Any love for the.22 Hornet?

[Scott Tschirhart]

I’ve never owned one but I grew up reading about the cartridge in a TC Contender pistol and its use on varmints.

Now that we are beyond COVID the ammunition seems to be readily available.

What’s it good for?

[Bill in Oregon]

It's fun to shoot and handload for. I, too, read about its use in the Contender -- also the .218 Bee, which I have never fooled with but always wanted to. My only Hornet was a tired old Savage 340 with a 3/4-inch Lyman scope on it that was not the pinnacle of accuracy, but I enjoyed shooting it.

[Mark in MO]

I’ve had a Contender in 22 Hornet for many years. I’ve used it on all sorts of vermin such as squirrels, groundhogs, crows, etc. While I haven’t used it on one, I feel it would prove effective on coyote, within proper range of course
With a 40 gr. Sierra SP and H110 mine has proven incredibly accurate. The downside is the tiny cases are a little harder for me to handle when reloading. Also I find care must be taken when seating a bullet lest I crumple a case.
A very fun and effective cartridge overall.

[GunnyMack]

I had a Winchester 43 in Hornet. It wasn't the most accurate. I traded it off for a LNIB Ruger #1 218 Bee. It's a very good shooter.
When a buddy was moving he handed me a box of parts a stock and barreled action. I now have a Savage 340 that is a good shooter.
Of the 2 different calibers I prefer the Bee.
Oh yeah! I traded snow plowing for a 92 Bee, it has a 'postal' barrel on it. Was drilled for a side mount, no sights and now has a 2-7x on it. I know I know...

What are they good for? 150yds or less varmints, fox, coyote. Here in the east some groundhog hunting was my orignal intent for them.

[JimT]

My Uncle let me have his Winchester 43 .22 Hornet for a year. I have never used a rifle much and confess I probably didn't shoot 200 rounds through it in a year, but for a varmint rifle and cartridge it was a quiet little round. And it would anchor coyotes, foxes, etc. I enjoyed playing with it but not enough to continue. Small caliber centerfires never have been attractive to me .. in either rifle or handgun.

[348win]

Always thought I'd get a 218 bee, but when "the same" levers available in 32-20, why bother.

The 22 would me more pelt friendly, yes

But I'd rather have the extra energy when it comes to these small cartridges

And like what was already said......getting the powder into the case, the tiny bullets, tiny cases reloading anything 22 cal is not my idea of fun!!!!!!

[gamekeeper]

My son liked mine so much as a teenager I gave it to him.

DSC00915.jpg

[2ndovc]

I had a couple of Hornets I'd picked up that had been custom Cadet rifles. Both of them were outstandingly accurate. Sold all of them off when they stated getting pricy as collectibles save for one that had been rechambered to .357 that was a very poor shooter.
My gunsmith gave me a choice of having having it rebarreled to .22 Hornet, .218 Bee, or .32-20 / .25-20. The .25-20 got my attention because I had/ have thousands of .258 cast bullets that my grandfather cast for his .25 cal rifles. I had dies and brass too plus a couple of .32WCF 92's already but nothing in .25WCF.
It isn't flashy, but it's a tack driver. Murder on OH woodchucks.
I'm still searching for the "perfect" Hornet though.
jb

[earlmck]

I have a regular Hornet and a K-hornet on single-shot actions. Both fine shooters but I consider the regular Hornet with its beautiful long neck to be the premier 22-cal cast bullet cartridge. My old babe has blasted many a sage-rat to smithereens with the Lyman 55 grain cast/gc bullet at about 2200 fps.

I never tried it in a Contender -- my short guns gotta' be revolvers to fit my taste.

[Eddie Southgate]

I have a Savage 340 in .22 Hornet and a Winchester model 43 in .218 Bee. Load for both , wouldn't want to be without either one . Would like to have another good Hornet but nobody seems to be making then anymore in anything that is affordable and the older ones that were the affordable ones a few years ago now all seem to bring over $1000.00 .

[AmBraCol]

A few years ago Jim Williamson let me fireform a bunch of 22 K-Hornet through his ... Sako? rifle at the Whittington Center. Lovely rifle, fun to shoot caliber, very accurate setup. In a Contender pistol it'd make an interesting prairiepoodle popper.

