I'm thinking of picking up a New England Handi-Rifle in 22 Hornet. My question is this. With the 22 and 17 rimfire shortages/prices, Why isn't the Hornet more popular? I searched and only the Handi-rifle is available for under $500+. It seems to me that the Hornet would make a fine substitute for 22 rimfire cartridges. I'm sure they could be downloaded to 22 mag and maybe 22 LR velocities. What say you?
22 Hornet
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SEE IT LIKE A NATIVE
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I am thinking that you could buy the same gun in .223 and have much cheaper factory ammo available that is much more powerful ? I would think that the cost of a bullet and primer is far great than the cost of .22 rimfire ? Kevin
Skylerbone
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Why? Because most people don't shoot enough ammo to justify a whole new rifle. 22 Hornet is IMO an excellent choice for a small game rifle but does not enjoy the popularity it once did. That means expensive ammo as compared to rimfire's incredibly cheap cost during normal conditions.
Even those who frequently shoot .22 lr are betting that the drought will soon be over and I agree. Just today I received another 1,000 rounds of .22 lr from MidWay to add to my stock which still totaled nearly 7k. I could easily shoot that in a season or two but shooting it sparingly, I've got 3 years on hand if need be. As ammo and components for .223 are again readily available, I've taken to shooting it more often than not and when my kids are ready to trust that its recoil won't hurt them, the AR will see even more range time.
Even those who frequently shoot .22 lr are betting that the drought will soon be over and I agree. Just today I received another 1,000 rounds of .22 lr from MidWay to add to my stock which still totaled nearly 7k. I could easily shoot that in a season or two but shooting it sparingly, I've got 3 years on hand if need be. As ammo and components for .223 are again readily available, I've taken to shooting it more often than not and when my kids are ready to trust that its recoil won't hurt them, the AR will see even more range time.
Swampman
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The Zastava M85 "Mini Mauser" is available in .22 Hornet for under $400.
http://www.centuryarms.biz/proddetail.asp?prod=RI1976-N&cat=117
With handloading and cast bullets, the .22 Hornet would probably be the most practical centerfire "stand in" for the .22 Mag/.22 Long Rifle available.
http://www.centuryarms.biz/proddetail.asp?prod=RI1976-N&cat=117
With handloading and cast bullets, the .22 Hornet would probably be the most practical centerfire "stand in" for the .22 Mag/.22 Long Rifle available.
horsemen61
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I so want that mini Mauser
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horsemen61
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As a hand loader with access to a cheap source of lead I bet I can make em for under 10 cents a round 
plus I can reload it
plus I can reload it 
Bwana John
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223 with pick-up range brass yes, but not 22 Hornet.
Have you looked at the price of 22 Hornet brass or loaded ammo?
(Remember, you do not get that many reloads from hornet brass)
horsemen61
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I figure if I load it to modest standards I will get at least 4 or 5 reloads with the 22 hornet and yes buying a box of factory ammo will be more expensive but it's free brass at the end of the day and 200lbs of lead makes a lot of bullets and when I can get 600 plus rounds to a lb of powder I am doing pretty good even if I buy brand new expensive brass
Bwana John
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I can do reduced loads for my 30-06 using 110gr plated bullets and SR 4759 cheaper than reloading my 22 Hornet, because of the price, availability, and lack of longevity of the brass.
Unfortunately the 22 Hornet is a dinosaur (or at least a Mastodon)
223 brass is laying around everywhere, and plenty of data for mouse fart loads for it using pistol powder.
Unfortunately the 22 Hornet is a dinosaur (or at least a Mastodon)
223 brass is laying around everywhere, and plenty of data for mouse fart loads for it using pistol powder.
So did I until I saw the accuracy reports about it.
dagger dog
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You get 50 rounds of Hornet ammo per box, pre panic $23.00 box.
If you reload 8 grains of Unique and a 55 grain cast boolit, will give you 1800 fps that's 22 mag velocity, you can get 875 rounds out of a pound of powder.
If you want to step up take a 30 gr Barnes Varmint Grenade and 13 grs of Lil'Gun and you get 3,000 + fps.
Loaded with soft point hunting bullets of 45-50 grains it can be used for game up to small whitetail deer where legal, IF you do your part and put it where it counts.
