Weighing rimfire for function

Until this batch of Aguila HVSP Super Extra, it had operated perfectly in my pistol  This batch of 1,000 has failure to function problems, mainly due I think to lower velocity rounds mixed in.  Last night I sat down and weighed 200 of them.  High was about 51.8gr and low was about 50.1gr.  I went through and took out everything that was under 51.2gr.  Today the separated by weight rounds (the heavy ones) all functioned with no failures of any kind.  Just for fun I weighed some Federal auto match (the bulk packed stuff)  Out of 100 that I weighed nothing was under about 51.4gr, so I stopped weighing.  The Federal all functions so far without failure.  Federal is listed as a MV of 1,200fps and the Super Extra about 1,255fps.  Just an interesting observation.  Larry

1) Try SV your pistol with thank you later.

2) If your pistol is not functioning (FTE) with HV rounds check and make sure the chamber is clean. 

3) A lighter recoil spring may be in order. 

You are on the right track but came up with the wrong solution. The difference in weight could be attributed to the bullet or lube. Trust me there is not an 1.6 grain difference in powder. There is barely any powder in a 22lr bullet, maybe a grain if that much. 

However primers especially Eley system primers could be the cause. Hornady makes a gauge that measure rim thickness and in Aguilla you will find a lot of variance , which will cause malfunctions, that is the bad news. 

The good news is once the cartridges are sorted by rim thickness you will find a range of thickness that will produce the same accuracy as Eley Midas for a 1/4 of the cost per brick. 

Match ammo is expensive primarily because its sorted at the factory. So the only difference between $60 a brick Wolf and $130 a brick Lapua CenterX is quality control.

rich.tullo wrote:
Match ammo is expensive primarily because its sorted at the factory. So the only difference between $60 a brick Wolf and $130 a brick Lapua CenterX is quality control.

  Actually, specific to Eley, ammunition comes from one of two lines.  After a batch is made it is QA tested at their proof range and then, depending on the testing outcome, the label is chosen.  For example, Eley Match is off-spec product from the TENEX line.  (Rim thickness is very consistent on Eley products.)

I did pull down the heaviest and lightest bullet and weight the parts.  By percentage, the biggest difference was in the powder charge, (1.6gr to 1.45gr) followed by the case weight and then the bullet weight.

I do not believe that there is 10% difference in powder charge on an 22lr bullet. I am willing to bet the variance is due to your digital scale or losing powder in the process of weighing. Do not believe me weight the same charge 3 or 4 times, I bet you get 3 or 4 weights. 

That is like a 4/10ths difference on a 45acp round. Are your spent cases bulging round on the bottom just above the rim? If so you could have a chamber problem or an ammo problem. 

Re rimm thickness, not ELEY ammo but Aquila Eley primed ammo is where I found some large differences, 5 x 1000ths or more. 


ELEY target was just as good as SK in terms of variance. I actually like Eley in the yellow box better than Eley in the Orange box.

Eley Tenex is the gold standard..I won't even consider another brand.. There is nothing better out there.. One reason is the consistency and quality control....As Richard noted.. Measuring rim thickness is just one area... It  is on the money round after round.. and pull as many bullets as you want.. I have never found primer compound smeared on the inside of the case wall.. Not so on other brands.. Some are terrible with compound smears.
I have RR tested a large number of .22s over the years.. Used every brand of ammo I could find.. Some shot well, but the gun always shot Eley Red better...My reamers are custom ground to compliment the dimensions of Eley Red..

Jerry Keefer wrote:Eley Tenex is the gold standard..I won't even consider another brand.. There is nothing better out there.. One reason is the consistency and quality control....As Richard noted.. Measuring rim thickness is just one area... It  is on the money round after round.. and pull as many bullets as you want.. I have never found primer compound smeared on the inside of the case wall.. Not so on other brands.. Some are terrible with compound smears.
I have RR tested a large number of .22s over the years.. Used every brand of ammo I could find.. Some shot well, but the gun always shot Eley Red better...My reamers are custom ground to compliment the dimensions of Eley Red..

It is good stuff for sure but At 18-22.00 for a box of 50 not a luxury many can afford. I'm guessing I've bought plenty of it though even if I never got to fire it. We taxpayers spare no expense to outfit our military teams with pallets of Tenex and the best Federal gold match or Atlanta Arms match 45 on the market, then have to compete against them  where's the fairness in that

rich.tullo wrote:I do not believe that there is 10% difference in powder charge on an 22lr bullet.

  Again, in the specific case of Eley TENEX, powder charges aren't weighed at all.  Five (5) cases at a time are charged and optically scanned.  If the the highest to lowest difference exceeds the limit, all five are dumped and recharged.  (This was true in 2008; they may have a different system now.)