[ollogger]

I have one in the H&R handi rifle, it shoots very well but out past 200yd. for me on prairie dogs
its kind of poke & hope, slight breeze is a big problem, yes it will kill a coyote!
on the PD town next door to me i shoot alot & they get gun shy, so i use a 223 or 243
for alot more reach, when the pups start showing up i may start using the 22 Hornet again
takes awhile for them to get gun shy



ollogger

[zoner]

I shoot the Hornet in a Contender Carbine. Mine started as a Hornet but I had it re-chambered to 22 KHornet. It's a great cartridge in a short,light,easy to carry carbine. Lots of folks try to squeeze a little more velocity from the Hornet by re-chambering but in my case the re-chambering was about extending case life. If I need more horsepower I move up to the 223. The Hornet is a great cartridge if u reload....factory ammo is not always available and when it is it is pricey

[yooper2]

I have a couple of Hornets. A Winchester 43 K Hornet and and Contender pistol K Hornet (different versions of the K Hornet!) see the most use. I also have a Taurus Raging Hornet. All work well on coyotes, bobcats, foxes, etc. I really appreciate that they aren't entirely ear splitting.

Eric

[marlinman93]

I have a Ballard chambered in the Hornet's grandpa, the .22 WCF the Hornet was developed from. I use Hornet brass and I don't load it to Hornet specs, and instead keep my loads down at cast bullet levels using 4.0 grs. of Unique and I get 1500 fps. with a 40 gr. cast lead bullet. It's a fun shooter and my barrel is a HM Pope that shoots extremely small groups.

[kaschi]

Love the Hornet! A most magnificent groundhog pounder. Received a Ruger Number 3 chambered for it as HS graduation in 1977 (still have it including the original box showing the cost of $165). It sports a Leupold 2-7x33 compact scope. That little gun came with a plastic buttplate which was the only thing I didn't like about it. A few years later, a company called Blake Tool had an ad in SHOTGUN NEWS offering a steel replacement which I bought. Now the #3 is complete.

I also have a Brno Fox Model 2 that is still NIB. Beautiful rifle with double set triggers. I mounted a little Leupold 2.5x20 on it giving it the look of an African style hunting rifle but lightweight and having a mini Mauser action. I've vowed to fire it soon.

Have any of you people ever had experiences with the Ruger M77/22 Hornet? Nice looking rifle but I've always wondered how the accuracy is.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Jim,

I can’t recall the writer who used a contender pistol like this. I don’t think it was Hal Swiggett.

Was it Sam Fadala?

[GunnyMack]

348-You think .22 are hard to handle in the press? Try 17s! Talk about fumbling bullets!!

I almost converted my 77/22lr to hornet , that was in '92 while in gummsmiff skool but the more I looked at converting it the less I liked it as a single shot. This was before Ruger brought their factory model.

[ESisk]

I’ve never owned one but I grew up reading about the cartridge in a TC Contender pistol and its use on varmints.

Now that we are beyond COVID the ammunition seems to be readily available.

What’s it good for?

Took a couple of 170-180 pound feral pigs with my Ruger #3 and Brian Pearce's Lil Gun & ballistic tip Hornet load. Good for anything a 223 is, just not quite as far out.

[JB]

I always like the idea of the hornet, but generally found better accuracy out of the .223 and I could load it down to hornet levels if needed.

[Crazy Horse]

I have a stainless laminated Ruger rifle. I love the little round. I would like to have a rifle that is a little lighter weight. I have wanted a CZ 22 hornet but never got one.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Can anybody tell me what is wrong with this photo?

[GunnyMack]

Can't really tell but the end flap doesn't appear to have printing on it. Maybe a generic box off the line for photo purposes?

[4t5]

The performance must be extremely good , it’s listed for use on BIG GAME !

[Scott Tschirhart]

The performance must be extremely good , it’s listed for use on BIG GAME !

We have a winner!!!!

I didn’t think a .22 Hornet was a deer, elk and bear load!

