H&R 158 .22 Hornet

[fatelk]

I've had this old rifle for several years now, tinkered with it off and on and am finally getting around to trying to make it shoot straight. It's an older rifle; early '70s according to serial prefix info I found online. The bore is good as far as wear, but if you look close it has had some rust damage at some point. I've seen worse shoot fine though.

When I first tried it out several years ago all I had for bullets was some 52gr Sierra HPBT. They did not shoot well, 4 or 5 moa as I recall. Sometime later I bought some 45gr Hornet bullets and had mixed results, better but nothing great.

Yesterday I shot it a little more, and happened to have 10 rounds loaded with Nosler 40gr Ballistic tips loaded long (all I had was 10). I was shooting at 25 yards just because with the level of accuracy I was getting with it (or lack thereof) it's more convenient to be close. I shot two 5-shot groups with the Noslers, and got two ragged holes on the targets!

Clearly I need to buy more Noslers, and I'm thinking it doesn't like anything heavy. I'm curious why it won't shoot shoot well with the traditional Hornet bullet but that's not the end of the world if it does well with something else.

Question is; what do you all think would be a good cast candidate to try in this little rifle? I've never cast any .22 boolits before. I'm hoping I can find a bullet and load that will have acceptable accuracy in it.

[Ben]

Based on your own results, it looks like the barrel is leaning toward the 40-45 gr. range of bullets. You might try this :

http://i1155.photobucket.com/albums/p545/Ben35049/Capture_zps58964e5a.jpg (http://s1155.photobucket.com/user/Ben35049/media/Capture_zps58964e5a.jpg.html)

[TCFAN]

The 225438 will work very well in your Hornet.Another cast boolit you might look at is the NOE version of Lyman's 225107.It weighs 37grs. from my mold using 9 parts of COWW to 1 part linotype.It has a nice large flat nose and kill squirrels a little quicker than the 438......Terry

[Goatwhiskers]

You have a 16" twist so you're gonna be pretty much limited to the lighter bullets. Mine is staying around 3/8" with the Sierra 40gr HP pushed by A1680, also shows great promise with Hornady 50 and 52gr, same powder. I'm trying some Lee mold Bator boolits, GC, 51gr. from WW, same powder and looks like they're gonna stay under 1/2" for sure. You may want to try putting an O-ring on your barrel stud, also when working from a bench keep your sandbag between the hinge and the trigger guard, makes a big difference. GW

[Paul Tummers]

I only owned one Hornet in my life and it was the most difficult cartridge for me to reload to precision. I also tried a lot of different bullets, best results gave the 40 gn V-max and I could improve accuracy a lot by light crimping. The cases are so very thin that with this light loads the neck tension is very important- too little tension and the bullet starts too soon.

[fatelk]

You may want to try putting an O-ring on your barrel stud, also when working from a bench keep your sandbag between the hinge and the trigger guard, makes a big difference.
I will definitely try this next time I take it out. I'll look around for some molds too. I'm not in a hurry so I think I'll watch out for some used ones. We have some big medical expenses coming up so I'll hold off on buying a new set anytime soon.


I also tried a lot of different bullets, best results gave the 40 gn V-max
Coincidentally, I just picked up a box of Hornady 40gr V-max bullets for it this afternoon. I look forward to seeing what it can do.

[dagger dog]

Neck sizing your brass, 40 gr VMax , mild primers like CCI SRBR or even small pistol primer and 12.5 grs Lil' Gun powder, is a combo you need to try.

[fatelk]

Powder is still unobtainable here. The only thing I have that is suitable for the Hornet is some 1680.

I'll definitely give Lil'gun a try when I can find some.

[richhodg66]

I had been shooting the 225438 and it's good, but my initial try of the Bator bullet was a little better. I've been shooting both sans gas checks with 1.5 grains of Bullseye for a subsonic .22 LR duplication load.

The Bator is heavier, but actually a little shorter than the 225438 and shoots well in my old slow twist Savage 219.

[Springfield]

Noe just finished this 45 grain bullet GB,might want to look into that.

115384

[dagger dog]

Powder is still unobtainable here. The only thing I have that is suitable for the Hornet is some 1680.

I'll definitely give Lil'gun a try when I can find some.

I've shot H110, IMR 4227, AA 1680, Alliant 2400, with minute of ground hog results, but none of these give the minute of ground hog eye accuracy of Lil' Gun.

[leadman]

I had a 70s era H&R and it had a barrel with a .223" bore on it. Did not like the .224" bullets. Sierra makes the .223" bullets still.


1680 should give you decent accuracy with jacketed or cast.

I had a 22lr barrel rechambered to 22 K Hornet and it is very accurate. Have shot quite a few 1/4" groups at 100 yards with it. Did this after I had bought a T/C Hornet barrel and it was a marginal shooter.

I do recommend neck sizing as this seems to help the accuracy of this cartridge.

[fatelk]

Thanks everyone. I have a partial box of Sierra .223 40gr Hornet bullets, tried a few this afternoon, as well as one group of VMax, and got a couple decent groups, around an inch at 50yds. That shows promise compared to before, since I haven't done really any load development. I need to do something about the trigger before I go much further as well. This thing has the most gosh-awful 15 pound trigger. That could be some of the problem. :)

All in all I think it has promise for a $120 rifle. One of these days I'll get around to trying some cast in it.

[Goatwhiskers]

Fatelk, go over to the graybeard site and look up the Handi forums. In the FAQ is more info than you bargained for re: trigger work on the Handi--M158 is the same. I reduced mine from 5.25# to 3# simply by dismounting the trigger group and putting a very small amount of a graphite containing grease from Brownells on the sear surface, no polishing at all. GW

[kopperl]

I get really good results on turtles using a John Calhoon 36 gr cast over 5 gr unique and a small pistol primer.
Just starting to use Lil Gun and haven't had much luck so far.

[fatelk]

Fatelk, go over to the graybeard site and look up the Handi forums. In the FAQ is more info than you bargained for re: trigger work on the Handi--M158 is the same. I reduced mine from 5.25# to 3# simply by dismounting the trigger group and putting a very small amount of a graphite containing grease from Brownells on the sear surface, no polishing at all. GW
Thank you, I'll check that out. This one is going to need all the help it can get. When I said 15 pounds I wasn't exaggerating much, if at all. I can balance the rifle scope and all, on my finger by the trigger, and have to bounce it to get it to dry fire. Someone monkeyed with it before I got it. They messed up the firing pin a little too, but that's another story.

[Goatwhiskers]

Don'cha just hate it when "Bubba" has worked on a gun? Sounds as tho someone might have stoned the engagement surfaces and changed the angle. Nice thing is replacement parts are easily available and economical. Accepted wisdom says to only polish when doing a trigger job on Handis. Taking Handis apart is easy, you just have to make a slave pin for reassembly. Good luck with yours. GW

[leadman]

The parts in the OPs gun might be different than what is in the new guns. I think I still have a couple of triggers and springs for these.
The trigger tended to chip the sear surface and make the pull very heavy. Some had a very deep notch that took alot of pressure to get to let go.
You will want to make a slave pin to put it back together with.

[fatelk]

Thanks guys. I'll take the trigger apart here when I get a chance and check it out.

[CLAYPOOL]

Is it a .223 diameter instead of .224. That old of a gun might be....?