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as many of you know i have been mighty impressed with the .22 hornet of late. Initially and for much more than a decade i was talked out of getting one with all the usual diatribe by those who had never actually owned one. Very low case life, hard to get ammo, .222 better at everything, low accuraccy. however i was slowly away meeting more users and questioning them and getting very contradictory tales. having a number of issues with my HMR on Crows (windages and unpredictable terminals through changing ranges and impact speeds). i found myself considering it yet again so i though hang it all i will actually try it and i must say i am glad i did, it certainly has exceeded my expectations. round count is approx 600 presently and i have tried 46 grn TMS RWS factory, 35 grn v-max Hornady factory, 40grn speer homeloads and my current favourite 45 grn Seirra homeloads. The only round i havent tried on quarry is the v-max as the accuraccy just couldn't cut it (although it was exceptionaly good at short range 50yds or so). added to the worst long range balistics of the bunch i can see why many might be bitterly disapointed in this cartridge if they only tried this particular round, although it is very popular i found it not realy worth aiming at 150yds! Others might find better in thier guns though. Damage levels on edible quarry were a consern but actually compare favourably with the HMR as it tends to punch through rather than blow up. I have yet to body shoot a Rabbit though as mixi reduced thier numbers last year (the few i have used the Hornet on have all been headshot) Hares i have in numbers and can report that neck shots waste no meat and chest shots compare to a well constructed 100grn 6mm bullet from a .243 on roe ( pass through without undue bloodshot meat and unessasary mangling). now i realy was expecting to get very little in terms of extended ranges, reading much of the hype you tend to expect 150-170 yds. However i am quite confident on producing 1/2" - 3/4" at 200yds with 45 grn handloads during reasonably predictable conditions @ 2900 fps. Hitting say a midi clay 1st round in all but the worst conditions out at 225yds is what i expect under field conditions and the RWS factory @ 2550fps is very capable also printing not far off that if a little more loopy . At over 200yds energy levels exceed the best from a WMR at the end of the muzzle so its still Fox capable. sound levels with a small centrefire moderator is certainly lower than the HMR with the usual SAK etc, based on the fact that it cannot be heard in the kitchen with the front door open, the gun being fired 50yds away over open fields yet the moderated HMR could be (a highly scientific test you must agree). brass life using RWS has not been an issue either as LIL gun powder produces very low case pressures for given velocity and i have yet to scrap one of my origonal cases, Neck sizing with a LE wilson neck bushing die. i think i must be around the fith firing now based on round count and my origonal batch of factory ammo. The only issue realy is ocasionally i get feed jambs when the rimmed cases cross over in the magazine stack by my sloppy loading. I have know this happen to others using .22 lr but it has never happened to myself previously. anyway the tempation now is the posibility of a custom fully moderated single shot hornet, though the existing CZ527 will certainly stick around a while. perhaps if i could justify the new .17 variant though?