.22 Hornet or .223?

[Hunterdad]

Just bought a T/C Contender and am looking to put a different barrel on it. I have a guy willing to sell me a scoped .22 hornet barrel or a .223 scoped barrel. Was wondering what you guys would suggest. It would be for plinking and the occasional groundhog, crow or coyote. The 223 made sense to me since I have an AR, but wanted to here opinions.

Thanks
Adam

 

[Maple_City_Woodsman]

22 Hornet is a great niche' cartridge - very useful to the hand loader, where it can emulate multiple 22 caliber cartridges with various loads. It is also tailored medicine to those who hunt small game or varmint in semi-rural, partially populated areas...

But if any kind of "plinking" is in the guns future, then 223 is the only way to go.

 

[dagger dog]

I voted Hornet.

In the right rifle, handgun and with all the newer bullets and powders and barrel twists available, it can be very rewarding to load and shoot the tiny terror. It will shoot and kill out to 100 yds on coyote size critters.You can watch your bullets impact through the scope!

On the other hand with older 1-16 twist barrels and generous SAAMI chamber and throat specs, it can be a Devil, especially when trying to get it to shoot cast bullets.

The 223 Remington shoots well in most Contenders, it out shines the Hornet on speed ,energy, recoil and muzzleblast, I imagine the recoil, blast on the Contender is substantail enough to have some one to spot for you.

 

[Hunterdad]

Just looked up the price on 22 hornet. Since I don't reload, I'll be going with the 223

 

[Still Shooting]

Did you take into account that the .22 Hornets are box of 50, and the .223 are box of 20?

 

[Coltdriver]

You can download a 223 and use hornet bullets. Works fine.

 

[LoonWulf]

Blast from the contender in .223, is quiet nasty, not nearly as bad as a larger rifle round, but still nasty. I sold my .223 to buy a 7-30 waters, since i was going to have to deal with a 2 foot fireball anyway, might as well launch a larger bullet.

 

[bracer]

Take a look at the 221 Fireball round. A modern case with a little less powder capicty than the 223 Rem ,a little more than the Hornet.

 

[Float Pilot]

I own both and hand-load for both. The Hornet is a neat cartridge for a hand-loader as it can be challenging. But as a non-hand-loader you should stick with the 223.

Although as already mentioned, the 221 Fireball is really the Cat's Pajamas in a contender.

By the way, get into hand-loading while you still can... you will never regret it.