I bought a box of Hornady's .223 45 gr "Hornet" bullets. They are way too pointed to function in my rifle - the case mouth is past the cylindrical part of the bullet at the maximum OAL. I looked at a picture of the Sierra version and it looks more rounded. Anyone have experience with these? Looks like I can load the Hornadys in my .223 with the same powder as the 55 gr bullets.
Need a new bullet for the .22 Hornet
- Thread starter Armymutt
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Maximum OAL due to limitation in your rifle or based on printed data?
If it is printed data, you can lengthen the OAL with no ill effects as long as you do not jam the bullet into the rifling.
If your rifle is of recent manufacturer, .224" diameter bullets would give better accuracy. The manufacturers have used .224 barrels for decades. Older, twenties and thirties vintage rifles used .223 barrels. i do not remember when the transition was made, but it was before my time.
My 22 Hornet Contender carbine barrel likes Speer 40 grain spire points.
witchhunter
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Chuck nailed it for you, I would just add that some .224 bullets are not made to expand at hornet velocities. It depends on your intended usage. If you can find some Winchester 45 grain hornet bullets, they work great. These days you might have to work with what you can find....
KansasSasquatch
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OK. A 40's vintage rifle may still have a .223 barrel. You might slug your barrel to make sure if you are interested.
To use up the bullets you have, you can load them longer than magazine length and shoot them single shot. It will give you something to shoot until you find a shape that works better in your rifle.
FROGO207
Member
From what I have seen around the hornets that use .223 bullets were actually converted from 22 WRF rifles that used .22 rimfire sized barrels. IIRC all the hornet ammo now loaded used .224 bullets/charges. They will probably work well in your rifle either way with decent accuracy. I would also advise slugging your barrel to see what you actually have before purchasing anything else.
As you probably already know only Hornet VEL bullets expand well in them.
As you probably already know only Hornet VEL bullets expand well in them.Still Shooting
Member
Hornet Bullets "Hiding" in the Case
I have a recent (1980's) Ruger 77/22H carbine, and have noted that the Hornady AND Nosler bullets at max. COAL seat "too far" into the case. I decided to try using them anyway, and just yesterday went to the range with 20rds. of Nosler 40gr. BT spitzers. They functioned with no problem, and 4 groups were within 1 moa each @ 100 yards.
They're not very "aesthetically pleasing," with the bullet seated past the shoulder, but they fed and grouped just fine.
I have a recent (1980's) Ruger 77/22H carbine, and have noted that the Hornady AND Nosler bullets at max. COAL seat "too far" into the case. I decided to try using them anyway, and just yesterday went to the range with 20rds. of Nosler 40gr. BT spitzers. They functioned with no problem, and 4 groups were within 1 moa each @ 100 yards.
They're not very "aesthetically pleasing," with the bullet seated past the shoulder, but they fed and grouped just fine.
witchhunter
Member
Checking the diameter of your factory rounds will do no good, you need to know the diameter of your barrel. Again, Chuck nails it, "slug your barrel"
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