CCI Mini-Mag vs Eley Target Subsonic

[cz74]

Out of my Savage MK II bolt action, lots of issues with Mini-Mag, would not extract the spent casing after I pull the bolt back, had to drop magazine, push the bolt in again to extract. Switched to Eley Target Subsonic, went through 100 rounds no issues at all, was extremely accurate at 100 yards thumb sized groups! Has CCI Mini-Mag drop in quality?

[Bastard]

transonic - I'm doing all this from memory + day drinking so apologies if not entirely accurate

the reason that the subsonic was more accurate at 100 is because SV 22 goes transonic somewhere between 75 & 100 yards and the easiest way to combat this is to start with subsonic...

as for the mini-mags, no 22 is perfect and what is close to perfect for one gun may be almost unshootable in another - the minimags are used as a standard for consistency but mainly as a benchmark fir consistency in cycling a semiautomatic... if the problem is ejecting, it may be a gun issue or it may easily be solved but just shooting the minimags out of something else, especially since your rifle seems to like the Eleys

[Paseclipse]

Out of my Savage MK II bolt action, lots of issues with Mini-Mag, would not extract the spent casing after I pull the bolt back, had to drop magazine, push the bolt in again to extract. Switched to Eley Target Subsonic, went through 100 rounds no issues at all, was extremely accurate at 100 yards thumb sized groups! Has CCI Mini-Mag drop in quality?

Sssshhh..... You just discovered the "secret" to precision 22LR shooting!

Bastard pretty much nails it with his explanation. Keeping the bullet subsonic is the key to accuracy because your not hitting the transonic barrier which can destabilize the bullet.

1 MOA is about right for a Mark II's accuracy with the right projectile. Eley ammo is a little bit pricey and can be hard to find though, so don't look past cheaper standard velocity options. If you can find a bullet that has a velocity around 1,100 fps out of your barrel you'll be right on the edge of going supersonic.

I get a kick out of it when someone discovers how accurate their Savage Mark II is because I firmly believe they're one of the most underrated 22 LR bolt actions available! I can get 1 MOA accuracy out of my Savage Mark II BTV all day long with Aguila Super Extra (40 gr standard velocity) if I do my part.

[joe47]

Sssshhh..... You just discovered the "secret" to precision 22LR shooting!

Bastard pretty much nails it with his explanation. Keeping the bullet subsonic is the key to accuracy because your not hitting the transonic barrier which can destabilize the bullet.

1 MOA is about right for a Mark II's accuracy with the right projectile. Eley ammo is a little bit pricey and can be hard to find though, so don't look past cheaper standard velocity options. If you can find a bullet that has a velocity around 1,100 fps out of your barrel you'll be right on the edge of going supersonic.

I get a kick out of it when someone discovers how accurate their Savage Mark II is because I firmly believe they're one of the most underrated 22 LR bolt actions available! I can get 1 MOA accuracy out of my Savage Mark II BTV all day long with Aguila Super Extra (40 gr standard velocity) if I do my part.

[Teachu2]

As far as the extraction issues, it's often solved with a chamber brush. Had a friend bring a brand new Savage over last Saturday to use my range. He was having to cycle the bolt twice on every round. Handed him my Gunsmither chamber brush/mop, he gave it a few quick strokes and it ran fine for another 15-20 rounds. Repeated with same results. Changed ammo, problem went away.

Two possible factors in play - the ammo and the gun. Ammo has two factors, the lube and the pressure. Lubes vary widely, some manufacturers use a lot (ammo feels greasy) and others seem to not use any at all. High velocity ammo has higher pressure, so the cases tend to expand more and are harder to extract. As for the gun, some chambers are tighter than others and some are smoother or rougher in their machining. All can develop a carbon ring from shooting that makes extraction more difficult. Lots of info over at www.rimfirecentral.com about this.

I spent $50 or so and bought a bore scope. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Teslong-Rif...Cclp%3A2334524
This allows me to really see inside the chamber to look for rough or fouled spots, but isn't absolutely necessary. For sticking cases, a 243/6mm bronze brush cures a lot of issues.