Recently acquired a CZ 527 .22 K-Hornet and need to build the ultimate gopher killing load. I have been reloading precision ammo for 50 years so I have a bit of an understanding. Would love to hear from those who have actually reloaded and or still do for this cartridge. In particular, which bullet produced the best accuracy and which powder was your favourite? I believe the CZ has a 16 twist. Thank you.
22 K-Hornet reloading
- Thread starter Bad Bob
- Start date
I’ve been using a Brno Zkw 465 in regular old hornet for five years and haven't found a better bullet than the 30gr varmint grenade
It’s accurate as you will ever need and lives up to its name in every sense. As for powder Hodgedon lil’gun is great in this cartridge and all I’ll ever use. I’ve thought about getting the rifle reamed to k-hornet but will wait and find another for that. Hope this helps and happy shooting
It’s accurate as you will ever need and lives up to its name in every sense. As for powder Hodgedon lil’gun is great in this cartridge and all I’ll ever use. I’ve thought about getting the rifle reamed to k-hornet but will wait and find another for that. Hope this helps and happy shooting
I also shoot a 465 it's a KE version. Lil-gun is the powder to use. I was using as much as I could get in the case but backed off a little as on hot days the bolt could be a little sticky sometimes. I did find primers can make quite a difference and have been using CCI small pistol.
Thanks for the input guys. I`ve done a bit of load development last fall (until it got too cold ) and preliminary testing showed best accuracy with the 30 VGs. I tested them along with the 35 V-Max, 40 V-Max, 40 Varmageddon and Hornady 45 Hornet. 40 Varmageddons were totally hopeless. Would like to get the 40 V-Max or 45 Hornet to give acceptable accuracy due to the
higher BCs, energy and better performance in the wind. 40 V-Max shows some potential but so far the 30 VGs have produced the best groups (accuracy is paramount). I think that maybe the 40s are just a little to long for the 16 twist. Couple of great benifits to the 30 VGs is that they are considerably cheaper than the V-Max and they can be loaded to fit the magazine whereas the V-Maxes can`t. What was the best COL (cartridge overall length) that you found for the 30 VGs?
higher BCs, energy and better performance in the wind. 40 V-Max shows some potential but so far the 30 VGs have produced the best groups (accuracy is paramount). I think that maybe the 40s are just a little to long for the 16 twist. Couple of great benifits to the 30 VGs is that they are considerably cheaper than the V-Max and they can be loaded to fit the magazine whereas the V-Maxes can`t. What was the best COL (cartridge overall length) that you found for the 30 VGs?
Lil gun, 1680, both good powders in the hornet or k hornet. Mine is the regular version, in a Kimber of Oregon rifle. Nice gun and cartridge combo. - dan
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- Location
- Peace River, Alberta
Use lil Gun out of two Browning’s with 40 gr VMax.
- Location
- Saskatchewan
I've had 7 Hornets in my short shootong career and of them only 1 was a K-Hornet. If I did some looking, I might find some of the loads I tried (or maybe not?), but powder wise, Lil Gun and 40gr V-max was by far the most accurate combos I found in any of my Hornets. 12.6grs in standard Hornets and I believe over 13gr in the K Hornet I had were most accurate. I did try the 35gr vmax and it shot well with H110 powder, but I find the 40gr vmax is more accurate after 150 yards over the 35gr. Either way, it's cheap to load and hell on gophers!
A CZ 527 is an excellent hornet to get, if they ever made them in a left handed version outside their custom shop, I'd get one in a heart beat... but for now, I shoot a left handed Browning A-Bolt Micro 2 and with 40gr vmax, 12.6gr lil gun, Winchester brass and Federal small match rifle primers, I get 5 shots all touching @100 yards. This year I'll try a new load with some Calhoon Double HP bullets I found.
A CZ 527 is an excellent hornet to get, if they ever made them in a left handed version outside their custom shop, I'd get one in a heart beat... but for now, I shoot a left handed Browning A-Bolt Micro 2 and with 40gr vmax, 12.6gr lil gun, Winchester brass and Federal small match rifle primers, I get 5 shots all touching @100 yards. This year I'll try a new load with some Calhoon Double HP bullets I found.