Most of the poorly touted Hornet brass problems are false, older rifles had over size chambers or headspace problems, newer models are held to tighter standards and brass wear is minimum plus loading to sane velocities keeps it at acceptable rate.
It's relatively quiet compared to other 22 centerfire rounds, low recoil, you can spot your own shots through your scope, and it is VERY accurate in the right rifle.
If you reload 8 grains of Unique and a 55 grain cast boolit, will give you 1800 fps that's 22 mag velocity, you can get 875 rounds out of a pound of powder.
If you want to step up take a 30 gr Barnes Varmint Grenade and 13 grs of Lil'Gun and you get 3,000 + fps.
Loaded with soft point hunting bullets of 45-50 grains it can be used for game up to small whitetail deer where legal, IF you do your part and put it where it counts.
Most of the poorly touted Hornet brass problems are false, older rifles had over size chambers or headspace problems, newer models are held to tighter standards and brass wear is minimum plus loading to sane velocities keeps it at acceptable rate.
It's relatively quiet compared to other 22 centerfire rounds, low recoil, you can spot your own shots through your scope, and it is VERY accurate in the right rifle.
Corn-Picker
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Personally, for me it's just not different enough from the 223 in terms of energy (i.e. function) to justify another caliber. I can't think of a situation, for me, where I would say "my 223 is too much gun but a 22 hornet is just right."
I'm more intrigued by the 17 hornet personally. That would give me something with twice as much energy as my next lower caliber (17 hmr) and half the energy of my next higher caliber (223). But even that's tough to justify -- realistically with 17 hmr/223/308/12 gauge I have all my hunting needs fully covered.
I'm more intrigued by the 17 hornet personally. That would give me something with twice as much energy as my next lower caliber (17 hmr) and half the energy of my next higher caliber (223). But even that's tough to justify -- realistically with 17 hmr/223/308/12 gauge I have all my hunting needs fully covered.
Vern Humphrey
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In Arkansas, .22 rimfire is the limit for crows, squirrels, etc.
But there is a caveat in the law, "Except when there is a modern gun season for deer, bear or coyotes."
It's pert' near always coyote season in Arkansas.
You cannot shoot rabbit or squirrel with center fire rifles in Arkansas. Even during coyote season. You can have a center fire in the woods, but don't shoot small game with it. That is like having buckshot in a shotgun when hunting rabbit or squirrel.
You should read the law it says squirrel may not be taken with rifles over a 22 rimfire or shotguns not using slugs or buckshot. It is criptic. It mentions muzzle loaders, but not center fire rifles during coyote season.
http://www.agfc.com/resources/Pages/ResourcesPublicationsGuidebookHunting.aspx
Look at the wildlife regulations
You should read the law it says squirrel may not be taken with rifles over a 22 rimfire or shotguns not using slugs or buckshot. It is criptic. It mentions muzzle loaders, but not center fire rifles during coyote season.
http://www.agfc.com/resources/Pages/ResourcesPublicationsGuidebookHunting.aspx
Look at the wildlife regulations
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Here in Illinois we can shoot squirrels and rabbits with a .338 Winchester Magnum if one desires on private land. Just don't shoot a deer with one.
That said, I like .22 Hornets a LOT. I like .22 K Hornets even more BUT reloading components are a catch as catch can proposition any more so unless you have a stash of bullets, powders, and primers to work with, getting a Hornet is a moot point and last time I looked, a 50 round box of factory ammo was $55.00
That said, I like .22 Hornets a LOT. I like .22 K Hornets even more BUT reloading components are a catch as catch can proposition any more so unless you have a stash of bullets, powders, and primers to work with, getting a Hornet is a moot point and last time I looked, a 50 round box of factory ammo was $55.00
.22 Hornet brass has been out of stock for many, many months. I had to break into my stashed box of 500 and need to replace it for stock one of these days, because yes, don't think you are going to automatically find brass any time you need it. Maybe, maybe not.
GooseGestapo
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Most of what others have posted is correct.
