Author Topic: 22 rifle at 200 yards  (Read 819 times)

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Offline Joe L

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22 rifle at 200 yards
« on: September 21, 2020, 07:06:24 AM »
After a 3 week layoff due to weather, travel, and a surgical procedure, I finally made it back to the mountain retreat range in New Mexico with the Savage BTV .22LR rifle.  Of course the zero shifted due to altitude and much colder ambient.  And I left the rifle and ammo in the truck outside overnight at 40F before heading to the range.  Plus I guessed wrong on how much elevation to dial in to get on paper at 200 yards, even with no wind.  And I had forgotten how to make the parallax adjustment, place the gun in to my shoulder, and pull the trigger very smoothly.  Other than that, a great day with the rifle. 

Warm up at 100 yards to make a 0.2 mil down and 0.2 mil left zero shift change at 100 yards took 20 rounds, then I shot 30 more to get back in the groove, well, kinda.  Shot one 3/4" group but half were 1-1/2" or smaller with no flyers, only shooter errors. 

Went out to 200 and spent a box of ammo getting on paper with a final 5.0 mil up and 0.2 mil left dial-in on a mostly calm day, thank God.  Nine target squares, five shots each.  Put up another 9 square sheet "for record" and shot a best of 1-3/8" five shot group but had several in the 3-4" range, so on average this was OK, not great, for first time out.  I switched ammo lots on the 4th square but that was the best group, although 2-1/2" high.

All of this going on while the sunny ambient conditions changed from 40F to 60F and the sun beat down on the left side of the rifle.  And the wind came and went a little.  Plus I was rusty. 

The good thing is I no longer fear 200 with the .22, and I got to try something new.  I still think the 9mm pistols are more consistent than even a healthy .22 at this distance.  I reserve the right to amend this conclusion as I get more experience at 200 with the .22, however. 

I am going back to the range this morning and try it again.  I might have some photos and video late this evening.  If the results are good. 

Joe
CZ-75B 9mm and Kadet, 97B"E", two P-09's, P-07, P-10C, P-10F, P-10S, MTR

GMork

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Re: 22 rifle at 200 yards
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2020, 07:32:20 AM »
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« Last Edit: July 12, 2021, 03:23:29 AM by GMork »

Offline Joe L

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Re: 22 rifle at 200 yards
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2020, 02:59:13 PM »
GMork--I just wanted to see how the rifle, ammo, and I will do at 200 yards.  I got bored shooting 9mm pistols at 200 yards and just wanted to try it.  I only hunt paper targets.   

Here is a link to some YouTube videos of the CZ pistols at 100 and 200 yards, if you want to take a look.    https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7GbOFIiTV0xt-yUxqYvFX6tek_pEmLes

I kind of enjoy long range pistol shooting.  But it isn't easy, at least for me.  The .22 rifle isn't easy at 200 either, I'm finding out.

Joe
CZ-75B 9mm and Kadet, 97B"E", two P-09's, P-07, P-10C, P-10F, P-10S, MTR

GMork

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Re: 22 rifle at 200 yards
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2020, 04:51:35 PM »
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« Last Edit: July 12, 2021, 03:23:45 AM by GMork »

Offline George16

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Re: 22 rifle at 200 yards
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2020, 06:48:07 PM »
Thank you for all the pictures and videos. Im always amazed at your patience, knowledge and tenacity when it comes to long range pistol or rifle shooting.

I’m learning a lot from you since long range rifle shooting is not my cup of tea. I don’t have patience for it and easily get bored. It’s for this reason I compete in USPSA and other run and gun type of shooting.

Offline Joe L

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Re: 22 rifle at 200 yards
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2020, 07:05:08 PM »
GMork and George16--Thanks for your comments.  Good indication of how diverse we are in our interests.  I never had much opportunity for hunting and am too old and too slow for IDPA, USPSA matches, although I did shoot IDPA for a few years when I was in my early 60's.  I'm at Bullseye match speed now, and happy to be able to do that, when I have an opportunity. 

It's all good.

Joe
CZ-75B 9mm and Kadet, 97B"E", two P-09's, P-07, P-10C, P-10F, P-10S, MTR

Offline Joe L

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Re: 22 rifle at 200 yards
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2020, 07:24:35 PM »
Well, an update for Monday's range session. 

First, the .22 rifle.  I made a mistake in cleaning it without having access to the VFG pellets and JB Bore Paste this morning before I went to the range.  I did try just a nylon brush and some Kroil, followed by a few passes with the bore snake.  I was thinking maybe I could knock out any beginnings of a carbon ring which caused my first round flyers with every magazine load a few weeks ago.  Well, apparently all I did was stir up the residue as I was back to having one or two flyers every 5 rounds at 200 yards and I could not shoot a good 5 shot group.  Including the flyer, they were 3-5", much less consistency than on Sunday, same ammo, nearly same conditions, no wind.    I was hoping the barrel would settle down after 20 or 30 rounds but it was consistently bad for 90 rounds, so I put it away. 

Next was the P-10F at 100 yards.  Now I had not shot any pistols from a rest at a 100 yards for over a month (while I have been shooting the Savage rifle), so I did not have high hopes for sub 4" groups.  I could tell as I was shooting the 100 rounds total at 5 targets that I was not holding the gun steady, and that I just needed some trigger time.  So not much to show for the P-10F either, but it should be easier for me to get back in the groove when I return to the Hill Country on Tuesday.  The videos of the sub 4" groups will have to wait until the end of the week. 

So, back to the VFG pellets and JB Bore Paste for the Savage, in an attempt to get it back to the sub moa performance of Sunday, and some more time on the bench with the plastic service pistol to see if I can get my skill level back up where it was before I jumped to the .22.  And I need some Kadet time also. 

Overall, two intense but good days at the range in the mountains, even though the results weren't that spectacular.  I will not be hesitant to try the rifle again at 200 yards when I get the opportunity, and I got in some trigger time with my favorite plastic gun.  I'm content just being able to get out and shoot!  I know the good results will come as I get back in to practice after a 3 week layoff. 

This is fun.  This is not easy. 

Joe
« Last Edit: September 23, 2020, 03:00:50 PM by Joe L »
CZ-75B 9mm and Kadet, 97B"E", two P-09's, P-07, P-10C, P-10F, P-10S, MTR

Offline Joe L

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Re: 22 rifle at 200 yards
« Reply #7 on: September 23, 2020, 02:59:47 PM »
Here are the targets for Sunday and Monday. 
First, Sunday, 200 yards, calm, cool, no changes to the rifle since shooting it very well three weeks ago. 



Close up of the one and only very good group...



But, the average for 9 targets was pretty good, under 3", so a good first outing at 200 yards, for me.   

Then, on Monday morning, I decided to run a nylon brush and a bore snake through the bore just to make sure I wasn't building up any ring after 170 rounds on Sunday.  This was a mistake, without the VFG pellets and JB Bore Paste.  Here is the second sheet of 9 tape square targets.



So one or two shots low on each five shot group, and it isn't the first shot.  I think I roughed up some crud, but didn't get it out of the barrel.  The average for the sheet is well over 4" and there were no really good groups, just the one 2-3/4" group on target square 14. 

I will try to borescope the chamber end of the rifle before cleaning it with the pellets and bore paste.    The saga continues, but at least now I have seen the rifle perform well, it is just a matter of figuring out how often to clean it and with what stuff. 

Joe
CZ-75B 9mm and Kadet, 97B"E", two P-09's, P-07, P-10C, P-10F, P-10S, MTR