.22 hornet mold

[Lead Pusher]

I have a 22 hornet that I would like to start casting for it. What do ya'll think would be a good mold to try. It's a handi rifle with a 1-9 twist. Any suggestions would be great.

[hyoder]

I've had good luck with the Lyman 225215. You probably don't want to try to push a cast boolit too fast through the 1:9 twist.

[JeffinNZ]

Lyman 225415.

[kir_kenix]

Lyman 225438 is a good boolit if you can find one. I've had really good luck with it in the Hornet. Thats a pretty fast twist for the .22h tho, so you might have to reduce some charges to get it to perform. You might be better served by some of the heavier .22 projectiles. Good luck and have fun with them itty bitty pills!

Jon Schram

[Lead Pusher]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll start looking for them.

[NHlever]

The newer 225415 molds are different than the older ones, and have more bearing surface. I would expect that they would work better in your fast twist than the older ones....... I personally wish they hadn't changed them! :(

[Gohon]

I bought a Lyman 225438 from Midway a few months back but haven't shot any of them yet. One thing I will say is this mould drops the most perfect slugs of any I have ever cast. Being a gas check design it should be just fine in the mid to upper speed range in my Browning which is a 1:16 twist but if not then I'll regulate them to the .223..

Speaking of twists........I think you may be in error on the twist of 1:9 in your Handi. If I'm not mistaken I believe the Handi is a 1:12, maybe even a 1:14 but I could be wrong.

[1Shirt]

I would go with 438 as first choice for trials and then 415. Both are excellent, but 438 is shorter in length. Would start w/Unique or 2400, with loads running 1600-1800, and work up for most accurate load. Good luck!
1Shirt!:coffee:

[leftiye]

Gohon, Maybe this will help (LOL). My Handi .22 Hornet bbl. has a 1 in 10 twist. At least that's what H&R 1871 said when I ordered it. I'd say - check. They may have used whatever barrel was available at different times.

The 1 in 9 should stabilize almost all of the available boolit designs/weights. As already said, it will require lower initial pressures to avoid deformation.

[wilddog45]

My favorite is the older ideal 225438 that drops at 44grs. I run it with 9gr of lilgun with good results in my 1 in16 Winchester 43. It will flat disembowel a rabbit.

[dk17hmr]

I use a 225415 in both my Hornet and Bee. They shoot very well in both and they are handi rifles.

My 225415 throws a 57gr bullet out of 50/50 Pure/WW alloy, makes a good hunting bullet with light loads of trailboss or reddot. Havent had much luck at high velocity stuff with it though.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=41607&highlight=225415

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showpost.php?p=468550&postcount=5

I will have some p-dog kill pics next week with this bullet out of my Bee and Hornet.

[Lead Pusher]

The twist rate is what H&R told me in 2008 when I ordered the barrel. I haven't personaly checked it yet through. Looks like I'll have to do it. I think I'll order the 225415 first I like the flat point. If it shoots well maybe I'll see if Buckshot can HP it. Now that my friends would be a bad Jessie. I shoot Hornady V-max in it now over lil gun and have used some 4227. Doesa anybody know what weight it casts with just WW.

[Gohon]

Sure seems odd that someone would produce a Hornet barrel with such a fast twist rate. It's to fast for a 30-35 grain pill without slowing the projectile down, and with the lesser powder capacity for a Hornet means to shoot 55-65 grain slugs that a 1:9 or 1:10 twist is good for, those will be slowed down also. Seems to defeat the purpose of the 22 Hornet. Almost sounds like H&R is taking .223 barrel blanks and cutting Hornet chambers in them and then calling them 22 Hornets. Just seems odd to me................

[HORNET]

No doubt about it. The 225438 was designed specifically for the Hornet. Others might work, depending on the twist. You don't have a lot of case capacity to play with for slow burning powders for the heavies.

[Jesse168]

The recomended weight bullet for the 22 Hornet is 45 Gr. I haven't found any manual that even suggests using a heaver bullet for the 22 hornet.
I have a low wall Winchester in 22 hornet.

[dk17hmr]

The recomended weight bullet for the 22 Hornet is 45 Gr. I haven't found any manual that even suggests using a heaver bullet for the 22 hornet.
I have a low wall Winchester in 22 hornet.

I use 50gr JHP's and 55gr PSP with success in my Hornet.
The 50gr JHP load will shoot 1" at 50 yards and is pushing 2700fps.

The 55gr PSP load was just to see what it would I liked what I saw and loaded up a box, they would make a good large varmint killer.

[NHlever]

I had pretty good luck with Hornady 50 gr SX bullets in my 1-14" twist Hornet too. It surprised me, but then we are using slower powders these days that was considered normal. ( I was using AA-1680, H-110, and Lil Gun) I think H&R has used different twists in their Hornet barrels, so it would pay to check, and see what you have. Just looking through the barrel, and comparing it with a .22 rimfire would give you an idea.

dk17hmr, I like that handi rifle of yours........ looks, well, handy! :D