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Hi

I shoot Conventional (Bullseye) Pistol with a Marvel Conversion and Ruger MKII. I use Eley Gold Box for 2700 Matches, CCI Standard Velocity (Plastic Box) for league shooting, and DynaPoints for practice.

I practice quite a bit so I'll soon be running out of DynaPoints. Ammo prices are really going up so I am looking for something fairly cheap. The CMP has Aquila Standard Velocity Centurions for $150 per case shipping included. I'm thinking of getting two or three cases.

Has anyone had any experience, good or bad, with Aquila Centurions or any of the Aquila .22 ammo.

The first question is, have you ever shot that ammo with your pistols before? If not, you may want to try a box or two out before you dump the motherload on a ton of ammo that your guns may not like. Just my opinion.

I use the Aquila 40 grain 22's and have no problem with any of my guns. Most of the guys in our Bullseye League use it to their satisfaction.

Tbag wrote:The first question is, have you ever shot that ammo with your pistols before? If not, you may want to try a box or two out before you dump the motherload on a ton of ammo that your guns may not like. Just my opinion.

You are absolutely right. I am going to try to get a couple of boxes before I place the order. I think one of the men on my Wednesday night league might have some.

wlambert

Well I traded two boxes of DynaPoints for two boxes of Centurians last night, then shot three relays (90) rounds.

Results were very good. No failures of any kind. Accuracy was excellent. I shot a 295, 297, and 299. One five shot string of timed fire went into a ragged hole in the X ring. The next string, someone shot before the targets turned. That spooked me and I dropped a nine, shot three ten's, and put one round back into the ragged hole. We shoot the timed fire target for slow fire, so these scores are about six points higher than a normal National Match Course.

The Gentleman I traded with shoots the Centurians in two S&W revolvers. One works well, and one gets misfires. I'm shooting a Marvel conversion on a Rock River base. Rock River put a 23lb. main spring in my frame which I understand is 3lb higher than a standard 1911 main spring. Better ignition.

Based on this test, I am going to get four cases.

wlambert

The price is right and your pistol loves them, so that would be the very thing I'd do!

R,
Bullseye

Well Friends, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that I bought four cases at $148.84 per case. I have fired around a brick though my Marvel Conversion and MKII. There have been no problems of any kind, and accuracy is excellent at 25yd. I'm trying to find time to test them at 50yd. with the Ransom rest. They smell just like the Eley Gold Box. The Centurians are plenty good enough for league use, and I suspect they are good enough for Match use.

Now the bad news. I follow the Bullseye List Forum. There have been some really depressing discussions about the increase in metal and ammunition prices. Prices are increasing very quickly. I decided I should have gotten eight cases of Centurians, not four.

So I went to the CMP site. They are out of Centurians, but are accepting back orders. But the price is up $30.06 to $179.90 in only three weeks. I decided the price will only get worse and ordered four more cases. When they arrive, I will have around 60K .22's. At 10K per year, they should last six years. What will ammo cost by then. I hate to think.

wlambert

Well, I've gone through 3,000 rounds of the first case. Most went through the Marvel conversion and some through the Mark II. I think there was one failure to fire and one stove pipe. Excellent reliability, but I keep my guns and magazines very clean.

I loaned some to two friends, both with HiStandards. Both had jams. So they don't work everywhere.

I think this ammo is very accurate. When I am having a good night, the X count is very high. When it warms up a little, I want to get out with the Ransom Rest.

wlambert

hey wlambert-

do you happen to know a source where I could get just a brick of that ammo to see how it shoots in my bullseye gun? Maybe the upc number or the manufacturers number off the box?

thanks!

I don't know if it is available other than from the Civilian Marksmanship Program. It comes in a white box with the Civilian Marksmanship Program logo on it. Also says WWW.ODCMP.COM. Here is the link to the CMP sales.

http://estore.odcmp.com/store/catalog/c ... ote5=&max=

They are licensed to Aguila from Eley. I shoot Eley Gold Box for matches, and the Aguilas have that same unique smell. CMP refers to them as Centurians, but I think that might be a reference to the importer.

wlambert