Ream Hornet to .218 Bee?

[wreckhog]

Been done? Any issues?

[quickdtoo]

I know it's been discussed, the Bee is shorter than the Hornet, so you'd end up with a long chamber neck, but it's doable, Stimpy used a .22mag rimfire barrel, just keep in mind late Hornet barrels are 1:9".

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,125451.msg1098443840.html#msg1098443840

[gcrank1]

It has been done for years, and with that 1:9 twist you can use longer/heavier bullets that should make good use of that longer throat. I would want to be very careful about the neck/throat size of that reamer though to match it to what you have in the rifle now.
Remember, the throat is the critical area of the chamber.

[stimpylu32]

Been done? Any issues?

As Tim said , mine was done with a 22 Mag RF barrel , couple of reasons for that choice , one was that I planned to shoot only 30g to 40g bullets so the reamer would clean up the throat and give it a true Bee throat . No need to have a long throat for a round that does better with short / stubby bullets .

Second was that the Bee runs at a lower pressure than some of the other little 22 rounds so the extra strength of a Hornet barrel was not needed for this project . And lastly -  I had an extra 22 mag barrel .  

stimpy

PS -- The Bee does well with light bullets moving fast and the 1 in 16 twist of the mag barrel fits it very well .

[trotterlg]

The throat and neck parts of the chamber are two different things.  The throat diameter is likely the same as the bullet diameter or a half thousanth over and the neck diameter will be about .020 or more than the bullet diameter.  Having  a neck diameter bore ahead of the bullet would be an undeiserable thing.  Larry

[D Humbarger]

I would just go straight to a 218 Mashburn Bee.  That one really stings! 

[moorepower]

Or a .221 furball, or a .222, or a .223, or a .222 rem mag, if all you are looking for is velocity. Then you will also have modern, cheap available brass. Or leave it a hornet, or K hornet!

[guns-o-fun]

Do you really need more of a boost than going to 22K Hornet.  It is supposed to be one of the more desirable AIs to do.  Been thinking of reaming mine out.

[moorepower]

The .221 furball is the practical way to go, but I am really thinking K hornet, for potential accuracy and case life. I love oddball rounds, but brass prices can make them not so fun.

[guns-o-fun]

The hornet ammo isn't all that expensive - and then you have the fun of fire forming the cases...

[moorepower]

.218 bee ammo is a little bit in tight supply however!

[LaOtto222]

You can do what ever your heart desires, but I strongly recommend reaming 22 Hornets to the 22K Hornet. Mine shoots well with a variety of reloads using different powders. Here are some I have tried. My fire forming load of 9 grains of Lil'Gun and 55 grain full metal jacket bullets ( which were pulls; given to me free) works OK, but I do not have any pictures.

With Lil'Gun and 40 grain V-Max



With 1680 and a 50 grain MidSouth varmint nightmare



Here is a couple of more with the 34 grain MidSouth bullet, CCI 500 primers, Remington cases and WW 296 (my favorite load) and it is not a hot load.





It is no fluke that it shoots well, it shoots well with a lot of different reloads. These were all 5 shoot groups at 100 yards

Here is a picture of my 22K Hornet; it has a 1 - 14" twist barrel, my favorite twist for .224 caliber rifles



In my humble opinion, the 22K Hornet is far superior to the regular Hornet.

Good Luck and Good Shooting

 

[moorepower]

That almost does not look like a factory barrel!

[guns-o-fun]

I'll say.  Did H&R once make an ultra or ultracomp or something in 22 Hornet with a bull barrel?  I have cut my standard back to 19 inches and it seems heavy enough with that little hole through it.  Don't think I need any kind of bull barrel.  Nice gun.

[quickdtoo]

LaOtto's K Hornet is a stub, H&R has only made one Hornet bull barrel, Shaner has it and it's 24" ta boot, it's a one off mistake Gardner made for some reason, he called and asked, they said they had it, he had it fitted to his frame, lucky fella he is!!    Ultracomps were only made in 270 and 30-06.

Tim