When we lived in the country the little pesky animals were packrats and squirrels. I tried using the .22 but even with subsonic or quiet ammo it was quite loud (neighbors were only 1/4mile away). I ended up with a .22 air rifle, subsonic. Worked really well. If you want multiple shots then a PCP with a magazine would work well.
No issues with primers or ammo availability. You can even cast your own pellets and/or get a larger bore.
Having said that, reduced loads are fun. Before the primer shortage I used to shoot a lot of them.
I have a savage 24F predator 22 hornet over 12 gauge. Lightened the trigger to under 3 pounds. Bought it unfired last year.
Another one just for grins.
25 ACP +++P, 60 gr, TiteGroup, 1.11 gr, 289 psi muzzle pressure.
I like this one quite a bit. I do not recall a lower calculated muzzle pressure.
If I can find a 25 cal pulled rifle barrel, a shotgun insert would be worth a try. Note that I switched to TiteGroup as it is part of my stockpile. Chamber pressure calculated to be 32,300 psi. Seating depth 0.262", 91.4% fill.
Hmmm, a wildcat using shortened 5.7 x 28 brass (to get the same approximate case capacity) and a 22LR pulled barrel is probably an easier route to an equivalent round. I have the 22 LR barrel and a baggie of range pickup 5.7 x 28. Hmmm. Target parameters: 5.0 gr water capacity, 51 gr bullet, 0.93 gr TG, 94% fill, 288 psi at the muzzle. Muzzle pressure drops to 219 psi with a 20" barrel. Hmmm. I need a shell holder.
Sorry for the thread drift, doing what-iffs in QL can lead to long rabbit trails.
Tripplebeards a good old timer friend of mine wanted one of these a few years back. We hunted around and one day I found one for him. I honestly was in love with it and wanted it for myself but it was not meant for me. I contacted my friend and he rushed over to buy it. I told him now keep your eyes out for another one as I didnt realize I wanted one until it was in my hand. He said no need this one is yours when I head off to join the wife. I think you guys get what he was saying as he was 82 years of age. A short two years later he passed and before we even got back from taking care of all the paperwork someone had cleaned the house out of all things worth a darn. He had a step son who was big into the booze and drugs. Anyway you have a nice simple good firearm there. The one I had found for Al was 22 hornet over 20g with a wood stock.
Stop being blinded by your own ignorance.
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.c...is+Aguila+22LR!
Here is decent deal on .22's. Cost relieved to Michigan for either HP or solids, for 10k rounds, came out to $541 ($.054/rd). Can't buy much of a rifle, scope, mold, reloading dies, and sizing dies for that...then add in cost of primers, powder and lead for 10k rounds.
2000 rounds came to $115 delivered. Still decent at $.056/round.
Don Verna
I've also chosen the .223 for a light load .22 rifle. (Cheap but accurate Savage/Stevens bolter with that dodgy 3 shot magazine.)
Red Dot with a jacketed Hornet bullet equals the .22 Magnum, and hits the same point of aim at 80 yards as my full-house coyote load does at 150. I didn't try to work up a subsonic load, though. I'd look for the heaviest cast bullet I could find if I did.
Now, I do own Hornets, all single shots, but as noted brass is scarce, and I'm converting some of what I have to .25 Stevens. Despite the Gen 1 Contender (K-Hornet because of headspace issue) being a tackdriver, the Hornet just doesn't stir my blood, so the Stevens 44-1/2 is going to be reamed to .22 Lovell when I get around tuit.
Cognitive Dissident
When I was a kid, my dad had one in 20 gauge over 22 Winchester magnum with a Woodstock. He told me he sold it for 60 bucks for grocery monies in the late 70s. Always wanted one to replace it, but never ran into one yet. The 12 gauge bottom barrel on minus threaded for screw and choke tube, so I’m sure it would be great for calling predators specially ones that hang up out a little too far for shotgun range that I can switch over to the hornet. I don’t know if I’ll ever use it, but it was one of those guns that was always on my bucket list.
Picked up some new supplies yesterday for the hornet!
I traded some cast boolits for them.
Last edited by Tripplebeards; 01-13-2024 at 05:41 PM.
Just ordered a couple cases @.05 from Mid South. Also Federal target for the same money at Midway.
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.c...3M0KFCVC8GOC0I
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/953130410?pid=130410
Last edited by Jeff Michel; 01-14-2024 at 04:20 PM.
“Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.”
― Mark Twain
W8SOB
You can get the federal auto match in any Walmart on the planet. They have piles of them at mine anyways. I’m sure they’re going up but I paid like $16 or $17 for 350 there. The Aquila won’t shoot minute of barn in any rifle or pistol I own. I hope you’ve shot those in your gun and know they shoot good before you ordered them. But yes, I would shoot 22 LR before I would shoot my hornet just because it’s way more cost-effective and also way more accurate to boot. My cz452 and anschutz wood chucker along with my American 22WMR will all shoot sub MOA 5 shot groups at 100 yards with cheap ammo. The hornet won’t with anything I’ve tried so far.
"Minute of Barn"... That beats the snot out of my "Minute of Pie Plate"! Mind if I steal it?
As for Aguila rimfire, I have found it to be the dirtiest-shooting ammo I have fired. YMMV
Rights, and Privileges, are not synonymous. We have the Right to Bear Arms. As soon as the Government mandates firearm registration, and permiting, then that Right becomes a Privilege, and may be taken away at our Master's discretion.
lol…I tried four different types of Aquila 22lr in my cz452 and browning buckmark pistol. I was shooting 9”” to 12” groups at 50 yards with both rifle and pistol. They both will shoot five shot groups in one hole at 50 yards with cheap Winchester 333’s. I think the Aquila 22lr projectiles are smaller in diameter than my barrels. I was basically using it up on my trap lines at spitting distance on raccoons to get my money back out of it. Lol
I purchased an embarrassing amount of Aquila 22 RF when prices went stupid low a decade or more ago. Quite accurate in certain firearms, ridiculously dirty and if you shoot with a suppressor - find something else or carry a cleaning kit with you if you plan on shooting more than a few hundred rounds of it.
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“Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.”
― Mark Twain
W8SOB
I wish it would shoot that good in my rifles and pistols! Winchester 333’s shoot tighter at 100 yards than your above group (with optic of course) in my cz452, anschutz wood chucker, and Remington speedmaster. No scope…bets off.lol
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |