VAdoublegunner
Single-Sixer
I have been testing a Ruger MKII standard pistol, 4.75" bbl, this week for a friend who wants it for her mother.
Setting aside the debate for a moment on the adequateness of a 22LR as a bedside pistol, let me just say that it is all she can handle and I believe with the right ammo and the given reliability of a Ruger MKII, safety features and ease of operation, it can serve in that purpose and certainly give a level of comfort to a lady nearing 80 years (but still quite spry!
) The ability to deliver 10 of those little wasps on target at an intruder without a lot of high blast and recoil has its place.
I have run about 800 rounds through the subject pistol at this point after a thorough takedown and cleaning but have not cleaned it since. It has a factory new mag. There have only been two failures, stovepipes on the 8th round with Rem Bulk Golden Bullets (hey, at least they all fired!) and they were not in serious ammo contention anyway but were sort of a default "if anything will fail, they probably will" choice. Ammo choice is limited to something readily available at WalMart or similar outlet, because she intends to practice with it and in fact is taking the CCW qualification class in NC in a couple of months. That limits the choices, but there are still some decent ones. My philosophy is that a 22LR needs adequate penetration and utter reliability. I rejected most HPs since they are not very likely to expand and if they do it just retards penetration, and also most of the hyper velocity lightweight bullet ammo for the same reason.
Here are the results of chrono testing:
Temp 73F; Wind 12-15, with gusts, from behind; PACT MKIV chrono, distance 5 yards
CCI Mini-Mag solids, 40 grains; 10 shots (ammo ~8 years old)
Hi: 1072 fps
Lo: 1022 fps
ES: 50
Avg: 1046 fps
CCI Mini-Mag solids - test 2, 40 grains, 10 shots (new sleeve of current production)
Hi: 1066 fps
Lo: 995 fps
ES: 72
Avg: 1041 fps
This ammo has been 100% reliable for over 300 rounds in this pistol. In fact, in talking to a couple of friends of mine, who have been using this ammo along with me since it came out, we can't really recall many problems *ever* with it, if at all.
CCI Velocitor, 40 grains (new), 20 shots
Hi: 1158 fps
Lo: 1088 fps
ES: 75
Avg: 1114 fps
This ammo has also been 100% reliable for 100 rounds, but it has a louder report and a lot of bolt slap. It is certainly worth testing more. I don't think using it would cause any problems for the gun for limited use. I may recommend reserving it for keeping the mag loaded and recommend the Mini-Mags for most practice. The gain of ~70fps is notable when penetration velocity is about your best ally for the 22LR.
Anyone ever had any issues with Velocitor in a MKII?
Win DynaPoint 22LR, 10 rounds (old stock)
(some of my reserve stash and not really in consideration, but I was curious about them so for historical purposes only)
Hi: 999 fps
Lo: 969 fps
ES: 30
Avg: 988
Gotta love that ES. No wonder this stuff shoots great in nearly everything!
Rem Yellow Jackets, 33 grains, 10 rounds (new)
Hi: 1204 fps
Lo: 1122 fps
ES: 82
Avg: 1169 fps
I know some folks like these for the intended purpose. I think they are a little light and if they do open penetration may be impaired. Still, it is interesting data.
CCI Blazer Bulk, 40 grains, 10 shots (new)
Hi: 1099 fps
Lo: 1054 fps
ES: 45
Avg: 1081 fps
CCI Blazer Bulk - test 2, 40 grains, 10 shots (new)
Hi: 1092 fps
Lo: 1044 fps
ES: 48
Avg: 1074 fps
This one was a surprise, both for velocity and consistency. It has also been very reliable in the gun for over 300 rounds , in fact it is in most things I shoot it in. Although, it does tend to lead up the cylinder face of my Single-Sixes after an few hundred rounds and is dirtier than the CCI Mini-Mags. Still, I was both surprised and impressed with the numbers.
Of course, everything tested was completely satisfactory for grouping and POA/POI in the pistol. It's difficult to make any of the test subject ammo shoot bad in a MKII unless it has some issues with a bad bore or leading. Groups of 50 rounds at 7 yards were pretty easy to cover with a quarter shooting off hand, and at 15 yards easily within 2.5-3" even firing fast (<5 sec) and much better when I took my time. Everything fired even much faster checking for function worked just fine too, except for the aformentioned Rem stovepipes.
