thinkng about the 22 hornet, anything i should know before i start?

Lil-Gun Powder!

You can use a lot of different powders in a Hornet, but Lil-Gun works the best for me. I get one-hole groups at 100 yards with 12.9 grains in Winchester brass and a Winchester small rifle primer (40gr VMax projectiles, 21 inch TC Contender).

The great thing about a Hornet in a TC Contender is that you can use projectiles that are longer than normal (you don't have to worry about mag length loads, meaning you can use longer projectiles).

Aside from that, the main thing to know is that Hornet brass is very thin, and will grow with each firing. Make sure to check the brass length and trim as needed, and don't expect to get too many reloads out of each piece of brass.

My 22 Hornet is honestly one of the most accurate things I load for; and it is also about the most fun.

D

You shouldn't have too many problems with the Contender.

I got started with the T/C Contender I had back in the mid '70's. I was loading them with a Lee hand loader. I've still got the loader and perhaps a few of the cases....... somewhere !!

My problems started with an H&R Topper. It had a very sloppy chamber and a rough barrel. I finally got rid of it. The Contender got away too, probably to pay for tuition, ect.

I've had several Hornets since then, and don't ever plan to be without one. They are very useful and practical rifles if you reload. I do, and also have a mould for cast bullets for it. With current cost of loading componenets, it's going to get plenty of use in the future.

Your Contender (if it's like the one I had) will have a good, tight chamber and will give you good service and performance.

For the very light bullets (33-35gr) H110 is still unexcelled. However, my Ruger 77/22 KBZ really likes #2400 for about 3,100fps, and a reduced velocity load at 2,400fps.

Best overall performance is with the 40gr Sierra HP-Varminter. I've even taken a number of deer with this load. (Yes, it's legal in my jurisdiction and performance was more than satisfactory).

With the 40gr and heavier bullets, Hodgdon's Lil'Gun has been unexcelled. I have however also gotten splendid accuracy from Accurate 1680 and 50gr bullets, though velocity is somewhat lower.

Yes, the cases are thin, but there are ways of dealing with this to minimize the affect it has on case life. (partially full length sizing or the Lee Collet die are my preferred way). However, you may find accuracy better with full length sizing........ I do. A loaded round "lies" in the chamber more consistently than with partially sizing as my chamber is slightly out-of-round and not true with the bore.

I've found the Sellier & Bellot brass to be superlative, however, they have .060" flashholes, and require a smaller diameter decapping pin. I've also found neck-turning the brass to help slightly with accuracy (trueing the necks) but also reduces case life due to neck splitting, which "kills" about half my brass. The other half being lost to incipient case head seperation (that bright ring they get about 3/4" above the rim after 10-15 loadings).

Winchester and Remington brass seem to be equally long lasting, with my best groups being recorded with Winchester brass. I also prefer small pistol primers to small rifle with all suitable "Hornet" powders.

Good luck, you'll enjoy your "Hornet".

The hornet has ben the most difficult case to reload of all my varmint rounds. The case is much thinner than more moderan cases, The case head is not made for high pressure. The long tapered case requires trimming after each time reloaded. It has a short case life when campared to the 221 Fireball and 223 Rem cases. If you are looking for a varmint rifle that will shoot .5 inch 100 yard groups good luck, I never found one. The wildcat K Hornet case overcomes some of the problems with the old case. Now I take a 221 Fireball rifle out hunting, the old Hornet stays at home.

My 77/22Hornet likes Lil Gun and the Hornady 35 grain Vmax. I use a small pistol primer as per a suggestion from Sierra.That tightened the groups some.
Keep your cases trimmed. Byron

22H is one of my favorites, I also load 22K-H and 22 Squirrel (cut-down 22H). In addition to the great advise in this thread re brass thickness etc, you need to be careful with the powder. The very small capacity capacity of 22H means that you will get over-pressure very quickly, with as little as .2 grain charge increase. Especially when using faster powders like Lil'Gun or N110.

I got the highest velocities with Lil'Gun, but good old IMR4227 is still my 1st choice, it gives me better accuracy and I never had pressure signs with it.
LT

Do you use .223" or .224" diameter bullets?

Is accuracy better with pistol primers?

I have a Stevens bolt action rifle I should start reloading for and use more.

glad this came up I just bought a Savage over/under .22H/20ga.

To my knowledge, all modern Hornets use .224" bullets.

