22 hornet

[gypsysavage]

As you can see this is my first post. I have been visiting this site for years and have learned a lot from just reading your experiences.

I was thinking of reloading some 36 gr. varmint grenades up but can't find much reloading data for the 36 gr.

The reason that I have these on hand is because I have been reloading for a few years now and have some experience with the bigger 22's but not with the hornet. My experience shows that they become unstable after 200 yards with the faster cartridges. Therefore I was hoping to try them with a slower cartridge

It looks to me that the hornet is better suited to lighter bullets.

I would like to hear your thoughts and experiences.

thanks Chris

[Faststeel]

Chris

I have loaded quite a bit of hornet. I like using the 35gr Vmax bullet. guys that k-like to shoot over 150yards like to use 40gr bullets vmax, Blitz or Ballistic tip.
Most guys favorite powder is LilGun, but the nosler manual list AA 1680 with 40gr bullets. AA is Accurate Arms brand. The is a great web site in the usa called saubier .com everyone there has a hornet.
The varmint Grenade bullets do not grenade worth a damn when they hit fur, pretty much a marketing spoof.
Many fellas get tighter groups with their hornets by using small pistol primers instead of small rifle primers. FS

[gypsysavage]

Thanks Faststeel.

Definitely will check out suabier. Certainly will try sm pistol primers in the load development.

What rifle do you use? Mine's a 77/22

Chris

[gatorr]

My favorite bullet for the hornet was the berger 30 grain hp. Accurate and fast. If you want higher velocity that is the bullet to use.

[gypsysavage]

gatorr,

At what range is it accurate to?

[FORTUNA]

I have been reloading for my CZ Model 527 American .22 Hornet for a little while now. I found a lot of great reloading info and advise from some people on another American website; rimfirecentral.com.

This site has a section devoted to Centerfire related topics and is where I found out everything I need to know from a member: Vincent who is recognized as the .22 Hornet guru. I pretty much followed his loading formula and his many years of experience with this caliber.

Remington Factory Brass
Remington 6 1/2 Small Rifle Primers ** very important **
Hodguns Lil Gun Powder 13.0 grams max ( 12.8 to 12.9 gr is what I use )
Hornady 35 gr V-Max bullets

Partial neck sizing only using the Lee Collet die, you only need to size as much of the neck that the bullet is seated to. Full neck sizing can destroy brass and create many of the problems that some people have complained about with re-loading this caliber.

Partial neck sizing works very well, no crimping is required. My cases have been used as many as 4 times and still going with no signs of any damage.
I have also used once fired Privi Parizan brass and those loads shoot very well also.

As a first time re-loader I found that this round is very easy to load and cheap as chips. One pound of Hodguns Lil Gun powder is less than $25 dollars
One pound = 700 grams which will yield approx 538 rounds @ 13 gram each.
A package of 50 Remington factory brass is approx $18.00 ( x 6 reloads easy)
A brick of Remington 6 1/2 Small rifle primers at approx. $30.00

I have always loved the .22 Hornet it has a long established history. It has great performance and ballistics.It has never gone away in fact going stronger than ever . I guess the fact that Hornady has decided to develop both the 35 and 40 gr V-MAX bullets is proof of that.

I've only used the 35 gr V-max so far and it has produced great results both on paper and on Ontario coyotes- no--o problem.
It is a quiet round, little recoil, flat shooting and hits hard and it is fun to shoot !

Good luck
-fortuna

[Pudelpointer]

Check the twist rate on your hornet (try the Ruger site).

The 36 grenade has the same profile as a 52 gr HP, and is likely to not stabilize well in a slow twist as virtually all twists have.

To stabilize a longer bullet you need to spin it faster; this can be achieved 2 ways:

1) use a faster twist rate, or

2) drive it faster.

Slowing a bullet down will make it less stable in this case. IMO.

Try a shorter ballistic tipped bullet (40 grain) if your rifle is 1-14" twist, or specific Hornet bullet like Nosler's 45 grain designed for it if 1-16" twist. 50 grain ballistic tips or HPs (which the 36 grenade should be viewed as) and such are best suited to 1-12" or faster barrels.

[propliner]

My Ruger likes Win 296 and Hornady 45 grainers.

[Dean2]

Personally not fond of the 36 grain Grenades. They are hard to get to shoot small groups and the frangibility varies greatly from batch to batch. I have a large number of Hornets, almost all hornet barrels are !:16 twist but will stabilize the 36 grain Barnes and the 40 grain Vmax and Blitzking just fine.

12.6 grains of Lil'Gun, Fed small pistol primers and WW brass that is neck sized only and always shot in the same gun, is my go to combo. Many of my brass are over 15 loadings.

For long range work I prefer the 40 BK or Vmax, they are good to well past 300 yards on gopher. The 35 Vmax shoots great at 100-150 yards but starts to open up groups quite badly after that.

Try the grenades in your gun. Start at 12.3 and work up to 13 grains, .2 at a time. I have two Hornets that shoot them very well, both 1:16 twist, 4 hornets that hate them, so it is more about gun bullet combo. Both guns shoot them best very close to the 13 grain load.

[gophergitter]

does anyone have any experience using the 30gr grenade designed for the hornet?

[Pioneer2]

I've used Win 296 and IMR 4227 with both 40+45gr bullets.Just use 40gr date for the lighter bullets you wish to try.....coyotes would just bite themselves and run in a little semi-circle before collapsing.150 yards or so out there.Harold

[Faststeel]

Originally Posted by propliner

My Ruger likes Win 296 and Hornady 45 grainers.

PROP
What is your load. I have some of this powder and some these bullets to load. thanks FS

[gypsysavage]

Excellent information guys. Gives me some reference as to where I should be starting. Now all I have to do is get some of these suggested components together and begin some different load trials. Looking forward to seeing what I can come up with. Thanks Chris

[nanuk-O-dah-Nort]

Originally Posted by FORTUNA

Remington Factory Brass
Remington 6 1/2 Small Rifle Primers ** very important **
Hodguns Lil Gun Powder 13.0 grams max ( 12.8 to 12.9 gr is what I use )
Hornady 35 gr V-Max bullets

One pound of Hodguns Lil Gun powder is less than $25 dollars
One pound = 700 grams which will yield approx 538 rounds @ 13 gram each.
A package of 50 Remington factory brass is approx $18.00 ( x 6 reloads easy)
A brick of Remington 6 1/2 Small rifle primers at approx. $30.00

-fortuna

Ok, not to be a nitpicker here, but.....

I'm pretty sure FORTUNA means GRAINS

there are 7000 grains per pound.

13 GRAMS is over 200 GRAINS.

just sayin'

I sure wish we could get our components as cheap as FORTUNA. out here, you'll need to add 25% to those costs...