I have done much of what the original poster has posited. I've loaded the .22Hornet down to .22lr levels (1.4-1.8gr of Bullseye), and to .22wmr level (4.5gr Unique, 6.2gr #2400, 6.8gr SR4759), with cast bullets; and of course 35gr V-Max to 3,200fps with 13,0gr Hod. Lil'Gun (however 11.8gr of H110 for 3,050 is much, much more accurate, as well as 9.0gr of #2400 for 2,900fps).
I'm still using some .22Hornet brass I aquired while I was in college in the '70's so the brass will hold up if not hot-rodded. Most loadings with this brass since the late '80's has been with the aforementioned cast bullet loadings and many are showing distress of cracking necks, but will still work for "mouse-fart" loads...
The .223 is indeed less expensive for factory loads, and more available, but is an altogether higher level of performance than the .22Hornet. The Hornet still has it's place and applications. The reduced loads is one of them.
Regarding the "Handi-rifle", I believe you'll be dissapointed. By spending a bit more for such as the Mini-MkX, or a CZ, you'll be getting a much better rifle. I lost a good bit of that batch of brass I mentioned above due to cases splitting at the ejector opening in the chamber of a "Handi-Rifle" I started out with back in '77. I aquired a T/C Contender in .22Hornet and quickly disposed of the Handi-Rifle. It had a sloppy chamber and the metal in the trigger works wouldn't hold a trigger job. It wasn't very accurate either, not enough to meet the demands of a Hornet on small non-game animals and fur-bearers I was using it on.
I didn't mention the .22 C-B cap equivalent loads I've shot many of.... A .22cal air-rifle pellet inserted in a primed case. With a CCI Magnum small rifle primer, they're suprisingly accurate and powerful.... Killed a beaucoup of pigeons while in college with those.
I have done much of what the original poster has posited. I've loaded the .22Hornet down to .22lr levels (1.4-1.8gr of Bullseye), and to .22wmr level (4.5gr Unique, 6.2gr #2400, 6.8gr SR4759), with cast bullets; and of course 35gr V-Max to 3,200fps with 13,0gr Hod. Lil'Gun (however 11.8gr of H110 for 3,050 is much, much more accurate, as well as 9.0gr of #2400 for 2,900fps).
I'm still using some .22Hornet brass I aquired while I was in college in the '70's so the brass will hold up if not hot-rodded. Most loadings with this brass since the late '80's has been with the aforementioned cast bullet loadings and many are showing distress of cracking necks, but will still work for "mouse-fart" loads...
The .223 is indeed less expensive for factory loads, and more available, but is an altogether higher level of performance than the .22Hornet. The Hornet still has it's place and applications. The reduced loads is one of them.
Regarding the "Handi-rifle", I believe you'll be dissapointed. By spending a bit more for such as the Mini-MkX, or a CZ, you'll be getting a much better rifle. I lost a good bit of that batch of brass I mentioned above due to cases splitting at the ejector opening in the chamber of a "Handi-Rifle" I started out with back in '77. I aquired a T/C Contender in .22Hornet and quickly disposed of the Handi-Rifle. It had a sloppy chamber and the metal in the trigger works wouldn't hold a trigger job. It wasn't very accurate either, not enough to meet the demands of a Hornet on small non-game animals and fur-bearers I was using it on.
I didn't mention the .22 C-B cap equivalent loads I've shot many of.... A .22cal air-rifle pellet inserted in a primed case. With a CCI Magnum small rifle primer, they're suprisingly accurate and powerful.... Killed a beaucoup of pigeons while in college with those.
Bwana John
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I know what I will be trying this afternoon.....
I actually found Hornady loaded ammo at my LGS the other day for $22/25 rounds.
When I was looking around previous to that there was actually some available in neighboring towns (60 miles away) for $60/50 rounds
Vern Humphrey
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Here it is, straight off the AGFC website:
In other words, if there is a modern gun or muzzleloading season in effect, you can use more than .22 LR.
I had a chance to buy a super nice .22 hornet rifle about a year ago. I still do I guess but the one thing I found out quick was that ammo is expensive. There isn't a really good set of critters to hunt with that power range IMO. It's too much for squirrel and not really enough for coyote. I suppose it would be fine for p'dogs but there are none where I live. Aside from groundhogs I don't see a lot of use for one to be honest. I still think about buying that rifle because it's a collector's item but I don't usually buy guns to collect them. I buy guns to shoot them and I just don't see a good reason to buy a .22 hornet. It isn't that much hotter than a .22 magnum and it's not that much less powerful than a .223. I don't have a .22 magnum either for the same reasons. I can do what I want to do with either a .22 or a .223. I have both of those. Several actually.
