reloading for the 22 Hornet

Jaeger · April 12, 2000, 12:49 AM

I am purchasing a Ruger 77/22 in 22 Hornet. (stainless, heavy barrel, laminated stock) I am told that this round is a bit difficult to reload.

I bought 200 pieces of WW brass, 1lb of Hodgeson "Lil-gun" powder, 100 Sierra 45gr Hornet bullets and 100 Hornady V-Max 40 gr bullets. I'm planning to use CCI small pistol magnum primers and a charge of approximately 13grns. of Lil-gun under the 40 grainers. I'm told this is a recipie for success.

Anyone here reload for this caliber? I'd appreciate any pointers you may have.

BTW, I'll be using Lee Collet dies.

NJW · April 12, 2000, 11:22 AM

I have quite a few(2 pistols and 4 rifles)hornets and do a bit of reloading for them.
I don't know about your "recipe" but I am curious about your choice of mag small pistol primers? Typically you just use small rifle primers and some use regular small pistol primers. The internal capacity of the Hornet case is pretty small and ignition of the powder is not a problem.
As far a tips for reloading the hornet, be very careful during bullet seating. The case neck of the hornet is very thin and it is easy to crunch a case when seating a bullet. The Lee collet dies work OK, you just need to make sure they size down the neck enough to ensure a good bullet grip. When you seat a bullet, try a push it in farther with our fingers. If you can do it then you are not getting enough case grip on the bullets because the case neck is not being sized down enough.

NJW in AZ

Tom Matiska · April 13, 2000, 12:30 AM

[This message has been edited by Tom Matiska (edited April 13, 2000).]

Tom Matiska · April 13, 2000, 12:46 AM

Re> 100 Sierra 45gr Hornet bullets

Which 40gr Sierra bullets? The Sierra #1100 Hornet bullets are intended for early Hornets that used a .222/.223 bore diameter. Your modern Ruger will work beter with the .224 Sierra #1200 bullets.

Use a modern manual that shows loads for both. My older Speer #9 lists "one size fits all" data and is several grains below the Hornet's potential.

Also, the origial offerings of the Hornet used a 1-16" twist that worked best with only the lightest of flatbase bullets. The faster twist on Ruger will stabilize a wider range of bullet designs and weights. That may matter to you if you plan to hunt groundhogs on windy days.

I've only been loading since last year and have had excellent results with both the 45gr Nosler and the 40gr Nosler BT. 2400, H100, and IMR 4198 powder are all capable of giving woodchucks headaches at 200 yards.

I haven'texperimented with anything other than small rifle primers yet.

Tom, Pennsylvania

Jaeger · April 13, 2000, 05:58 AM

Thanks for the replies. I got the .224
diameter bullets. I'm not new to
reloading, just to reloading this
caliber. I put together some loads last
night and will be trying them out later
today.

Again, thanks for the replies and keep
the info comingif you'v got some
experience to share. I'll take all the
help I can get!

I'm down near Reading, Tom. Perhaps we
can do a 'hog hunt sometime.

Tom Matiska · April 13, 2000, 10:40 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jaeger:
I'm down near Reading, Tom. Perhaps we
can do a 'hog hunt sometime.[/quote]

I do most of my chuck hunting on a dairy farm north of Wyalusing. New homes and cabins are popping up like weeds and I may soon need to look for new ground.

Urban sprawl was my main reason for going to the 22 Hornet. THe most accurate rifle I owned was an 18" barrel Rem 788, but that was about as polite as a stick of dynamite. The farmer's dairy cows like he Hornet much better.

I didn't mean to assume you were inexperienced, but I often overstate the obvious just in case someone else reading the post is. Just "aiming low to get the folks that are crawling"<g>

I will be camping south of Reading the weekend of Sept 15 (NHRA Drag Racing at Maple)

Tom

Jaeger · April 13, 2000, 11:18 PM

I took the Ruger out today for a test run. I mounted an old Simmons 4-16 AO scope because that's all I had lying around at the moment. I need to save up for a nice Nikon Monarch!

