Favorite Hornet Load

K

KansasCowboy

New member
I have recentley ordered a 77/22 Hornet as my surburban pest control Rifle and am curious about a couple of good loads for it,

I will use it for Feral Cats, crows, coons , coyotes.

Any suggestions from the Hornet shooters would be appreciated.
 
Hello KC,
This load has shot exceptionally well in two hornets I have had.
13.0 grs lil gun
cci small pistol primer
Sierra 40 gr pointed soft point. Its been a good hunting bullet for me.
Start low and work up, you should find a sweet spot for your rifle.
 
I have an old Savage 340 in the Hornet... mine likes anything around a 40gr (35, 40, 45) bullet, backed with AA1680, and a mag pistol primer. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

Edit to add powder & bullet info...

11.7gr AA1680 w/ 35gr V-max

11.2gr AA1680 w/ 40gr Sierra Round Nose

Both of these are my favorites... I have a magazine to worry about when it comes to overall length of my bullets, so I don't have much info on spire point bullets. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Last edited:
winchester brass
cci small pistol primer
Speer 46gr Flatnose
12.2gr 'Lil Gun

the Speer 46gr flatnose is a great fur bullet.
'Lil Gun is the best powder i've come across to date. i may also suggest getting a set of Lee Collet dies for that hornet. i've been working with the same batch of brass for over a dozen loads now.
 
I've done a lot of load testing in two Hornets and H-110 with 45 grain Sierra Hornet bullets is the most accurate combo I've tested, better than Lil-Gun and any bullet.
Pointy bullets do no shoot well.
10.2 grains of H-110 gives the best accuracy with the bullet mentioned.
There are many things I did with my Ruger 77/22 Hornet rifle, as well as the loads themselves, to get good groups. I polished the barrel with JB Bore Paste, free floated the barrel, and installed a new trigger in the rifle.
For loads, I use small pistol primers, crimp bullets using a Lee Crimp Die, and seat bullets .010 off the lands.
Loading for the Hornet, and getting good groups, is an exercise in paying attention to every detail.

Martyn
 
I have two C Z 527s in 22 hornet. There are two loads that I like, sierra 40 grain hornet with 13.2 grains of Lil Gun and CCI 400 small rifle primers, and 30 grain Calhoon double hollow points with 14.2 grains of H110. Both of these are safe in my rifle but I would start lower and work up. I have not tried small pistol primers because the small rifle primers have worked well. In a case the size of the hornet .2 grain of powder will make a huge difference both in accuracy and in pressure so have caution. You will want to be sure to champfer the case mouths or you will crumple cases when you seat bullets. Two bullets I would avoid would be the sierra 40 grain hollow point, which is a good accurate bullet but too hard for hornet velocities, you will get bullet bounces with it. and the 35 grain v-max, it sheds velocity fast but it might work well in your situation. Enjoy your hornet they are possibly the most over looked varmint caliber out there today.
 
I forgot to mention that Calhoon claims 3400 fps with the 30 grain bullet, he is correct. The one time I shot mine over a chrono it averaged over 3400 fps from a 20" barrel.
 
I use a 40gr Nosler BT , Win or Rem brass ,12.6 grs of LilGun and a Rem small pistol powder in my Contender Carbine.

Having a Ruger with the detachable mag may limit the bullet you can use . A long bullet like a Nosler BT may have to be seated too deep to go through the magazine thus eating up space for powder .The Hornaday Vmax is a little "stubbyer" ( a new word I just invented ) and might be a better choice . I have never tried them but most of the bullet companies make "Hornet" bullets that are short .

I have also had good luck with AA1680 powder.
 
I shot Little gun and the 40g Speer Sp. With the 40g Speer SP, you will be able to seat the bullets in the magazine and still touch the lands. The 40g Speer Sp is a supurb fox bullet.
 
Win. case
13.0 grains Lil Gun
40 grain Horandy V-Max
CCI small pistol primer

That load shoot 1/2" in my buddies Savage M-40 and 9/16" in my Savage M-40.
 
One thing that will help when reloading 22 hornet is a 17 caliber drop tube, in my experience the hornet brass is thin enough that it won't seal in a 22 caliber tube so powder will leak around the case. It's very irritating. Lil Gun is a good powder for the hornet except for light bullets, because it is a bulkier powder than H110 or 296 and they will be better for light bullets.
 
I use my Ruger M77 Hornet mainly for coyotes, and have settled on 13.0gr Lilgun under a 45gr Barnes XLC in a WW case and fired by a small pistol primer. Shoots sub-moa and I get just over 2900fps.

Lilgun gives much higher velocities and much lower pressures than any other powder suitable for the Hornet, and it seems to improve accuracy in most Hornets. Small pistol primers and a Lee Collet die also improved the accuracy.

For your Ruger, look into getting a Timney Spring and Sear kit to improve the trigger.
 
Lil-Gun powder, CCI 500 small pistol primer and Hornady 35 gr V-Max for small game and varmints. For yotes, I change to Sierra 45 gr Hornet bullets. Your limited in your choice of bullets because of the detachable mag.

