22 hornet

[Blammer]

Ok, I MAY get around to doing this for next years squirrel season.

I have a 22 hornet, what boolit would you recommend for grey squirrel hunting.

I do NOT want to have pieces of squirrel falling out of a tree after the shot.

I'm thinking 22LR velocity or 22 mag velocity should do nicely.

I have a Ruger 77/22hornet.

[Greg]

Blammer-

my first choice would be a 225438 - 40 grain round nose gas check boolit

second choice, 225415 - 50 grain gas check boolit…

double check in the older Lyman’s for starting load

I would go skip Unique and go with Herco at 3 grains or so

try Federal Small Pistol primers, 50:50 alloy - maybe once I got to the approx velocity range then experiment without a gator check

Lyman 44th Edition shows 3.5 Unique @ 1600-1650 fps for a starting load.

But I would start with about 3 grains Herco.

[telebasher]

Blammer-

my first choice would be a 225438 - 40 grain round nose gas check boolit

second choice, 225415 - 50 grain gas check boolit…

double check in the older Lyman’s for starting load

I would go skip Unique and go with Herco at 3 grains or so

try Federal Small Pistol primers, 50:50 alloy - maybe once I got to the approx velocity range then experiment without a gator check

Lyman 44th Edition shows 3.5 Unique @ 1600-1650 fps for a starting load.

But I would start with about 3 grains Herco.

I can tell you from experience, 3.5 gr Unique/ 225215 will cut a squirrel in half. I've had good sucess with the 225438 and 3 gr Bullseye with a CCI 550 primer.

[crappie-hunter]

I have a lee Bator mold bought from Midsouth shooters I believe. drops at around 49 grs W/O a gas check. alloy 50/50 ww/lino air cooled.

2.5 bulleseye I shoot them as cast and naked lubed with LLA.

Sometimes all 5 touching at 50 yds. Has accounted for a lot of bushytails, shot from a contender carbine with cheap Tasco 3-9 installed.

[canyon-ghost]

DJ, my best 22 hornet silhouette load is the Lyman 225438 gas checked with 7.5 grains of IMR 4227. It takes about 8 grains to get jacketed velocity. If you are close, like 50 meters, you can drop down to 7.4 grains and accuracy is the same.

IMR 4227 isn't bad, a 10" barrel on a TC isn't much room to get up to speed.

Ron

[quilbilly]

I am using 10 gr of 4198 in my T/C carbine with the 55g J-word projectile. It almost mirrors a 22 mag. velocity with a 30% heavier bullet which minimizes pelt damage. In the next couple weeks I intend to try it with the Bator boolit. Currently it groups about 1-1/s inches at 100 yardsand sometimes better if I am having a good day.

[Larry Gibson]

My hunting load for edible squirrels is the 225415 cast soft of (WWs + 2% tin) + 50% lead. I size at .227 as these drop at .2265 and lube with Javelina. I load them in old WRA cases with CCI 500 SP primers over 3 gr Bullseye for 1450 fps.

Larry Gibson

[303Guy]

Anyone tried Trail Boss in the hornet? I know it won't drive a 55gr j-word all the way through the barrel. A 55gr cast should be perfect almost (if that's what one happens to have).

[Blammer]

thanks guys!

[gishooter]

Good topic, I too have a 22 Hornet. It's a Anschutz 1730 sporter(model 54 action.) I'd like to try some of the NOE 225107s and the 225415s to see what my rifle prefers. Would anybody be willing to sell some for me to try?:smile:

[Blammer]

I'm going to have to go to the boolit swap section to beg for some. :)

[Bert2368]

Anyone tried Trail Boss in the hornet? I know it won't drive a 55gr j-word all the way through the barrel. A 55gr cast should be perfect almost (if that's what one happens to have).

I tried Trail Boss with plain based bullets. It worked reasonably well- I'll see if I can find the targets and load info.

[kopperl]

I've used Calhoon 30 grain on top of 3.0 grains unique for turtles and rats for years. Very accurate and not very loud.

[Jeff Michel]

Good topic, I too have a 22 Hornet. It's a Anschutz 1730 sporter(model 54 action.) I'd like to try some of the NOE 225107s and the 225415s to see what my rifle prefers. Would anybody be willing to sell some for me to try?:smile:

Pm your address to me and I'll send you some 225415's
Jeff Michel

[Prodigal Son]

I have a NEI nose pour double cavity that throws 39 gr. GC FN its such a awsome boolit my M 43 Wincherster loves it. If only AR would let us hunt squirrels not during deer season. They think centerfire is for deer. ANy who, I still hunt on my place with it.