I loaded up 5 loads using the Hornady 40gr V-Max bullet. 12 grains of Lil-Gun gave me a 4 shot group of .52" with a flyer opening it up to 1". The rest of the loads gave me 1"-1.6". I loaded up 20 more of the good loads and went in search of groundhogs. I spotted one at about 150 yards and went prone for the shot. The hog was sitting up and facing away from me when I took the shot. I placed the bullet at the base of the skull. The exit wound was just below the right eye. Bullet performance was very dramatic and quite impressive! One was all it took.

My hunting buddy who uses a Remington varmiter in .223 was a bit skeptical of my "pip-squeek" gun at the start of the hunt. He's a believer now and so am I. Not bad for a 70 year old cartridge!

MADISON · April 23, 2000, 05:16 PM

I load for .22 Hornet but, not with the powder you have chosen. I have the 77/22H in wood stock. I use two [2] loads for it.
11.3 grains of IMR 4227 [Out of KEN WALTERS PET LOADS.]
5.6 grains of UNIQUE.

The Hornet is for some reason suseptable to giving US fliers. I can have a 4 shot group at 100 yards and the 5th one will be 1 1/2 away from the group.

The 5.6 grains of Unique powder is a "SQUIB"
load that is good for ground hog/wood chuck at up to 25 yards. A GOOD 1850 fps city load.

HankL · April 23, 2000, 06:09 PM

I've been using 10.5 grains of W296 under a 45 grain Sierra Semi Point with good results out of a Browning 1885. I just had to mount an old Weaver K-10 60B on it for looks. We don't have wood chucks here in Miss. but it works well on coyotes and other varmits. I never thought of it being difficult to load for but I had heard that it was one of "those"
Hank

Jaeger · April 24, 2000, 03:14 PM

Thanks for the info. I haven't had time to do any more load developement so I've been sticking with my initial load of 12gr. of Lil-Gun. It's been hell on groundhogs! I would like to do some more experimentation. That "squib" load might be just the ticket for squirrels. I'll have to try that. Anyone load any lead bullets? I'd like to give that a try also.

April 12, 2000, 12:49 AM	#1
Jaeger Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 1999 Location: PA Posts: 365	I am purchasing a Ruger 77/22 in 22 Hornet. (stainless, heavy barrel, laminated stock) I am told that this round is a bit difficult to reload. I bought 200 pieces of WW brass, 1lb of Hodgeson "Lil-gun" powder, 100 Sierra 45gr Hornet bullets and 100 Hornady V-Max 40 gr bullets. I'm planning to use CCI small pistol magnum primers and a charge of approximately 13grns. of Lil-gun under the 40 grainers. I'm told this is a recipie for success. Anyone here reload for this caliber? I'd appreciate any pointers you may have. BTW, I'll be using Lee Collet dies.

April 12, 2000, 11:22 AM	#2
NJW Senior Member Join Date: November 5, 1998 Location: SouthWest Posts: 204	I have quite a few(2 pistols and 4 rifles)hornets and do a bit of reloading for them. I don't know about your "recipe" but I am curious about your choice of mag small pistol primers? Typically you just use small rifle primers and some use regular small pistol primers. The internal capacity of the Hornet case is pretty small and ignition of the powder is not a problem. As far a tips for reloading the hornet, be very careful during bullet seating. The case neck of the hornet is very thin and it is easy to crunch a case when seating a bullet. The Lee collet dies work OK, you just need to make sure they size down the neck enough to ensure a good bullet grip. When you seat a bullet, try a push it in farther with our fingers. If you can do it then you are not getting enough case grip on the bullets because the case neck is not being sized down enough. NJW in AZ

April 13, 2000, 12:30 AM	#3
Tom Matiska Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2000 Location: Wilkes-Barre, Pa Posts: 1,029	[This message has been edited by Tom Matiska (edited April 13, 2000).]

