22 hornet worth it?

[mickb]

I know its got a fair swathe more power than 22WMR but does it translate to shooting anything bigger or just increasing the range? Does the 22 hornet still have a place in things or is a smarter decision always to get a 223?

[Oldbloke]

It's a cool little cartridge. But my understanding is cases are not easy to source and don't last.
Not many around anymore but usually very light.

IMHO, buy a 222 or 223 and if you feel a need down load it.

[bigrich]

I know its got a fair swathe more power than 22WMR but does it translate to shooting anything bigger or just increasing the range? Does the 22 hornet still have a place in things or is a smarter decision always to get a 223?

mate , the hornet is a good thing , but it's a bit of a niche caliber . if your living in a area where knocking rabbits ,foxes and cats is common, it's great . i had a krico in 22 hornet that would shoot bug holes at 100 with a 40 vmax and lil gun . but i got rid of it as the afore mentioned game/pests are a rarity for my shooting/hunting expeditions . that and the fact that lil gun, ar2205 , and i think win234 , the best hornet powders , and unobtainable .

if you get into 22 hornet , partial FLS cases, small pistol primers and a light crimp all help the hornet to get exceptional accuracy . out to about 150-175 is a usable range . hope this helps

[GQshayne]

Anything is worth it if it floats your boat.

[bladeracer]

I know its got a fair swathe more power than 22WMR but does it translate to shooting anything bigger or just increasing the range? Does the 22 hornet still have a place in things or is a smarter decision always to get a 223?

I have a soft spot for the Hornet but I wouldn't own one, I'd much rather load something more potent (.204 or .223) down to Hornet levels as required.

[deye243]

The lightweight that floats my boat is the 221 rem fireball .
cases last for ever and can be made from 222r and 223r brass it's a win win for me .

It can be ran with available 2207 with a 40g pill up to 3200fps or down to 2800 or if you can find some shot gun or pistol powder you can get subsonic loads easy .

Or get a 55g vmax at 2650 it behaves like a hunting bullet at this speed it is very much like one of my favourites the 6X45 with 65g vmax and I sent 9000 of them on there way .

[mickb]

can the 223 come all the way down to 22 hornet levels? I'll look into that too

[bladeracer]

can the 223 come all the way down to 22 hornet levels? I'll look into that too

Right down to subsonic if you want to.

[mchughcb]

Best thing I ever did was offload my hornet which I first bought at 16 and buy myself a sako quad with 4 barrels. The 17HMR was more accurate and I didn't have to handload. Rabbits to 150 were cactus with the vmax round.

[mchughcb]

I know its got a fair swathe more power than 22WMR but does it translate to shooting anything bigger or just increasing the range? Does the 22 hornet still have a place in things or is a smarter decision always to get a 223?

No brainer get 223. Ammo, brass and performance is better. 2206H or BM2 can be bought. 2205 cannot.

[bigrich]

Best thing I ever did was offload my hornet which I first bought at 16 and buy myself a sako quad with 4 barrels. The 17HMR was more accurate and I didn't have to handload. Rabbits to 150 were cactus with the vmax round.

i'm re evaluating getting a rimfire for the exact reasons you list . i like the no reloading part . i do enough already i've been looking into the cz 457 , but accuracy is a lottery according to some . a weihrauch hw66 would float my boat , but a little more than i want to spend . i've heard 17hmr accuracy drops off after about 40 rounds . have you found this to be the case ?

[No1_49er]

I know its got a fair swathe more power than 22WMR but does it translate to shooting anything bigger or just increasing the range? Does the 22 hornet still have a place in things or is a smarter decision always to get a 223?

The responses to the original post all seem to have assumed that the question related to shooting animals of some sort.
Another type of "animal" is the Metallic Silhouette, to which the 22 Hornet is superbly appropriate in the Handgun Metallic Silhouette discipline.
It's always a good idea to define what the actual question relates to.

[on_one_wheel]

I know its got a fair swathe more power than 22WMR but does it translate to shooting anything bigger or just increasing the range? Does the 22 hornet still have a place in things or is a smarter decision always to get a 223?

The responses to the original post all seem to have assumed that the question related to shooting animals of some sort.
Another type of "animal" is the Metallic Silhouette, to which the 22 Hornet is superbly appropriate in the Handgun Metallic Silhouette discipline.
It's always a good idea to define what the actual question relates to.

Years ago when I was shopping around for a club to join I spoke to someone from the Monarto metallic silhouette club, he asked what rifle I intended on using which was the .243, he told me it might work but he considered it too small saying it would struggle to knock the targets down and suggested a minimum of .308 was recommended .... I never bothered joining.

