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Thread: .22 Hornet or .22 K-Hornet?

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy terryt's Avatar
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    .22 Hornet or .22 K-Hornet?

    Hi All:

    Lately I have been thinking about getting a .22 Hornet.

    The last time I had one was back in 1970. At that time most of the magazine writer's said if you had a .22 Hornet it would shoot better and go faster if you made it into a
    .22 K- Hornet.

    Any experience with either one would be very must appreciated.

    Can the Ruger 77 in .22 Hornet be rechambered to .22 K-Hornet?

    Thanks,

    Terryt

  2. #2
    Boolit Master



    rexherring's Avatar
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    I've shot my brothers 22K and it's a real tack driver. I think it's a Savage that was reamed out. Any of them should be able to be re chambered for it.

  3. #3
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    If you do a search you'll find a multitude of posts regarding both cartridges.

    Virtually any Hornet can be made into a K-Hornet. The advantage of the K-Hornet is slightly longer case life. The disadvantage is that it takes more powder to equal the velocity of the parent cartridge (all other things considered equal).

    Either one can be frustrating to work with, but when you find a load that works they are a joy to shoot. Low recoil, cheap, accurate and FUN!

    You can't really go wrong with either one.

    ...and the K-hornet will go a little faster.
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    Boolit Master Wayne S's Avatar
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    In your selection of rifles, be sure to check the twist , most Hornet rifles have a 1-16 twist and were intended for the 40-45 J-bullets.
    IHMSA # 566 "time sure flies when you're having FUN"

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
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    Have experience with both. The K Hornet doesn't add much if anything to the accuracy or velocity, but the brass lasts a lot longer, especially if you are careful to neck-size only. In my Contender, it went from 3 loadings per case to "I dunno, I haven't worn one out yet." My pet load using the 35 grain j-wart continued to work perfectly after I "K'd" the chamber.
    Cognitive Dissident

  6. #6
    Moderator Emeritus JeffinNZ's Avatar
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    I'd go K for brass longevity as eluded to by 'uscra112' above. Modern powders like Lil Gun really make the Hornet sing. That and the new polymer tip fly weight factory bullets.

    Can I suggest you avoid the Ruger Hornet? I have shot one and it patterned. Have read lots of other bad press about them also. CZ make good Hornets. I had a BRNO years ago that shot MOA out of the box with little load development.
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  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
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    Wasn't going to give away the secret, but Jeff did it for me. Lil'Gun is magic in the Hornet.
    Cognitive Dissident

  8. #8
    Boolit Man 32ideal's Avatar
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    22 Hornet or K-Hornet

    I also have had the standard and K versions of the Hornet in many different rifles, first was from the 60's a new break open Savage M219 that I used the old hammer the primer in Lee Loader for making reloads, to the new Ruger Stainless version that I smartly sold before I devalued it by making it a K-Hornet, have been looking at the new 22 Hornet Savage with thoughts of turning it into a K version, won't happen now since I'm officially a left hand shooter now because of damaged vision in my right eye.
    My one and only now is a Winchester Low Wall in 22 K-Hornet it loves the Lil-Gun and about a 3/10gr reduction from max load with the 40gr V-Max seated way out, it still chrono's over 3000fps out of the LW 26" barrel and cuts one ragged hole at 100yds when there is no wind using a 6x scope.
    I much prefer the K-Hornet as many others have stated because of case life, my only problem ever was when a buddy gave me a bunch of many times fired Remington Nickel plated Hornet brass, about 1 in 15 or 20 cases would split at the shoulder when fire formed to the K version.
    Whichever version you pick it is an accurate, cheap and fun to load cartridge, if you have a choice get a faster twist barrel than the normal 1:16 my LW has a 1:14 and shoots the heavier cast bullets very well.
    32ideal

  9. #9
    Boolit Master

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    After owening 2 Ruger hornet rifles which i had problems with and traded after several attemps by the factory to repair for headspace on one & very poor accuracy with the other I would stay away from Ruger. I also have a contender in 22 hornet with a 10"& 14" barrels . if i had to do it all over again i would get the K Hornet chambering , it headspaces on the sholder instead of the rim of the 22 hornet which varies with lots & brands of brass .
    So the main advantage is alot longer case life and correct & controlable headspace + a little more velocity . Lil gun is the magic powder for the 22 hornet , excellent accuracy , higher velocity
    with lower pressures it also does the same in the 357 mag. no advantage in the 44 mag and only a little less pressure in the 454 Casull

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy robroy's Avatar
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    My Ruger must be the odd one. It's a hornet (though I've thought about re chambering). With no special effort other than partial full length resizing it likes 55 grain hornadys and will put them into an inch at 100 yds. 225462 Lyman sized and checked with 2 THIN coats of mule snot probably twice that size group. Both using h4198 and small pistol magnum primers.

