22 Hornet, still loving it after all these years

[tark]

I have had a Savage 23D. I should have kept it,

I've got two. One with a tasco scope and the other a pristine example with a period correct Weaver 344 scope. It looks brand new so I don't shoot it much. The optics on that skinny little scope aren't the best, anyway. The first one can hit an apricot at 100 yards.

 

[Offfhand]

A .22 Hornet is one of only a small handful of rifles that you don't need a "good" reason to own. They are just plain fun to shoot and mess with and that's reason enough. One of my Hornets (actually a K-Hornet) is this M-22 Springfield converted by Griffin & Howe. Many of the first Hornets were built on converted M-22 RF rifles similar to this one. Converting to CF and making them feed and function was a neat piece of gunsmithing.

 

[someguy2800]

^^^ That is a real work of art

 

[22250Rem]

Offhand; Thanks for the compliments on my Savage 23-D. I'm justifiably proud of it and knowing the history of it, ( one of my high school buddies got it circa 1966 from the original owner, who was a family friend, ). But I must say that Griffin & Howe conversion is STUNNING. What a piece of Hornet history, which I'd bet dates from the 1920's ( ? ) when the Hornet was gaining popularity as a wildcat. Although it surely got the "K" treatment sometime after about 1940, when the K - Hornet appeared IIRC. I've never seen one of those in person but I can recall a gun writer who's mentioned owning one a few times. It's also a piece of History that you don't have to be afraid to shoot once in a while as Hornets & K Hornets aren't exactly in the "barrel burner" or " overbore" category, LOL.

 

[SwampWolf]

I have a fairly petite (20" barrel), Browning A-Bolt Micro rifle, chambered in .22 Hornet, with a Burris Compact 2x7 powered scope mounted on it that is plenty accurate for shooting woodchucks up to 200 yards or so. It's one of my favorite "walk-around" rifles that I use for hunting varmints in Ohio's smaller farm pastures and meadows.

 

[tjs45d]

I got into the .22 Hornet by buying 100 rounds of reloads in a gun store that was going out of business. Then I just had to have something to shoot them with.!
Bought this Savage Model 25 and mounted a Bushnell 6-24 on it. I reload using 13.0 gr. of LilGun and 35 gr. V-max bullets. Load chronos at around 3080FPS and
groups around 0.75" at 100 yds. I'm still fine tuning the load as I still get a flyer once in a while, but the groundhogs inside 200 yds. haven't noticed the flyers..
I love the round for it's ease and economy of reloading and the low sound signature is a really nice feature. Plus it really does a number on the groundhogs with
the V-max bullet. I'm definitely a fan of the cartridge..!

 

[cpt-t]

I have been shooting and reloading for a 218 Bee & a 22 Hornet since 1963. And they are 2 of my favorite Rifles. My 218 Bee is a Model 43 Winchester. And My Son and I both have a CZ 527 in 22 Hornet. He shoots a FS model CZ and mine is an American model. Both shoot extremely well and shoot the same reload. 11grs of IMR4227 powder and 35gr Hornady V-Max bullets at about 2860fps is the best load we can find. And both our rifles shoot it about the same way under a 1/2 groups at a 100yds. We shoot about everything with our 22 Hornets Coyotes, Jackrabbits, Prairie Dogs, Ground Hogs, Rock Chucks, Badgers, Crows, and even a few Hogs down in Texas. I shoot my CZ 527 22 Hornet much more than my 218 Bee Win. And I like it more every time I shoot it. We use a Bushnell 4200 Elite 6 X 24 X 40 scope on both of our CZ 527 22 Hornets and they work extremely well. Our 22 Hornets are extremely accurate, no recoil, very quite, and very cheap to reload for. What else could you ask for. You are missing something if you have not tried a 22 Hornet Varmint Rifle.
ken

 

[Art Eatman]

The Bee and Hornet first came about mostly for woodchucks in the smaller-tract, more populated areas of the eastern US. Worked well at the commonly shorter distances and didn't disturb the neighbors.

