littlepig99
New member
Getting ready to reload some 22 hornet shells. What would be a good bullet to start with? It will mainly be used for fox within 100 yards. Don't want a lot of pelt damage. Thanks for your advice.
22 hornet bullet ?
- Thread starter littlepig99
- Start date
since velocities aren't real high they don't do a lot of damage. More of a trick is to find which bullets works best in your rifle and how the load is set up, charge - powder- seating depth. I have 40 and 45 grain hornet bullets some shoot better than others. I just order 32 grain bullets. Google 22 Hornet loads- look at recent Shooting Times articles. Keep Center, JHG
Martyn4802
New member
A couple of years ago, I did a whole lot of testing with two Hornets, a Ruger Number 1 and a Ruger 77/Hornet, trying every available bullet in the Hornet weight range. In fact my testing lasted over a couple of years, looking for the magic Hornet load.
I had trouble getting pointy bullets to shoot well, in any Hornet weight from 36 grains up to 45 grains. The most accurate bullet in these two rifles turned out to the the classic Sierra 45 grain Hornet bullet. I used Lil-Gun and H-110 powder. Win 296 is the same powder as H-110, so I didn't try it. The Ruger Number 1 didn't shoot Lil-Gun well, but the Ruger 77 did, and it shoots it well, with the Sierra bullet.
I don't have the Ruger Number 1 any longer, but now have the Ruger 77, and a Browning Huntsman, and just two days ago took delivery of a Winchester Model 54 Hornet, which I haven't shot yet.
The barrel on it is a .223, so I ordered some Sierra 45 grain 223 bullets yesterday to use in it.
My Step Dad had a Win Model 54 Hornet, that's why I bought this one. His load was IMR 4227 with the Sierra 45 grain Hornet bullet. Only 4227 and 2400 were available back in the timeframe that he loaded for his Hornet, and he like the 4227 better. Also, I learned reloading from him with the Hornet.
The Browning Huntsman is a class above the Ruger 77 in many respects, and although the Ruger 77 shot a 1/4", 4 shot group at 50 yards, I like the Huntsman better. And, the Huntsman shoots the 45 grain Sierra's well too. Haven't tried any pointy bullets in it because the Sierra's shoot so well now.
Don
I had trouble getting pointy bullets to shoot well, in any Hornet weight from 36 grains up to 45 grains. The most accurate bullet in these two rifles turned out to the the classic Sierra 45 grain Hornet bullet. I used Lil-Gun and H-110 powder. Win 296 is the same powder as H-110, so I didn't try it. The Ruger Number 1 didn't shoot Lil-Gun well, but the Ruger 77 did, and it shoots it well, with the Sierra bullet.
I don't have the Ruger Number 1 any longer, but now have the Ruger 77, and a Browning Huntsman, and just two days ago took delivery of a Winchester Model 54 Hornet, which I haven't shot yet.
The barrel on it is a .223, so I ordered some Sierra 45 grain 223 bullets yesterday to use in it.
My Step Dad had a Win Model 54 Hornet, that's why I bought this one. His load was IMR 4227 with the Sierra 45 grain Hornet bullet. Only 4227 and 2400 were available back in the timeframe that he loaded for his Hornet, and he like the 4227 better. Also, I learned reloading from him with the Hornet.
The Browning Huntsman is a class above the Ruger 77 in many respects, and although the Ruger 77 shot a 1/4", 4 shot group at 50 yards, I like the Huntsman better. And, the Huntsman shoots the 45 grain Sierra's well too. Haven't tried any pointy bullets in it because the Sierra's shoot so well now.
Don
Blackhawk43
New member
I have three Hornets, two C Z 527's and a Brno hornet, the two bullets I like the best are the Sierra 40 grain hornet and the Calhoon 30 grain double hollow point. I use Lil Gun with the Sierra and H110 with the Calhoon.
timb
New member
I use two bullets, the first being the WW 46 gr. HP component bullet with W296 powder. I am getting 1" groups at 100 yards with this in my Ruger 77 with the bull barrel. Velocity is running 2680 or thereabouts.
The second bullet is the 40 gr. VMax with Lil'Gun powder. Velocity is right at 2950 and accuracy is an inch or a bit under.
You will help the small little bottleneck case along if you neck size. Need to be careful and chamfer the inside of the case neck carefully, because if you get careless when seating the bullet, it is easy to go too quick and squash the neck.
