PDA

View Full Version : Loading the 22 Hornet With Jacketed Bullets



no_1
06-14-2010, 11:57 PM
Hi everyone,

Dad just purchased a Beeman 22 Hornet bolt gun and sent it to me for load work-ups. He sent sets of RCBS & Redding dies in 22 Hornet and sets of RCBS & Redding dies in 22 K-Hornet. I feel confident the gun is factory stock as a Hornet but I guess one never knows.

Anyway, I have ~500 new Remington brass, Speer 45 gr. spitzer's (p/n 100 1023), Sierra 45 gr. Soft Points (p/n 1210), Nosler 40 gr. ballistic tip's (p/n 39510), Nosler 45 gr. solid base (p/n 35487) & Nosler 55 gr. Ballistic tip's (p/n 39526). I plan on starting with LilGun and see the load data is 12-13 gr. across the board for almost any bullet. It appears to have a 6 groove 1 in 14 trwist barrel. I guess I am looking for any suggestions.

Robert

McKenzi2
12-27-2010, 06:48 PM
What ever became of the loading trials you described? What did the Beeman like best?

Guesser
12-29-2010, 02:46 PM
How old is that Beeman? Older 22 Hornets were bored and rifled for .222 diameter bullets, there are still a few around, Savage and Stevens and maybe even some Winchesters.

runfiverun
12-29-2010, 07:08 PM
sierra makes a nice 40 gr rn in 223 just for those older rifles they done pretty well in the 223 also.

hornetguy
01-03-2011, 04:02 AM
You'll know if it's been modified to "K" status as soon as you fire the first round. The case will come out looking like a mini 30-30 case. You can fireform brass with full loads, but most folks recommend using slightly reduced loads. When I fireform for mine, I shoot a 40gr bullet at about 2700 fps, and the accuracy is virtually identical to my "good" loads.
LilGun is a very good choice for the hornet, but I like AA1680 almost as well. It doesn't give quite the velocity that LG does, but it's consistency is difficult to beat.
I have not had much luck stabilizing the 55gr bullets. I can shoot the Speer 50gr TNT with good accuracy, but haven't had the same success with the 55gr. My rifle is a 1-14 twist as well.
Good luck with your hornet... they are great little rifles.