[bladeracer]

I know its got a fair swathe more power than 22WMR but does it translate to shooting anything bigger or just increasing the range? Does the 22 hornet still have a place in things or is a smarter decision always to get a 223?

The responses to the original post all seem to have assumed that the question related to shooting animals of some sort.
Another type of "animal" is the Metallic Silhouette, to which the 22 Hornet is superbly appropriate in the Handgun Metallic Silhouette discipline.
It's always a good idea to define what the actual question relates to.

I think the statement "does it translate to shooting anything bigger" does imply he's talking about hunting live animals, but your point is valid. I am surprised that the .22 Hornet is superb at knocking steels over though due to its low energy levels. Can you not use the more potent rifle chamberings (300BLK, .223Rem, etc) that have been used in handgun silhouette for decades, or the more potent handgun chamberings (.44Mag for example) ?

[bladeracer]

Years ago when I was shopping around for a club to join I spoke to someone from the Monarto metallic silhouette club, he asked what rifle I intended on using which was the .243, he told me it might work but he considered it too small saying it would struggle to knock the targets down and suggested a minimum of .308 was recommended .... I never bothered joining.

In Rifle Metallic Silhouette I would think the .243 would be marginal, but would probably do the job. The 500m full-size ram might be a struggle even with the heaviest bullets - I haven't weighed one but I think the ram is almost 30kg. The .243 would flatten it at 50m, but at 500m I'm not so sure. I think the consensus is 1000ft-lb for the ram.

I did a very quick Google and found a guy that was consistently dropping the ram with the .243 with 107gn bullets above 3000fps. If he loads under 3000fps he feels that he can't reliably knock it down - this would be around the 1000ft-lb region. So, loading .243 pretty hot it should be capable.

[mickb]

its been a very informative discussion, I posted it on a couple of forums including a big US one. Seems to be a strong stalwart group who still enjoy it. But Im thinking it needs a fair bit of tweaking at times. This project I just want to be able to point and click, dont want to risk another head scratcher in the collection. You try and accurize lever actions, thats enough head scratching for me lol. In fact avoiding reloading altogether has its attraction. Might try a 17HMR...

[bigrich]

I know its got a fair swathe more power than 22WMR but does it translate to shooting anything bigger or just increasing the range? Does the 22 hornet still have a place in things or is a smarter decision always to get a 223?

The responses to the original post all seem to have assumed that the question related to shooting animals of some sort.
Another type of "animal" is the Metallic Silhouette, to which the 22 Hornet is superbly appropriate in the Handgun Metallic Silhouette discipline.
It's always a good idea to define what the actual question relates to.

I think the statement "does it translate to shooting anything bigger" does imply he's talking about hunting live animals, but your point is valid. I am surprised that the .22 Hornet is superb at knocking steels over though due to its low energy levels. Can you not use the more potent rifle chamberings (300BLK, .223Rem, etc) that have been used in handgun silhouette for decades, or the more potent handgun chamberings (.44Mag for example) ?

i believe they have silly-wet comps in europe (germany) that use the hornet

[No1_49er]

And in regard to the 243 for Rifle Metallic Silhouette, you'll find that a lot of the US shooters are now using 6mmBR.
With the appropriate projectile, 500mtr Rams are consistently felled with the BR - why punish yourself with recoil?

[deye243]

And in regard to the 243 for Rifle Metallic Silhouette, you'll find that a lot of the US shooters are now using 6mmBR.
With the appropriate projectile, 500mtr Rams are consistently felled with the BR - why punish yourself with recoil?

Recoil in a 243 and punish don't belong in the same sentence.

[on_one_wheel]

I thought he was referring to the .308 ?

This is there we need Bret to step in and talk recoil.

[bladeracer]

And in regard to the 243 for Rifle Metallic Silhouette, you'll find that a lot of the US shooters are now using 6mmBR.
With the appropriate projectile, 500mtr Rams are consistently felled with the BR - why punish yourself with recoil?

Recoil in a 243 and punish don't belong in the same sentence.

I think he means why go heavier than 107gn bullets at 3000fps with regards to recoil. 6mmBR sees to be virtually identical in performance to .243Win so I doubt there's any difference in recoil. If I were shooting competition though I still think I'd prefer to step up to something with more thump to it and just use a brake to tame any excessive recoil.

