UN-believable - New 22 Hornet W Lil' Gun

[c-fbmi]

My first Hornet was a Brno Fox model and it gave me fits until I found Win 680 powder, this was before L'il Gun was on the scene. It was also odd in that it loved 680 and 52 gn Sierra HPBT Match bullets. Had to modify the magazine block to get them to work but after that it was very good at about 2900 fps and consistent 7/8" groups at 100 mtrs.
The one I have now also gave me fits for about 3 years, it hated me. It would shoot a 5 shot group around and inch and then the same load would go to 5 or 6"..........finally I hogged the stock all out around the action and bedded it. Now it shoots 45 gn Vmax into sub 1" with L'il Gun and Rem 6 1/2 primers which were recommended by some one on this forum.......thanks for the tip. Oh, and it's a Rem/Zastava mini Mauser in a plywood stock. I haven't chronographed it of late but IIRC it was a touch over 3000 fps with this load.
L'il Gun has really upped the Hornets game by about 400 fps from the good old days, this puts it hard on the heels of the 222 which has always been a loved little cartridge. I shot several critters with my old Hornet including a turkey in Texas at about 200 mtrs and lots of bunnies and a coyote........they all died, but a little hard on bunnies.

 

[threecentsolution]

I have the ZKW 465 that was rebarreled somewhere in its life and reamed to a KE configuration I think had to have dies made for it. But as pretty much everyone else has said Lil gun works great 13.5gr at 3150 fps and less than 1 inch for as many shots as I care to shoot. It is my test gun when I go to the range if it goes over an inch I'm not doing my part and hadbest get it together before moving on to anything else. Oh and CCI small pistol primers were the final bit in the accuracy.

 

[rocklobster]

I have had two different BRNO ZKW 465's in 22 hornet. I had great accuracy with them as well with 12.5gr of Lil Gun, rem 6 1/2 primers, WW case that was neck sized in a lee collet die.

The slower twist of the BRNO barrels did not stabilize longer bullets, I was key holing Vmax 45 grain, I got excellent results with the Nosler Varmageddon 40 grain bullets.

Got out of 22 hornet and went to .243 because I moved to wolf country but I loved reloading for it.

 

[nw mb]

Well I just never gave this cartridge any thought...kinda doggy compared to the .223 or .243's I use. But it really has its own place; last night I reloaded again. And it's a real pleasure to put through the dies once you get them set up correctly. It occurred to me at the time to ask if anyone had ever cast a bullet for their's? I'll put the question up on the bullet making discussion. I cast for everything else, why not the Hornet?

 

[Brutus]

You folks should try the Browning Micro A Bolt II in 22 Hornet.

Great accuracy for fox/coyote size. 3/4 inch groups at 100 is normal. Not a 222 Remington accuracy wise, but will do just fine with much less muzzle blast.

 

[Brutus]

I actually have two and a half Hornets . A Springfield-CZ M6 replica at home for the last year and at Ellwood Epps an original M4 being converted.

Recently replaced the target Lyman Benchrest scope on the Browning A Bolt, with a huntable Leupold 3.5-10x40.

 

[bunny]

One big tip in loading for the Hornet is to use small pistol primers, in my Ruger #3 with 296 powder they cut the group size considerably

 

[Highwind]

Nice thing about the 22 Hornet is they are a tad cleaner on the fox and yote pelts. Great little cartridge and fairly quiet on the report.

 

[lpel]

Another vote here for the Browning A Bolt II if you can find one. Great shooters. Now if I could just find a single shot adaptor for it for the gopher patch! Haven't used mine on coyotes yet, liking my 204 too much right now. But....

It's wicked on gophers though.

 

[nw mb]

...just an update

...two days ago I received an RCBS neck die and a box of Sierra 50 grain SP varminters (#1330). I had slugged my bore since the original post and it measured .225". The original 50 grain TNT's spec at .224, while the new Sierras spec at .225. This did make a difference in better accuracy using Lil' Gun again, with the best group being once again 12.8 grains...

...speed was improved by 30 fps average over the TNT's

...and each bullet penetrated 7.5" of fresh spruce at 20 yards (...nice to know if I'm ever charged by a black spruce! )...the TNT HP ended up weighing 36 grains and being ragged, the Sierra SP (a 'harder' bullet) weighs 46 grains and mushroomed nicely

I think I will stay with the Sierras in this rifle, and load some cast bullets once the moulds arrive as a reduced load. Shooting Lil' Gun really dirtied the barrel and reduced accuracy over the course of the day. A simple swab brought it right back to shape. And as with many Handi-Rifles, it was important to rest the fore end in a consistent location, in this case right under the barrel lug.

Again, quiet, and very, very happy...

 

[Slamfire]

Nice shooting!

My 22 Hornet Savage Model 25 shoots sub MOA groups so consistently that it gets boring. More challenging to shoot off-hand. Here's an off-hand 10 shot group at 100 meters -

 

[nw mb]

Nice shooting!

My 22 Hornet Savage Model 25 shoots sub MOA groups so consistently that it gets boring. More challenging to shoot off-hand. Here's an off-hand 10 shot group at 100 meters -

...lots of fun, hey!

...i really don't think that i've gotten this excited over a cartridge in quite a while!!!