Friday, December 03, 2010

The best ammo for a 22 caliber Savage 64 rifle

I love my Savage 64, an amazing 22 rifle that can nuke pop bottles all day at 100 yards with a telescopic sight:



We tested many types of bullets on my Savage 64 using a benchrest at 50 yards.



In my tests for the best bullets for the CZ 452 accuracy, the ballistic characteristics of the best ammo was simple:

- Low velocity ammo is better: Without exception, the “low velocity”, “subsonic” and “standard velocity” 22 bullets shot tighter groups with my Savage 64.

- Expensive ammo is better: With two notable exceptions (in order, Blazer and CCI standard velocity), the more expensive 22 bullets consistently shot tighter groups with less “flyers”. You get what you pay for.

I tested many types of 22 caliber ammo, but my test is by no means definitive. My best ammo is rated best to worst, for my 22 Savage 64. As you can see, there is a direct correlation between price and accuracy:

- Blazer 22 long rifle - This ammo just blows out the bullseye at 100 yards and it only costs 5 cents per bullet!

- CCI 22 standard velocity – Twelve cents each (12 cents)

See my full notes on testing for the most accurate ammo for a Savage model 64 target rifle.