recipe for 22 hornet

coyote

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Hi guys can anyone give me agood recipe for 22 hornet something with good speed and reasonable accuracy I never owned a 22 hornet so I don't want to experiment to much the time is just not there I just want to be ready to shoot some gophers in a few weeks I have some h4227 and some 45gr hornet bullets what other powders would be good for it or bullets ?
 
Some use Li' Gun powder. I have used IMR 4227 in the past.. work up towards 11.0 grains using 1/10th grain increments, checking for pressure signs... the Hornet is a pretty small case so powder increases have to be small as well.. Its a great little cartridge, have fun..

BD..
 
13.1 gr lil gun behind a 35gr VMAX with a small pistol primer works wonders for me. Is a tad over the published loads, so <insert usual disclaimer here>

But, if you don't intend on experimenting, you'll likely be disappointed - the Hornet is notoriously picky to load for.
 
My new favorite is 11.0 gr of IMR 4227 and a 50gr Rem PLHP. This load shoots around MOA in my 77/22. It seems to buck the wind nicely, and I have connected on pophers out to 175-190 yards with it. Not as explosive as the 40 gr BT/VMAX but they end up just as dead.

Also try using Rem 6 1/2 primers, or CCI Small Pistol, they seem to give the best accuracy.
 
for what it's worth, I've just had the chance to use the 35gr VMAX on gophers. Out to about 100yds, it's every bit as spectacular as a fast 40 out of a 22-250. Past that, we're still talking about fist-sized chunks ripped out of gophers, but little air, and no blowing gophers in half.

Furthest kill of the day was ~280 paces (I'm 6'7, so I'd guesstimate 350yds). Took several shots to walk it in, and was not at all as gruesome as shorter range kills, but still managed to completely eviscerate the critter. Instant death.
 
Prosper that is a hell of a shot nice shooting ,I was out shooting gophers yesterday and they are not big targets but I did manage tohit some out to 300yds +- of a bipod sitting on the ground I was shooting a 22 BR and I will tell you it blew them up when you hit them right I'm sure the 22 hornet will work great I found some loads on the computer they use little gun powder and 35grainers and it gives somewhere around 3000 fps that should do some damage on a gopher out to 350 yds if I can hit them.I should get my gun this week so I guess I will have to hit the range on sat morning early and try out a few loads to see what works best I also spoke to the original owner of the gun and he gave me the load he used to use he said it sht easy 1/2" groups at 100 yds so I will try that load to just need the gun to mesure the oal and seet the bullets the brass is all loaded up .
 
Sounds like you'll be fine then.

By the way, the load I suggested earlier is a tad over 3100 fps out of my 24" 77/22 hornet.


The long shots I got were fun, and challenging given the wind conditions, but the one I'm most proud of from this weekend was a 70-pace (100-yd?) offhand shot I made. Honestly, more luck than skill, but they're not called 'bragging shots' for nothing ;)
 
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Prosper I am going to try that load for sure I will work it up and see what kind of results I get I will let you know how it works out ,man that is a lot of speed out of a tiny little casing like a hornet definatly an efficient little catridge.
 
Well I tried her out today with some 35gr vmax and some H4227 seem to shoot well maybe 1" groups @ 100 yds but the wind was blowing and it was kind of cool on the other hand my 6ppc shot 3/8 groups forming brass but that has a 36x scope I have some more loaded up with35's and lil gun I will try those one night this week.
 
Using pistol primers in .22 Hornet will reduce the number of flyers on target, reduce velocity spreads. From Ross Seyfried.
 
I can't comment on that becasue I've never used anything BUT small pistol primers. They shoot sub-MOA (around 3/4", maybe a little tighter on a CALM day) at 100, and that's all I expect.
 
I heard that from a guy that pistol primers work better I also seen it on a site I can't remember where I will try that and let you guys know if it made a difference I averaged 1 inch groups with fed 205's at 100 so if the pistol primers work better than that is what I will use .
 
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