22 Hornet

[DLCTEX]

This Hornet isn't quiet, but it's fun!

[Lloyd Smale]

i too have been a fan for years but never used cast. Mine gets a steady diet of honady 35vmaxs because it drives nails with that bullet and it doesnt get shot more then about 2 or 3 hundred rounds a year so it doesnt cost me much.

I don't shoot cast in mine, but I've been in love with the Hornet since my first one - in 1957.

It has all the advantages you wrote about, and yet kills all out of proportion to its physical size OR its paper ballistics. Coyote is about the largest critter I'd tackle with one, and even then I'd want a very stout bullet (for a Hornet). The discontinued Nosler 45 Solid Base is my choice for that chore; others are too frangible.

[303Guy]

10 "22 Hornet= The most accurate barrel I have for my Contender....dale

This makes me wonder what it was that gave the hornet a bad rap for accuracy some time ago. It's not the cartridge or the gun. Was it sloppy chambering? Or a mismatch between magazine length and chamber length?

One thing about the hornet is that it is perfectly proportioned for use with Lil'Gun - a match made in heaven! (A tricky match, but a match just the same!)

[DLCTEX]

Both my Ruger 77/22 and Tarus require very short rounds. I can load them much longer for the Ruger if I single shot it.

[Charlie Sometimes]

The older ones have a slower twist (1:16 vs 1:14 vs 1:9) and tighter bores (223 vs 224) I think the change in bullet dimensions and powders gave them a bad rap. Everyone I know that had one years ago still does though. Fun to shoot, fairly quiet, good range for most targets (200 yd), good for predators or small game. Easy to load for, low powder consumption, shoot J-word or boolits equally well (wit htweaking)- just a plain, all-around cartridge. Not every application requires massive amounts of power, lead, or speed.

[barrabruce]

One of the big selling points for Hornets is the cute rifles that are chambered for it like the Brno 465, Anshutz, Walther, Sako, ...

Yep sure is.
Me 465 Bnro '58 is slick and lovely on the action and much better than the later model ones.
Maybe they need a few more thousands of rounds through them first.
Mine I got cheap covered in paint from a shed many years ago.
'Ol fox rifle shot out!!!
Was gunna rebarrell it but it still shoots those .22 magnum hollow points that most people would give away @ 1" at 100yrds.
Cost about $20 a case of 1000 or so. They didn't shoot to hot in .224 bores and in the 222 loaded up they would rip the jacket or trun into a grey mist!!!

They do vaporise still at 150 yrds and more.
I hit a piece PVCpipe at that range and the jacket was imbeded in it but didn't penetrate all the way throu.

Silly story...

Took me good 'ol thower and press to the range one day and started working up a load.
The bloke next to me was watching and came over so stick his nose in and smurk.
(I already knew that 1/2 up the neck was about 12 gnrs.absolute paper book max)
Cranked the thrower knob around a bit to throw a heavier charge and looked at the powder in the case.
Just up to the start of the neck.
Turned to the bloke still peering in the case and shook it a bit and haphazzardly said tipping a sprinkle out..Yeah that looks about right..pretty full.that''ll do.
Tipped it back in a took another crank at the adjuster ..saying Just a bit more ordda do it..A
And shot a measure of powder.
Loaded yer up.
Dipped another 4 empty shell necks in graphite and sized and primed them.

By this time the bloke had moved 2 benches down.

I didn't notice for a few rounds but I noticed out of my proiffial vision a couple of fellas gathering.

( I could here 'em speaking and looking 'n waiting to stop the lunatic....loads 'em like a 'ol roo shooter don't he..was the reply from the range officer I know well...Welll...he could..you can't ..he don't know ..how.......blahh blahh))
11.7 grns of 2400 in k hornet(bottom of the case neck) in "MY GUN".




No chrono but they "crack" as loud as a .222 .
The noise seems not to travel as far a distance thou.

Used mine for rabbits and foxes for years in settle areas.

The farmers didn't mind.
Not the precieved danger of a .222 .243 etc.
Don't know about the .17 cals preception thou.
Taken as more as :
Old fart cartridge.
Pretty much outdated and harmless girls gun.
Me grand father of father had one of them!!!...He used to shoot things around here with them.(snikker snicker)

Totally useless for shooting pigs ..but a .22 magnum 'll kill 'em just fine..powerfull those magnums.
Errrgh


Strange that!!!

If under 200yrds or a bit less is good enough and you don't mind the stigma /preception Like I do it may open up options that other wise may not available to you.