Good luck, the Hornet is a cool cartridge. It serves me well as a calling rifle when I know my max shot will be 150 yards or less!
Regards,
Tim
The second bullet is the 40 gr. VMax with Lil'Gun powder. Velocity is right at 2950 and accuracy is an inch or a bit under.
You will help the small little bottleneck case along if you neck size. Need to be careful and chamfer the inside of the case neck carefully, because if you get careless when seating the bullet, it is easy to go too quick and squash the neck.
Good luck, the Hornet is a cool cartridge. It serves me well as a calling rifle when I know my max shot will be 150 yards or less!
Regards,
Tim
1shotshooter
New member
I have found the Sierra 40gr BlitzKing and the Hornady 40gr V-Max, to be the 2 bullets my Savage M-40 likes. Lil Gun seems to be the powder of choice in my M-40 as well, at 13.2gr with the Sie. 40gr BK and 13.0gr with the 40gr V-Max. Both shoot well under 1", close to 1/2" to be exact.
K-22hornet.
New member
My favorite coyote load is 13.0gr Lilgun, under a 45gr Barnes XLC, ignited by a small pistol primer. This load shoots moa, and the velocity is just over 2900fps. This bullet works the best on coyotes of any bullet I've tried in the Hornet. I imagine it would work well for fox with little pelt damage.
I have tried the pointy 45gr bullets (non-Hornet) made for higher velocities, with moa accuracy. These get about 2850-2875fps, again with 13.0gr Lilgun. Since they are made for higher velocities, they might work more like a controlled expansion bullet to keep the pelt damage to a minimum.
Great little round!
I have tried the pointy 45gr bullets (non-Hornet) made for higher velocities, with moa accuracy. These get about 2850-2875fps, again with 13.0gr Lilgun. Since they are made for higher velocities, they might work more like a controlled expansion bullet to keep the pelt damage to a minimum.
Great little round!
blinddog
New member
I have been looking at the Hornet for a while now. I am wanting a Low wall repro from Uberti the loads I am researching are not much by modern standards but 10.5 grns. IMR 4227 or 2400 under a 40 grn jacketed bullet for about 2500-2600 fps seem like a great load for fox or B cat and cast gascheck bullet seem to do pretty well also with Vels in the 2200-2400 fps range. I will post more on this once I get the thirty inch barreled Low Wall and acctually work up some loads to test.
sac4
Member
the best bullet I have found for the hornet is the 35gr v-max . it great on every thing I load mine with vn110 and get 1/2 gruops with it I have had two rugers and the mag limits the oal so that makes it hard to use the 40 gr vmax. they are to long for the ruger mag . I have had really good results with it out to 200 after that is slows way down the bc is not very good. I have tried alot of the powders and bullet combos and none have been as good as the vn110 and 35gr vmax.
Martyn4802
New member
Quote:
the best bullet I have found for the hornet is the 35gr v-max . it great on every thing I load mine with vn110 and get 1/2 gruops with it I have had two rugers and the mag limits the oal so that makes it hard to use the 40 gr vmax. they are to long for the ruger mag . I have had really good results with it out to 200 after that is slows way down the bc is not very good. I have tried alot of the powders and bullet combos and none have been as good as the vn110 and 35gr vmax.
I forgot about the vn 110 powder you mention, and it's a good one. Also, AA makes a powder that is good for the Hornet, unfortunately I don't remember the number of the powder. But, a shooting buddy up here uses it in his Hornet and he gets exceptional accuracy with it. You might want to look into that powder too. I've never tried it.
Martyn
the best bullet I have found for the hornet is the 35gr v-max . it great on every thing I load mine with vn110 and get 1/2 gruops with it I have had two rugers and the mag limits the oal so that makes it hard to use the 40 gr vmax. they are to long for the ruger mag . I have had really good results with it out to 200 after that is slows way down the bc is not very good. I have tried alot of the powders and bullet combos and none have been as good as the vn110 and 35gr vmax.
I forgot about the vn 110 powder you mention, and it's a good one. Also, AA makes a powder that is good for the Hornet, unfortunately I don't remember the number of the powder. But, a shooting buddy up here uses it in his Hornet and he gets exceptional accuracy with it. You might want to look into that powder too. I've never tried it.
Martyn