22 hornet
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Were you able to take 2 shots before they flew off or did you shoot a them at different times? What is the range?
I love my hornet too! The biggest game I have shot with it is feral goat using 50gr Sierra Blitz's. The performance was stunning for such a tiny cartridge! That was before changing to Lil'Gun. I now have it shooting Hornady 60gr Spire Points to MOA at 110yds. It does the same with 55gr Nosler BTSP's and Remington bulk 55grainers. Great cartridge!fatercat said:
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I've not considered using those bullet weights since i didn't expect them to expand at the lower velocities the Hornet would give. What loads are you using and have you chronographed them.
I do want to explore cast bullets and have a 55 gr. RCBS mold.
I do want to explore cast bullets and have a 55 gr. RCBS mold.
no i did not shoot a deer with 22 hornet. i shot one crow out of a tree about 95 yds. they flew off and then they just had to come back to see what happened. got another about same range. if i wanted to take the buck i got my 35 whelen or my marlin 30-30 for that. just want to take pictures of the deer for now. when i figure out how to post pics-i will post a few.
woodchukhntr , I have not chronographed my loads (I don't have a chrony - yet). I expect I am getting around 2650 fps with 55 grainers. I am loading 13.1 grains Lil'Gun for 55 grain bullets (but find the Sierra's produce more pressure so will cut back on them) and 11.6 grains Lil'Gun with the 60 grain Hornady's - but - I cut off the exposed lead tip in order to shorten the bullet. I have shot feral goat with 50 Sierra Blitz and found them to work very well indeed. That was with AR2205(H4227) and a lower velocity than I now get with 55 grainers using Lil'Gun. I have done tests using water saturated wool furnature padding and find the expansion at hornet velocities to be good - if not a bit too much at close range. Varmint bullets behave a bit like standard soft points at hornet velocities. I have some pictures of the test medium and bullets but do not have a website to post them in. I could e-mail them to you directly if you like.
I too have a 55 gr. RCBS mold. I have tried them in my hornet and would say the result are quite exciting. Casting with that mold is quite challenging and is best done when in a patient mood. I did not size my case necks - I just used a paper patch, pretty much like the black powder guys do with a cloth patch, and with full loads of AR2205(H4227). I did not pursue this line but recovered bullets showed no flame cutting or rifling stripping nor did I see any sign of lead fouling in my barrel - in fact, no reason why they should not be accurate and deadly. If I were to load cast, I would stay with AR2205(H4227) because that powder does not require a heavy crimp and neck sizing. The paper sabot/cup prevents any bullet damage when seating.
I too have a 55 gr. RCBS mold. I have tried them in my hornet and would say the result are quite exciting. Casting with that mold is quite challenging and is best done when in a patient mood. I did not size my case necks - I just used a paper patch, pretty much like the black powder guys do with a cloth patch, and with full loads of AR2205(H4227). I did not pursue this line but recovered bullets showed no flame cutting or rifling stripping nor did I see any sign of lead fouling in my barrel - in fact, no reason why they should not be accurate and deadly. If I were to load cast, I would stay with AR2205(H4227) because that powder does not require a heavy crimp and neck sizing. The paper sabot/cup prevents any bullet damage when seating.
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The .22 Hornet is one bad mutha. I have been using mine for deer the past 3 years. Heres a doe I took this past friday. And a buck I took last year that went 180lbs.
The deer around here havent evolved into the bullet proof ones I here so much about.
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The deer around here havent evolved into the bullet proof ones I here so much about.
Great Shooting! The thing is, we're not supposed to let the world know how effective the hornet really is! ;Dsuper said:
I have developed a load that pushes a 60gr bullet to the brighter side of 2600fps without pressure signs and with very good accuracy. (A bit of fiddly technique involved). But just the same, I shall be using my 303 for deer and wild hogs. :
I must say 'though, my last hunt (yesterday) would have killed me had I been lugging my 303 around! 'Tarzan in the jungle' comes to mind! I ended up with cramps in my upper legs while driving home! :'( Hard work, but what a fun day! Good shooting with the Hornet and I share the same joy... My 22 hornets. 22 K-Hornets and 17 AHs are all awesome lil rounds! I also shoot a 17 Squirrel which is half the size of the Hornet case and is even greater fun!!!!
here is a video clip of my son shooting the 17 AH, hardly any recoil but man does it flip a PD!
click the pic
here is a video clip of my son shooting the 17 AH, hardly any recoil but man does it flip a PD!
click the pic
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Took another one over the weekend, used the hornet again. Neck shot at 55 yds
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There's four pages debating the suitability of the 243 for deer and here you are using the 22 hornet with great success! I'm surprised the flamers haven't turned you to ashes by now. Papere and my uncles took many deer with the 22lr during the depression and the family survived quite nicely. As always, there can be no substitute for a well placed round. Have fun, Guy
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Guy said:
So did my dad and my moms family. They were both born in the '20's and lived on farms, they were dirt poor and killed deer for food, not for any sort of sport, .22lr was what they used. I own a .243 but I like the hornet for close ranges, I neck shoot basically everything anyway, it just the way I like to shoot. I never have to track a deer and it is the most humane way of taking a deer. It's instant death, no suffering.
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I don't hand load. I have been using Rem. 45 gr HP,s They are pretty explosive though. I took a 40lb hog with a body shot using them and the hog had 3 exit wounds.
This pic is the exit wound on that last spike I shot. Looks like a grenade went of in his neck.
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This pic is the exit wound on that last spike I shot. Looks like a grenade went of in his neck.
I have to agree,about the "little Hornet" being under rated. I and a couple friend use them for coyote hunting,most shots (while calling) are 200yds. or less,and the hornet does as well as any other 22 CF cartridge. I shoot a Savage M40 single shot,and the gun shoots under .5 MOA at 100-200yds. I use 40-50gr. V-Max bullets,and they are bad medicine for coyotes. Since Hogdon has came out with Lil Gun powder,and the performance has "stepped up" the Hornet is becoming popular again. It's a great gun,and does everything,and more than it's supposed too! Ron
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That's quite a lot of damage for a round that is not supposed to be adequate for anything other than small game and varmints! I would not use the Hornet for deer unless that was the only thing that I had, and would not shoot unless I could place the bullet in the right place like super mario did.
I am not a fan of the super magnums, and feel that anything more than a .30-30 on deer is overkill. If you hit it right, you don't need the magnums. If you don't, it will still get away! Still, the magnums sell a lot of guns and keep the manufacturers in business.
I am not a fan of the super magnums, and feel that anything more than a .30-30 on deer is overkill. If you hit it right, you don't need the magnums. If you don't, it will still get away! Still, the magnums sell a lot of guns and keep the manufacturers in business.
I won't be going back to 50gr or 45gr bullets in my hornet. So far, my best groups were with 60gr Hornady's (with exposed lead tip cut off making them 58grs). Very close, was Nosler 55gr BTSP's. The depth of crating in a steel plate with the hornet is astounding! (From 45gr to 60gr/58gr). Penetration of a tree trunk really surprised me (200mm). Performance on a feral goat made me wonder! My shot separated the foreleg from the body on a frontal shot angling into the heart, at the shoulder blade. The leg and shoulder were just held there by the skin. That was with 50gr Sierra's. Now I am using Lil'Gun, and driving Hornady 55gr somewhat faster. I would say the 60gr/58gr Hornady's get about what the 50grs used to.rks1949 said:I've never shot anything (bullets) bigger than a 50gr. in my hornet. I might have to give it a try
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