.22 Hornet

[Star1pup]

I've been told that the .22 Hornet is hard to hand load.  Anyone have experience loading this cartridge?

[Bob A]

The Hornet has a reputation for thin walls that can easily buckle and being very picky about .1 grain of powder making big differences in accuracy (group size).
All true - BUT -
I have been loading for my Handi Rifle Hornet for a couple of years and have found a very good (for me) process.

1. Neck Size Only. Easier on the cases. I use the Lee die set.
2. Use Lil'gun powder. Loads from 12 to 13.5 grains do very well and fill the case 90 - 100 %. Great performance, good accuracy, forgiving of small variances.
3. 40 Gr VMax or Nosler 40 BT bullets. The boat tail design makes bullet seating very easy with no case crushing issues.

If you don't use the Boat Tail bullets, be sure to chamfer the case mouths or even flair them slightly (like you would loading cast)

I get great results and really enjoy my Hornet.

Give it a try, you'll like it.

Bob A

[Catfish]

I think that the main reason people say loading for the Hornet is hard is because of the small bullets and small cases. Hornets can be finicky, but once you find a good load your good to go.

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  Have a Browning A bolt that has lived in my house for about 15 years. It is a super fun rifle. Follow Bob's and Catfish's advice for loading . I prefer 4227, but have a bunch of it and it is accurate in my rifle. I load this one not for speed, but accuracy. If I want fast, I have others. I have used this little gun in Pa., W. Va, Wy. Mt. and Az. So far it has taken gophers, p.dogs, eastern chucks, fox, crows, coyotes, 2 kinds of jacks, cottontails, tree squirrel: grey and fox, forest grouse, wild turkey, one deer, plus things I have forgotten. Maybe a stray cat or two. It is a woodsbums delight. Have shot hundreds of flat base bullets, but follow Bob's advice. I love it. There are rifles in my safe I haven't shot for years, but this one gets some use almost every season of the year. For the east it is quiet. Out here I shoot cottontails all winter with it. Love it.   

[stimpylu32]

I'm just starting to load for the Hornet , not by choice but because my 21 year old just loves the way it  shoots with Hornady factory ammo , now at $17 a box of 25 thats just not going to do .

I have test loads made up with 5 diffrent powders and 15 diffrent bullets from 35g V-max to 63g Sierra's and hope to do some shooting friday .

Till I decide if it will shoot a hand load , I've not even gotten a set of proper dies , just neck sized the cases with my 218 Bee sizer and seated the bullets with my 224GNR seating die , ha what can I say -- IT WORKED . 

stimpy 

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

32, My hornet would not stabilize the 36 grain Barnes Gernade bullets. They were too long. I am sure it has a slow twist and will not deal with bullets of normal variety over 50 grains. Let me know how yours does with the 63 grain. It may have a much quicker twist. Hope you like yours as well as I do mine. I use 35 grain Vmax for p. dogs and gophers. It sure does a number on them..

[Star1pup]

Lots of good info on this site.  Thanks!  I have to check my records, but someone on GB once gave me what he said was a great Hornet load.  It was Lil' Gun Powder and Hornady Vmax.  I think 40 gr. Vmax.

I understand that there is a difference in Hornets with the chambering and twist different between the older guns and new guns.  My rifle is a CZ and it shoots MOA with Winchester factory loads.  It is a bit more open with Remington.  I rpobably won't get to developing a handload until winter.  Right now I'm busy fishing and squirrel season opens in a couple weeks here in Ohio.  My mountain cur is chomping at the bit to go and tree a bushytail.

[LaOtto222]

When I got into the reloading business, the 22 Hornet was my first customer. I haven't noticed any real problems with. Probably the biggest factor was trying to put a crimp in while seating a bullet. If you do not have every thing adjusted correctly, you either do not get a crimp or you will crush the neck. I also would load the Hornet on a single stage press - that way if you feel any resistance while seating a bullet you can back off and straighten up the neck and give it another go. The single stage press gives lots of feel so you can back off when it does not feel right. I have successfully seated 100's if not thousands of flat bottom bullets, just make sure you give the case a good inside chamfer and go slowly when you seat the bullet (so you can stop if some thing does not feel right). Lately, (past five years) I have used an RCBS 222 Remington gold medal seating die, the one with a sliding chamber. I just start the case into the die until the sliding chamber starts to rise and drop in the bullet from the side and bingo in it goes real slick. I just needed to buy an extended reach shell holder for that die.

The older H&R Hornets were 1 - 12" twist, the newer ones are 1 - 9" twist. You need to use the tight patch and cleaning rod trick to find out which one you have. It will give an idea of what it will handle

BTW I had a SL 22 Hornet with 1 - 12" twist and it would not shoot the 36 grain Barnes worth a hoot. I think they were stabilized some what, they just threw patterns, not groups. I also have a Savage Model 40 with a 1-14" twist and it would not stabilize a 36 grain VG at all. Your twist rate will dictate how heavy (long) of bullets it will stabilize. Knowing Stimpy, he has an H&R and if it is a newer barrel it will stabilize or should stabilize 60+ bullets because of the 1-9" twist.

Good Luck and Good Shooting

[stimpylu32]

When I got into the reloading business, the 22 Hornet was my first customer. I haven't noticed any real problems with. Probably the biggest factor was trying to put a crimp in while seating a bullet. If you do not have every thing adjusted correctly, you either do not get a crimp or you will crush the neck. I also would load the Hornet on a single stage press - that way if you feel any resistance while seating a bullet you can back off and straighten up the neck and give it another go. The single stage press gives lots of feel so you can back off when it does not feel right. I have successfully seated 100's if not thousands of flat bottom bullets, just make sure you give the case a good inside chamfer and go slowly when you seat the bullet (so you can stop if some thing does not feel right). Lately, (past five years) I have used an RCBS 222 Remington gold medal seating die, the one with a sliding chamber. I just start the case into the die until the sliding chamber starts to rise and drop in the bullet from the side and bingo in it goes real slick. I just needed to buy an extended reach shell holder for that die.