April 13, 2000, 12:46 AM	#4
Tom Matiska Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2000 Location: Wilkes-Barre, Pa Posts: 1,029	Re> 100 Sierra 45gr Hornet bullets Which 40gr Sierra bullets? The Sierra #1100 Hornet bullets are intended for early Hornets that used a .222/.223 bore diameter. Your modern Ruger will work beter with the .224 Sierra #1200 bullets. Use a modern manual that shows loads for both. My older Speer #9 lists "one size fits all" data and is several grains below the Hornet's potential. Also, the origial offerings of the Hornet used a 1-16" twist that worked best with only the lightest of flatbase bullets. The faster twist on Ruger will stabilize a wider range of bullet designs and weights. That may matter to you if you plan to hunt groundhogs on windy days. I've only been loading since last year and have had excellent results with both the 45gr Nosler and the 40gr Nosler BT. 2400, H100, and IMR 4198 powder are all capable of giving woodchucks headaches at 200 yards. I haven'texperimented with anything other than small rifle primers yet. Tom, Pennsylvania

April 13, 2000, 05:58 AM	#5
Jaeger Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 1999 Location: PA Posts: 365	Thanks for the replies. I got the .224 diameter bullets. I'm not new to reloading, just to reloading this caliber. I put together some loads last night and will be trying them out later today. Again, thanks for the replies and keep the info comingif you'v got some experience to share. I'll take all the help I can get! I'm down near Reading, Tom. Perhaps we can do a 'hog hunt sometime.

April 13, 2000, 10:40 AM	#6
Tom Matiska Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2000 Location: Wilkes-Barre, Pa Posts: 1,029	<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jaeger: I'm down near Reading, Tom. Perhaps we can do a 'hog hunt sometime.[/quote] I do most of my chuck hunting on a dairy farm north of Wyalusing. New homes and cabins are popping up like weeds and I may soon need to look for new ground. Urban sprawl was my main reason for going to the 22 Hornet. THe most accurate rifle I owned was an 18" barrel Rem 788, but that was about as polite as a stick of dynamite. The farmer's dairy cows like he Hornet much better. I didn't mean to assume you were inexperienced, but I often overstate the obvious just in case someone else reading the post is. Just "aiming low to get the folks that are crawling"<g> I will be camping south of Reading the weekend of Sept 15 (NHRA Drag Racing at Maple) Tom

April 13, 2000, 11:18 PM	#7
Jaeger Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 1999 Location: PA Posts: 365	I took the Ruger out today for a test run. I mounted an old Simmons 4-16 AO scope because that's all I had lying around at the moment. I need to save up for a nice Nikon Monarch! I loaded up 5 loads using the Hornady 40gr V-Max bullet. 12 grains of Lil-Gun gave me a 4 shot group of .52" with a flyer opening it up to 1". The rest of the loads gave me 1"-1.6". I loaded up 20 more of the good loads and went in search of groundhogs. I spotted one at about 150 yards and went prone for the shot. The hog was sitting up and facing away from me when I took the shot. I placed the bullet at the base of the skull. The exit wound was just below the right eye. Bullet performance was very dramatic and quite impressive! One was all it took. My hunting buddy who uses a Remington varmiter in .223 was a bit skeptical of my "pip-squeek" gun at the start of the hunt. He's a believer now and so am I. Not bad for a 70 year old cartridge!

April 23, 2000, 05:16 PM	#8
MADISON Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2000 Location: Roanoke, Virginia Posts: 2,678	I load for .22 Hornet but, not with the powder you have chosen. I have the 77/22H in wood stock. I use two [2] loads for it. 11.3 grains of IMR 4227 [Out of KEN WALTERS PET LOADS.] 5.6 grains of UNIQUE. The Hornet is for some reason suseptable to giving US fliers. I can have a 4 shot group at 100 yards and the 5th one will be 1 1/2 away from the group. The 5.6 grains of Unique powder is a "SQUIB" load that is good for ground hog/wood chuck at up to 25 yards. A GOOD 1850 fps city load.

April 23, 2000, 06:09 PM	#9
HankL Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 1999 Location: The Sunny South Posts: 2,174	I've been using 10.5 grains of W296 under a 45 grain Sierra Semi Point with good results out of a Browning 1885. I just had to mount an old Weaver K-10 60B on it for looks. We don't have wood chucks here in Miss. but it works well on coyotes and other varmits. I never thought of it being difficult to load for but I had heard that it was one of "those" Hank

April 24, 2000, 03:14 PM	#10
Jaeger Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 1999 Location: PA Posts: 365	Thanks for the info. I haven't had time to do any more load developement so I've been sticking with my initial load of 12gr. of Lil-Gun. It's been hell on groundhogs! I would like to do some more experimentation. That "squib" load might be just the ticket for squirrels. I'll have to try that. Anyone load any lead bullets? I'd like to give that a try also.