First time ever shooting Lapua X-act and Long Range--bad news for all the other manufacturers!

[stagpanther]

I've never shot these 22lr offerings from Lapua--mainly because I've never seen them available. So when they popped up at Creedmoor sports a few days ago, I said why not, I already spend big bucks on premium RWS and Eley ammo, I'll give em a shot (pun intended).

Yesterday was a bit breezy here in coastal Maine--winds gusting to over 50 mph; but today the sun came out for the first time in recent memory and the winds backed off to a more reasonable 15 to 25 mph. Normally I wouldn't even consider shooting match grade ammo in anything over a few mph occasional puff, but I was burning with curiosity.

I set up my target box with a left-over practice target on it and anchored it with a big stone at 53 yds, the prevailing wind direction coming from my 8:00; my technique came down to choosing to fire when the box stopped rocking back and forth. This group is the very first 10 shots of X-Act I've ever fired, I was very pleasantly surprised by how well it fired in the wind, I'm going to have to rethink that as one of my primary excuses for not shooting in windier conditions! Actually the measured group is 9 shots--the one to the right I'm calling a flier due to not getting the shot off before the box rock and rolled again.

Team Lapua--sign me up!

[DaleA]

I realize this is a post about the ammunition but, just curious, what rifle were you using?

[Rimfire5]

Stagpanther,

Great shooting in the wind, by the way.
Your results confirm what I have measured.

Quite a number of years ago, I splurged and bought a four boxes of X-Act after falling in love with Lapua Center-X and Midas Plus bullets after comparing 58 different bullet offerings in 7 .22lr rifles.
I mostly shot over 48,685 rounds - 9,737 measured 5-round groups with my 7 rifles and 10 rifles belonging to 3 of my friends.

At 50 Yards:
My Cooper 57M managed to average under 0.4 inches with 9 ammos and X-Act averaged 0.330.
The Kidd managed to average under 0.4 inches with 8 ammos and X-Act averaged 0.339.
I admit that I have done most of my shooting at 50 yards with 7 different .22lr rifles.

At 100 yds:
To measure the difference in the best bullets, I used X-Act with my Cooper 57M and my Kidd semi at 100 yards since I had concluded that a .22lr bullets accuracy was tested best at 100 yards because the best bullets were significantly more accurate at 100 yards. My belief was that the quality control of the high-grade match bullets made the difference.
With the Cooper, X-act averaged just over .6 of an inch at 100 yards. I was never considered an expert at reading the wind.
That Cooper averaged just under 0.8 with Tenex and exactly 0.8 with Center-X.
The Cooper overall average with 6 bullets other than X-Act was 0.85 for 89 groups.

With the Kidd, X-Act averaged .74 of an inch at 100 yards.
The Kidd averaged 0.84 with Center-X.
The Kidd overall average with 7 bullets other than X-Act was 0.88 for 209 groups, including some mid-brands like SK and Wolf.

Back then, X-Act cost $26 a box. I have no idea what it costs now.
I decided that for my .22LR shooting I would stick to Center-X and have since shot through two cases. Not quite as accurate as X-Act but a lot cheaper and more within my budget.

From my testing Lapua .22lr bullets seem to set the standard for accuracy.
In a couple of rifles with tight chambers, Eley Tenex gives Lapua a run for the money, but across all 7 of my rifles, Lapua shoots consistently better in all of them, while the high-end Eley Tenex and Match seem to have issues with more than half of my rifles, probably because the seem to prefer tighter chambered rifles.

[stagpanther]

I realize this is a post about the ammunition but, just curious, what rifle were you using?

My well-used (and abused) CZ 457 jaguar.

Stagpanther,

Great shooting in the wind, by the way.
Your results confirm what I have measured.

Thanks; could be just luck--but considering the significant wind I could tell within the first few shots--all in one hole--that there is something special about the x-act. I could probably equal that with RWS 50, 100 or Eley Tenex given enough tries but in the same conditions would be hard. delivered to my door X- act is about $38 a box I've seen (I think) your results posted somewhere else before as I recall--I just don't remember where.

[stagpanther]

My belief was that the quality control of the high-grade match bullets made the difference.

My belief as well. I think the average centerfire shooter doesn't appreciate how critical precise tolerances are in the rimfire world, especially 22lr. Even just a slight difference in rim thickness can have a profound effect on how a cartridge shoots in a given rifle. I have both match chambers and conventional "looser" chambers, I just don't have the patience to figure out the perfect cartridge for a match chambered 22lr--much less be left high and dry if that unicorn lot number ammo isn't available.

[taylorce1]

Thanks for posting, stagpanther. I was looking at that the other day. I blew my discretionary wad on new optics for my .22 lr and .30-30 this paycheck. I'll have to wait for the next payday.

