I might buy a hornet handi, but...

[skifastchad]

I found a used 22 hornet handi in excellent condition and the price is below cheap.  I ran in to a problem when I went to look at ammo availability.  A box of plain old Remington express green box was $56 !?!?!?.  That is more expensive than Weatherby or Norma ammo!!!!.  The next step down the ladder was plain Winchester silver-box for $46.
Ive owned a 223, and wouldn't mind owning another center fire 22 in the future, but I can pick up this gun for cheaper than 3 boxes of ammo.

What is the solution to economically shooting a 22 hornet?  Do I have to get into reloading, or is there a source of sub $15 a box ammo out there anywhere?

[rbergum95]

buy it and reload for it. you can take full potential of the cartridge with hodgdon lil gun powder and hornady 40 gr. v-maxes. i can load close to 200 of those for less than a box of 50 remington factory loads. i have a handi hornet and a savage model 40 in the same caliber and i love them both. if i had to buy factory remfederchester ammo for them i wouldnt even own them.

[trotterlg]

Last time I bought Hornet ammo I think it was about $20 for fifty rounds.  I would check online some place, I can't believe it was that expensive.  How many rounds in the box you were looking at?  Larry

P.S. Gunbroker has it for $16.00 per 50 rounds, quite a bit cheaper than Weatherby stuff.

[SM Bob]

Skifastchad,
I have a Handi Hornet. It is without a doubt the best shooting rifle
I own. I  reload for almost all of my centerfire ammo. I couldn't
afford to shoot as much as do if I didn't reload. I know what you
are saying about factory ammo for the Hornet. It is out friggin' ragous!
The gun shop where I picked up my Hornet had some Federal Premium
22 Hornet ammo. It was $50 for 50 rounds! I agree with rbergum95. 
Reloading is way cheaper. I can get over 500 rounds out of a pound
of Lil' Gun powder. Mine likes the Sierra 40 & 45 gr Hornet varminter
bullets. My Hornet will consistently shoot 1" groups with my reloads.

                                    Robert

[rex6666]

if i am not mistaken, last time i looked at Cabelas 22H was $22.00 for 50 round box

[LaOtto222]

A box of plain old Remington express green box was $56 !?!?!?.  That is more expensive than Weatherby or Norma ammo!!!!.  The next step down the ladder was plain Winchester silver-box for $46.

While the ammo you were looking at is expensive; I think you were comparing a 20 round box of Norma verses 50 round box of Remington.
 If you hand load a pound of powder will be $25, brass some where in the $20 - $25 range, primers $3/100, bullets around $15/100. So the cost of getting started will be $5 for powder+$25 for brass+$3 for primers and $15 for bullets. You can get by cheaper than that depending on what you buy the components for to start with. You can buy cheaper bullets some where around $10 - $11/100 for instance. You should be able to get your first 100 loaded for about $.48 to $.50 each. after that it gets cheaper because you can get 5 or so reloads out of each piece of brass. While not cheap by any means, the only other cartridge that can touch it is 223, unless you get into handgun rounds. If you do not hand load then you can get good 223 ammo a little cheaper (but not much else), but if you buy premium stuff, you will pay as much if not more. Shooting is expensive any you slice it and getting worse.

[aulrich]

The hornet is definitely worth reloading for, a lee challenger kit and a couple of extras and it is paid for in a couple of boxes.

With the current state of the world is cheap 223 ammo still actually available?

[knight0334]

$40-50 seems to be a little excessive for pricing.  $16-21 is more realistic for Hornet ammo.

Hornet brass lasts pretty long if you reload.  Its not a real super high pressure round, so stretch isn't that bad in most guns with good chambers.   I have some Hornet brass going on its umteenth(10-20 times) reload - was probably made back in the '70s that I got off an uncle that had shot it in one of his rifles.

[just bill]

Quality ammo for Hornet & .223 are about the same price to 20% less for Hornet.  Hornet ammo comes 20,25 & 50 per box.

Value ammo in Hornet & .223 are about the same to 20% less for .223 (Brass cases only for Hornet)  Most value Hornet ammo is made in Europe and comes boxes of 20 only.

For less than $50 bucks you can start re-loading the Hornet very accurately with a Lee Classic Re-loader kit (plastic red box) and a plastic mallet for press.  Your cost for re-loads would be about the same as for rim mag ammo.  The kit works particularly well for Handi Hornets using once fired in Handi Hornet chamber brass and neck sizing only.  The combo produces very accurate,lower cost ammo in a quite speedy fasion for little set up cost.  Thats all I use for my Hornets.

 Little concerns for a well cared for used Hornet.  It would be very time consuming and costly to shoot out a barrel in the Hornet.  One of the longest lasting barrel lives in center fire calibers.  If the crown is good, does not look beat up,altered,etc. it should be fine.  You may want a Weaver or Handi scope base and a trigger spur.

[woodchukhntr]

Where was the ammo, Gander Mountain?  You can always do better than there!  Their large quantity purchasing certainly isn't giving the consumer a break.  You can do better at any small gun or sporting goods shop.  Reload, even if you get the Lee Classic or hand press with dies.  You'll start to save $ on the 2nd or 3rd box.

[skifastchad]

I bought the hornet.    I also found some good hornady ammo for very cheap.  Oh, and the farmer who sold me the gun gave me a bunch of lead bullet ammo.  Its round nose lead, almost like 22lr bullets in the hornet case.  I don't know if Ill shoot it.  Id rather stick to copper jackets with something this fast. 

Yes the expensive ammo was at gander mountain.  The thing is... I can find some of the best prices around on their winchester and remington cheapo ammo.  It is always less than $17 a box for rem and less than $15 for win.  The hornet ammo was boxes of 20 and was the most expensive ammo in the store.

[d_hiker]

I have shot the reloaded ammo for the .22 Hornet from Wisconsin Cartridge.  In my Handi I was getting less than 1" groups at 100 yards.  Their current price is $22 per 50 rounds.

http://www.wisconsincartridge.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=58&idproduct=19

[just bill]

Huh.........

Never seen that cartridge company.

Don't recognize that 45 grain hp bullet either ................anyone?  Maybe a Remington.

Zips along pretty good at 2600 fps for 45 g

Are they an ammo manufacture or just private label?

No real information about them on their site.

[quickdtoo]

They've been discussed several times, lots of happy customers here. 

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,68843.msg420776.html#msg420776

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,115920.msg1098371799.html#msg1098371799