22 hornet Handi Rifle

[glockky]

I was just wondering if anyone here had a 22 hornet handi rifle they were casting for. I was thinking of getting one to play with. The only problem I see with them is it doesnt look like brass is available all the time.

So what kind of luck have you had with them?

[kenyerian]

I just started this summer with the NOE 225107 37Gr. FN. i bought the 4 cavity with 2 PB and 2 GC. I sized them to 225 and they work great in my contenders. They wouldn't chamber in the old H&R 22 hornet rifle (It was my dads and I think he bought it in the 70's). I slugged the barrel and it is tighter than the contenders so I am going to try sizing them down to 224. I just haven't got around to it yet. I really like the mold .

[Nobade]

I have a hornet barrel I had the factory fit up. It never shot all that great, but I think it is because they made the cut for the pivot pin crooked. It is very loose on my frame - some day I want to try to weld it up and recut it to fit properly. One big thing about hornets is headspace. Most factory guns have too much, because the SAAMI gauges are wrong. They allow around .010" more room than the thickness of the actual rim on the case, so it your gun fits a GO gauge it is way too loose and the cases break in half too early. Fit the gun with the actual cases that will be used in them and they are usually very accurate and you get many firings from the brass.

-Nobade

[Ledslnger]

I am thinking of getting a .22 Hornet barrel for my TC Pro Hunter, after I get one in .218 Bee though. Both are fun little calibers.

[uscra112]

The short brass life issue is endemic to Hornets. Solution in my case (a Contender with .006" excess headspace) was to ream the chamber to "K-Hornet", and headspace on the shoulder. Rented the reamer from CH4D, and got the dies on evilBay. Brass went from 3 firings to (unkown, as I haven't had a case separation yet since the change).

[Ken TN]

It is a great round, load it up or load it down. I have 3 Contender barrels in Hornet 10,12 and 21. Shot cast in them but still working up a load. Hope you find a good one to share.

[Sensai]

I have a few 22 Hornet rifles, and one of them is a Handirifle. I really like the round and have had none of the problems that you hear about with it. It is a great little round in a lot of aspects. I can shoot all day and not bother my neighbors at all. I can reach out as far as I need to around here for fox, or even coyote, size critters. It's not the sub 1/2 minute of angle rifle my 204 and 22-250 are, but it'll hang in there at sub MOA all day long, first round to hundred and first. It's nice to be able to keep visual contact through the scope from pre trigger pull to post target impact. The one concession that I make to the reported case life problem is that I keep my cases sorted by which rifle they are shot in and only neck size the cases. I have both neck size and full length size dies, but can't remember the last time I full length sized any 22 Hornet cases. It's been a while. My advice would be to go ahead and get it. You'll enjoy it, I'm sure. Best wishes, Gary

[dangerranger]

I have three handis in 22 hornet. my old one made in the 70s has a 1 in 16 barrel and shoots a 45 gr lead bullet very well. Im using an old unmarked mold and sizing them to 224. My newer gun has a 1 in 12 barrel and shoots Barnes Varmint Grenades like guided missles. I live in the lead free zone of CA So the lead free jacked bullets are all I can use here. I sent the oldest rifle home with the grandson, He lives out of the lead free zone. So I just bought another old Topper 158 with a 22 Hornet barrel and a very rusty 20 ga barrel. Im going to stub the 20 ga and fit a 17 Hornet barrel on its stub so that Ill have a switch barrel 17-22 Hornet rifle that I can shoot unleaded 17 or lead 22 out of. I have not had any problem finding cases for the hornet. I have both brass and nickeled cases by remington and have a bunch of Privi cases that were range pickups. The hornets shoot well enough that I wouldnt pass up a chance to get one. DR

[NVScouter]

Brass isnt an issue, not a huge American demand but European demand is good. Look for S&B or Privi Partzan (sp?) brass its good stuff.

[leadman]

I had an old H&R in the mid eighties in 22 Hornet. It had a .223" barrel on it. Shot ok with jacketed but never tried cast in it.
I have a 22lr Contender rechambered to 22 K-Hornet and have never had any issues with cases splitting. I do headspace off the shoulder as one should for the Contender/Encore/H&R/Rossi single shots. One has to include the clearance between the end of the barrel and the receiver breech in the headspace calculations.

[dagger dog]

The short brass life issue is endemic to Hornets. Solution in my case (a Contender with .006" excess headspace) was to ream the chamber to "K-Hornet", and headspace on the shoulder. Rented the reamer from CH4D, and got the dies on evilBay. Brass went from 3 firings to (unkown, as I haven't had a case separation yet since the change).

IMO short brass life in the Hornet, as you stated a headspace problem in the firearm, and is not inherent to the cartridge !

[fouronesix]

So what kind of luck have you had with them?

Had the opportunity to try before buying a NIB H&R in 22 Hornet in the mid-90s. Great price so I was interested. I'd had other Hornets in the past so knew the potential of the cartridge. I put together some known good shooter Jbullet rounds, slapped a scope on it and went to the range. 50 yard scattergun! Didn't even try to work up a load- didn't need to. Absolutely the worst rifle accuracy I'd ever seen. An aberration- I dunno. Just a heads up, so go in eyes open.

[WinMike]

I own a Browning low wall in 22 Hornet, shoot several hundred rounds/month (at least when the sage rats are out). I've got some brass that's been loaded over 10 times and still good. I use mostly nickel Remington ('cause it's purdy with red-tipped bullets), but I also use WW cases. Mostly 30, 35, 40 & 45 gr. bullets.

Alas, haven't tried 22 cast bullets....please don't hate me.....