[Guest]

Managed to pick-up an older CZ chambered in .22 Hornet. The gun has the 1 in 16" twist rate so it is going to tend to like lighter grained bullets. Also is a .224. I've picked up two boxes of Hornady 40gr in 224 and think I'm going to get some Hodgson "Lil Gun"....

I've heard that the brass is thin and finicky, stretches easily, that you need to chamfer religiously, and hotter loads stretch the primer pockets.

Anyone reloading for this? What's been your experience?

giz

 

[xtimberman]

One of my buddies is a fan of the Hornet.

He claims that if you keep the once-fired brass segregated to the gun it was shot in (some of the European chambers are "large".), neck size only thereafter, and remember that it is a .22 "Hornet" and not a "Bee", "Zipper", or "Swift" - the brass will last a long time. As far as being fragile, it's even worse than loading a .32-20 - you have to be very careful when seating bullets. He uses W-296, 2400, and IMR-4227.

xtm

 

[Sideswing]

I've used the Hornet for a long time and really like it. It's economy of powder may be an even better thing now than ever. All the powders that have been discussed work well and my favorite for jacketed bullets I use WW680. Long out of print, but it works well if you can find any. Fourty to fourty five grain bullets at rather modest velocities is the key to happiness in a Ruger No.1.
Ken

 

[toroflow]

I've got a Ruger 77 .22 Hornet and load for it. I find the brass to be just fine in terms of thickness and durableness, but I make sure to chamfer the neck sufficiently enough to allow for a flat base bullet to go in easily, to avoid collapsed shoulders. .32-20 brass is no comparison IMHO. I also load for 32-20 (and 44-40) and that brass is paper thin! Stretched primer pockets are not a problem for me, as I load to under maximum in the Hornet. If I need more, I move up to the .218 Bee, then .222 Remington, and finally .22-250. I've got .22 centerfires for every occasion! No sense in over-stressing the Hornet IMHO.

 

[bmcgilvray]

I've not noticed that Hornet brass is weak and feeble in my years of loading for it.

Now .32-20 and .38-40 are both delicate but they're not really a problem. The .22 Hornet is sturdy by comparison. I have the mighty .220 Swift so don't have to load the .22 Hornet up to gut-bustin' levels.

Quick Hornet story. The littlest .22 centerfire round can perform spectacularly, all out of proportion to its size.

Back in "early marriage" I thoughtlessly made the mistake of taking out a feral cat that ran out from some nearby undergrowth when I stopped to open the gate to leave our old home place. My wife was present. The cat made the fatal error of running around 40 yards down a lane and stopping to look back. I retrieved the Hornet rifle from behind the pickup seat and took my shot. The 45 grain Sierra hand load absolutely "grenaded" the cat in a most apparent way, featuring true technicolor.

I replaced the rifle behind the seat with no comment and prepared to climb in. Wendy, who had witnessed the whole incident, pleaded in horror: "oh, please go and make sure it isn't suffering!" I replied that "it most assuredly wasn't suffering," but nothing would do but for me to go see about it in order to keep her from doing so. Things looked dismal with cat everywhere.

She never minded tagging along on nighttime varmint hunts for coyote and such but I learned that wives don't make the best of field companions in all cases.

 

[Guest]

I've only seen one rabbit taken by a Hornet. Let's just say that there was little left that you'd bother to cook....definitely not a gun to use for stew pot meat.

Not for the quesy stomach...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9-ugT9VuG8

giz

 

[toroflow]

I've not noticed that Hornet brass is weak and feeble in my years of loading for it.

Now .32-20 and .38-40 are both delicate but they're not really a problem. The .22 Hornet is sturdy by comparison. I have the mighty .220 Swift so don't have to load the .22 Hornet up to gut-bustin' levels.

Quick Hornet story. The littlest .22 centerfire round can perform spectacularly, all out of proportion to its size.

Back in "early marriage" I thoughtlessly made the mistake of taking out a feral cat that ran out from some nearby undergrowth when I stopped to open the gate to leave our old home place. My wife was present. The cat made the fatal error of running around 40 yards down a lane and stopping to look back. I retrieved the Hornet rifle from behind the pickup seat and took my shot. The 45 grain Sierra hand load absolutely "grenaded" the cat in a most apparent way, featuring true technicolor.

I replaced the rifle behind the seat with no comment and prepared to climb in. Wendy, who had witnessed the whole incident, pleaded in horror: "oh, please go and make sure it isn't suffering!" I replied that "it most assuredly wasn't suffering," but nothing would do but for me to go see about it in order to keep her from doing so. Things looked dismal with cat everywhere.

She never minded tagging along on nighttime varmint hunts for coyote and such but I learned that wives don't make the best of field companions in all cases.

That is a great story! Made me laugh!

 

[Frank V]

Once I started using the Hornaday 35gr V Max I started getting results like you fellows describe. With the 45 & 50gr bullets my Hornet treated squirrles kind of like a .30-06 treats a deer. Frank