Ammo for a Pardini SP22

[Bob-Riegl]

My new Pardini SP mechanical (purchased prior to the gun being declared an assault weapon in NY) has shot everything I put through it including CCI SV. It's an "alles fresser"as labeled by the Late Don Nygord. "Doc"

[Rover]

Well, I can guarantee, just from the characteristics when I shoot, that the two are NOT the same at all. I shot the last of my Fiocchi last weekend and the cheap Aguila Saturday.

[cgroppi]

Well, I can guarantee, just from the characteristics when I shoot, that the two are NOT the same at all. I shot the last of my Fiocchi last weekend and the cheap Aguila Saturday.

I shoot the same Fiocchi as Rover. It's marked 22FLRN. It shoots 1" at 50 yards from a Ransom rest out of my SP Bullseye. I haven't tested Wolf yet from the rest. Maybe it's better but the Fiocchi is already pretty good and at least it used to be cheap. I paid $335 for a case before the late unpleasantness.

[641]

...

[crankythunder]

Having recently purchased a Pardini SP after shooting a IZH 35M, I went through a exensive accuracy testing with all the reasonably priced ammo.

What I found out was that CCI grouped 1/2 inch 10 shot groups at 25 yards, whereas all the rest, eley, rws, sk, wolf, all the next step up pricewise subsonics all grouped at 3/8 inch 10 shot 25 yard groups.

The above testing was performed on a sand bag rest off a bench.

These results are exactly what I achieved with the Russian IZH 35M.

the Conclusions:

CCI is not as accurate as Eley, RWS, SK, Wolf, or Lapua in my Pardini or 35M.

Reliability is more important then accuracy since all ammo tested delivered 100 percent X ring accuracy.

with over 2000 rounds through my new pardini, I have experienced one failure to fire with CCI SV. The round was rotated a bit in the chamber and fired the second time it was tried.

Results: I use CCI sV as practice ammo until current supply is exhausted. Eley sport was selected as a competition round although reliability and further functioning and accuracy from the hand evaluations are still proceeding.

Regards,
Cranky

Update: Well it is ether the cold weather or I got into a different brick of eley sport but all of a sudden, eley sport is not as reliable functioning out of my pardini. does not have the horsepower to cycle the bolt.

[641]

Interestingly, I have used a Rim Thickness gauge on CCI SV (paper box) ammunition. There is a great deal of variation in almost every round. I generally grade the ammunition to less than standard, equal to standard, and above standard. The percentages I have found are: 20% less than standard, 50% equal to standard, and 30% over standard. After working through 5000 rounds of CCI SV this way, in order to assure accuracy, I gave up and switched to SK Standard Plus.

[jliston48]

A few weeks ago, Abela's Gunshop in Campbelltown had plastic bags of Geco 22LR Std Vel that were made up from broken cases (whatever that means?). Price was $35.00 per bag of 500. They had a heavy coating of light lube on them (like petroleum jelly or Vaseline). I wiped the excess lube off and they have worked well in the SP1 Rapid Fire model and are very accurate in the 50m pistols.
Also, I have yet to find an ammo that doesn't work in the Pardini. CCI is the cheapest, if a little "punchy" compared to the SK Pistol Match but at half the price of the SK, it is good for training. The CCI also produces 20mm groups over 50m in both my Russian free pistols.

[jliston48]

A few weeks ago, Abela's Gunshop in Campbelltown had plastic bags of Geco 22LR Std Vel that were made up from broken cases (whatever that means?). Price was $35.00 per bag of 500. They had a heavy coating of light lube on them (like petroleum jelly or Vaseline). I wiped the excess lube off and they have worked well in the SP1 Rapid Fire model and are very accurate in the 50m pistols.
Also, I have yet to find an ammo that doesn't work in the Pardini. CCI is the cheapest, if a little "punchy" compared to the SK Pistol Match but at half the price of the SK, it is good for training. The CCI also produces 20mm groups over 50m in both my Russian free pistols.

[montster]

Over all length variability of CCI has caused me to switch to wolf and SK. Out of the past 4 cases of CCI purchased in the past 2 years,2 cases were long enough that they feed unreliably in 2 different pardini sp as well as two 35M. Accuracy was fine. Just alibi prone with high rate of misfeeds.

Only measurable difference was over all length. It was evident the length was the issue as bullet tips were touching the magazine wall. Leading to inconsistent angle as they moved into the top spot.

Glad I had an outlet for the CCI.

Wolf and SK are more expensive but I decided avoiding frustration was worth it as well as the wolf and sk have been easier to find the past 6 months.

[Chris]

I have a very old SP. It becomes picky with ammo longer than 0.985".

[tuj]

My SP Old likes SK Pistol Match Special.

[cgroppi]

I did some more ransom rest testing today. I was mainly testing 32 acp loads, but put the 22 barrel on and tried some 22 ammo. I tested Fiocchi 22FLRN, Wolf Match Target, RWS Target Rifle and Eley Tenex. I wouldn't usually consider shooting Tenex from a pistol, but I used it as the benchmark since I had some from my rifle days.

The results were as follows, 5 shot groups CTC at 50 yards:

Wolf: 0.9"
Tenex: 1.0"
RWS: 1.1"
Fiocchi: 1.2"

I was surprised that wolf was as good/better than tenex. This is probably because the gun is the limit not the ammo.

[jliston48]

A few weeks ago, Abela's Gunshop in Campbelltown had plastic bags of Geco 22LR Std Vel that were made up from broken cases (whatever that means?). Price was $35.00 per bag of 500.

All gone now, unfortunately.

