Ammo for .22 Hornet - Surprised

[Still Shooting]

I am kind of surprised about the availabilities on .22 Hornet ammo, cases, and (NOT) bullets. About 4-5 weeks ago I went to my LGS looking for a box of .22 Hornet ammo - no stock. I've been watching the 45 gr. (.224") Hornet bullets for several months, and of course they're "No Stock - No Backorders" just about everywhere. This is no surprise - guys with AR's will likely buy just about anything that's .224" dia. just to be able to shoot their guns - never mind that it's a light bullet with a short ogive.

But looking at Sinclair, Midway, Grafs, and Buffalo Arms, there's no brass out there, either.

Two weeks ago I went back to my LGS and scored a box of 50 Hornet rounds, but it was $54.95! -$1.10 per round for Hornet ammo?!

I guess I figured that the Hornet is an old cartridge, not (I thought) terribly popular, and there would likely be loaded ammo and brass to be had, at the least. Seems that's not so....

Are there more .22 Hornets out there than I thought, or what?

 

[shuvelrider]

Old caliber's will demand a price, the companies make some for those that have old guns around. Production costs demand they charge a higher price for a small run of something not so popular anymore.
I have a couple guns chambered for .218 Bee, try buying that at Cabela's. I saw some there for around $80 a box of 50, I laughed and walked away being glad I reload for a fraction of that cost.

 

[silicosys4]

I've been watching the 45 gr. (.224") Hornet bullets for several months, and of course they're "No Stock - No Backorders" just about everywhere. This is no surprise - guys with AR's will likely buy just about anything that's .224" dia. just to be able to shoot their guns - never mind that it's a light bullet with a short ogive.

Guilty...in my defense, they do shoot very well out of my 1x9 coyote carbine at about 3000fps.

The cost of .22 hornet ammo is what made me give up the only .22 hornet I ever owned...too bad, the M6 scout survival gun that I had didn't give the cartridge any credit. So that new cartridge, the .17 hornet, will brass be able to be necked up? Will we see people using up .22 hornet brass to neck down to .17 hornet?

 

[cfullgraf]

I believe the 22 Hornet will be around for a while longer although price of ammunition may be higher than one wants to pay. I believe there are still a few new firearms sold chambered for 22 Hornet, or at least it has only been a few years since they were discontinued.

If you want to shoot the 22 Hornet, it would be a good reason to get into reloading.

With low volume sales cartridges, ammunition manufacturers may not make a run of those cartridges except on rare occasions, maybe once a year or once every other year.

Particularly with cartridges where component shortages could occur even during the good times, I like to keep an inventory of new cases on hand. I watch for sales and the like and get some. I have 100-200 loaded cartridges and 400-500 new cases on hand.

Primers, powder and bullets are usually available and frequently usable in a number of different cartridges so, in normal times, components, except cases, are usually available at all times.

In these days of panic buying, folks are buying up any .224 diameter bullet they can get their hands on so that they can keep shooting their .224 barreled guns.

My 22 Hornet Contender Carbine is a nice little varmint rifle.

 

[Zeke/PA]

I have reloaded the Hornet round for several years and was somewhat surprised at what a box of factory rounds went for recently. I really like the cartridge and luckily I have enough components to last awhile.

 

[cfullgraf]

Two weeks ago I went back to my LGS and scored a box of 50 Hornet rounds, but it was $54.95! -$1.10 per round for Hornet ammo?!

With a relative low sales volume cartridge like the 22 Hornet, inventory sits on the shelf for a while and therefore is subject to the inventory tax.

Of course the tax gets passed on to end user.

There are probably other things that raise the retail price as well.

 

[Walkalong]

I am glad Hornet ammo is on the shelf, but I need brass, and it is nonexistent right now, and has been for months. I reckin' it will show up some day.

 

[dagger dog]

There seems to be quite a bit of once fired Hornet brass in the swap and sell forum at the castboolits site. Gotta be quick on the mouse it does go fast.

To the OP, if you need Hornet bullets try some of the 30,33, 35,36 grain designs from Barnes, Speer, Berger and Hornady. The 30, 36 gr Varmint Grenades from Barnes are exceptionally long designs and works well in rifles with quite a bit of freebore and if you have plenty of magazine length.

The 33 Speer TNT hollow point is very short ogived even shorter than the 35 VMax, and is impossible to seat anyway near the lands , but it shoots very well and is explosive as any of the newer designs.

The Berger 35s are a little longer than most 35 and under and VERY accurate.

 

[coyoteassasin]

ammo availibility

Good observations,
I was at Willams gun site in Lapeer Mich a couple days ago.
Ammo is starting to show up again .270 and up are fairly reasonable.
No 22 thru 270 yet.
Walmart Fowlerville has an AR 15 223. in the show case!. First one in months.
980.00 not that bad. NO ammo at walmart for a long time. Try small gunshops.
It is getting better. Not so many gouges.
Bob