[4t5]

They must have received some emails , target sports is showing this…
https://d3gxe0jmvtuxbc.cloudfront.net/i ... o-1077.jpg

[Eddie Southgate]

They used them and the .218 Bee both in Alaska for years for everything from seals to Polar Bears . Cheap to load and a chunk of lead and a pound of powder put a lot of meat on the table . Probably wouldn't do it again but I have killed deer with both cartridges.

[GunnyMack]

They must have received some emails , target sports is showing this…
https://d3gxe0jmvtuxbc.cloudfront.net/i ... o-1077.jpg

See this box, it shows varmints on it. Like I said the other box was a generic one.

[Bill in Oregon]

Scott, the late gunwriter Bob Milek of Thermopolis, Wyoming, used Contenders in .22 Hornet and .218 Bee extensively. I believe he preferred the Bee.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Thanks Bill!

I’m sure that’s who I was thinking about.

I’m not actually in the market for a Contender. I’m looking at a Ruger No.3. I’m thinking about a low power compact scope for a short to medium range varmint killer.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

I have a Ballard chambered in the Hornet's grandpa, the .22 WCF the Hornet was developed from. I use Hornet brass and I don't load it to Hornet specs, and instead keep my loads down at cast bullet levels using 4.0 grs. of Unique and I get 1500 fps. with a 40 gr. cast lead bullet. It's a fun shooter and my barrel is a HM Pope that shoots extremely small groups.

After looking it up, it seems the 22 WCF is the "other" 22 with bullets of 0.228" diameter ... like the 22 Hi-Power. Do you also have a mold from that period to drop the right bullet or did you have one made?

[BobM]

My grandpa used to cast bullets for his, I think I still have his molds. He had a No.3 Ruger he’d restocked and altered or replaced the lever so it looked like a smaller No.1. Unfortunately he sold it before I knew he was doing so, I’d like to have bought it. He also has a 221 Fireball on a small Sako action. I remember him telling me he ordered the barrel contour to look like a Winchester Featherweight. He stocked it with a Bishop blank. Grandma gave it to me after he passed and I took it to Montana a few times and shot prairie dogs with it

[Scott Tschirhart]

Would a Lee Collet die set be helpful for loading the.22 Hornet?

[GunnyMack]

Good question Scott. I have regular Lee hornet dies, I have crushed a few pieces of brass but that's been my own stupidity.
I find with the hornet, bee, 25-20 and 17 Remington I need to slow down and pay attention to the process more.
That collet die might pay if loading for just 1 gun allowing for just neck sizing. Nice thing about Lee dies is they aren't overly expensive.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I don’t actually load for any rifle rounds these days but I remember loading for a .17 Remington back in the 1980s. Those little bullets and case necks were a bit of a challenge.

Maybe I need to slow down and take my time with something like this.

[marlinman93]

I have a Ballard chambered in the Hornet's grandpa, the .22 WCF the Hornet was developed from. I use Hornet brass and I don't load it to Hornet specs, and instead keep my loads down at cast bullet levels using 4.0 grs. of Unique and I get 1500 fps. with a 40 gr. cast lead bullet. It's a fun shooter and my barrel is a HM Pope that shoots extremely small groups.

After looking it up, it seems the 22 WCF is the "other" 22 with bullets of 0.228" diameter ... like the 22 Hi-Power. Do you also have a mold from that period to drop the right bullet or did you have one made?

Yes, I do have an old Ideal mold #228-151 specifically for the .22WCF, and Savage .22 Hi-Power.

[4t5]

Something changed along the way as Hogdon Reloading Center specifies .224 bullets.
Another round to slug the bore on.

[GunnyMack]

Some of the early 22 Hornets( made with rimfire barrels used .223 bullets. Later guns used .224 barrels. I'd say most are .224 as I believe it was Townsend Whelen and someone else converting the Springfield .22 training rifles to hornet in the early days.

[Rexster]

Taylor’s markets a scaled-down Sharps falling-block rifle, labeled the Li’l Betsy, or something like that, chambered .22 Hornet. A bit pricey, in my opinion, but looks like fun.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I settled on a Ruger No. 1 RSI which ought to be a handy little carbine.

[ollogger]

Oh Scott a No. 1 RSI Sweet! Just came in from thnning prairie dogs, was using my RSI 250 Savage
( sorry its a bolt gun )



Brad