny little 3.5" pistol barrel like the Walther), manageable recoil, and just enough noise to make it fun!. Plus, the CCI MiniMags are about the same price for 100 rounds that the Velocitors (which weren't as accurate for me) are for 50 rounds. Half the price for better accuracy? That how it worked out for me.
So I can recommend the CCI MiniMags for use in the Walther P22. These rounds out-performed 5 other well-known "High Velocity" brands both in cycling reliability AND accuracy.
My only complaint about the CCI's is those plastic boxes they come in. I'd rather see them change their packaging to something a little more landfill-friendly like the cardboard boxes everyone else uses, bit I guess I can use these CCI boxes for holding art supplies or something around the workshop...
Now, tomorrow, I may be going to the shotgun range, and shooting some 5-Stand (well, let's say I'll be ATTEMPTING to shoot some clays--whether I hit them or not remains to be seen...)
I've included a pic of one of the targets with the Walther, so you have an idea of the scale of my home-made "B27-Mini" targets...