22 hornet, educate me please!

[OYSTERBOY]

I've been eyeballing a Ruger 77/22 in this caliber.

I think it will be a great paper hitter for the range and reloading rifle. Bullets are cheap and plentiful, well usually, usually the lower grain 22 cal bullets sit on shelves. Powder charges must be little to none. Powder choices might be an issue, but I would think there are plenty for it.

Let me know your thoughts on 22 hornet. Easy to load? Good to challenge oneself on paper to 100-200? Quirks?

Thanks!

Reno

Ruger in question.
View attachment 1012004

I'VE BEEN RELOADING AND SHOOTING THE HORNET FOR FIFTY YEARS NOW. SHOOTING A MODEL 54 WINCHESTER MADE IN 1932, AND A CONTENDER SINCE THE 1980'S LOVE BOTH OF THEM. STARTED RELOADING THE HORNET ON MY ROCK CHUCKER AND THEN IN THE MIDDLE 1980'S STARTED LOADING IT WITH MY DILLON 550, THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO WATCH ON THE DILLON IS TO CHECK YOUR POWDER DIE EVERY SO OFTEN, KEEP IT CLEAN AND YOU WON'T HAVE A PROBLEM, FORTY GRAIN SIERRA'S WORK THE BEST FOR CHUCKS. TRY IT YOU WILL LIKE IT.

 

[Krabbe]

I've been eyeballing a Ruger 77/22 in this caliber.

I think it will be a great paper hitter for the range and reloading rifle. Bullets are cheap and plentiful, well usually, usually the lower grain 22 cal bullets sit on shelves. Powder charges must be little to none. Powder choices might be an issue, but I would think there are plenty for it.

Let me know your thoughts on 22 hornet. Easy to load? Good to challenge oneself on paper to 100-200? Quirks?

Thanks!

Reno

Ruger in question.
View attachment 1012004

77/22 is an option, also available from CZ, and Ruger in #1. I have both Rugers and converted the 77/22 to a Kilbourne Hornet.The hornet is a bit touchy to reload due to the fragility of the cases. The kilbourne version is a bit less so. It has long been a favorite round of mine and an efficient varmint rifle out to 200 yrds or more. The hornet has an additional advantage of being less noisy to shoot and using frangible bullets, not prone to richochet .

 

[Member 34319]

Lots of good information. Thanks everyone. Keep it coming!

A little background on my thoughts for this rifle…

I am mostly a rimfire shooter, especially lately. I've done 308 out to 1400, and got that rifle to shoot 1 hole groups. I've done 223 to death, both in a bolt action and multiple ARs and got most of not all of those to shoot amazing groups via hand loading.

I've been at conflict with my local shooting range as my favorite range is now busy most weekends with competitions, as were before it was open most Sunday mornings. So I've found myself shooting paper at the general range more. There is nothing wrong with shooting paper, but I've found I've got nothing that enjoyable to shoot paper with anymore. I don't want some crazy magnum round to do this either. So I've really been looking at smaller centerfire calibers. The 22 hornet seems to be the most available.

 

[Capn Jack]

When you get bored with the Hornet, have it reamed out to a K-Hornet.

I put a .22 cal. barrel on a small Martini receiver and put a huge dent in the Digger Squirrel population at one time with mine.

 

[OYSTERBOY]

I USE THE 40 AND THE 45 GRAIN SOFT POINT SIERRA. I AM SET UP IN MY 550 FOR 45 GR. SP'S USING WIN 296 10.5 GRS. IF YOU DON'T USE A FREE FLOWING POWDER LIKE WIN 296 YOU CAN HAVE POWDER BUILD UP IN YOUR POWDER DIE.

 

[oremike]

Lots of good information. Thanks everyone. Keep it coming!

A little background on my thoughts for this rifle…

I am mostly a rimfire shooter, especially lately. I've done 308 out to 1400, and got that rifle to shoot 1 hole groups. I've done 223 to death, both in a bolt action and multiple ARs and got most of not all of those to shoot amazing groups via hand loading.

I've been at conflict with my local shooting range as my favorite range is now busy most weekends with competitions, as were before it was open most Sunday mornings. So I've found myself shooting paper at the general range more. There is nothing wrong with shooting paper, but I've found I've got nothing that enjoyable to shoot paper with anymore. I don't want some crazy magnum round to do this either. So I've really been looking at smaller centerfire calibers. The 22 hornet seems to be the most available.

I go thru cycles like what you describe here, what I find works for me is to move out of my comfort zone and shoot a completely different discipline with different classes of firearms for a while. Maybe shoot handguns for a bit and shoot an event or two just because you can. I find bowling pins to be quite fun. How about taking the old scatter gun out for a round of trap once in a while? I bought 3 rifles in the last year and am on the last one for load development. When I get the load I want I'll fill and ammo can with it and the rifle will go to the back of the gun safe ready for when I want it. After a year of load devlopment for the 3 rifles I'm done with that for a while. I'm already looking towards what's next. I've wanted to try Sporting Clays so I've ordered a 26" barrel with screw in choke tubes for my BPS. I'll still keep the 28" Special Steel barrel for when I need to shoot steel shot.

