22 Hornet

[Deker 3,478]

 

As stated before, 22 hornet ammo is no more expensive than 17 hornet ammo and sometimes cheaper.

 

And everyone is invited to the Xmas party - just not you.

 

 

Yeah but .22 Hornet isn't always good off the shelf as it's often chambered to be compatible with older guns at lower pressures.

 

As for the Christmas party, I couldn't come. I'm at the Train spotters one instead!

 

 

Ammo is ammo, just like air rifle pellets, you find the one that suits your gun and your application.

 

Job done!

 

Doesn't matter a jot about the rest!

 

2 x 17 Hornet off the production line next to each other may favour different ammo, or none, so you may need to reload!

Edited May 2, 2016 by Deker

[Deker 3,478]

 

Just as well Walshie never mentioned he was thinking of getting a .308 huh or a 7.62 what would you have done then, scoured the internet to find out the capabilities 0f a .338 lapua? ……………he's wanting a .22 Hornet ffs not an insight into the capabilities of a rifle that he does not want.

 

 

I didn't suggest a 7.62 or a .308 though, I suggested the .22 Hornet's little brother. It was worth mentioning for others reading if not Walshie, as anyone considering the .22 should always consider the .17 Hornet as well. If the.17 doesn't float your particular boat, then that's fair enough. BTW, on the subject of internet scouring / armchair shooting, I have 30 yrs experience in the field.

 

.22 Hornet is a useful little round if you like playing around with reloading. Good luck with the .22 CZ Walshie if that's the route you choose.

 

 

Put it like this, you need to go into hospital for a complicated/delicate Brain operation, which surgeon would you prefer, the one with 30 years practical experience and an excellent track record, or someone who had never been in an operating theatre, or held a scalpel, but read every book and everything on the internet for the last 30 years?

 

How long have you held a FAC?

Edited May 2, 2016 by Deker

[Graham M 36]

.22 Hornet can be difficult to get right and as such the best powder I have found was Lil'Gun. Made little difference in the BSA as it was shot out so it was impossible to make a definite valuation on accuracy. I did have an old Ruger .22 Hornet re-barrelled by Rifle Craft some years ago though. It was done really cheaply as well as they had a Ruger .22 WMR barrel in that had been taken off a rifle and replaced with what I think was a .17 Hornet. They simply re-chambered it for me as a .22 Hornet and even with the 1-14 twist it shot 45grn bullets extremely well.

 

You do have to experiment with loads, but that applies to any rifle if you want to get the best out of it, but the .22 Hornet does seem to need a little bit of work to get it right.

As for the .17 Hornet..........I have no idea as I just never fancied one.

 

I have 40 years of reloading behind me.......................................does that make me an expert .......................or do I have to read a lot as well.

 

G

 

 

 

G

[Underdog 2,337]

With a 1:14" twist it should shoot up to 55grn easily. Mine did anyway.

 

You sounded surprised saying it even shot 45grn extremely well!

 

My BSA was 1:16" and struggled with bullets heavier than 45grn. As did the CZ.

 

Of the three hornet's to pass through my hands, finding a load to go sub 1" was not hard at all.

 

Powders I used was;

H110,

A2400,

H4227,

BLC2,

Blue dot.

Bullets used were.

Speer 40 spire points,

Speer 50 TNT,

52 HP

52HPBT match.

Nosler BT in 40&50grn.

Sierra 40grn Hornet.

S&B 45 full patch.

 

The BSA was a nice well made rifle with a good bore, however, I did not like it! I did not like how it shot off hand, or its trigger! I prefered the CZ!

 

U.

[Graham M 36]

I have heard many anecdotes of Hornet users having problems with bullets heavier than 40grns. So I simply assumed that when mine shot 45gns well with the 1-14 twist it was because the barrel was suited to them. The Lil'Gun certainly made the groups tighten up, and gave lower pressures, so I have never bothered to look for another powder. Even some of the reloading gurus in some of the shooting magazines have allured to the need to get the loads right in order to get top accuracy out of the Hornet, so I'm sure I'm not alone in this.

I have also been told that some people with a Tikka .243 have problems with a 105grn bullet out of that 1-10 barrel. I have never had a problem with mine. ................So does that mean that they are mistaken?

 

All of this is subjective, because you may be able to use your reloads through your gun, whilst they may be total shite in someone else's. So simply stating that you didn't have any problems using a 52 grn bullet doesn't mean that everyone will have the same success; I certainly couldn't use them in mine as they were giving shotgun patterns in the target, which is why I saved them for the .223.

Reloading can be fun, and passing information on can also be rewarding. But if this information is constantly being challenged by people who maintain that they, and only they, are correct, then it becomes a chore and eventually people just stop offering that advice.

A bit like being married to someone who knows it all..............you eventually stop bothering

 

 

G

[Underdog 2,337]

Loads of folk have had success with bullets heavier than 45grn in hornet Graham.

They are standard weight bullets for 1:14! Surprised you don't know that:-(.

If you have 1:16" only then you will struggle.

Open your mind and free your spirit to the endless possibilities that may exist.

Regarding 243 and 105grn bullets, often they need pushing hard to stabilise. If alot of reloaders play very safe and velocity is down a touch they may struggle.

Stabilisation is not only a function of RPM, it is related to a range of velocities too.

 

U.

[delswal 3,819]

Walshie, next time you want a new rifle just go buy the fecking thing and don't mention it on here ffs

[walshie 2,804]

Walshie, next time you want a new rifle just go buy the fecking thing and don't mention it on here ffs

 

Yeah, I worked that out 7 pages ago.

[Underdog 2,337]

Lol.

[walshie 2,804]

When I'm umming and arring over a 6.5x55 or a 25-06, i definitely won't mention it.

[Alsone 789]

When I'm umming and arring over a 6.5x55 or a 25-06, i definitely won't mention it.

 

Nah do, it always finishes like a Benny Hill sketch .....I just pulled out because I ran out of breath.

 

Think you deserve a new Avatar Walshie...

 

 

Now about that .25-06....

[charlie caller 3,654]

The problem of course with the old hornets is they ran a .223 bore size, where the newer ones run .224 so to get the old ones to shoot well you need to source .223 hornet ammo/bullets, my cz 527 was blisteringly accurate with both 35gn vmax and Sierra 45gn varmint bullets, all under h110 powder, it would head shoot bunnies out to 200 yards easily, and dropped every fox on the spot right out to almost 200 yards was the furthest I shot one with it, in my opinion the secret to hornet re-loading, is a very gentle case flare LEE universal case flare die, and the Lee crimp die to finish, both these took my hornet from acceptable 3/4 " groups at 100 yards to absolute tack driving, ragged one hole groups, the hornet is a grand little rifle, but unless yours likes factory 35gn vmax ammo (and most do) the rest is rather pedestrian and not very good at all, due to velocity and chamber pressures being kept low, to accommodate long in the tooth hornets.

[Underdog 2,337]

The .223" bore thing is a mute point.

 

I loaded .224" bullets for a .223" bore with no issues at all.

 

I agree with everything else you said.

 

U.

[Born Hunter 17,763]

When I'm umming and arring over a 6.5x55 or a 25-06, i definitely won't mention it.

What's there to ummm and errr about? Based on my extensive experience of never having shot the swede and many 25 lovers hearsay the only choice is the mighty 25! LOL

 

Seriously though matey, you playing with the idea of something from that part of the caliber spectrum?

[charlie caller 3,654]

Perhaps, however I know a chap with a very early hornet .223 bore, that will not shoot any .224 he has tried, but having said that, have seen them that will, so it may just be that he never found the right .224 bullet, as said earlier, the hornet is a cracking little round.