 

[Charliefrank]

Love seeing so many Hornet fans. Clearly I'm not alone in my admiration of the little cartridge. After reading so many testiments for the 35 grain v max I'm going to have to ty them. See how they compare to my 40 grain ballistic tips. Sounds like a whole lot of fun to me.

 

[Charliefrank]

I got into the .22 Hornet by buying 100 rounds of reloads in a gun store that was going out of business. Then I just had to have something to shoot them with.!
Bought this Savage Model 25 and mounted a Bushnell 6-24 on it. I reload using 13.0 gr. of LilGun and 35 gr. V-max bullets. Load chronos at around 3080FPS and
groups around 0.75" at 100 yds. I'm still fine tuning the load as I still get a flyer once in a while, but the groundhogs inside 200 yds. haven't noticed the flyers..
I love the round for it's ease and economy of reloading and the low sound signature is a really nice feature. Plus it really does a number on the groundhogs with
the V-max bullet. I'm definitely a fan of the cartridge..!



View attachment 768192

That is one great looking rifle.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Love seeing so many Hornet fans. Clearly I'm not alone in my admiration of the little cartridge. After reading so many testiments for the 35 grain v max I'm going to have to ty them. See how they compare to my 40 grain ballistic tips. Sounds like a whole lot of fun to me.

The V-Max bullets "gain weight" by having longer noses -- the cylindrical portion of the bullet is just about the same from 35 grain to 55 grain. Hornets shoot best when the "shoulder" of the bullet (where the nose starts) is loaded close to the lede (throat.) With heavier bullets, this leaves the overall length too great to feed through the magazine. The 35 grain V-Max can be loaded until it touches the lede and still feed through the magazine on most Hornets.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Love seeing so many Hornet fans. Clearly I'm not alone in my admiration of the little cartridge. After reading so many testiments for the 35 grain v max I'm going to have to ty them. See how they compare to my 40 grain ballistic tips. Sounds like a whole lot of fun to me.

The V-Max bullets "gain weight" by having longer noses -- the cylindrical portion of the bullet is just about the same from 35 grain to 55 grain. Hornets shoot best when the "shoulder" of the bullet (where the nose starts) is loaded close to the lede (throat.) With heavier bullets, this leaves the overall length too great to feed through the magazine. The 35 grain V-Max can be loaded until it touches the lede and still feed through the magazine on most Hornets.

 

[tjs45d]

The V-Max bullets "gain weight" by having longer noses -- the cylindrical portion of the bullet is just about the same from 35 grain to 55 grain. Hornets shoot best when the "shoulder" of the bullet (where the nose starts) is loaded close to the lede (throat.) With heavier bullets, this leaves the overall length too great to feed through the magazine. The 35 grain V-Max can be loaded until it touches the lede and still feed through the magazine on most Hornets.

Vern: This is exactly what I found when I started loading for my rifle, the Savage Model 25. I was planning on using the 40 gr. V-Max but when they are seated just off the lands in this rifle, they won't fit the magazine. I can seat the 35 gr. V-Max about .015" off the lands and they will fit the magazine. If I remember right, I think the 40 gr. bullets were about 0.080" too long to fit. I considered modifying the magazine, but since they are plastic, there wasn't a good way to disassemble and machine more clearance into the magazine body.

 

[tjs45d]

That is one great looking rifle.

Thanks for the compliment on the rifle, Charlie! I bought it new about 3 years ago. It is now one of my favorite rifles...!

I would have used 40 gr. bullets, but they won't fit the magazine on this rifle..
See Post # 38 above.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Vern: This is exactly what I found when I started loading for my rifle, the Savage Model 25. I was planning on using the 40 gr. V-Max but when they are seated just off the lands in this rifle, they won't fit the magazine. I can seat the 35 gr. V-Max about .015" off the lands and they will fit the magazine. If I remember right, I think the 40 gr. bullets were about 0.080" too long to fit. I considered modifying the magazine, but since they are plastic, there wasn't a good way to disassemble and machine more clearance into the magazine body.