They can be great shooters though and they can make good target rifles especially for off hand shooting. But I can think of other calibers I'd rather have that fill a hole in the range of calibers I own. I could use a .243 for example or one of the 6.5 caliber rifles. But IMO I can do anything with my .223 that I could do with a .22 hornet. And if I want to hunt small game I think there wouldn't be enough of it left if I shot it with a .22 hornet. It would require a head shot every time to have any meat left worth eating which isn't that hard I guess but I can pretty much do the same things with a lot loaded .22 LR if I want. Some of them shoot pretty hard like CCI Velocitors and Stingers and Aquila Interceptors. No they aren't up to the same level as a .22 hornet but what is it that a person would need to use a .22 hornet for that a .223 wouldn't work just as well or better? Then remember how much cheaper .223 is and how much more available.
They can be great shooters though and they can make good target rifles especially for off hand shooting. But I can think of other calibers I'd rather have that fill a hole in the range of calibers I own. I could use a .243 for example or one of the 6.5 caliber rifles. But IMO I can do anything with my .223 that I could do with a .22 hornet. And if I want to hunt small game I think there wouldn't be enough of it left if I shot it with a .22 hornet. It would require a head shot every time to have any meat left worth eating which isn't that hard I guess but I can pretty much do the same things with a lot loaded .22 LR if I want. Some of them shoot pretty hard like CCI Velocitors and Stingers and Aquila Interceptors. No they aren't up to the same level as a .22 hornet but what is it that a person would need to use a .22 hornet for that a .223 wouldn't work just as well or better? Then remember how much cheaper .223 is and how much more available.
Vern Humphrey
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Handload.
I hunt coyotes -- my load is a Hornady 35-grain V-max bullet loaded ahead of a case full of Hodgeon's L'il Gun. I also use this load on crows and groundhogs, feral dogs and cats, and so on.
For squirrels, rabbits and turkeys (where legal) I use Hornady 55 grain FMJs, and hold the velocity to around 2,000 fps. My rifle is an M82 Kimber with a bit faster twist than the traditional Hornet 1 in 16 and stabilizes these bullets nicely. One of these days I'm going to try cast bullets in my Hornet.
I hunt coyotes -- my load is a Hornady 35-grain V-max bullet loaded ahead of a case full of Hodgeon's L'il Gun. I also use this load on crows and groundhogs, feral dogs and cats, and so on.
For squirrels, rabbits and turkeys (where legal) I use Hornady 55 grain FMJs, and hold the velocity to around 2,000 fps. My rifle is an M82 Kimber with a bit faster twist than the traditional Hornet 1 in 16 and stabilizes these bullets nicely. One of these days I'm going to try cast bullets in my Hornet.
Vern I don't mind what you use but I've shot dozens of feral dogs with .22 LR ammo and only twice have I ever had to shoot more than once and both times it was more about the dog moving when I was pulling the trigger. I've never shot one past about 75 yards though. If I were shooting a longer distance a .22 hornet might be a good choice.
redneck2
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I guess you could say the same thing about a 22-250 vs a .223 (except price per shot). I guess you can debate for/against most any caliber.
What I like about the Hornet is that it has about 90% of the whack of a .223 with less than 1/2 the powder. Maybe it isn't the cost so much as the muzzle blast (or lack thereof). Report from mine seemed about the same as a .22LR or maybe .22 mag.
I'm in the process of getting rid of my .22-250 and instead using a .204, .223, and the Hornet for prairie dogs. The Hornet should be most excellent for anything out to maybe 200 yards.
The Hornet I had was a Ruger, and accuracy was less than stellar. Gonna get a CZ next time and remedy that.
Vern Humphrey
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I've got 185 acres, and if I catch a feral dog running across my pasture, like as not the shot will be over 100 yards, and sometimes as much as 200 -- so while a .22 will do the job up close, I prefer the Hornet for long range.
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