Wish I could find some of those 'old seirra 40gnrs still. they shot real tight and consistant in it.
Those dear as poison hornady "plastic tipped miracoulous super fantabulous" wizz banger things arn't that great out of mine past 150 yrds.Not that Iv'e bought any more to try out after I used them up. The wind just plays havoc with the ligher 40-45 grainers past 150 ish or so.. that shooting rabbits in the head consistantly out the window of the ute gets a bit dicey with the spot light unless its pretty calm.

Ohh yeah I had some fun with 'er....
Me cases have been loaded that many times that the primer pockets go most of the time before the neck splits on the K hornet.Trimmed them once and never needed any more attention.
Maybe I should clean them
Nahhh the graphite on the case necks that you only partrially size keeps then all just fine.
And those hard as hell neck just seem to grip the bullets just fine.
Who knows it may even shoot better if I worked on it!!!

Sorry for the long rant
Barra

[songdog33]

I have always loved the hornet. I recently had a encore barrel made and chambered it for the .19 Calhoon hornet. Lots "O" fun!

[dale2242]

303guy, one of the reasons I bought the 22Hornet barrel was because TC said, at one time, the Hornet was their most accurate barrel. I also have a Ruger #3 in 22 Hornet....dale

[1Shirt]

Have a #3 Ruger, that I had K'd, and with 35 gr V-max over 12 gr. H-110, will take
p-dogs regularly out to 250. Just picked up a little new Sav. Single shot, that I will have K'd also. Regular hornet is great as is, but I like the looks of the K, and the increase in vol's make it well worth the effort. All of the lite loads listed for regular hornet work well in the K also. The #3 has a 1-16 however, and the longest blt it will shoot is the 225415, and that is not as accurate as the 225438 over about 7-8 gr. of 2400. Son in law has a contender with K-hor bbl, and that thing is LOUD if you are sitting on a bench next to him. Always thought the report of a regular hornet, and the K were about the same as a 222 or Bee. Am pretty well convinced that no gun cabinet is complete without a hornet of one denomination or another.
1Shirt!

[Charlie Sometimes]

Does anyone know if 22 Hornets were made in other actions? Any pump , lever, or semi autos?

Only three that I can think of, at the moment, in a rifle- falling/rolling block, bolt, and break-open; in handguns- revolver, bolt, and break-open.

Did I miss any?

[HORNET]

It's been done in falling blocks up to the Ruger #1 and I've seen a few on the Martini-Cadet action. Even saw a double-rifle once (Well, 5.6 Vierling, cutest little thing....). I'll have to remark that very loose chambers are not uncommon. My old #3 Ruger would accept .012" thick case necks if I could find any. Most of the brass I find goes about .007" which is what the dies seem to be made for so the brass gets worked a LOT.

[Charlie Sometimes]

I'll have to remark that very loose chambers are not uncommon. My old #3 Ruger would accept .012" thick case necks if I could find any. Most of the brass I find goes about .007" which is what the dies seem to be made for so the brass gets worked a LOT.

That's the problem with a lot of the old cartridges- specs on the cartridges, bores, and chambers differed too much back when they invented them, and between manufacturers. The 45 Colt is a good example.

Whatever you get, get a modern, new rifle, and that will eliviate a lot of issues.

[303Guy]

My hornet loading technique was to make a paper hand towel cup which was inserted into an unsized, fired case neck and the bullet seated into that, the edges trimmed off and the bullet and neck dipped into molten waxy-lube to 'glue' the bullet in place and to seal the case. It also lubed the bore and applied a protective coating to the inside of the suppressor. The bore never needed cleaning and never rusted even in cold and wet storage. The technique also lowered chamber pressure with Lil'Gun (which had to be compressed prior to inserting the paper cup), so much so that a heavy bullet is needed to make the powder burn consistently (lots of powder!) The paper cup aligns the bullet into the bore on firing. This because of an oversize chamber. Very accurate.

Oh yes .... I shoot .224 bullets down a .223 bore!

[303Guy]

I found these pics - this is how I do it.



After trimming off the protruding 'petals', the bullet and neck gets dipped.

I also found these pics of fired bullets, a 60gr and 55gr Hornady spire point.



The trick is to make that happen with cast and/or paper patched boolits.

