Loads For 22 Hornet

[3175darren 1,093]

Does any of you have pet loads for the 22 hornet,I have got rid of my 17 hmr and have just got hold of a 22 hornet,its a cz american second hand,with a 1 in 14 twist,I have not picked it up yet,every body I know love the caliber,and I want a general vermin gun,I already load for my other rifles,but I was just wondering what loads people were favouring for general use,I will start buying books and printing information off around the caliber,as I have all the dies to source and stuff, I thought I would get an heads up on them any info would be great thanks,

[charlie caller 3,654]

Good choice mate, cracking little round, ok first up 35grain vmax under 12.3 grains of h110 @ 3050 fps is a hot load (start low and work up as this is max load) a good load that flattens foxes out to 200 yards, my personal favourite was a 45 grain Sierra varminter under 10.3 grains of h110, a bit slower than the vmax but did not drop off as quick after 150 yards or so, due to the heavier bullet, lil gun is probably the best hornet powder out there, with very low pressures, and it is almost impossible to get too much in a hornet case to be unsafe,(dont try obviously) Hodgdon reloading data centre is well worth a look as it has loads of info including the aol to start your loads at, I would not play around with the seating depth, instead and this is a must in my opinion for accurate hornet rounds, neck size only,Lee collet die, buy the Lee universal neck flaring die, to put a gentle flare on the case mouth to help seat the bullet, and an absolute must is the Lee factory crimp die, these two items (cost about 25 quid) took my handloads from 3/4 inch groups @ 100 yards to ragged one hole groups overnight, as always mate start 10% low and work up to max charge, enjoy your hornet mate, and you have the best one in the CZ

Edited December 27, 2013 by charlie caller

[3175darren 1,093]

Good choice mate, cracking little round, ok first up 35grain vmax under 12.3 grains of h110 @ 3050 fps is a hot load (start low and work up as this is max load) a good load that flattens foxes out to 200 yards, my personal favourite was a 45 grain Sierra varminter under 10.3 grains of h110, a bit slower than the vmax but did not drop off as quick after 150 yards or so, due to the heavier bullet, lil gun is probably the best hornet powder out there, with very low pressures, and it is almost impossible to get too much in a hornet case to be unsafe,(dont try obviously) Hodgdon reloading data centre is well worth a look as it has loads of info including the aol to start your loads at, I would not play around with the seating depth, instead and this is a must in my opinion for accurate hornet rounds, neck size only,Lee collet die, buy the Lee universal neck flaring die, to put a gentle flare on the case mouth to help seat the bullet, and an absolute must is the Lee factory crimp die, these two items (cost about 25 quid) took my handloads from 3/4 inch groups @ 100 yards to ragged one hole groups overnight, as always mate start 10% low and work up to max charge, enjoy your hornet mate, and you have the best one in the CZ

Cheers mate I am looking forward to using it,I have heard that they have poor case life,what do you find,I suppose its like any case if its loaded too hot,I know with my 223 and 6.5x55 I do resize the full case,but will definatley give the neck sizeing a try for the hornet,again thanks for that,

[charlie caller 3,654]

Well neck sizing only, I was getting around 9-10 reloads out of Winchester cases, I could have probably got more, but I had a lot of brass so just binned them after that, and I was using hot loads, trust me on the expander/crimp die, it did make a hell of a difference.

[jam1e 12]

I never found any difference in neck sizing to full length sizing.... And if you use a decent chamfer/de-burring tool like an RCBS, there is no need to buy a flaring die. (imo)

But as per "Charlie caller" I did find crimping improved the groups a little, if my memory serves me right...

I found Remington to be the best brass as some cases, (Winchester being one) won't allow you to use the max powder load without compression. I'm not keen on compressing loads. Remington have a higher internal capacity. No idea why, but it definitely does. I compared Rem against Win. And Remington won hands down...

I only used Hodgdon's Lilgun powder, (12.8 grains) with 35 grain V-Max head with a small rifle primer.

c.o.a.l was 1.670", and 1.438 c.o.a.l to ogive.

This recipe achieved .359" grouping at 100 yards, with a Weihrauch HW66. But obviously you have to find a round that suits your gun.

Either way, good look with the .22 Hornet!

atb

Jamie

[Lewdan 17]

Does any of you have pet loads for the 22 hornet,I have got rid of my 17 hmr and have just got hold of a 22 hornet,its a cz american second hand,with a 1 in 14 twist,I have not picked it up yet,every body I know love the caliber,and I want a general vermin gun,I already load for my other rifles,but I was just wondering what loads people were favouring for general use,I will start buying books and printing information off around the caliber,as I have all the dies to source and stuff, I thought I would get an heads up on them any info would be great thanks,

Hi mate, good choice o calibre in the .22 hornet. Are you sure the cz is 1:14 twist they are normally 1:16 ? I have a Ruger 77/22 K hornet and this is a 1:14 twist barrel so I load a 50Gn sierra varminter blitz, with 12.6 Gn of lilgun--absolutely devastating on foxes out to 200Yds. because of the rotary mag I can also load to 1.800" and still fit in..

Have fun.