The .223" bullet for the Hornet came about 80 years ago when the cartridge was invented.
The old-time wildcatters (Wotkyns & Whelen) used re-chambered 1903 Springfield .22 RF barrels & actions then.

When it became a commercial cartridge, the manufactures continued to use the RF barrel dimensions until about the late 1940's, early 50's.

So, old guns use .223" bullets, and modern ones use .224".

rcmodel

Best advice I can give for the .22 Hornet...

is to go with the K-Hornet. Not for the increased case capacity but for the longer case life. The K-Hornet case doesn't seem to stretch as much as the tapered factory case.

Just something to think about,,,

Kerf

I shot my first pistol primers in 22 Hornet over this weekend, could not tell any difference the small rifle shot the same, every thing else equal.

Twist rate is a large factor on the Hornet, the older norm was same as 22 rimfire 1-16 the newer norm 1-14 works very well with the 40 gr V max.
I tried the heavier and longer 50 gr but they shot with less accuracy.

If your Contender has the faster twist may I sugest for a starter 12.5 gr Hodgdon LIL Gun 40 gr Vmax and the CCI small rifle benchrest primers, set the OAL as long as you can to still keep the .224" in the case, or to get near the lands which ever occurs first,this is a slightly compressed load, I use WW brass,and have had good life with them.

Keeping the loadings in the 2700 fps range does extend case life, if you want the faster load use the same data and push the 35 gr Vmax into the case. My velocities were from a 24" bbl so yours will be less out of the contender.

The 40's shot a 10 shot .875" group at 100 yds off the rests with the data stated, the 35's just a tad bit more.

The boatail 40's make it easy to keep the bullet run out in check, flat base bullets take a little more time to make sure they're seated right.I've shot the Berger FBHP 36gr with good accuracy also.

Neck sizing only really saves on wear and tear on the cases ,the Lee collet type dies really shine in this application. As stated in the previous reply they do tend to stretch, so checking is a must.

With the .79cc usefull case capacity very small incremental changes cause large results in the Hornet, powder should be stepped in 1/10th gr increments, and this is the basis for the use of milder primers.

How many shoot cast bullets from their 22 Hornet and what are the results?

Is casting a small .224 bullet a pain in the neck?

casting bullets for that size is a pain. I bought a bunch...montana swagers I think.


lil'gun, AA1680, 2400 (the ORIGINAL 22 hornet powder), H-110 are all excellent powders. Heck I have even used 4227 a few times.

In my Winchester 43 the chamber is pretty tight.
I just seat the sizing die and back off about 1.5 turns. Check though as every die is different. I use a Hornady die set because of the sliding bullet seater...nice when you use flat base bullets.
I only size about an 1/8" of the case mouth. all you need to do. with lower pressure loads, which is what should be shot in a Hornet, I have gotten about 12 shots out of a set of 30 cases (winchester) with a minimum of case trimming. If you want more velocity out of the Hornet then by all means re-cut the chamber to a K-Hornet. I am happy with what the regular Hornet gives me. 2600 fps with a 30-45 grain bullet is plenty for p-dogs and other small critters at 200 yards.

Regardless, you will love this round.

D

My new Savage M40 is a single shot and has a very tight chamber, using new remington brass and 40 gr. v-max at moderate load I find I must full length size each time. However I find I only have to trim after 4 firings, I have to trim my 243 and 22-250 more often than that.

Where can a guy buy some cast bullets for the Hornet (like 50 or so)? I'd like to firelap the bore as it has some pitting. Getting the lapping kit, just need some bullets to load light for the job.

Justin

I haven't found casting for the .224" to be any harder than with larger or heavier bullets.

However, I DO separate the bullets by individual cavity. I've found that mixing the two and shooting large enough shot volumn groups (twenty shot groups, 10 from each cavity) that I get two distinct groups. Overlapping, but, much like two patterns from a SxS shot gun.......

The "front" cavity shoots much tighter than the rear, like 2" vs 1.0" at 100yds with equal loads.

However, most of my cast bullet loads are with 2.5-3.0gr of Unique with unsized,no gascheck, and unsorted bullets, tumble lubed with Lee Alox. Quite accurate, considering........... Wonderful "plinking" load.

Full power loads with SR4769 or #2400 will do anything a .22WRM will do, and MUCH cheaper..........

Because .22 Hornet-cases are so thin, use "Lee Collet" resitzing dies, then OAL stays ok very long times