My Hornet is great!

[njc110381]

I've just come back from my first real quarry shoot with my .22 Hornet. I had to zero it first so didn't get much (scared it off) but it shot very nicely. The crimp die I've been waiting for turned up today so I crimped the ammo I'd made ready and was off down the farm!

 

I set a target up at 90 yards and took a shot at it. It was a little out so I dialled the crosshairs to where I wanted it to hit. Fired again and it was out in the opposite direction (bloody scope obviously doesn't move 1/4" at 100 yards per click!). I was a little worried for a moment as the gun wasn't shooting all that well with the factory ammo, so I wondered if I'd bought a scatter gun. I fired another shot without changing the scope and ******, no more holes appeared! I decided I'd walk to the target and check it out. The box I was shooting was about a foot square so if I missed it the gun was getting binned! When I looked more closely at it though the bullet hole from the last shot I could see was slightly mis shaped - both bullets through the same hole then.

 

I moved the impact point to the bull and went off in search of some fluffy stuff.

 

Getting myself down on the bipod behind some nettles I prepared myself for a long wait for the bunnies. It was less than five minutes before the first popped out at about 50 yards. Let off a shot and it was down and kicking. Five more minutes and another appeared. Shot that one and it ran off! Now tell me I'm assuming too much here if you want, but if a .17HMR firing a 17grn v-max at 2500fps can drop them cleanly then surely a .22 Hornet firing a 35grn v-max at 2800fps should really learn 'em?

 

Never mind. I laid up for another ten minutes or so and had the best luck I've had in ages. A big dog Fox trotted out of the hedge and tried to steal me bunny

I gave him a squeek and he looked right at me. Whack - Right in the boiler room. The V-max dropped him without a twitch. This is where I got really excited, not even a flinch from him as I watched him through the scope! Perfect result, that's exactly why I bought it!

 

I went to pick the bunny and the Fox up as it was getting dusk and there was the second bunny. He'd managed to run about fifteen feet before dropping. I don't get it, when I picked him up his guts fell out! All the front end was missing including a leg! How did it run like that then? I've got a picture when I can get it onto the computer, I'll post that later. No guts, I took the picture with the good side of both bunnies on show. No need for horror shots here as we all know what they look like!

 

Load was 13grns of Lil-Gun, 35grn V-max (cheers bivvy, this load works a treat just like you said it would!).

[George1990]

Nice one.

 

Always good when it works out

 

Think I want a hornet now

 

[markbivvy]

good do N.

glad you like it.

[bullet boy]

It be good to see the pic mate.

[njc110381]

Bullet Boy - The things I do for you mate. I hadn't loaded my new phone to my new laptop until just now, so it was a 45 minute job to get this pic up! Never mind, it needed doing at some point so now is as good a time as any.

 

This is the new Hornet and the unlucky Bunnies and Fox. The rifle's a CZ527 American cut down to 18". Scope is a Bushnell Elite 3200 5-15x50 and it's a SAK mod (now replaced with a ASE UTRA S5)......

 

 

Went out again tonight to re-zero with the S5 fitted. What a mod, lovely piece of kit! I got 3 bunnies, missed one long range one. I haven't quite mastered the trajectory of this new calibre yet.

[casts_by_fly]

NJC,

 

I too am liking my (17 AH) hornet. I put the first fireforming rounds through it this weekend, 93 in all. It is a little pop gun with the 20" barrel (and effectively zero length on the action). I put my Sak on it for a few shots and it worked a treat. I'm going to pick up a mod at the end of the month for it so I don't kill the SAK, but even with the SAK it was beautiful. Tiny crack of the bullet, zero recoil. What's not to like?

 

Thanks,

Rick

[njc110381]

I was really considering a .17AH. They look like a really good option over the HMR! All the forming and necking down brass seemed a bit technical for me though. Maybe when my barrel gives up on me I may get it re-barrelled as a .17

[casts_by_fly]

not really technical. Start with new 22 hornet brass and run them through the 17 AH seater die (with stem removed). One pass through the FL sizer and load as normal. It is only one extra step than the 22 hornet. The only real pain is getting all of the extra 17 cal accessories. I still need a drop tube, though the 17 cal funnel works just fine, only a little slower. Most guys were reporting great accuracy from their fireform loads and I was hoping that might have been my case, but since I have a bunch of 25 gr bullets I just threw a load together for FF and hoped for the best. Time to start working up a load now. If only someone had some N-120 I could get a little baggie of to try. It is supposed to be the bee's knees (along with AA1680). Unfortunatey N120 only comes in 1 kg tubs and I have nothing else even close to shooting it. And, loading 12 grains at a time doesn't use 1 kg anytime soon. AA1680 isn't so common either. I'm hoping the Lil gun I have here will work.