  11. #11
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    I did have an older H&R single shot Hornet that was a tack driver out to 100+ yds and was my main coyote gun (one small hole and no exit) until a friend talked me out of it. That would be a cheaper way to get a K-Hornet made.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master kenyerian's Avatar
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    http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.p...,231528.0.html Gray Bread Forum's have reamers to rent . Looks and sounds easy to do but I haven't tried it yet.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master daniel lawecki's Avatar
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    I have 22k hornet barrel for my tc pistol. I fire formed using 9.0 grs of 296 never lost a case. I shoot 45gr Hornady bullet 11.5 grs of H110 will ring out 3/8 inch group at 50yrds. I shot 3/4 inch groups at 100yrds with this same load. My brass has about 10 reloads. I push this gun to the point I flatten the primers it will top out when pushed to max at about 2950fps sometimes to over 3000 fps out of 14 inch barrel. Enjoy this little HOT ROD.

  14. #14
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    skeettx's Avatar
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    I have a Ruger #3 Hornet, SWEET
    if I want more speed, I go to my Martini Cadet in 218 Bee
    and then the 222, 223, 222 Mag, 22-250, and then the Swift

    Still looking for a nice inexpensive Win 225

    Get the standard Hornet
    Mike
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  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I don't have a Hornet but always wanted one, maybe one day.

    I do have to ask though ~ why does K Hornet brass last longer than regular Hornet brass if regular Hornet brass is only neck sized?

    I can understand the brass stretching if you full length size and headspace on the rim but if only neck sized why wouldn't brass last longer?

    I know the brass is long a tapered with slopey shoulder but once it is fire formed to the chamber then neck sized only I would have figured stretch would be minimized. No?

    Longbow

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy TCTex's Avatar
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    I am shooting a 15in Hornet and a 14in K-Hornet. I have had great luck with the Bator mold available from Midesouthshooters. One barrel likes SR4759 and the other likes Green Dot.


    Both will shoot MOA at 100. So, do you want to fireform would be my question.


    Duane
    Last edited by TCTex; 10-16-2012 at 11:20 AM. Reason: added info...
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  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy terryt's Avatar
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    Thank you all for your help.

    Terryt

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy robroy's Avatar
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    Long bow: When I resize my cases I run the die down so that the 1/8" forward of the shoulder doesn't get sized. I'm on 4 loadings. I'll let you know when I need to change brass or when I anneal.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by terryt View Post
    Hi All:

    Lately I have been thinking about getting a .22 Hornet.

    The last time I had one was back in 1970. At that time most of the magazine writer's said if you had a .22 Hornet it would shoot better and go faster if you made it into a
    .22 K- Hornet.

    Any experience with either one would be very must appreciated.

    Can the Ruger 77 in .22 Hornet be rechambered to .22 K-Hornet?

    Thanks,

    Terryt
    This has more to do with the action and less with the brass. One thing is for sure, brass will last longer with a K-Hornet.

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master

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    robroy:

    I neck size .303 British which is notorious for stretching brass and I don't seem to be having any significant stretch at all now.

    In the case of the Lee Enfield, the chambers tend to be really large so full length sizing results in blowing the should forward about 1/16" and is really hard on brass.

    I would have thought a Hornet being a sporting cartridge would have fairly tight chambers so wouldn't be too bad even though it is a slopey shouldered case. Also, I would figure that neck sizing only would pretty much stop any stretch as it is not a particularly high intensity round.

    Nothing against the K Hornet, I am just curious.

    Yes, I would be interested to find out how long neck sized brass life in regular Hornet compares to brass life in K Hornet.

    Longbow

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BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
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