I don't have a match chamber, but my little Bergara BMR does pretty well. We're expecting high winds and red flag fire watch today. So I won't go test my new optics, and just enjoy Easter Sunday with my family.

[taylorce1]

Originally Posted by stagpanther

My well-used (and abused) CZ 457 jaguar.

I wouldn't say abused, I'd say highly modified! Last time you poste pictures it looked nothing like it did from the factory.

[stagpanther]

I wouldn't say abused, I'd say highly modified! Last time you poste pictures it looked nothing like it did from the factory.

Oh yes abused--I've used it for lead factory ammo as well as a testbed for my monolithic handloads of dubious pressure and headspacing qualities which every so often led to a case head detonation and very stubborn copper streaks in the bore. It's also been exposed to the finest snow and rain storms that Maine can offer up.

All that said, she's still a honey of a shooter.

The only things that aren't stock are the chassis and yodave spring job--otherwise she's a true blue CZ 457 action/barrel with conventional add-ons. The Leupold vx5 HD doesn't hurt, either.

[FrankenMauser]

Stop making me want to try the expensive stuff. I can't afford to actually shoot it.
Between the boy and I, we shoot about 300-500 rounds per month in the match rifles.
If testing of a new configuration is required, or a high round count match is involved, that easily doubles.

[DaleA]

My well-used (and abused) CZ 457 jaguar.

Thanks for the information. I've been seriously looking at a Bergara but CZ has quite the reputation for accuracy too.

[stagpanther]

Well--went out again today since it was nice and sunny, but the winds were such that where I shoot I was forced to shoot into a quartering headwind of 10 to 15 mph; a swirling mess basically. I was kinda of on a high from yesterday's results and was thinking (praying) maybe the x-act perhaps was more impervious to headwinds/crosswinds. It was not--or at least not by very much, compared to the other ammos I shot out of my rifle.

[stagpanther]

If testing of a new configuration is required, or a high round count match is involved, that easily doubles.

At a bare minimum you're looking at per shot costs pretty close to bulk 9mm,5.56 and 7.62 x 39 for "the good stuff."

[tangolima]

Hey Panther. Did you try doping the wind at all? The group should be much smaller without the wind. Good shootin'.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[stagpanther]

Thanks for posting, stagpanther. I was looking at that the other day. I blew my discretionary wad on new optics for my .22 lr and .30-30 this paycheck. I'll have to wait for the next payday.

Full disclosure--prevailing opinion about the jaguar's unusually long 28" barrel is that it is a detriment to velocity and performance compared to shorter barrels, especially around 18". I have 16 and 18 inch barrels in addition to the jaguar's 28" and have not noticed any performance advantage with the shorter barrels, in fact I always shoot the jaguar if I can because it's generally more accurate/consistent than the others for me. On the other hand if a longer barrel was somehow truly better in all cases--that's probably all you would see on the firing line at top matches.

[stagpanther]

Hey Panther. Did you try doping the wind at all? The group should be much smaller without the wind. Good shootin'.

I did not--because the wind was coming in through trees, rocks etc that basically made the air a washing machine. With no adjustments at all shots would successively move 2 MOA in any direction. Wind streamer at my truck went around in circles/zig zags. I still feel it was worthwhile just for me to find the limits (for me anyway).

[Rimfire5]

Stagpanther,

One thing about Lapua .22lr ammo - I don't think lot numbers are all that significant.

I bought a case of Center-X about 10 years ago and it shot really good. That was when you could order a couple of boxes of several lots from Champions Shooter Supply and then pick the best lot and they would send you a case.
When I asked them about doing that with Lapua ammo, they laughed and said no one does that with Lapua.

After I had two boxes left out of the case of Center-X. I reordered another case.
When the new case arrived, I took the two boxes left from the old case and two boxes from the new case and my Cooper 57M and went to the range and shot the four boxes at 50 yards. The averages from 20 groups from the old case and the 20 groups from the new case were 0.001 different. That is essentially statistically insignificant.

CSS was right - different lots, even years apart, don't seem to matter to Lapua.

[tangolima]

Originally Posted by stagpanther

I did not--because the wind was coming in through trees, rocks etc that basically made the air a washing machine. With no adjustments at all shots would successively move 2 MOA in any direction. Wind streamer at my truck went around in circles/zig zags. I still feel it was worthwhile just for me to find the limits (for me anyway).

Right. Assuming the ammo shoots an one hole group, 0.6moa/50yd is the upper bound of wind deflection. With the same wind condition, it grows approximately proportional in moa to distance, 1.2moa @100yd, 3.6moa @300yd etc.