I thought this info may be of use to other forum members. I always like it when someone has actual test data to report rather than basing information on factory promotional information.
Setting aside the debate for a moment on the adequateness of a 22LR as a bedside pistol, let me just say that it is all she can handle and I believe with the right ammo and the given reliability of a Ruger MKII, safety features and ease of operation, it can serve in that purpose and certainly give a level of comfort to a lady nearing 80 years (but still quite spry!
) The ability to deliver 10 of those little wasps on target at an intruder without a lot of high blast and recoil has its place.I have run about 800 rounds through the subject pistol at this point after a thorough takedown and cleaning but have not cleaned it since. It has a factory new mag. There have only been two failures, stovepipes on the 8th round with Rem Bulk Golden Bullets (hey, at least they all fired!) and they were not in serious ammo contention anyway but were sort of a default "if anything will fail, they probably will" choice. Ammo choice is limited to something readily available at WalMart or similar outlet, because she intends to practice with it and in fact is taking the CCW qualification class in NC in a couple of months. That limits the choices, but there are still some decent ones. My philosophy is that a 22LR needs adequate penetration and utter reliability. I rejected most HPs since they are not very likely to expand and if they do it just retards penetration, and also most of the hyper velocity lightweight bullet ammo for the same reason.
Here are the results of chrono testing:
Temp 73F; Wind 12-15, with gusts, from behind; PACT MKIV chrono, distance 5 yards
CCI Mini-Mag solids, 40 grains; 10 shots (ammo ~8 years old)
Hi: 1072 fps
Lo: 1022 fps
ES: 50
Avg: 1046 fps
CCI Mini-Mag solids - test 2, 40 grains, 10 shots (new sleeve of current production)
Hi: 1066 fps
Lo: 995 fps
ES: 72
Avg: 1041 fps
This ammo has been 100% reliable for over 300 rounds in this pistol. In fact, in talking to a couple of friends of mine, who have been using this ammo along with me since it came out, we can't really recall many problems *ever* with it, if at all.
CCI Velocitor, 40 grains (new), 20 shots
Hi: 1158 fps
Lo: 1088 fps
ES: 75
Avg: 1114 fps
This ammo has also been 100% reliable for 100 rounds, but it has a louder report and a lot of bolt slap. It is certainly worth testing more. I don't think using it would cause any problems for the gun for limited use. I may recommend reserving it for keeping the mag loaded and recommend the Mini-Mags for most practice. The gain of ~70fps is notable when penetration velocity is about your best ally for the 22LR.
Anyone ever had any issues with Velocitor in a MKII?
Win DynaPoint 22LR, 10 rounds (old stock)
(some of my reserve stash and not really in consideration, but I was curious about them so for historical purposes only)
Hi: 999 fps
Lo: 969 fps
ES: 30
Avg: 988
Gotta love that ES. No wonder this stuff shoots great in nearly everything!
Rem Yellow Jackets, 33 grains, 10 rounds (new)
Hi: 1204 fps
Lo: 1122 fps
ES: 82
Avg: 1169 fps
I know some folks like these for the intended purpose. I think they are a little light and if they do open penetration may be impaired. Still, it is interesting data.
CCI Blazer Bulk, 40 grains, 10 shots (new)
Hi: 1099 fps
Lo: 1054 fps
ES: 45
Avg: 1081 fps
CCI Blazer Bulk - test 2, 40 grains, 10 shots (new)
Hi: 1092 fps
Lo: 1044 fps
ES: 48
Avg: 1074 fps
This one was a surprise, both for velocity and consistency. It has also been very reliable in the gun for over 300 rounds , in fact it is in most things I shoot it in. Although, it does tend to lead up the cylinder face of my Single-Sixes after an few hundred rounds and is dirtier than the CCI Mini-Mags. Still, I was both surprised and impressed with the numbers.
Of course, everything tested was completely satisfactory for grouping and POA/POI in the pistol. It's difficult to make any of the test subject ammo shoot bad in a MKII unless it has some issues with a bad bore or leading. Groups of 50 rounds at 7 yards were pretty easy to cover with a quarter shooting off hand, and at 15 yards easily within 2.5-3" even firing fast (<5 sec) and much better when I took my time. Everything fired even much faster checking for function worked just fine too, except for the aformentioned Rem stovepipes.
I thought this info may be of use to other forum members. I always like it when someone has actual test data to report rather than basing information on factory promotional information.