I have a Pardini SP1new Rapid Fire with mechanical trigger. I tried some SK Magazine .22 (sold in tins of 500 and I read somewhere that it was not suitable for auto pistols). I was happy with the result - it functioned perfectly. I tested its accuracy in a 50m pistol in the Ransom Rest over 50m and it was 0.8". I chronographed it in the Pardini and it averaged (20 shots) 783 ft/sec, making it too slow for Rapid Fire. The minimum velocity is 250 m/s or 821 ft/sec. I tried it in a Domino SP602 and it averaged (10 shots) 806 ft/sec. I suspect that it might just be legal in the Morini CM22M RF as all other ammo is 5% faster in the Morini - I haven't worked out why but I suspect a slightly looser barrel in the Morini. I'll test it in the Morini next week and post the results.

[jliston48]

A few weeks ago, Abela's Gunshop in Campbelltown had plastic bags of Geco 22LR Std Vel that were made up from broken cases (whatever that means?). Price was $35.00 per bag of 500.

All gone now, unfortunately.

I have a Pardini SP1new Rapid Fire with mechanical trigger. I tried some SK Magazine .22 (sold in tins of 500 and I read somewhere that it was not suitable for auto pistols). I was happy with the result - it functioned perfectly. I tested its accuracy in a 50m pistol in the Ransom Rest over 50m and it was 0.8". I chronographed it in the Pardini and it averaged (20 shots) 783 ft/sec, making it too slow for Rapid Fire. The minimum velocity is 250 m/s or 821 ft/sec. I tried it in a Domino SP602 and it averaged (10 shots) 806 ft/sec. I suspect that it might just be legal in the Morini CM22M RF as all other ammo is 5% faster in the Morini - I haven't worked out why but I suspect a slightly looser barrel in the Morini. I'll test it in the Morini next week and post the results.

[j-team]

I chronographed it in the Pardini and it averaged (20 shots) 783 ft/sec, making it too slow for Rapid Fire. The minimum velocity is 250 m/s or 821 ft/sec. I tried it in a Domino SP602 and it averaged (10 shots) 806 ft/sec. I suspect that it might just be legal in the Morini CM22M RF as all other ammo is 5% faster in the Morini - I haven't worked out why but I suspect a slightly looser barrel in the Morini. I'll test it in the Morini next week and post the results.

If you can, try another chronograph too as those velocities seem low. Checking against another chronograph will either confirm them, or tell you your chrono is no good! The reason I say this is that SK Magazine in my Pardini was alway over 850fps (although that was a few years ago and batches of ammo are obviously different).

[deadeyedick]

I also agree that around 800 fps is considerably less than the 1050 fps that the factory claim for this ammo and another chronograph should be used to confirm/disprove the first results.

[jliston48]

I also agree that around 800 fps is considerably less than the 1050 fps that the factory claim for this ammo...

Most stated velocities for 22LR ammo is from rifles. Pistols produce much less velocity.

Same series of tests on the same day produced the following average velocities (10 shots):
SK Pistol Match - 892 f/s (Pardini SP1new RF) & 945 f/s (Morini CM22M RF)
Geco 22LR Rifle - 898 f/s (Pardini SP1new RF) & 957 f/s (Morini CM22M RF)
Geco 22LR Pistol - 915 f/s (Pardini SP1new RF) & 963 f/s (Morini CM22M RF)
CCI 22LR - 891 f/s (Pardini SP1new RF) & 922 f/s (Morini CM22M RF)

These are expected results so I had no reason to doubt the chronograph (an RCBS Ammomaster). The main anomalie was that the Morini velocities were 5% faster than the Pardini's.

However, I will retest when I have access to another chronograph. My main priority now is to make some grips for the Ransom Rest so I can group test the ammo (more important than chrono results).

As an aside, I have been told that my posts appear twice but they only appear once on my screen. Does anyone else receive my massages twice?

[Rover]

Just this morning at a practice match, the shooter next to me was alibiing with Wolf ammo in his High Standard. I swapped him some of my CCI Standard and it worked fine in his gun, but the Wolf screwed up in my S&W 41.

The Wolf seemed noticeably light compared to the CCI and the last of some Eley Sport I had. We opined it would be fine in a Free Pistol.

I never really liked the Eley Sport, though it seemed to shoot OK. Frequently it seemed to blow little smoking puff balls of burning powder out of the barrel.

To be honest, I really don't worry TOO much about accuracy for Bullseye. Reliability is more important.

[cgroppi]

Wolf won't work in my 41 either, even with the lightest spring available. Not enough poop to reliably cycle. Shoots great in the Pardini though. I find wolf to be noticeably lighter than CCI, Fiocchi or RWS target rifle, which all are similar to each other when it comes to recoil.

[j-team]

Same series of tests on the same day produced the following average velocities (10 shots):
SK Pistol Match - 892 f/s (Pardini SP1new RF) & 945 f/s (Morini CM22M RF)
Geco 22LR Rifle - 898 f/s (Pardini SP1new RF) & 957 f/s (Morini CM22M RF)
Geco 22LR Pistol - 915 f/s (Pardini SP1new RF) & 963 f/s (Morini CM22M RF)
CCI 22LR - 891 f/s (Pardini SP1new RF) & 922 f/s (Morini CM22M RF)

These are expected results so I had no reason to doubt the chronograph (an RCBS Ammomaster). The main anomalie was that the Morini velocities were 5% faster than the Pardini's.

However, I will retest when I have access to another chronograph. My main priority now is to make some grips for the Ransom Rest so I can group test the ammo (more important than chrono results).

I wouldn't bother, those velocities you quote on the other ammo seem to indicate the Chrono is OK.

Your next option would be to try and find some SK Magazine with a different batch number to campare to the other lot you tested?