Ammo question for competitive .22LR

[u/edyuster]

I got a CZ 457 MTR Varmint and I’m looking to shoot competitively next season/ year. I did some small batch of ammo testing at 50 yards and the best results was between the SK Rifle Match and SK Long Range Match. I tried 100 yards and the SK Rifle seems to be all over the place.

I know .22LR ammo can also vary by lot. By the time I purchase more I’m not sure how the new lot will behave.

So the questions here are:

What’s the best approach to testing ammo and getting a large amount? Do I purchase a test batch at the beginning of the season and buy a boat load it quickly after?

I’m seeing a drought in ammo, do these come in waves and I just have to keep checking retailers? or do I need to preorder them so I get the amount I need?

Also for anyone shooting ISSF .22LR as well same questions. Looking to get a Pardini and doing this process but it seems like the pistol ammo is in even shorter supply.

[u/preferablyoutside]

There any chance there was a wind sock at the 100Y target?

As how much wind is a factor with .22LR is often overlooked on here.

Normally I’ve bought six or eight boxes of “premium” .22 tried them all then shot to 100Y

The ones that are good I keep buying, the ones that are good enough and reasonably priced I use for shooting and testing fundamentals for me that’s been the Sellier and Bellot 40gr as it’s accurate enough to 200Y for me, an then Lapua for beyond that.

I wait until Tenda has a good sale on and buy 5k rd packs, normally that lasts me from spring until hunting season whereupon the bolt gun gets hung up and the bow takes precedence for after work and weekend activities. I shoot archery daily I just prioritize time in the treestand as lobbing .22 to 300Y doesn’t put a moose in a freezer.

[u/edyuster → u/preferablyoutside]

I’m still fairly new to precision rimfire (been doing more centre fire).

I discounted then horizontal shifts as I know it affects 22LR a lot more at 100yds. The elevation shift was anywhere between 1-1.5”. Which seems a bit much to me.

Where do you go for Lapua ammo? Haven’t seen much in stock since this time last year and was only able to pick up Midas+

[u/preferablyoutside → u/edyuster]

Makes sense, I’d still hang a sock up if possible as I’ve had some weird experiences with wind and .22LR

I snagged a shitload of Lapua SK LR Match spring of ‘25 from Tenda and haven’t burned through it yet mostly as I’m a cheap maf’k and use the S&B

Honestly finding a good enough ammo and shooting the piss out of it has been better for me than really worrying about lot numbers as good fundamentals and better trigger discipline have been tightening up my game