Shooting a .223 diameter bullet in a .224

K

Kurt in Oregon

New member
Does the .001 difference in diameter really make any difference fired from a .224? I shoot Sierra 45gr. hornets in my .221 FB...the .224 version is unobtanium but have two boxes of the .223 version. Any experience with this considering diameter variability of different brands?
Thx!

Kurt
 
The original .22 Hornet used .222 diameter bullets. This was later changed to .224 diameter. So it can be used in both, many bullet makers (don't know how many still do) made .223 bullets so that they will shoot acceptably well in either .222 or .224 bore guns.

If those .223 dia bullets shoot good in the Furball, and they probably do, then go ahead and use them up. I would you bet.
 
Originally Posted By: RustydustThe original .22 Hornet used .222 diameter bullets. This was later changed to .224 diameter. So it can be used in both, many bullet makers (don't know how many still do) made .223 bullets so that they will shoot acceptably well in either .222 or .224 bore guns.

If those .223 dia bullets shoot good in the Furball, and they probably do, then go ahead and use them up. I would you bet.

Thanks! Thats what I figured but wasn’t quite sure!
 
No I was not trying to be that guy. The nosler book shows you how many different guns shoot the same .224 bullet and I didn't want to give you bad info. I am a Oregonian myself not a smart [beeep].
 
I thought the .223 bullet had something to do with the older 218 Bee anyhoo, shoot em up. If they shoot good, and they probably will, it won't hurt a thing.
 
Originally Posted By: SmokelessI thought the .223 bullet had something to do with the older 218 Bee anyhoo, shoot em up. If they shoot good, and they probably will, it won't hurt a thing.

The .218 Bee always used .224" bullets.

Many (but not all) early Hornets (1930s, and 1940's) were made with .223" bore diameters. That was stopped in the late 40's/early 50's, when the Hornet went to .224 bore.

The .222" bullets were made for the 22 Jet, a very (VERY) short lived pistol cartridge from the 60's, made by necking down the 357 Mag pistol case - S&W Chambered an "N" frame revolver for it, that would not work. The cartridge was made to use .222" bullets so the interchangeable cylinders would allow 22 rimfire to be shot in the same gun - the firing pin had a switch to allow changing from centerfire to rimfire.

The Hornet never used .222" bullets.

Using .223" bullets in a .224" bore will work, but might not give best accuracy, but it will certainly be fine for critters.

 
Hmmm.....you may be right, Catshooter. I know that lots of .22 Hornets rifles were originally .22 lr converted and I was going by memory as to if they were .222 or .223. Apparently I was wrong.

Oh, and speaking of wrong- you are on this one: The .22 Jet was built on the "K" frame revolver, not the "N". It was the Model 53 and a friend of mine in high school had one. One of the loudest revolvers that I ever fired too. His used aluminum (I think) inserts that would let you fire .22 rimfire in it.
 
Originally Posted By: RustydustHmmm.....you may be right, Catshooter. I know that lots of .22 Hornets rifles were originally .22 lr converted and I was going by memory as to if they were .222 or .223. Apparently I was wrong.

Oh, and speaking of wrong- you are on this one: The .22 Jet was built on the "K" frame revolver, not the "N". It was the Model 53 and a friend of mine in high school had one. One of the loudest revolvers that I ever fired too. His used aluminum (I think) inserts that would let you fire .22 rimfire in it.

Yup... it was a K frame. I knew two people that bought them, and had them converted to 357 - of course, now they would be worth deep money if they were original.
 
I would be interested to see if you get any tumblers in the paper. It's just a hypothesis that i have, and wonder if they will tumble, based of gut and nothing else.

Curious to see what happens.
 


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