22 Hornet bullet experiments, advice, experience for Tiny Ten

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

My Hornet is a K95 and I'm not sure how long I can load in that...similar to the #1?

@Green Chile
Mines a K Hornet on a 1885 lowall and I can load the 40gn VMax out to 1.9" but unfortunately it's a slow twist barrel and won't stabilise the fifty grainers.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Did you use Hornady cases? In my experience the Hornady 22 Hornet brass is terrible. The case heads are soft and the brass is very thin. I only got maybe 3 or 4 loads and had incipient head separation. By contrast the Nosler and PPU brass is much thicker at the base and harder, as some of them have 8 to 10 reloads on them, stuffed full of Lil'Gun every time. I only use LilGun now because you can't even approach max pressure with 50 gr bullets or less. With 55 gr bullets and compressed load you can stress the cases some, but I have yet to have a Nosler or PPU case failure. I'm using a Lee collet die for necks and occasionally a Redding body die.

@Rimshot
I use only Remington cases and get great life out of them
Bob

 

[Rimshot]

@Green Chile
Mines a K Hornet on a 1885 lowall and I can load the 40gn VMax out to 1.9" but unfortunately it's a slow twist barrel and won't stabilise the fifty grainers.
Bob

Have you tried the old fashioned lead nose bullets? A lot of the flat base 50 grain SP bullets are shorter than the 40 Vmax and 'should' stabilize. If you can get them to shoot it gives you a lot of versatility on larger critters since they mushroom and penetrate, instead of exploding like the plastic tipped bullets.

 

[Longwalker]

My .22 Hornet rifles are both made by Anschutz, built on the match 54 actions. Very accurate, but with slow twist barrels and short magazine length. I use only traditional Hornet bullets in mine out of necessity, no long sleek plastic points unfortunately. I've never used them for tiny ten antelope in Africa, but have used them on similar sized coyotes and beavers quite a lot. I have never blown a big hole in any coyote or beaver when shot in the chest with a 45 gr. Winchester, Remington, RWS, S&B, PPU, or Hornady soft point. They all worked just fine.

 

[HWL]

You guys got me excited. Walked down to the range and put 5 shots in an inch at 200. The hornet is sure a fun little rifle!

Believe me, it is much easier to do this in the net than in real life....

HWL

 

[WAB]

Believe me, it is much easier to do this in the net than in real life....

HWL

You are correct, but if you find yourself in Alabama you’re welcome to stop by for some shooting and a heaping serving of crow. It’s a rare day I’m not on my range with something from the toy box.

 

[Rimshot]

After action report:

Took the D99 Duo on walkabout in Limpopo. Shot was about 140 yards and quite windy, through some light brush (2nd photo). Used the 22 hornet barrel with a 50 gr Hornady SPSX at 2750 fps MV (impact estimated at 2250 fps). Bullet entered in front of left shoulder and exited behind the right shoulder. In my excitement I neglected to get a photo of the exit wound, but it was only slightly larger than the entry wound (see below) with little blood. This has been my experience with this cartridge/bullet combo on other similar sized game. Little guy just flopped over without a twitch.

For a shot much over 200 yards I would have switched to the 6.5x55 barrel w/140 gr Partition behind the shoulder. I've used this bullet on deer a number of times and at longer range/lower velocity it seems to leave a relatively small exit hole unless striking bone on the way out.

I brought a box of #4 TSS 1-1/2 oz load for the shotgun barrel thinking it might be a good option for closer encounters like duiker, but didn't get to use it.