That's why I say there is one bullet for the Horner (other than cast bullets), the 35-grain V-Max. And there is one powder, Hodgdon's Li'l Gun.

 

[Gordon]

That's why I say there is one bullet for the Horner (other than cast bullets), the 35-grain V-Max. And there is one powder, Hodgdon's Li'l Gun.

Unless you want the rifle capable of killing heavy game like a survival gun . Then the bomb is the 45 grain Hornady soft point . It does not blow up but does expand at Hornet velocity nicely to 200 yards. I have seen it mushroom to .45 cal. and drive thru deer and barely exit or not. On 200 pound plus hogs it will get thru one side and thru the vitals with that .45 hole and apparent shock. It saves the meat somewhat on smaller edible prey . I load it with 12.5 grains of LIL gun in my K Chambers , I have a reamer and have reamed most of my hornets over the years.

 

[cpt-t]

I use to use mostly 45gr Rem HP`s & 46gr Win HP`s for many years for reloading for my 218 Bee & 22 Hornet. I always bought them in bulk at the Gun Shows, and they were usually a bunch of them in a Coffee Can or something like it. And they worked very well for me. I always used IMR4227 powder. But when Hornaday brought out their 35gr V-Max`s, IMHO they gave the 218 Bee & 22 Hornet a new lease on life. The 35gr V-Max just shoots better for me than anything I have ever used. I use my CZ 527 22 Hornet to Varmint Hunt and Small Game Hunt with. I learned to use a Staff or a Shooting Stick from my Grandfather and His Old Friends, it helped them to both walk farther and head shoot Squirrels and Rabbits that they were going to eat much easier. I spent as much time with thoes Old Men as I possibly could growing up just being with them and listening to their Fantastic Stories . Most of the Hunting I do now are just walks in the woods or along a stream, with a Rifle that means something special to me. And my old CZ 22 Hornet is just about perfect for than role. I really can't think of a better way of spending a great day out side for me. Than to wander around threw and Old Pecan Grove or walking along a slow moving spring fed crystal clear stream and watch the Rainbow & Brown Trout surface and feed. This always just makes me feel alive inside and all of my old treasured memories come to call. But my walks with one of my special rifles are getting shorter now both in distance and time. But as the Old Timers I use to know alway said. Using a Staff makes it easier, and by darned it does for me.
ken

 

[tark]

Any of you guys tried the PPU Hornet ammo? I have found it to be very accurate in my Savage rifles and it is very reasonably prices at $24.95 per box of fifty. At least at my local gun store.

 

[philip brousseau]

i had an a-bolt reamed to k-hornet and at the time gave the gunsmith a set of wilson 22 hornet dies and had them reamed to k-hornet. neck die and seater. necks and seating can be done with the heel of your hand on a table top. no press necessary. one nice thing about the hornet case being so thin is a good chamber seal with light loads

 

[tallpaul]

I always was intrigued by the round and wanted a ruger 77/22 hornet and one day a bud gave me one he acquired off another friend who needed some money. He was not a gun guy and wanted to help the other guy out anyhow. He knew I was a gun guy so he gave her to me... a 77/22 with the laminate stock and target grey finish... I love that lil gun even though I have not shot it much yet. I just got the set up for loading for it and will be starting to soon. I have thought about changing her over to the K hornet but think I should try her as is some more first. A very nice and trim package!

 

[Charliefrank]

I always was intrigued by the round and wanted a ruger 77/22 hornet and one day a bud gave me one he acquired off another friend who needed some money. He was not a gun guy and wanted to help the other guy out anyhow. He knew I was a gun guy so he gave her to me... a 77/22 with the laminate stock and target grey finish... I love that lil gun even though I have not shot it much yet. I just got the set up for loading for it and will be starting to soon. I have thought about changing her over to the K hornet but think I should try her as is some more first. A very nice and trim package!

I've been very happy with the original cartridge