LD

Edited December 27, 2013 by Lewdan

[3175darren 1,093]

 

Does any of you have pet loads for the 22 hornet,I have got rid of my 17 hmr and have just got hold of a 22 hornet,its a cz american second hand,with a 1 in 14 twist,I have not picked it up yet,every body I know love the caliber,and I want a general vermin gun,I already load for my other rifles,but I was just wondering what loads people were favouring for general use,I will start buying books and printing information off around the caliber,as I have all the dies to source and stuff, I thought I would get an heads up on them any info would be great thanks,

 

Hi mate, good choice o calibre in the .22 hornet. Are you sure the cz is 1:14 twist they are normally 1:16 ? I have a Ruger 77/22 K hornet and this is a 1:14 twist barrel so I load a 50Gn sierra varminter blitz, with 12.6 Gn of lilgun--absolutely devastating on foxes out to 200Yds. because of the rotary mag I can also load to 1.800" and still fit in..

Have fun.

LD

sorry yes I think it might be 1in16 I got mixed up the 223 is 1in12

[charlie caller 3,654]

I never found any difference in neck sizing to full length sizing.... And if you use a decent chamfer/de-burring tool like an RCBS, there is no need to buy a flaring die. (imo)

But as per "Charlie caller" I did find crimping improved the groups a little, if my memory serves me right...

I found Remington to be the best brass as some cases, (Winchester being one) won't allow you to use the max powder load without compression. I'm not keen on compressing loads. Remington have a higher internal capacity. No idea why, but it definitely does. I compared Rem against Win. And Remington won hands down...

I only used Hodgdon's Lilgun powder, (12.8 grains) with 35 grain V-Max head with a small rifle primer.

c.o.a.l was 1.670", and 1.438 c.o.a.l to ogive.

This recipe achieved .359" grouping at 100 yards, with a Weihrauch HW66. But obviously you have to find a round that suits your gun.

Either way, good look with the .22 Hornet!

atb

Jamie

The simple reason is that the Rem cases are thinner than Winchester so have a greater internal capacity, you do notice this with some cases, we worked up a good accurate load for my mates 6.5x55 swede, and with a load that was fine with, I think Lapua cases,(could have been Hornady) they were over pressure in Privi cases, so it pays to start low and work up, when changing any components, as for the case flare die, well I always trim/chamfer the case, and I tried both with and without case flaring, and noticed an improvement when flared, I think because Hornet bullets are flat based, the flare helps seat the bullet straighter, but anyway have fun with your Hornet.

[3175darren 1,093]

 

I never found any difference in neck sizing to full length sizing.... And if you use a decent chamfer/de-burring tool like an RCBS, there is no need to buy a flaring die. (imo)

But as per "Charlie caller" I did find crimping improved the groups a little, if my memory serves me right...

I found Remington to be the best brass as some cases, (Winchester being one) won't allow you to use the max powder load without compression. I'm not keen on compressing loads. Remington have a higher internal capacity. No idea why, but it definitely does. I compared Rem against Win. And Remington won hands down...

I only used Hodgdon's Lilgun powder, (12.8 grains) with 35 grain V-Max head with a small rifle primer.

c.o.a.l was 1.670", and 1.438 c.o.a.l to ogive.

This recipe achieved .359" grouping at 100 yards, with a Weihrauch HW66. But obviously you have to find a round that suits your gun.

Either way, good look with the .22 Hornet!

atb

Jamie

The simple reason is that the Rem cases are thinner than Winchester so have a greater internal capacity, you do notice this with some cases, we worked up a good accurate load for my mates 6.5x55 swede, and with a load that was fine with, I think Lapua cases,(could have been Hornady) they were over pressure in Privi cases, so it pays to start low and work up, when changing any components, as for the case flare die, well I always trim/chamfer the case, and I tried both with and without case flaring, and noticed an improvement when flared, I think because Hornet bullets are flat based, the flare helps seat the bullet straighter, but anyway have fun with your Hornet.

 

I will mate, thanks for taking the time to pass that on I will be trying your suggestions,I intend to play with the gun a little, I have in the past been guilty of over scoping rifles making them too heavy,so out to two hundred yards,I wont need anything too big what scope do you have on yours,? I want to keep this as light and handlable as possible and just want a round that will do the job,for any vermin it might come accross,I use 52grn hollow points in the 223,and it is very good but the gun is heavy for every day use,any way happy new yr and again thankyou,

[charlie caller 3,654]

I dont have a hornet now, as I use the .243, but in my honest opinion, you simply cannot beat a Nikon prostaff, with the bdc reticule, they are the best value scopes in the country, the clarity lamping is superb, I have looked down my mates S+B 8x56, at night and both of us really struggle to see any difference, I will say it again, they are superb scopes, and I cant see myself buying anything else for centrefire ever again.

[let'sshoot 11]

What mag is your prostaff?

 

Thanks

[3175darren 1,093]

I dont have a hornet now, as I use the .243, but in my honest opinion, you simply cannot beat a Nikon prostaff, with the bdc reticule, they are the best value scopes in the country, the clarity lamping is superb, I have looked down my mates S+B 8x56, at night and both of us really struggle to see any difference, I will say it again, they are superb scopes, and I cant see myself buying anything else for centrefire ever again.

I have never looked through one,but I can gaurantee I wont over scope it, I will probably look for a 3x9x40 or 45 I have started looking around,as I wont pick the gun up for another month or so,

[charlie caller 3,654]

What mag is your prostaff?

 

Thanks

Its the 3-9x50 mate.