[bigrich]

its been a very informative discussion, I posted it on a couple of forums including a big US one. Seems to be a strong stalwart group who still enjoy it. But Im thinking it needs a fair bit of tweaking at times. This project I just want to be able to point and click, dont want to risk another head scratcher in the collection. You try and accurize lever actions, thats enough head scratching for me lol. In fact avoiding reloading altogether has its attraction. Might try a 17HMR...

let us know how you get on . i've been considering the 22mag , cause it's got a more flexible choice in ammo . i've had a look at the 17wsm ballistics . very interesting . 20gn at 3000fps , 25gn at 2600fps . a 22 version of the wsm case would be interesting also . but is the 17wsm going to be long lived ......

[bigrich]

And in regard to the 243 for Rifle Metallic Silhouette, you'll find that a lot of the US shooters are now using 6mmBR.
With the appropriate projectile, 500mtr Rams are consistently felled with the BR - why punish yourself with recoil?

Recoil in a 243 and punish don't belong in the same sentence.

I think he means why go heavier than 107gn bullets at 3000fps with regards to recoil. 6mmBR sees to be virtually identical in performance to .243Win so I doubt there's any difference in recoil. If I were shooting competition though I still think I'd prefer to step up to something with more thump to it and just use a brake to tame any excessive recoil.

the 6.5 man-bun and 260rem are popular choices i believe. fella i know uses a tikka in 260rem for centrefire silly-wet

[Oldbloke]

can the 223 come all the way down to 22 hornet levels? I'll look into that too

Yep,
I have a load I developed using 55gr super roo bullets. I just cut the tips to help them expand and it seems to do the job.

AS50n 7.6gr
Abt 2000fps
55gr super roo
12mm to 15mm @ 50yards
No filler required.

Many shotgun or pistol powders can de used or the easier to get, AS2206h

[mchughcb]

Best thing I ever did was offload my hornet which I first bought at 16 and buy myself a sako quad with 4 barrels. The 17HMR was more accurate and I didn't have to handload. Rabbits to 150 were cactus with the vmax round.

i'm re evaluating getting a rimfire for the exact reasons you list . i like the no reloading part . i do enough already i've been looking into the cz 457 , but accuracy is a lottery according to some . a weihrauch hw66 would float my boat , but a little more than i want to spend . i've heard 17hmr accuracy drops off after about 40 rounds . have you found this to be the case ?

Not that I've noticed. Normally if I was spotlighting rabbits I'd be lucky to fire that many. I don't spotlight rabbits now so 20 odd shots down the range and it's fine. On a reasonably still night 150m are fine. I've shot plenty of foxes at this range and the Vmax really causes damage way above its bullet weight. My Brno couldn't take the heavier longer bullets in the mag and it just annoyed me. Whereas I've got a 5 and 9 shot mag for the HMR and keep plugging away.

[mickb]

can the 223 come all the way down to 22 hornet levels? I'll look into that too

Yep,
I have a load I developed using 55gr super roo bullets. I just cut the tips to help them expand and it seems to do the job.

AS50n 7.6gr
Abt 2000fps
55gr super roo
12mm to 15mm @ 50yards
No filler required.

Many shotgun or pistol powders can de used or the easier to get, AS2206h

Nice work oldbloke, I actually have some that shotgun powder laying about as well.

[Bello]

Hello Mickb

I was thinking of getting a 22 Hornet, then looked at a 22K hornet.
I was told the 22 K hornet was better.
I looked into getting brass and that wasn't impossible but not easily at the time.

Why did I want need one? Just wanted one
Then for me I thought; I have a 204 Ruger and a 223 Remington, so I decided, No.

A mate of mine had a 17 Remmington, wouldn't stop raving about it. Then I saw him another time and he told me he sold it.
He said it was ok on small varmints but wind or if it touched a blade of grass (Possibly a slight exaggeration) it would deflect.

Still wouldn't mind either a 22 Hornet or 22 K Hornet one day

My 2c

[bladeracer]

Then for me I thought; I have a 204 Ruger and a 223 Remington, so I decided, No.

In the .204, the 32gn ZMax/VMax at 2500fps is my pretend Hornet, very accurate and pretty quiet.

[Bello]

Hi Mick B

Sorry to go off topic here

Hi bladeracer
re: 204 Ruger
I have some Sierra 32gr Blitzking I want try something funky with, what powder do u use.
I have been using AR8208 with Sierra 39gr Blitzkings...very accurate, not that quick though

[bladeracer]

Hi Mick B

Sorry to go off topic here

Hi bladeracer
re: 204 Ruger
I have some Sierra 32gr Blitzking I want try something funky with, what powder do u use.
I have been using AR8208 with Sierra 39gr Blitzkings...very accurate, not that quick though

For the reduced loads I'm still using Trailboss, for my full-power loads I use AR2206H.
I was running the 39gn SBK at 3800fps on 28.1gn of AR2206H.