My cheap rifle/ammo shoots about the same size of group at 50yd WITHOUT wind. If I were to shoot my rifle where you were, the group would probably be 0.85moa. just some useless thoughts.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[stagpanther]

Here's an interesting data point to ponder: RWS rates their R 100 @ 1130 fps (just above where a projectile breaks the sound barrier).
Out of my jaguar's 28" barrel I always get the supersonic crack when I fire R 100-- theoretically max velocity is generally attained at 16 to 18" in the bore for 22lr.

[tangolima]

The crack may be the gas exiting the muzzle.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[stagpanther]

The crack may be the gas exiting the muzzle.

Could be--though I never notice it with other ammo that's in the sub 1100 fps range.

[stagpanther]

CSS was right - different lots, even years apart, don't seem to matter to Lapua.

Consistency like that is what earns dedicated customers.

[FrankenMauser]

Full disclosure--prevailing opinion about the jaguar's unusually long 28" barrel is that it is a detriment to velocity and performance compared to shorter barrels, especially around 18". I have 16 and 18 inch barrels in addition to the jaguar's 28" and have not noticed any performance advantage with the shorter barrels, in fact I always shoot the jaguar if I can because it's generally more accurate/consistent than the others for me.

I've tested 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, 24, and 25 inch barrels (and 26?). With, at a minimum, 3-4 types of bulk ammo, boxed Aguila, boxed Armscor, Federal GameShok (boxed), Federal Champion Target (boxed), CCI SV, Wolf Match Extra, Blazer 40 gr RN, Eley Rifle Match, Norma TAC-22, and Aguila SSS. (Most also saw a few SK loads and some other Eley ammo, but not all.)

I have seen enough decrease in group size with subsonic ammo in 20-25" barrels, vs 16-19", to at least partially agree with the "universal fact" that 24" is best. The groups do seem to "calm" down a bit, and vertical stringing is reduced.
But with HV ammo, it doesn't seem to matter. The only differences that I've really seen are a little more reach (flatter trajectory), and possibly less vertical stringing.

It looks like I am going to need to run my backup rifle, the 18" 10/22 in this month's X match (for various reasons). With advertised ranges being "long" on average, and out to 300 yd, I am seriously considering working up all new dope with Blazer 40 gr RN. That scope only has about 36 MoA of elevation left and only a few subtensions in the reticle (2.3, 5.3, 8.8, and 12 MoA). With CCI SV, I need about 46 MoA to make 300 yd. But with Blazer 40 gr RN, I can get to 300 yd by dialing 36 MoA.

[stagpanther]

It looks like I am going to need to run my backup rifle, the 18" 10/22 in this month's X match (for various reasons). With advertised ranges being "long" on average, and out to 300 yd, I am seriously considering working up all new dope with Blazer 40 gr RN. That scope only has about 36 MoA of elevation left and only a few subtensions in the reticle (2.3, 5.3, 8.8, and 12 MoA). With CCI SV, I need about 46 MoA to make 300 yd. But with Blazer 40 gr RN, I can get to 300 yd by dialing 36 MoA.

I went out again yesterday when the winds dropped a bit to around 5 to 10 mph but still a switchy headwind that went back and forth from left to right quartering cross and shot at 231 yards. I don't know why, but I've found the SV and "just above super" (like R-100) ammos if they do well to 225 yds--they will do well past that. The reduction in wind velocity that I shot in turned out to make a really big difference and my 5 shot groups were reasonably tight considering the switchy winds. Lapua's Long range placed around 1.9 MOA and X act placed just under 1.5 MOA--both beating R-100 which was over 2; R-100 being my best longer range ammo previously. I'm going to go out again at dawn or dusk calm conditions (if they ever happen here) and shoot again as I think they will all do better, but I suspect the Lapua ammo will beat the R-100. In my experience premium ammo will always beat the lower-priced stuff at and past 225 yds out of my jaguar.

[stagpanther]

Franken--what is an x match? when I google it all I get is spreadsheet functions.

[FrankenMauser]

Those groups would be more than acceptable.
Not bad.

--------------------

NRL22X.

NRL22 on steroids. (And for championship points, but I'm not at that level.)
Longer ranges.
Smaller targets.
Harder stages.
Higher round counts.
Shorter time limits.
Difficult props and shooting positions.
Blind stages.
Unknown distance stages.
Stages with crippling gear limitations.
Whatever else a match director can dream up.
And overall longer matches. (8-10 hours, or more; vs 2-4 for normal NRL22)


This match says they are only shooting to 300 yd. But it is not uncommon for longer ranges to be encountered. The X match that our club held last year, for example, went to ~420 yards. Even with a better scope and base, I had to "max out" elevation and hold 22 MoA in the reticle.

(I never shoot with a scope adjustment against its stop. "Maxing out" elevation, for me, means hitting the stop and backing off a few MoAs/Mils.)