As for the amount of powder, that's for you and your rifle to deceide. Work your load up 1/10 of a grain at a time till you find that sweet spot.

Good luck. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
K-22hornet,

Did you have yours rechambered to a K-hornet? Is your Ruger the sporter or the one with the Laminate stock and Target Grey Barrel? What did it take to get it to shoot?

Thanks everyone for the info!!!!!Can't wait to get my gun in apareantley the wholesaler was sold out of them and should have some in at the end of May.
 
Hi,
The last year and a half I have done a fair amount of reloading for three differant 22 Hornet rifles with two powders and tried several differant bullets. I also did some bullet terminal ballistics tests into wet newspaper along with observations on many shot Woodchucks.



I would start here.
* 45 grain "Hornet" bullet. The Varminter soft point would be my first choice.
* Lil Gun powder - start at 12.0 grains and work up. 12.5 has been the sweet spot for mine.
* A mild small rifle primer either the CCI 400 or Rem. 6 1/2
* Neck size only brass

Some notes from bullet terminal ballistics tests along with field hunting that may interests you.

35 "Hornet" V Max - fraged well out to 150 yards but dies off quick. Does not anchor woodchucks beyound that as well as 45 grain Hornet bullets. 45 grainers more accurate at 200. Likely great on gophers & crows. Best choice for light,fast and frag. accurate.

37 Caloon - poor fragmentation/expansion at Hornet velocity (13g lil gun/2825+ fps). Passed through woodchucks leaving scooters which made the hole at 100-150 yards. Did a wet newspaper test with it at 50 yards and both the Varminter Hornet soft point 45 grain and the Hornady 45 SP Hornet bullet expanded much better with much greater wound channels. The Calhoon went in over 50% deeper before it fraged. It is an extremely accurate bullet in both a CZ & Win M-70 Hornet rifles but did not come near its claims of "explosive. Disappointment over all. Vary accurate but way over rated in regards to "explosive" from Hornets. Lousy woodchuck bullet as compared.

40 V Max- Great accuracy POOR fragmentaion at Hornet velocity on all but point blank shots. 95% of the time it exited woodchucks with a dime size hole from 50-150 yards. Despite it still killed Chucks decent. Very accurate but IMO way over rated in regards to explosive from Hornets. I have not reloaded them but here the Blitzkings frag better and the Noslers simular to worst from Hornets. They are made for higher velocity rifles.

40 grain varminter hollow point - accurate but does not expand/frag at Hornet velocity.

40 grain Varminter "Hornet" soft point - Excellant all around Hornet bullet for 40 grain. These varminter soft points expand on impact more than others. Very accurate in all three hornets, easy to load for.

45 grain Varminter "Hornet" soft point - may be the best all around Hornet bullet period. Excellant accuracy and imdiate expansion. Expands well down range at slower velocity. Sticks in many Chucks shot. Hits hard. Expanded earliest and most as compared to Hornady 45 soft point hornet bullet and Calhoon (very distant 3rd.) on terminal ballistics test. Easy to load for. Every Chuck shot with it drops dead.

45 grain Hornady PSP Hornet bullet. Really nice bullet but tough to load for with its length. Same BC as 40 grain V Max but 5 grains more. Really carries the foot pounds of energy on paper. Your 1/14 ruger may like them? 1.75"oal is to long for my CZ clip but my Win. M-70 cycles and likes them with 12.5 Lil Gun in the .223 diameter. Was behind Varminter 45 soft point expansion slightly. Classic mushroom. Penetrates deeper. Is not the same as SPSX bullets. 95% exits on woodchucks, not dramatic but drops them dead in tracks well. Likely a great Coyote bullet.

46 grain Winchester HP Hornet bullet. Another excellant all around choice. Did not expand/frag down range anymore than other 45 grain Hornet soft points. But kills well just the same.

For your "cats,coons,crows & coyotes". I would go with a 45/46 grain Hornet bullet and Lil Gun. 12.5 grains was the sweet spot in all mine at about 2700 fps and those bullets kill the best down range. You may want the 35 V Max Hornet for "crows".....dramatics.....etc. That would be my choice for light,fast,explosive but it does not kill/anchor woodchuck size critters at 175 like 45 grain Hornet bullets do.

Either way I would stick with "Hornet" specific bullets.

Hope this helps. I have had fun playing around with them. Down to two Hornets currently a Win M-70 and a CZ 527 American I picked up a month ago. Horse traded the break action off after enjoyably tinkering with it. Both the CZ & Win shoot at .75" / 5 shot groups / 100 yards / averaged in low wind, nice shooting conditions, 45 grain soft points. In fact last trip shooting a lot at 100 the CZ averaged in the .6"s but it was ideal with zero wind. That day my best was in the upper .4's and my worst was upper .7's low .8" as I remember. With three shot groups they put enough groups inside a dime to keep me happy. They also stay under moa at 200 with 45 grainers if there is no wind to blow them off. Don't bother punching paper at 100/200 with a Hornet if there is any wind. I like to test loads at 50 to take the wind factor out a bit.
 


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