[Lostknife]

Blammer-

my first choice would be a 225438 - 40 grain round nose gas check boolit

second choice, 225415 - 50 grain gas check boolit…

double check in the older Lyman’s for starting load

I would go skip Unique and go with Herco at 3 grains or so

try Federal Small Pistol primers, 50:50 alloy - maybe once I got to the approx velocity range then experiment without a gator check

Lyman 44th Edition shows 3.5 Unique @ 1600-1650 fps for a starting load.

But I would start with about 3 grains Herco.

225415 with 2.5 grs Bullseye, not fast but a lot of fun. you don't need a gas check either Lost

[Blammer]

GC's are one thing I'm not shy on. :)

[quilbilly]

For years I have been loading my hornet carbine with 10 gr of 4198 and 50 gr Hornady v-max j-word bullets so that I would have a load that didn't damage hides (2000 fps mv). A few months back I got a 22 bator mold from Midsouth and tried the same load. It has the same point of aim at 50 yards, groups under 2" at 100, and has an mv if 1870 probably due to the longer bearing surface than the v-max. In my wet phone book test the Bator gets 14" of penetration and good expansion at 40 yards. I am happy with it and will burn through the last 150 rounds of v-max's on ground squirrels in Nevada before NCBS so I can shoot the cast Bator's exclusively.

[DIRT Farmer]

Blammer, I am using the Lyman 225-415 in my Ruger 77-Hornet and loading Green Dot to the listed 1200 fps load cast 20 to 1 sized to .225 WSP primer. They stop good, leave most of the head. If you would know some one who might have gas checks to trade send a PM.

[JeffinNZ]

I do NOT want to have pieces of squirrel falling out of a tree after the shot.


What!? Where's your sense of adventure? Use a slow burning powder and the muzzle flash will fry them en route to the ground.

:kidding:

[leadman]

I use the Lyman RN and 700X. Can't recall the charge but think it is 3grs. Very clean, but you still want head shots if possible.

[Dale53]

I have had excellent results with the Lyman 225415 in the .22 Hornet on edible small game. My "money" load is 3.0 grs of Unique.

Dale53

[pkie44]

Keep em' coming, got a 10" contender barrel on the way. My reloading, shooting buddy has a 7722 hornet, only "j" so far 296, lilgun. Thinking 2400 for the contender.

[303Guy]

I have a RCBS 224-55 FN mold that is real difficult to cast with that I only once tried in the hornet with iffy results but the castings were lousy. The hornet does seem to be an ideal cast boolit cartridge. I made a swage die but didn't pursue it. My loading technique would be ideal for cast or swaged. I'd like to try a 60gr cast or swaged boolit over a stiff charge of Lil'Gun. A heavy boolit and a stiff charge doesn't need neck grip or crimping.

http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/MVC-133F_edited.jpg The bullet gets seated into the formed paper cup then is dipped into molten waxy lube which soaks up into the paper and holds the bullet firmly.

http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/MVC-168F_edited.jpg

Perfect for boolits. Here's a fired one.

http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/MVC-307F.jpg

Cast and swaged cast.

http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/MVC-309F.jpg

Swaged lead and swaged 22lr jacket weighing 62gr.

http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/MVC-297F.jpg

That swaged jacketed one has the core soldered into the prepped jacket then gets swaged and the excess alloy (solder) squeezes out the nose to form the soft point.

[NVScouter]

I realy tried to get a good slow+reliable at all angles 22H load down but even my slowest blew up head and shoulders. I ran into reliability issues while shooting down hill or up trees with the light loads. Or they wouldnt shoot my 55bator worth a darn. I just load up with 4227 and blow up ground squirrels/jack now.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

I wonder if the 223 NATO design would be worth trying. I have one of the "good" 77-22H rifles, groups under 2" at 200yds on a good (read: not too windy) with 40gr Noslers.

Rich

[Larry Gibson]

I've done well with the 225107, 225428 and 225415 loaded to 1050 fps over small charges of Bullseye. Pretty much duplicates 22LR terminal ballistics

Larry Gibson

[Hamish]

Was just re-reading this thread, look at the pics above and tell me what's out of place,,,,:bigsmyl2:

[45 2.1]

I wonder if the 223 NATO design would be worth trying. I have one of the "good" 77-22H rifles, groups under 2" at 200yds on a good (read: not too windy) with 40gr Noslers. Rich

That boolit is shorter than the 55 gr. FMJs. It has been tried in a CZ Hornet with very good results...... good to excellent accuracy with no tipping or keyholing.

[Ramslammer]

G'Day
I've used Swede's 225107 with 10grns of 4227 and it shoots good!!
Juddy

[geezer56]

Darrell, I have some 225438's cast up, I will bring you a handful to try on my next trip over. We can swap for something in the 35 cal area.

[nanuk]

Was just re-reading this thread, look at the pics above and tell me what's out of place,,,,:bigsmyl2:

that cast boolit with a nice tan????