 

[Hopeful_Vet]

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but....
(I need to say this first - the mad purchasing of guns over the past few years has trimmed away some of the choices that we have. 221 Fireballs are virtually impossible to find.)

Does it make sense to buy a new 22 Hornet today? I'm not saying it's a bad cartridge, but has it's time come and gone? My knowledge of the 22 Hornet is 25+ years old, when people talked about being able to hand load it (the brass) forever and driving the cost down close to the 22LR. Think Classic Lee Loader. Now, everyone talks about the problems that they have with the brass.

I think it's time for the 22 TCM and 221 Fireball. Come on Howa!

 

[Member 34319]

I go thru cycles like what you describe here, what I find works for me is to move out of my comfort zone and shoot a completely different discipline with different classes of firearms for a while. Maybe shoot handguns for a bit and shoot an event or two just because you can. I find bowling pins to be quite fun. How about taking the old scatter gun out for a round of trap once in a while? I bought 3 rifles in the last year and am on the last one for load development. When I get the load I want I'll fill and ammo can with it and the rifle will go to the back of the gun safe ready for when I want it. After a year of load devlopment for the 3 rifles I'm done with that for a while. I'm already looking towards what's next. I've wanted to try Sporting Clays so I've ordered a 26" barrel with screw in choke tubes for my BPS. I'll still keep the 28" Special Steel barrel for when I need to shoot steel shot.

Back when reloading for shotshell was economical I really enjoyed shooting skeet. I used to compete weekly at a local range in NV until it closed. It's definitely something to consider as my range has lots of shotgun related ranges that I haven't even stepped foot on. I haven't owned a non SD style shotgun in many years. I haven't hunted bird outside of using rimfire in years. It could be a good thing to get back into.

I do like the reloading aspect of shooting as much as the actual shooting. So I tend to pick projects that include that as part of the process. Suppressor use has been really enjoyable over the last few years as I've enjoyed making precise yet subsonic ammunitions to fuel that.

 

[oremike]

I do like the reloading aspect of shooting as much as the actual shooting. So I tend to pick projects that include that as part of the process. Suppressor use has been really enjoyable over the last few years as I've enjoyed making precise yet subsonic ammunitions to fuel that.

I've kind of worn the new off of reloading with the ammo business. I do like the alchemy of load development but just pulling the handle is exactly that, just pulling the handle. I've said before that it's good to have yets and for me I don't mess with AR's or suppressors....yet. I do make sub-sonic loads for 9mm and 44 Mag that are popular.

 

[Hueco]

I've been at conflict with my local shooting range as my favorite range is now busy most weekends with competitions, as were before it was open most Sunday mornings. So I've found myself shooting paper at the general range more. There is nothing wrong with shooting paper, but I've found I've got nothing that enjoyable to shoot paper with anymore. I don't want some crazy magnum round to do this either. So I've really been looking at smaller centerfire calibers. The 22 hornet seems to be the most available.

Following this thread and interested in doing something similar…or maybe the Fireball…

You'll have to try out the .22LR bolty I built - consistently ringing steel and punching paper at the 300yd range. Good times hearing the little ping of a .22 at those distances.

 

[Member 34319]

Following this thread and interested in doing something similar…or maybe the Fireball…

You'll have to try out the .22LR bolty I built - consistently ringing steel and punching paper at the 300yd range. Good times hearing the little ping of a .22 at those distances.

Ya, a good bolt action 22 is a lot of fun. My bull barrel 10-22 is my go to for that now. Especially at the BP range at TCGC. I don't like having to rely on manufactured ammo for 22 to be better, the match stuff can get pretty ridiculous for 22lr. With centerfire, I can take the remnants of the bad ammo and make it into something exponentially better via reloading. I really can't do that for 22lr, nor do I really have the desire to. If I started to go down that route, or make 22lr a serious thing, I'm afraid I'd lose my love for what it is to me. Cheap fun plinking. I don't really want 22lr to be expensive and precise, I like it as it is.

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

Interesting read I have a suppressor that is rated up to 22 Hornet but wayyy easier to find 22 Ely subs

 

[dangerranger60]

I like both 22 and 17 hornets ! I shoot a lot of Ground Squirrels. They are much more accurate than 22 mag used to be. [ I hear the newer jacketed 22 mag ammo is much better than it used to be. but I have not shot any to know ]. And the 17 hornet takes up where the 17 HMR leaves off!
I have not had problems with the brass, but you do learn some tricks to getting the powder settled in those tiny cases. DR