CZ or Ruger in 22 Hornet

[Scrounger]

That's why I don't own a Hornet. The .223 can easily be downloaded to match Hornet ballistics, usually with better accuracy. Try 12 grains of IMR 4227 and a 50 grain Hornady. Or a cast bullet if you prefer.

[w30wcf]

I've had pretty good luck with .22 cast in my .22 Hornet .......and at standard Hornet velocities. It will group 1"- 1 1/4" @ 100 if I do my part.

Bullet is either NEI 45 or Lyman 225438 made from w.w. + 2% tin sized .225".
Powder / charge is: W680 / 11.5 grs. It does a good job on woodchucks.

w30wcf

[9.3X62AL]

The folks who can extract accuracy from the 22 centerfires are magicians, wizards, warlocks.....something beyond mortal for certain. I count my blessings for the good work turned in by my Rem 788 x 243 and Savage 99 x 250, and call it good. The 25-20 is even starting to act right--most of the time.

[slughammer]

That's why I don't own a Hornet. The .223 can easily be downloaded to match Hornet ballistics, usually with better accuracy. Try 12 grains of IMR 4227 and a 50 grain Hornady. Or a cast bullet if you prefer.

Pricing of 22 full gas check bullets is showing me that the 50 - 55gr varieties can be purchased for MUCH less than the 35-45gr type. Using 10gr of fast powder in a 223 case would work out to the same powder economy. Not to mention 223 brass is free and I had a set of THOSE dies.

I do take comfort in knowing that I picked up a $500 rifle for $350. But I will recommend 223 to others. Only about 2 weeks till turkey starts, we're right in the middle of archery and a 1 week antlerless flintlock season is starting on saturday. I hate to say it as much as I hated to do it; I bought a box of factory ammo to get started, only the third gun I've ever done that for.

[Scrounger]

Been there, done that. IMR 4227, 12 grains if I remember right, works real good with jacketed bullets, producing about 2200 FPS. Another one you will want to play with is Blue Dot. I used up to 13 grains of that and naturally the velocities were higher than the IMR load. A bonus: They're quieter than full power loads, too.

[StarMetal]

The thing is to have both calibers. I have two 223's and one Hornet. It's not a thing of economy to me, it's what I want or like. It's nice to have a round that's fairly quiet (not much louder then a 22 mag) and has about zero recoil. A 223 can't fulfill those two unless loaded way down. I know my AR 15 with break your eardrums, the sucker is loud. Yeah I know alot of it is from the supressor on it, but my 26 inch barreled Winchester varminter is loud too. I'm not a believer in loading a round down to do something a lesser round does. If that were the case we could do that with just about all caliber and not need the smaller same caliber. But that's me.

I find WW 296 and H110 deadly in the 22 Hornet. The old standbys like 4227 and 2400 are good also.

Joe

[Scrounger]

That's true, Joe. Some of us need a gun or two for protection or food gathering, but 99% of us have them only because we like them. And some guys like the duality of being able to load down one gun to make it do another job, and some don't. Sort of like pulling a plow with the wife's SUV. It is all up to the individual and no apology needed either way. May it always be this way.