 

Good luck trying to wear out a 22 hornet barrel.

[markbivvy]

not really technical. Start with new 22 hornet brass and run them through the 17 AH seater die (with stem removed). One pass through the FL sizer and load as normal. It is only one extra step than the 22 hornet. The only real pain is getting all of the extra 17 cal accessories. I still need a drop tube, though the 17 cal funnel works just fine, only a little slower. Most guys were reporting great accuracy from their fireform loads and I was hoping that might have been my case, but since I have a bunch of 25 gr bullets I just threw a load together for FF and hoped for the best. Time to start working up a load now. If only someone had some N-120 I could get a little baggie of to try. It is supposed to be the bee's knees (along with AA1680). Unfortunatey N120 only comes in 1 kg tubs and I have nothing else even close to shooting it. And, loading 12 grains at a time doesn't use 1 kg anytime soon. AA1680 isn't so common either. I'm hoping the Lil gun I have here will work.

 

Good luck trying to wear out a 22 hornet barrel.

 

http://stevespages.com/172_10_20.html

[starlight32]

The Hornet is from my opinion is underated... Horses for courses and all that in comparison with others but from I have seen of there performance they can be put to good use.

[Baldrick]

May I ask what cost per round you reckon you're achieving with your Hornet, NJC? I have a lasting dilemma as to whether chopping in my .17 HMR for a .22 Hornet would be a sensible ploy.

[casts_by_fly]

not really technical. Start with new 22 hornet brass and run them through the 17 AH seater die (with stem removed). One pass through the FL sizer and load as normal. It is only one extra step than the 22 hornet. The only real pain is getting all of the extra 17 cal accessories. I still need a drop tube, though the 17 cal funnel works just fine, only a little slower. Most guys were reporting great accuracy from their fireform loads and I was hoping that might have been my case, but since I have a bunch of 25 gr bullets I just threw a load together for FF and hoped for the best. Time to start working up a load now. If only someone had some N-120 I could get a little baggie of to try. It is supposed to be the bee's knees (along with AA1680). Unfortunatey N120 only comes in 1 kg tubs and I have nothing else even close to shooting it. And, loading 12 grains at a time doesn't use 1 kg anytime soon. AA1680 isn't so common either. I'm hoping the Lil gun I have here will work.

 

Good luck trying to wear out a 22 hornet barrel.

 

http://stevespages.com/172_10_20.html

 

 

Hi Mark,

 

Thanks for the link. I have an excel file of ~125 lines of loads for the AH using 15-30 gr bullets. For the 20 gr bullets though, it seems that everyone agrees on AA1680 and N120 are the top two powders. Lil'gun is up there too. I have a part tub of lil gun that I am going to try first. I'm also going to try some heavier loads of 4198. With my 223 the 4198 really tightened up as the loads went up. I am hoping for the same thing here.

 

Thanks,

Rick

[casts_by_fly]

May I ask what cost per round you reckon you're achieving with your Hornet, NJC? I have a lasting dilemma as to whether chopping in my .17 HMR for a .22 Hornet would be a sensible ploy.

 

 

Baldrick,

 

For my 17 AH, my calculations are as follows:

 

Primers: £3.50 per 100 = 0.035

Powder: £32 for 1 lb ~550 rounds = £0.055 per round

cases: £25/100, 5 loads each (probably get more)= £0.05

 

That is £0.14 without the bullet and that price will be the same for both the 22 and 17 hornet. The bullets will be a bit different and will depend on what you want to put through your gun. Last I checked, you could get the Midway dogtown bullet for £14/100, which is £0.14 per bullet. I think more expensive stuff will run you £0.20 or so per bullet. Your range will be right around £0.30- £0.35 per round then at that rate, or £15 per 50. There are also places to cut corners above, like buying primers in bulk, using different powder (10 gr loads of Lil gun will knock a penny off per round), etc.

 

Thanks,

Rick

[Baldrick]

Thanks for that breakdown of costs, Rick. I''ll mull it over.

