Author Topic: what maker of 22 hornet should i go with ?  (Read 3889 times)

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Offline 17ghk

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what maker of 22 hornet should i go with ?
« on: March 07, 2007, 01:27:54 PM »
this is my first post here. i need help in deciding which 22 hornet to buy. did a lot of research on nef and cz but i cant decide. i know cz is accurate and the nef might not be bad but is the cz worth the extra money? i want a moa gun.

Offline k3yston3

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Re: what maker of 22 hornet should i go with ?
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2007, 01:57:28 PM »
The CZ 527 are neat little guns.  I have one in .223 and I don't think that I have shot larger than a .75" group/100yrds with it, on average it is around .5" with Winchester white box .223 ammo.  The CZ is easily worth the extra money in my eyes.


My 527

Offline Gregory

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Re: what maker of 22 hornet should i go with ?
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2007, 02:16:24 PM »
Have you considered a Browning?  I've got a lefty model in 22Hornet I've very pleased with.

Greg

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the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
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Offline nofun1

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Re: what maker of 22 hornet should i go with ?
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2007, 03:38:41 PM »
I have 5 hornets, 2 cz 527 one reamed to a K-Hornet a savage an NEF and a cz That became a 19 Hornet heres a few things to consider when deciding, all of mine including the NEF will consistently shoot 3/4" and on a good day 1/2" I am very clearly the week link. the NEF is by far the least expensive I paid $199. brand new. it is short and light and makes a great window gun. ( relax I know the laws and all that, I'm not going to explain) It shoots as good as any BUT: more than once I have had a trip dampened by the occasional stuck cartridge. No problem if you have a cleaning rod with you. I started carrying a 6" peice of brass rod in my shirt pocket when I go walking far from the truck. I had 6 handis in various calibers but got rid of all but the Hornet because I got tired of the break barrel action. Having said this a NEF would serve you well and bring you alot of fun. The CZ's are my new favorite at about $490. (this week) they are very well made and have arguably the most adjustable trigger out there. they are very nice and very accurate. If you order one you take your chances on the wood, you can get anything from show quality to pallet wood. otherwise fit and finish are great, also a very light compact walk around gun if you get the sporter barrel. The Savage is a nice gun that looks like a rimfire but has a very heavy stock and barrel the stock to barrel finish is kind of a joke its floated like a 1/6". its a single shot and has a crappy loading mechanism. but a great shooter. It would be a fantastic gun to setup on a bench at the.edge of a ground squirrel field. The accutrigger is nice but if your a tinkerer you can make the CZ much nicer. the CZ has a short magazine so if you handload and dont use very short round nose bullets you'll probably shoot it single shot. These are just my observations and opinions. good luck and enjoy whatever you get.

Offline 17ghk

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Re: what maker of 22 hornet should i go with ?
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2007, 05:19:56 PM »
thanks nofun1 for a very informative response

Offline Graybeard

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Re: what maker of 22 hornet should i go with ?
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2007, 05:34:42 PM »
IF you buy a Browning be aware that they still use the original barrel spec of .223" for bullets NOT .224" like everyone else. So book loads for the Hornet unless it states the use of .224" bullets will be unsafe in it. I found out the hard way then called Browning and was told their barrels are .223".


Bill aka the Graybeard
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I am not a lawyer and do not give legal advice.

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Offline gunpilot

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Re: what maker of 22 hornet should i go with ?
« Reply #6 on: March 09, 2007, 05:56:58 AM »
I'm not familiar with the NEFs, but own 2 CZ rimfires that are very accurate. I have owned three 22 Hornets- a Ruger Heavy barrel stainless that was very accurate, but traded it in on a lightweight Ruger blued model that had poor accuracy. Traded that in on a Browning A-Bolt Microhunter that shoots 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards and I like the weight of the rifle. 22 Hornet is the most fun caliber to shoot.

Offline billy_56081

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Re: what maker of 22 hornet should i go with ?
« Reply #7 on: March 09, 2007, 01:05:02 PM »
  I love my Super light handi. It shoots .5 inch groups at 100 yards. I use 13 grains of Lil Gun under a 35 grain Vmax.
99% of all Lawyers give the other 1% a bad name. What I find hilarious about this is they are such an arrogant bunch, that they all think they are in the 1%.

Offline Gregory

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Re: what maker of 22 hornet should i go with ?
« Reply #8 on: March 09, 2007, 04:57:23 PM »
IF you buy a Browning be aware that they still use the original barrel spec of .223" for bullets NOT .224" like everyone else. So book loads for the Hornet unless it states the use of .224" bullets will be unsafe in it. I found out the hard way then called Browning and was told their barrels are .223".

I shoot .224 bullets out of mine accurately and no pressure signs.
I'll have to give Browning a call myself,  hard to comprehend why they would make a .223 bore for just the Hornet.

This report says it's a .224
 "Twist rate of the .224-inch barrel is the traditional one turn in 16 inches, perfect for bullets up to about 45 grains." 

http://www.reloadingroom.com/page20.html




Greg

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the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
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Offline Graybeard

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Re: what maker of 22 hornet should i go with ?
« Reply #9 on: March 09, 2007, 05:25:17 PM »
I called Browning and spoke with the engineer in charge of the Model 1885 project.  His name is Denny Wilcox. The .223" bore diameter is the traditional size for the Hornet but everyone else other than Browning has changed to .224"

Pressure signs are elusive, usually by the time you see them you are WAY over pressure. I broke my cardinal rule of never ever using anyone else's reloads and fired some that were given to me by a friend I trusted. They were working fine in his gun with a .224" barrel. At the time I had no clue the Browning used a .223" barrel. I had two cases explode on me before I figured out things were bad wrong. The second one brought blood on my face from a fragment of the case that some how got out and hit me.

