22 Hornet loading with 50 gr bullets

[Jambuster]

Well I am new to your forum as a member but I have stopped in and " lurked " many times.

Just thought I would ask and see if any of you guys are shooting heavy bullets in your Hornet . I am loading a 50gr Dogtown Soft Point behind 12.9 grains of Lil-Gun with a Rem 51/2 primer. I got a 500 round box of these bullets on sale one day years ago with the intention of using them in my 223 but I never did. Loaded some up in my hornet one day for kicks and have been very pleased with the accuracy and their effect on the local coyotes .

 

[joneb]

I have had good results with Speer's 50 gr TNT and Nosler's 50 gr BT in a 1:9 twist 22" barrel. I seat the TNTs at 1.9" can't recall what I seat the Nosler's at.
I use Accurate 1680 for these with either WSR or CCI 400.

 

[Jambuster]

Joneb - you must have a Handy Rifle. Those are the only Hornets I've see with a 1 in 9. I have a Savage Model 40 and a Contender Carbine. I think both have 1 in 12 barrels . I shoot the 50 gr dog towns in the Savage.

 

[GooseGestapo]

My Ruger M77/22Hornet shoots the 50gr Hornady SX well, but only with Accurate 1680. It's a slow load at ~2,580fps. Never tried Lil'Gun with a 50gr, and that amount (12.9gr) would be too much for it.

Mine prefers the 40gr Sierra Varminter over 12.5gr Lil'Gun for 3,000fps. (Small pistol primers). I've gotten several coyotes, groundhogs, numerous crows, two fox, and 2 dozen deer with it. However it didn't get hunted again this year as I picked up a Marlin 1894CL in .218Bee.
I'm using Grafs 40gr Armscor 40gr RN JHP in the Bee. They aren't as accurate as Sierra, Speer, or Hornady, but at .06 each ($60/1,000), I won't bother with cast bullets from my .22cf's. 1-1.5moa is "good enough " at that price.

I plan to try some of the MidSouth Varmint Nightmare 55gr for 200-300yd match shooting with my RRA NM AR15. They're about the same price as 55 FMJ, but profoundly more accurate. $100/1,000 or $.10-.11 each. The 50gr HP and JSP are about the same price. The Midway DogTowns are $.17-.20 each plus Midways hefty shipping. I suggest trying the MidSouth bullets. Supposedly they're made by Nosler.

 

[someguy2800]

What kind of brass life do you guys get out of your hornets? I've always wanted one but my old man has 4 and his brass life is abismal

 

[Jambuster]

I get between 7 and 10 loadings . I neck size with a Lee collet die and use a Redding body die every 3rd loading . All my brass is Winchester which i bought in 1993. I got a deal on a couple of thousand rounds. I only have 50 rounds of Remington and it only has 2 loadings on it.I do not full length resize

 

[joneb]

Joneb - you must have a Handy Rifle. Those are the only Hornets I've see with a 1 in 9. I have a Savage Model 40 and a Contender Carbine. I think both have 1 in 12 barrels . I shoot the 50 gr dog towns in the Savage.

Yes, and the trigger sucked at 10 lbs so I modified the hammer spring to 5 lbs much better and no misfires in the last. 100 rounds since the mod.
Sorry for the limited details but I'm away from home now.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I recently discarded some I bought in 1978. Had my first ever case head separation. However, upper portion of case was easily extracted with a bore brush.
I'd gotten between 20-25 "regular " loadings, but for last 30yrs had loaded only light cast bullet loads through them. Mostly 4.2gr of Unique under a 50gr Lyman 22541 mold gascheckd bullet.

However, I've never fully sized brass with fully screwed down sizing die.
I had a H&R 158 "Topper" in the Late 70's that "ate" brass. It didn't hold a trigger job I had a gunsmith do on it so I dumped it. Otherwise, I've had three Ruger Hornets (only one was a "keeper") and a T/C Contender I traded for a S&W M19 I carried as a city P.D. Officer.
It's partly gun related part loading techniques. And don't try to make a .220Swift out of it. Ain't never gonna happen!
Enjoy it for what it is. A centerfire that can be down loaded to .22rf level, or a level above the .22wmr.

 

[joneb]

The internals of the H & R's are case hardened, so any more than a Polish can ruin a part.

 

[joneb]

What kind of brass life do you guys get out of your hornets? I've always wanted one but my old man has 4 and his brass life is abismal

It depends on the brass, so far my longest lived have been Hornady and PPU, Winchester has been the shortest lived.

 

[FROGO207]

I also have a couple .22 Hornet Handi Rifles and one that is a Savage 216. Be aware that the hornet needs a hornet specific bullet that has a thinner jacket if you want the bullet to expand reliably due to the lower velocity it runs at. I also use Lil Gun with great results in all of mine. I have a huge pile of hornet specific bullets in the ~ 40 grain area that I purchased cheap when a LGS was going out of business so I use them mostly.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

A 50gr bullet isn't all that much heavier than the 45gr commercial ammo normally sold. With the new powders that are available, especially Lil'Gun you can probably go even heavier without worrying about proper bullet expansion although the 50gr bullet is probably perfect.

IMO Lil'Gun resurrected the 22 Hornet back into popularity. It's like a brand new cartridge with that powder. I don't own one but I do load ammo for my uncle.

 

[Hanshi]

The M82 Kimber of Oregon is the only .22H in my stable. I've only fired 40 and 45 grain bullets and have killed deer with the 45 grainers. I use H110/WW296 and get sub 1" groups at 100 yards with the 4X scope.