K Hornet or 221 Fireball
- Thread starter Gerald
- Start date
migrant hunter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Alberta
I"m having a Hornet reamed to a K hornet. I"m going for this rather than some of the more powerful 22 centrefires as I want to keep the noise down and I"m happy with a 200 yd gun for what I have in mind. The K version is easier to load for and a bit faster.
The Fireball is a much more powerful round with the accompanying noise and blast to go with it!
The Fireball is a much more powerful round with the accompanying noise and blast to go with it!
- Location
- pallisers triangle
i love my 221, it is very versitile round. it can be loaded down aswell, and is very quiet. factory loading is about 2600 and you have to load to get the best out of it. they are both excellent rounds, and it really depends what you are wanting to do with it
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
I have a 221 Fireball in a Remington XP-100. Definately a fun thing to shoot and would dearly love to be able to 'introduce' it to Gophers. Perhaps one day.
One of the things I absolutely adore about my Hornet is that - because it's such a low pressure round, burning so little powder - you can get a LOT of rounds through it between cool-downs. Even with a medium/light barrel. The 221 should be similar, though it does produce a lot more pressure, it only burns 20-30% more powder.
Actually, the 221 runs hotter pressures than even the 222, and produces very similar ballistics with less powder
Actually, the 221 runs hotter pressures than even the 222, and produces very similar ballistics with less powder
2600 in a 10" pistol barrel maybe. the 50 grain loads are rated at close to 3000 fps in a 24" rifle barrel
The k-Hornet is a rimmed round and can be used in some single shot rifles, whereas the .221 Fireball is mostly for use in bolt guns. As an example, if you want to convert a Martini cadet type action to central fire varmint rd., the round will have to be of rimmed config.
I inherited a BRNO ZKW 465 in 22 Hornet from a lifetime friend. Imagine my surprise to find that someone had run a K-Hornet reamer into it!! I was pleased once it dawned on me what had happened. There are NO markings on the barrel or anywhere else to indicate the change, only the fired case gives it away. That being said, foreforming factory Remington Hornet ammo, gives 5-shot groups under 1" and the reloads will do better than the factory fodder. Lil' Gun is my powder of choice with the 40 grain Hornet bullet from Sierra. Regards, Eagleye.
22 k Hornet
Have a #3 Ruger 22 Hornet that was made a K- Hornet about 10 years ago. Like Eagleye I too had shot some Win. Factory ammo fireforming and got well under an inch at 100yds.
When I bought a few hundred cases I was fortunate to find
12.4 gr. W296 and 45 gr Hornady Hornet was a great forming load. This also produced under an inch/100yds so you could shoot targets/varmints while forming cases.
My rifle does best with a max load of W296 and 40gr V-max for 3270 avg. fps and will shoot under an inch with a best group of 0.48 inch for 3 shots .
45 grain Hornady and 50 grain Noslers with 13.0 gr W296 @ 2980/2940 fps Avg. will do almost as well.
The ctg. reponds well should you want to load down to regular hornet or 22 mag..22lr velocities for a smaller noise factor, yet will still shoot 1 inch /3 shot groups/100 yds.
...however a .221 Fireball should do just as well with good loads and higher velocities are attainable with all bullet weights..
.
Have a #3 Ruger 22 Hornet that was made a K- Hornet about 10 years ago. Like Eagleye I too had shot some Win. Factory ammo fireforming and got well under an inch at 100yds.
When I bought a few hundred cases I was fortunate to find
12.4 gr. W296 and 45 gr Hornady Hornet was a great forming load. This also produced under an inch/100yds so you could shoot targets/varmints while forming cases.
My rifle does best with a max load of W296 and 40gr V-max for 3270 avg. fps and will shoot under an inch with a best group of 0.48 inch for 3 shots .
45 grain Hornady and 50 grain Noslers with 13.0 gr W296 @ 2980/2940 fps Avg. will do almost as well.
The ctg. reponds well should you want to load down to regular hornet or 22 mag..22lr velocities for a smaller noise factor, yet will still shoot 1 inch /3 shot groups/100 yds.
...however a .221 Fireball should do just as well with good loads and higher velocities are attainable with all bullet weights..
.
Unless you get a rimless extractor from Snapp's Gunshop. I've never got around to actually ordering one as I can't decide what I want to do with my Cadet ("I used to be undecided, but now I'm not so sure") but according to this e-mail I got in Sept. 2006, Bob's been making 'em for a long time.
I figure I'd better get one pretty soon, just in case I decide to rebarrel it to .222 Rem. as he's probably not getting any younger and .222R brass is hard to come by.
Stuart