[casts_by_fly]

To me, it breaks down to involvement. If you want to pick up the gun, go shoot, then put it away when you get home then the HMR is tough to beat. No reloading, no saving brass, etc. Point and click out to 125 all day long. If you need more than that range or need more power for foxes, then you have to upgrade to a hornet. Price wise it will break out even, maybe even a little more costly to reload (especially so if you factor the cost of your time). I guess that is where the mulling it over comes in.

 

I will say that you shouldn't shoot one. At least if you don't plan to buy one. They are addictive for sure and once you shoot one you're going to need to buy one.

 

Thanks,

Rick

[njc110381]

I figured the cost to be about the same as HMR. With V-Max bullets maybe just a little more expensive but not a lot. I'm not sure I'd get rid of my HMR just yet, it still has its uses over the Hornet in tight spots. I find the Bunnies are a little more twitchy after the Hornet is fired. I think the bigger bullet passes them with a louder crack than the .17 does? You're also a farmer if I'm thinking right? Do you have time to load the number of bullets you'll be using on Vermin? It is fairly quick to load for. I just throw my powder loads without weighing. With Lil-gun you seem to have a bit of play with the charge without really blowing the groups.

 

If I ever get over your way for anything I'll give you a shout and bring my rifle over for you to shoot. Likewise if you're ever around here you'd be most welcome to shoot some of my bunnies for me!

Edited May 13, 2009 by njc110381

[Baldrick]

I'm a farmer in my spare time (and a land agent by day), but time is not so precious outside of the summer months to deny me time to reload. Having exchanged a few PMs with Rick this week, I think I may ditch my .22-250 in favour of a .22PPC and a .243AI, possibly passing up the Hornet altogether. But then flicking through saubier.com has given me a few more ideas about unorthodox calibres.

[Wookie]

Has anyone got a photo comparing the .17 HMR, .22 WMR and .22 hornet rounds?

 

After seeing this, I'm very interested.

[Baldrick]

Wookie, here's what you're after.

 

Left to right: .17 HM2, .17 HMR, .22LR, .22 WMR, .17 SMc, 5mm/35 SMc, .22 Hornet, .223 Remington, .223 WSSM, .243 Winchester, .243 Winchester Improved (Ackley), .25-06, .270 Winchester, .308, .30-06, .45-70 Govt, .50-90 Sharps

 

[Wookie]

Hmmmmm. Thanks for that Baldrick.

 

It's an odd little calibre then... Cost-wise, how does it compare to .223 Rem? I'm guessing cheaper by a margin.

[njc110381]

Last time I bought factory ammo it cost me £1 per round near enough. It was entered on my FAC before I knew the price. Not buying that again! To reload my .223 used to cost me 35p per load, the hornet can be done for around 20ppl.

 

I didn't buy mine because it was cheap to load for really. It's just a much milder round than the bigger .22s. It's a good short range Fox calibre if you don't want to use heavy bullets. I use a 35grn bullet at about 2800fps, so it's well down on .223 figures. It's a good HMR replacement out to 150+ yards (Foxes at this range too), but is no match for a .223 if you want to go after stuff that's a long way out.

Edited May 15, 2009 by njc110381

[MerseaDavid]

You cant go wrong with the .22 Hornet

I take mine to work every day just incase I see a fox, I always keep it in the tractor or truck depending on what I am using.

 

I dont reload my ammo, I just buy them and they cost me £1 per shot, but it is worth it for how accurate it is and how powerfull it is.

The longest shot I have had so far is 245 yards on a dog fox.

[CharlieT]

You cant go wrong with the .22 Hornet

I take mine to work every day just incase I see a fox, I always keep it in the tractor or truck depending on what I am using.

 

I dont reload my ammo, I just buy them and they cost me £1 per shot, but it is worth it for how accurate it is and how powerfull it is.

The longest shot I have had so far is 245 yards on a dog fox.

 

Just what I have been hoping to hear. Someone getting good results with factory ammo.

With all this talk of hornets I'm getting the bug but would not wish to roll my own. May I ask what sort of groups you get and what make of rifle and ammo you use.

 

Charlie

[MerseaDavid]

I would not want to use any other gun.

 

At 100 yards I can get a 25 mm group and alot of that is down to me, you could probably get it better then that

 

The gun I use is a B.S.A Hunter .22 Hornet

 

The Ammo I use is called RWS Dynamit Nobel .22 Hornet - 3,0g

they are sold in boxes of 20 at £20 a box, so basically £1 per shot.

[garyb]

I've been toying with a variation for .22 Hornet for sometime... Simply because I refuse to own a HMR and then I could also reload for it - making it an ideal fox, longer range bunny gun