rimfire ammo: Pb vs Cu

[ChrisS 31]

I've been slowly amassing .22lr ammo. Everything from CCI mini mags to LRNs to Federal bulk and target ammo. Winchester M22 also. My question now is: Is it better to shoot copper as opposed to lead? Will it keep my mk III cleaner? Any other pros or cons? Anxiously awaiting this Saturday when I get to pick up the Ruger. Thanks in advance for any insight you could provide.

[JackDaWack 2,895]

22lr rounds are copper washed... i wouldnt even consider it plated.

 

most match grade ammo is pure lead for better expansion and better accuracy.

 

Copper will keep the bore cleaner.

[T Bill 649]

Copper washed 22LR will take a little longer to lead your bore, but will do it none the less.  All 22LR is dirty, leading wonders.  You will spend countless hours cleaning lead and dirt out of any 22LR pistol. Nature of the beast.  So the objective is to stay away from the ammo that causes the most grief.  Which one? Only your pistol knows, she'll tell you as soon as you start firing it.  Different for each one, the same as which ammo works best.  Get yourself a good cleaning kit, lead solvent, and a Big 45 Metal Cleaner (www.big45.com).  Some say a chore boy pad works as well, but I buy several at the same time on-line and they last for years.  I have used them to remove rust from bluing, chrome, and anywhere i need to clean up all types steel.  Can't live without them.

[DSD1026 48]

I prefer copper plated..  22 is dirty enough on its own, why get everything dirtier even faster..   I certainly have some LRN (Fed auto match) but its not my go to 22 ammo.  As T Bill said, cleaning a 22 is seemingly more imperative than with centerfire, as it gets dirty easier.  Whereas I could (but dont) go more than one range session without cleaning a 9mm pistol, i would always clean a 22 after each range trip simply because its more sensitive to be clean for smoother operation

 

shoot whatever 22 ammo you have.  your gun will like some better than others (most do).  For instance, my M&P22 likes Mini Mags, M22, Fiocchi CPSP, even the Fed Auto Match (although, that isnt perfect) but it HATES Winchester Bulk (333 box)...  I will get 1-2 FTE's per mag with that ammo whereas I might get one FTE every 10th mag with the other stuff

[ReadDude 0]

I have put 5,000+ rounds through my Ruger MK III Hunter and the only ammo that ever gave it a problem was hollow points of any type, especially yellow jackets and HP mini-mags.  It has always eaten just about anything else. it shoots most accurately with CCI Standard Velocity rounds (and < super-sonic rounds in general)

 

I use copper "plated" (e.g., CCI mini-mags, AR tacticals), coated lead (e.g. M22, Norma, Wolf, etc.) and bare lead like Blazer and Wildcats with no problems.  As mentioned above, I normally use a de-leading gun cleaner (currently Hoppes Elite, in the past Butch's Bore Shine and others) regularly and have never seen any significant lead buildup.  I clean my MK III on average after 200-400 rounds (that is often one outing....)

 

BTW, recently i have been getting more FTE and FTF issues with the gun (once or twice in a 100 rounds), even with "quality ammo", I think it is time to replace the firing pin and extractor as many folks find with the Rugers after a lot of rounds through it.

 

One proof of the firing pin, is that I take the mis-fired rounds and put them in one of my .22LR rifles and they fire the first time.

[T Bill 649]

If you have over 5000 rounds on the same firing pin and extractor then a tune-up is in order.  Carefully check the bolt face and breech area of the barrel as these are big harbingers of "crud".  I will take down the pistol and with brake clean and a dental pick explore every nook and cranny to extract firing residue, even in the extractor area of the bolt.  I replace almost all of my springs with a Wolff spring kit when I do the extractor and firing pin.

[ChrisJM981 924]

I have put 5,000+ rounds through my Ruger MK III Hunter and the only ammo that ever gave it a problem was hollow points of any type, especially yellow jackets and HP mini-mags. It has always eaten just about anything else. it shoots most accurately with CCI Standard Velocity rounds (and < super-sonic rounds in general)

 

I use copper "plated" (e.g., CCI mini-mags, AR tacticals), coated lead (e.g. M22, Norma, Wolf, etc.) and bare lead like Blazer and Wildcats with no problems. As mentioned above, I normally use a de-leading gun cleaner (currently Hoppes Elite, in the past Butch's Bore Shine and others) regularly and have never seen any significant lead buildup. I clean my MK III on average after 200-400 rounds (that is often one outing....)

 

BTW, recently i have been getting more FTE and FTF issues with the gun (once or twice in a 100 rounds), even with "quality ammo", I think it is time to replace the firing pin and extractor as many folks find with the Rugers after a lot of rounds through it.

 

One proof of the firing pin, is that I take the mis-fired rounds and put them in one of my .22LR rifles and they fire the first time.

It depends on the gun for me as well. S&W 22A will eat almost anything except Winchester Wildcat and anything made by Remington. My Walther P22 runs flawlessly with Mini Mags, and very well with RN Plated ammo.

 

I've become lazy in the past few years, and I don't really clean my 22s aside from a bore snake, mostly die to lack of a proper space to do so.

 

If you get FTF from the firing pin, sometimes the firing pin channel needs to be degummed. My S&W did not list this as a cleaning procedure in the manual for a basic field strip. I had to check YouTube for how to do it. It was amazing how much gummy residue was in there when I took it apart. Not sure how the Rugers are designed, but it's something to look into.

[ReadDude 0]

If you have over 5000 rounds on the same firing pin and extractor then a tune-up is in order.  Carefully check the bolt face and breech area of the barrel as these are big harbingers of "crud".  I will take down the pistol and with brake clean and a dental pick explore every nook and cranny to extract firing residue, even in the extractor area of the bolt.  I replace almost all of my springs with a Wolff spring kit when I do the extractor and firing pin.

sounds like time to due a full tuneup, you are right. the brake cleaner is sitting on my workbench taunting me :-)

[PeteF 1,044]

Copper washed 22LR will take a little longer to lead your bore, but will do it none the less. All 22LR is dirty, leading wonders. You will spend countless hours cleaning lead and dirt out of any 22LR pistol. Nature of the beast. So the objective is to stay away from the ammo that causes the most grief. Which one? Only your pistol knows, she'll tell you as soon as you start firing it. Different for each one, the same as which ammo works best. Get yourself a good cleaning kit, lead solvent, and a Big 45 Metal Cleaner (www.big45.com). Some say a chore boy pad works as well, but I buy several at the same time on-line and they last for years. I have used them to remove rust from bluing, chrome, and anywhere i need to clean up all types steel. Can't live without them.

Careful with the chore boys. Some are not pure copper, but copper plated steel.