[Dale53]

I have used the .22 Hornet a good bit, in the past. I had a couple of Hornet rifles and a 10" TC barrel. It shot good in all. My squirrel load was 3.0 grs of Unique behind a Lyman 225415 GC bullet. I never chronographed this load but believe it was in the 1400 fps range. The flat nose killed squirrels MUCH better than the .22 rimfire when I had to take body shots. The TC barrel would shoot reliable ½" groups at 50 yards.

I DID have problems with case life when shooting jacketed bullets. If you even SLIGHTLY "overloaded" the case the primer pockets opened up.

I ended up buying a nice, Ruger #3 that had been rechambered to .221 Fireball. That was only slightly more powerful than the .22 Hornet but the brass was MUCH stronger and longer lived. The .221 squirrel load is 4.0 grs of Unique. I ended up selling my Hornets and got a .221 Barrel for the TC. I much prefer the .221.

The power level of the Hornet is very practical here in the Midwest with small farms. It just makes more sense than a .220 Swift, as a for instance. It works well with cast and has adequate power for coyotes as well as ground hogs at the ranges we normally encounter them here in the Midwest. I just don't like the weak cases (section the head of a Hornet case and you'll see what I am talking about - there is just no metal there around the primer pocket).

FWIW
Dale53

[HORNET]

Dale,
Did you ever try any heavier cast (55+ grain) and get it to stabilize in that 16" twist Fireball? I've been thinking about re-chambering the old #3. BTW, I did open up primer pockets trying to get the RCBS 22-55-FP and Lyman 225462 to work out of the Hornet.

[Herb in Pa]

I'm currently on my 14th loading using WW Brass in my Hornet with no signs of it giving up the ghost yet, these are jacketed loads. I'm using Privi brass for my cast loads with the same good results. I'm shooting a 1730 Anschutz that locks up like a bank vault.

[303Guy]

What powders are you folks using in your hornets that open up primer pockets?

My hornet has a rough chamber - strange for an Anshutz, I think it may have been reamed out to clean up rust damage. Anyway, I have to lube loaded rounds or it will simply separate the head at one of the reamer marks. My cases last forever! As I've said before, I stabilize 60gr J- word spire points with ease in the 1-in-16 twist. Lil'Gun is the powder to use.

By the way, before K'ing your hornets, consider this, the standard hornet will out perform the k-hornet with Lil'Gun.

Standard hornet
55 GR. HDY SP Hodgdon Lil'Gun 12.0gr 2551fps 39,400 CUP 13.0gr 2652fps 42,900 CUP

K-hornet
55 GR. HDY SP Hodgdon H4198 11.5gr 2223fps 31,100 CUP 12.5C gr 2388fps 39,400 CUP
55 GR. HDY SP Hodgdon H4227 10.0gr 2315fps 43,400 CUP 11.0gr 2445fps 46,100 CUP
55 GR. No Lil'Gun listed for the k-hornet and 55gr. Pressures get too high!

Here's another surprise.

221 Fireball
55 GR. HDY SPSX Hodgdon Lil'Gun 13.0gr 2714fps 45,200 CUP 14.5gr 2877fps 49,800 CUP

[Dale53]

Hornet;
I had such good luck with the 225415 and 225438 bullets that I never tried anything heavier.

I was using 2400 when I had problems with primer pockets. There WAS no Lil'Gun when I had my Hornets.

After I had a chance to use the .221, I lost my interest in the Hornet. I really wasn't looking for more power but better cases - the .221 supplied a bit extra power with EXCELLENT brass. I formed some cases from .223 but when I could get .221's I quit - lot's of work that I didn't need to do.

Dale53

[Bass Ackward]

Hornet;
I had such good luck with the 225415 and 225438 bullets that I never tried anything heavier.

I was using 2400 when I had problems with primer pockets. There WAS no Lil'Gun when I had my Hornets.

After I had a chance to use the .221, I lost my interest in the Hornet. I really wasn't looking for more power but better cases - the .221 supplied a bit extra power with EXCELLENT brass. I formed some cases from .223 but when I could get .221's I quit - lot's of work that I didn't need to do.

Dale53

The Hornet was the only caliber to beat me into frustration. And it did it with lead in every platform and configuration. I owned 6 as I remember. I could work up a lead load (1/2" was my standard for 22 calibers) in the morning and 2 hours later it would be 1 1/2". Jacketed were much more consistent at grouping.

I still have a #3 that was converted to a K and then finally a Mashburn Bee and all that frustration left. The 224415 and 225438 work like a champ.

Without a need, I haven't tried a Hornet with modern day powders to see if that has improved any.