Polymer coated .22 LR WHAT!?!?!?

[DriveHard]

Ok BITOG, I know there are a million other forums to go check out for this question, but I love the objectivity of this one, so here I will pose my question.

I shoot nearly excursively 0.22 Remington Thunderbolt ammunition through my three different models of 0.22 caliber firearms, as I find they have the best balance between cycle, accuracy and cost. I recently ran out of my "go-to" and bought a can of CCi "clean-22" polymer coated rounds to get me through until I can find another place to get my "normal". Here is the rub...

I chose the ammo because is was the same 40 grain size, it has a very similar velocity (1235 fps for CCI, and 1167 for Thunderbolt)...so I didn't think I would have to adjust my sights much.

Disclaimer: I have only shot the rounds through my Browning Buckmark with optical sight...which I will normally hit 10/10 on a 3" steel round at 25 yards and 8/10 at 50 yards on a 6" steel round.

When I loaded the new CCi rounds, I hit nothing...nothing...

After some target finding shots, I found I was shooting 3" low at 25 yards, and nearly 4-5 inches low at 50 yards. When I made those corrections, the new ammo was dead on...but WHAT THE HECK?!?!?!

If they are supposed to have similar ballistics, why is the polymer coated rounds shooting so much hotter?

 

[sloinker]

Hotter? Shooting low? What's the weight of the round? Do they have more barrel drag due to the polymer?

 

[Shannow]

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...an-22-ammo-polymer-coated-hv#Post5361210

Found them woeful...

 

[WhyMe]

i have done a lot of chronoing of 22lr . don't even beleive the velocity stated on the box if shooting through a pistol. they probably used a rifle. chrono and see what the real difference is between the 2 loads

 

[DriveHard]

Originally Posted by sloinker
Hotter? Shooting low? What's the weight of the round? Do they have more barrel drag due to the polymer?



I have to literally aim ~3" below center of target at 25 yards and ~4-5" below the target to hit at about 50 yards.

I know the main response will be that my sights got bumped off...but I have not touched them in three years, and it shot fine last week. For it to get bumped off just vertical, and no adjustment needed on horizontal seems odd.

I have not touched my sights, so I will get another box of Thunderbolt and see what happens.

 

[CT8]

I did a season of ARA shooting and the differences between the grouping as well as the point of aim between the high end ammo $20.00 per box stuff was vastly different between the brands and the different lot numbers of each type varied as well. If you found an ammo that shot well through the rifle one hole groups happened.

 

[JHZR2]

I am a big fan of federal syntech. The bullets Ive bought to reload are also coated. I too have bought cci clean and have fired them exclusively at a 25 yd marksmanship range. They shoot better than me, from a 617. I'm not a great shot, and this is DA handheld from 25 yds. No concerns or issues from me.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by WhyMe
i have done a lot of chronoing of 22lr . don't even beleive the velocity stated on the box if shooting through a pistol. they probably used a rifle. chrono and see what the real difference is between the 2 loads


I've heard the velocity is tested with a 16 inch barrel.

 

[Slick17601]

It's because Thunderbolts are bottom of the barrel .22 ammo, anything else is an improvement.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted by ZeeOSix
Originally Posted by WhyMe
i have done a lot of chronoing of 22lr . don't even beleive the velocity stated on the box if shooting through a pistol. they probably used a rifle. chrono and see what the real difference is between the 2 loads


I've heard the velocity is tested with a 16 inch barrel.

Yep...that's standard...

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted by Slick17601
It's because Thunderbolts are bottom of the barrel .22 ammo, anything else is an improvement.

Yep.