I recently acquired my first two 22lr guns (Older Glenfield Model 60 and a new SW22 Victory). I've been shooting bulk Federal copper plated rounds, but have seen many 22lr rounds for sale that are not plated. Can someone tell me the difference and advantages/disadvantages are between the two?
One leaves copper in the barrel, and one leaves lead.
If I was hunting, I'd chose the jacketed.
Typically, target rounds are lead round nose.
Otherwise
Plated? Or Jacketed?
The friction of a bullet moving through the barrel creates a lot of heat (not to mention the powder burning). If that heat gets to be too much, the lead bullets can melt a bit and leave lead in the rifling. Copper won't do that.
Kept to low speeds (subsonic and standard velocity .22 LR), lead bullets won't make a barrel significantly (if any) dirtier than plated bullets do. It's not until you get up to the high velocity stuff that plated bullets are really needed.
The friction of a bullet moving through the barrel creates a lot of heat (not to mention the powder burning). If that heat gets to be too much, the lead bullets can melt a bit and leave lead in the rifling. Copper won't do that.
Kept to low speeds (subsonic and standard velocity .22 LR), lead bullets won't make a barrel significantly (if any) dirtier than plated bullets do. It's not until you get up to the high velocity stuff that plated bullets are really needed.
I can't think of any accurate target ammo that is plated. There may be some, but I have not noticed any. Of course, they are all standard velocity.
I have been using copper plated CCI Mini-Mag 40g for years because they seem to run my semi-auto fun guns reliably. I know my guns weren't as dirty, assumed it was the different powder. Also thought it wasn't as accurate, blamed that on my old eyes and shaky hands.
Thank you both for the solid info.
Now when I miss, I can blame the ammo.
I can't think of any accurate target ammo that is plated. There may be some, but I have not noticed any. Of course, they are all standard velocity.
'i shoot aguila superextra HV (copper washed) and fed automatch HV (lead) ammo in al 4 of my RF guns for steel. ive never noticed any difference in accuracy between them.
seems like a lot of higher priced ie: match ammo is lead
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I'm not finding a lot of choices out there right now anyway. I'll just go with what I can find right now and see how they work out. Thanks for the input.
the only thing ive seen in any quantity, locally, (NWI) has been RWS rifle. $65-$69/500
it's not in my budget at the moment..
in the area theres really no 22LR on the shelves. i'm getting tired of searching locally. the online distributors ive been watching have limited quantities, when it comes into stock, and sells out fast. last i checked (friday morning) there was nothing available for under 10-11 cents a round, even remington buckets of bullets were at 12 cnts a round
The main difference I've noted, aside from lead fouling, is that my Ruger 22/45 Mark 3 was more likely to have a FTF with a lead round (and the round usually was mangled and hung up in the gun) the copper ones seemed to feed through it more reliably.
I have also noticed slightly smoother feeding with copper plated rounds. the greasy/waxy lube is meant to facilitate going down the barrel not feeding. I also don't get as much chamber fouling (causing failures to extract) from the lube building up on my Smith 2206. it's more accurate with eley or SK (lubed lead) but goes a lot longer between cleanings with armscor or remington golden bullets.