I also had problems with some factory loads being too hot. I wasn't able to get anywhere near book max. I suspect you are running way high pressures if you're using book max loads and .224" bullets.


Bill aka the Graybeard
President, Graybeard Outdoor Enterprises
256-435-1125

I am not a lawyer and do not give legal advice.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life anyone who believes in Him will have everlasting life!

Offline Gregory

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Re: what maker of 22 hornet should i go with ?
« Reply #10 on: March 09, 2007, 05:44:42 PM »
I called Browning and spoke with the engineer in charge of the Model 1885 project.  His name is Denny Wilcox. The .223" bore diameter is the traditional size for the Hornet but everyone else other than Browning has changed to .224"

Pressure signs are elusive, usually by the time you see them you are WAY over pressure. I broke my cardinal rule of never ever using anyone else's reloads and fired some that were given to me by a friend I trusted. They were working fine in his gun with a .224" barrel. At the time I had no clue the Browning used a .223" barrel. I had two cases explode on me before I figured out things were bad wrong. The second one brought blood on my face from a fragment of the case that some how got out and hit me.

I also had problems with some factory loads being too hot. I wasn't able to get anywhere near book max. I suspect you are running way high pressures if you're using book max loads and .224" bullets.

I've been reloading for 20+ years and I'd recognize pressure signs.  I doubt my Micro Hunter has a .223 bore.   I get normal velocities and cases show no evidence of high pressure.   Maybe on the 1885 they did use a .223 bore. 

I'll get a call in to Browning to confirm on my gun.

Greg

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the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
Second Amendment, U.S. Constitution (1791)

Offline Gregory

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Re: what maker of 22 hornet should i go with ?
« Reply #11 on: March 16, 2007, 12:25:22 PM »
I've been reloading for 20+ years and I'd recognize pressure signs.  I doubt my Micro Hunter has a .223 bore.   I get normal velocities and cases show no evidence of high pressure.   Maybe on the 1885 they did use a .223 bore. 

I'll get a call in to Browning to confirm on my gun.

Well I'm having crow for dinner tonight.  I just got off the phone with Linda at Browning and for the 22 Hornet they list a .217 bore and .222 groove.

For confirmation I asked what they use on a .223 Rem and was told .219 bore and .224 groove.

Guess I'll give some .223 dia. bullets a try.  I've been pretty happy with the groups so far with .224 bullets.

 
Greg

NRA Endowment Life Member
the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
Second Amendment, U.S. Constitution (1791)

Offline 2520

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Re: what maker of 22 hornet should i go with ?
« Reply #12 on: April 19, 2007, 03:57:47 AM »
Gregory:  Have a large supply of .223 hornet bullets, about 5 1/2 boxes of Sierra 45 grain.  I had to rebarrel a Martini and have these left over.  Make me an offer.  Reply to 2520ss@excite.com   2520

Offline snake guy

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Re: what maker of 22 hornet should i go with ?
« Reply #13 on: April 19, 2007, 02:28:25 PM »

Quote
Well I'm having crow for dinner tonight.  I just got off the phone with Linda at Browning and for the 22 Hornet they list a .217 bore and .222 groove.

For confirmation I asked what they use on a .223 Rem and was told .219 bore and .224 groove.

Guess I'll give some .223 dia. bullets a try.  I've been pretty happy with the groups so far with .224 bullets.

 


So, does this mean that reloading for the Browning Micro Hunter will be more difficult than for other makers? I was really thinking that would be my first Hornet. Now I might need to re-think that.

By the way, found this article from Shooting Times (1998). Wonder why Browning went in such a different direction.

 "All current-manufacture .22 Hornet firearms of all types are specced at .224 (and have been for a half-century), all commercially loaded .22 Hornet ammunition loads are specced at .224 (and have been for a half-century), and all current handload manuals use .224-caliber bullets for the .22 Hornet (with mention of the earlier situation). Only the oldest, early manufacture Hornet rifles (and some special-built personal custom guns) have .223-inch bores. Sierra alone continues to offer .223-caliber 40-grain and 45-grain softnose "Hornet" bullets for handloaders who specifically need them, but the standard .22 Hornet load data in the Sierra manual is for .224 bullets. So don't be confused: The modern .22 Hornet is a .224. }

Offline drags

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Re: what maker of 22 hornet should i go with ?
« Reply #14 on: April 21, 2007, 12:49:15 PM »
Snakeguy, I have a cz527 22 hornet that won't shoot .224 bullets I called cz and they told me the bore was .223, I purchased sierra 45gr .223 bullets and the gun shot very well. If you don't believe me cz has a toll free number also I think hornady makes .223 bullets.
Drags

Offline snake guy

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Re: what maker of 22 hornet should i go with ?
« Reply #15 on: April 22, 2007, 07:53:59 AM »
Snakeguy, I have a cz527 22 hornet that won't shoot .224 bullets I called cz and they told me the bore was .223, I purchased sierra 45gr .223 bullets and the gun shot very well. If you don't believe me cz has a toll free number also I think hornady makes .223 bullets.
Drags

Drags:

I believe you and Greybeard completely. It's just sort of amazing to me that such a potentially dangerous situation (commercial ammo and most reloads being .224 and two major rifle makers using .223) could exist without the mainstream gun press and the reloading manuals saying something about it. Oh well-that's why we have these forums, right?