22 Hornet

[felix]

Too bad we can't buy half power primers. ... felix

[beagle]

Yeah Felix, but SP primers do pretty good. Gave me my best accuracy in the Hornet./beagle

[HORNET]

303GUY, I was opening primer pockets up with IMR4227. I could get good groups at 50 yards but they wouldn't hold up when yardage started getting long. I hit case capacity limits with 4198 and RX7 and Lil Gun wasn't around yet. I tried WW680 and AA1680 and got up to levels that were way past any listing in the manuals with encouraging results but the same lack of repeatability that Bass mentions . Said "Pffft" and went back to shoving 225438's with a case full of 4227. Not great results at 100 or 150 but useable for 'chuck hunting. If I want to send the heavies out fast now, I grab the .222 .

[Charlie Sometimes]

After I had a chance to use the .221, I lost my interest in the Hornet. I really wasn't looking for more power but better cases - the .221 supplied a bit extra power with EXCELLENT brass. I formed some cases from .223 but when I could get .221's I quit - lot's of work that I didn't need to do.

I had a XP-100 back in the mid 70's chambered for the 221 Fireball- I killed crows (shot them in the head) at 200 yds with it, using a 4x scope. Deadly accurate with 55 gr. BTHP J-words.

I've considered moving to that round if I ever have case life troubles- so far this Hornet shoots very well, and I have not had any case problems.

How hard is it to find Fireball cases vs Hornet?

[Dale53]

I haven't had a problem getting cases. I also started with an XP-100. I later converted that to a bonafide Heavy Barrel Varminter in .222 (Ferris Pindell was the gunsmith). It was a genuine 1/4 minute rifle (and that was a LONG time ago).

Dale53

[hyoder]

Ditto the Hornet for Hunter's Pistol Silhouette.
Like Canyon-ghost I use the taco hold and shoot at 22 mag velocity w a 52 gr. boolit

[cbrick]

10 "22 Hornet= The most accurate barrel I have for my Contender....dale

What's the twist? The load? The boolit? Curious minds want to know.

Rick

[303Guy]

.... If I want to send the heavies out fast now, I grab the .222 .

Undeniable logic! It I was still doing rimless cartridges I would go 222. I had a 223 mini-14. Loved that gun. It gave 222 performance with its short barrel but not the accuracy. Now, by choice and some strange affliction, I do only rimmed cases, preferably those with history (i.e. old). Even stranger, I want them all on Lee Enfield actions and based on the 303 Brit. I have a spare 22 barrel and a spare Lee Enfield action - watch this space! (It might be a Rimmed 220 Swift! Or a Rimmed 222/303. If I could figure out a way of feeding the hornet into a Lee Enfield I might just do that too!)

[HORNET]

Well, Sedgley built Hornets on Krag actions.....How about running .357 Max cases into a Fireball die for a rimmed case?

[45-70 Chevroner]

You guys make me feel light headed. After reading this thread you guys have almost convenced me that I need a new rifle. My brother had one many years ago bless his sole, he died in 2005 miss him a lot. The hornet will be my next new rifle.

Any one have a 21' TC barrel in 22 Hornet That they would like to sell.

[Charlie Sometimes]

There's the 225 Winchester- IIRC, it is a rimmed cartridge in the 220 Swift class.

[303Guy]

Well, Sedgley built Hornets on Krag actions.....How about running .357 Max cases into a Fireball die for a rimmed case?

I've thought about that. Then there's using a 30-30 case to do the same thing. The 30-30 has more history and a larger rim.

There's the 225 Winchester- IIIRC, it is a rimmed cartridge in the 220 Swift class.

I've never seen cases in my part of the world. There is a 222 Rimmed in my parts. Not sure what the parent case is.

But getting back to the hornet, it is undoubtedly a 'must have' in a small rifle! but my next one is going to be single shot. Single shots are actually faster to reload and aim then bolt action repeaters! Think about it - we are reloaders .... ! That makes us crazy and we won't insert a fresh cartridge until we've found the case we just dropped in the long grass! I don't drop or lose cases anymore. I have a very reliable way of extracting the fired case before reloading but it involves lowering the gun, turning it on its side, holding my hand over the ejector port and opening the bolt. Single shots are faster!

[BCall]

225 Winchester was originally based off of the 30/30 case, with the rim turned down to fit '06 sized bolt faces. It uses the same shellholder as the 220 swift but is a step below it in velocity. I have a Handi-rifle barrel that was rechambered to 225 Win, and like it alot, but I have readily available brass. You could form it from 30/30 if you turned down the rim, but modern 225 brass is stronger I think. I'm going to have one rechambered in 219 zipper next though.

Everyone should have a hornet I think. I have 3.

The hornet and the 218 bee probably take up 60% of my rifle shooting. Small powder charges, easy on lead, what's not to like? Billy

[Charlie Sometimes]

225 Winchester was originally based off of the 30/30 case, with the rim turned down to fit '06 sized bolt faces. It uses the same shellholder as the 220 swift but is a step below it in velocity.

Thanks Billy! I didn't know all of that, but knew about the velocity. You see a few now and then at gun shows. Nothing I need, though. I had a 22-250 once- very accurate, but LOUD! I like the 22 Hornet, and 221 Fireball class the best. Much quieter, and easier on the components budget.

Single shots are actually faster to reload and aim than bolt action repeaters! Think about it - we are reloaders .... ! That makes us crazy and we won't insert a fresh cartridge until we've found the case we just dropped in the long grass!

That is why I own only 4 semi-auto firearms- two of which are 22 LR. They throw brass and I have to fight the urge to spot it or look for it before I fire the next round! Lever actions are almost as bad, but easier to predict where the brass lands due to the effort applied to the lever.
The majority of my rifles are bolt action because I reload!

I think you could use the 22/30-30 wildcat in an Enfield- the 303 British is close to that head size, I think. That sounds like a fun project.

[303Guy]

From Steves Pages. (Worth visiting).

http://www.stevespages.com/page8d.htm







You can see who the creator of the 6mm Lee (parent case of the 220Swift) and the 303 British was.

(Hah! Got the pics fixed!)

[303Guy]

Are you able to go into Steve's Pages?

[randyrat]

There's the 225 Winchester- IIRC, it is a rimmed cartridge in the 220 Swift class.

I just seen one yesterday made by Savage. It's just under the 220 swift. Nice rifle though. I looked up the specs and they are slightly different, and of course the 225 win is a rimmed cartridge. 303guy would be a perfect canidate for a 225 win.

[Charlie Sometimes]

Yea, I got to the links you posted once the thread updates were sent last night.
There was more differences in cartridge head size than I thought.
They are all pretty close, though.
Bound to be a way to remedy any of the short comings- depending on what you want.

You got them fixed!
Deleted my previous post- now irrelevant!

[303Guy]

I got the pics fixed in my earlier post. If you have a look at the 220 Swift case, you see that the measurement is taken a bit away from the rim. It is basically the equivalent of what Winchester did with the 30-30 case to create the 225.

[wistlepig1]

I have a Savage that shoots real well with J-words BUT with Lyman 438's not well at all. I use a 34 HP bullit from Midsouth and at 100 yds you can cover 5 shots with a nickle but with casts I need a tarp to cover the "group". I have tried fast powders, slow powders and pixie dust powders, with no luck. I have used SR primers, SP primers and come to a place that "use J-words" and hit what you aim at!

With that said, get a Hornet and you too will see why people love the little "beasT".