The older H&R Hornets were 1 - 12" twist, the newer ones are 1 - 9" twist. You need to use the tight patch and cleaning rod trick to find out which one you have. It will give an idea of what it will handle

BTW I had a SL 22 Hornet with 1 - 12" twist and it would not shoot the 36 grain Barnes worth a hoot. I think they were stabilized some what, they just threw patterns, not groups. I also have a Savage Model 40 with a 1-14" twist and it would not stabilize a 36 grain VG at all. Your twist rate will dictate how heavy (long) of bullets it will stabilize. Knowing Stimpy, he has an H&R and if it is a newer barrel it will stabilize or should stabilize 60+ bullets because of the 1-9" twist.

Good Luck and Good Shooting

Yep its a Handi  , kinda wondering how it will do with the heavy weights as it shoots the short / stubby 35g V-max like a lazer , we shall se in the morning . 

stimpy

[securitysix]

I have a 21" Contender Carbine barrel chambered for .22 K-Hornet (TC Custom Shop bought from Ed's TC a few years ago).  It seems to do good with bullets up to 45 grains.  I've tried 50s, 52s, 53s, and 55s, and while it doesn't keyhole with them or anything, it also doesn't group them very well.  45 grain bullets, especially the old Nosler Solid Base soft points (wish I could find more of these, I only have about 40 or so left, if that) shoot sub-MOA with the right powder pushing them.

I can't quite figure out what someone would do with a .22 Hornet flinging bullets heavier than 55 grains anyway, so I've never been inclined to try the 60+ grain bullets in my K-Hornet.

[LaOtto222]

Why is there a 30 Whisper? - Flinging heavy bullets subsonic. One thing I have discovered...not everyone likes or expects the same thing. So I just go with the flow, if you like it then that is good enough for me. Good Luck to all and Good Shooting

[securitysix]

Why is there a 30 Whisper? - Flinging heavy bullets subsonic. One thing I have discovered...not everyone likes or expects the same thing. So I just go with the flow, if you like it then that is good enough for me. Good Luck to all and Good Shooting

I'm not telling others not to do it.  I'm just saying, I can't figure out what one would do with such a beast as a heavy bullet .22 Hornet.  Or, more precisely, I can't figure out what I would do with one.

My logic is thus:  I ought to be able to take a coyote with any properly constructed bullet from 40 to 55 grains lobbed from a .22 Hornet (or K-Hornet, as is my specific case).  Given that knowledge, I figured I'd seek the heaviest bullet my particular barrel would shoot well and go with it.  Since my Contender Carbine barrel seems to like the 45 grain stuff, that will be my coyote bullet (assuming I can ever sucker a coyote into coming close enough when I'm armed with more than a flashlight and an ornery dog).  From there, all other load development is for my own personal enjoyment and will be done with bullets lighter than 45 grains.

If others have a .22 Hornet that shoots 50+ grain bullets well and they want to fling them around, that's fine.  I'm still not sure I get it, but I don't suppose I have to. 

[LaOtto222]

I can not shoot heavy bullets in my 22 Hornets or 22K-Hornet. Mine are of the 1-14" twist flavor. the new H&R 22 Hornet barrels have a 1-9" twist rate. They can (or should) stabilize a heavier bullet. Maybe you want 22 Magnum velocity and reloadable? I don't know either, I prefer the lighter bullets. Maybe the light bullets will not shoot well and the heavy ones will. Better to have an accurate 60 grain bullet going at 1800 fps than one that sprays bullets at 2600 fps.

[JamesIII]

Stimpy, I would be interested in a range report on those 22 Hornet loads you are trying. My handi 22 Hornet is still a work in progress. JamesIII

[Drilling Man]

The Hornet has a reputation for thin walls that can easily buckle and being very picky about .1 grain of powder making big differences in accuracy (group size).

  I've loaded thousands of rounds of Hornets, and that's been my experience exactly!

  DM

[briannmilewis]

Reloaded 700 rounds since Dec 2008.

L'il Gun full case, with any brand boat-tail or tapered base bullet, seat to maximum length allowable, my H&R is 1.850".

L'il Gun, 1mm below neck for any brand flat based bullet. You will crush necks while seating if you have a full case with flat based bullets.

Lee Dies. Try to necksize only. Factory crimp die is VERY important.

The compressed loads are accurate and low pressure.

I think 45gr and 50gr bullets work best for me, but I would try them all to see what your gun likes.

*****You cannot put too much L'il Gun in a 22 Hornet case (Hodgdon's words, not mine)...so stop measuring and start shooting.*****THIS APPLIES TO L'IL GUN AND 22 HORNET ONLY!!!! If you try it with other powders you may kill yourself or others!

Also some like small pistol primers. Tried them all, I have no opinion, but 1MOA is all I want.

Remington Bench Rest Small Rifle Primers are good when the primer pockets get too loose for CCI or Winchester primers. If you use a Lee Autoprimer, you can easily feel when the pockets get loosened up.

[supertodd]

I'm 35 yrs old now and have been loading 22 hornet since I was 14 yrs old, I have never found the hornet to hard to reload, I have buckled some necks, but not to many.  I full lenght size mine.