22 Hornet

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  • Last Post 24 June 2010
mcskipper posted this 10 January 2010

Hi Guys,

In with some moulds I picked up was a RCBS  22-55-FN. I was thinking it would be a great bullet for a 22 Hornet. I'm looking for a a very quit report. This would be way better then the big crack from a 22RF in my area.

Any ideas as to what I should stuff into it? I have most of the older powders (I trust them).

This will be going into two guns. One H&R single shot w/ a shorter barrel and one Lone Eagle 15” barrel.

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corerf posted this 10 January 2010

My hornet with any load is louder than a 22 RF, much louder usually. Don't expect a miracle in the sound output dept and still get a good hunter that exceeds the 22 LR performance. Although delivered energy will be much higher at any velocity with a 55gr. Granted, a CB (cast bullet) load thats moving 1600 fps with 55 gr has longer legs than the 22LR and is “almost” equal in quiet, it's a heck of a lot more expensive than a 22 LR even in PRE-Obamarama pricing days and just as rainbow in trajectory. I bought my k-hornet with quiet and subtle in mind. HAH!! OOPS!! Relatively quiet compared to a 223 and just as much muzzle rise unless underloaded to the point of economic waste. Relatively MAGNUM compared to a 22 LR in both rise and report. I don't know if one can get a hornet to subsonic....safely. .5gr bulleye????????? Well theres someone who has and done it well, they will reply and fill the gap for you. I would like to know your progress personally for my pistol. Keep me informed if you would.

Lyman 45th shows:

45gr GC, 225438,

Unique 3.5-5 gr 2400 6-8 gr IMR4227 7-9gr

50gr GC, 225415,

Unique 3.5-5gr 2400 6-8gr IMR4227 7-9gr

Each load has a minimum 600 fps spread from start to max. 50 grain CB data spread reduced to about 400 fps. None exceed 2260

Yes, I did NOT type incorrect. Both 45 and 50 gr data is same load charge, for variable velocity.

All data using Lyman #2 alloy and .224 bullets, not .223/

Above should lead you in a good direction for a 55 gr workup and cast. For reference to 55 gr actual data....

55 gr jacketed

2400 8-9gr IMR4227 8.5-10gr IMR4198 9.5-11gr

same data book.

Interpolate as required to generate start loads.

HTH

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mcskipper posted this 10 January 2010

Will do on keeping you in the loop.

Around here CB longs are $16.00/100 I use a bunch of these every year. So I'm used to the rainbow. Just the price you pay to keep the noise down.

The Unique Min. may be a good start. I use Quilt batting to keep the powder down on the primer. I have been doing this on all my cast rifle loads for as long as I have been loading cast rifle ammo.

I use a Pact chronograph. The book says whey are good to 32 Deg. F, Mine works down to 28 Deg. F so I had to make a quilted case that uses a hand warmer for heat to keep the box warm.

It's 14 Deg. F. right now so it's going to be cold @ the range tomorrow. No Hornet stuff ready yet but I have some 30-06 200 Gr. to check out.

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Ed Harris posted this 11 January 2010

I agree that the .22 Hornet is not low noise.  So instead a friend and I are having Remington Model 580 .22 single-shot rifles converted to center-fire and rebarrelled to .32 ACP. This will use a barrel of normal .30 cal. dimensions and 10 inch twist to ensure adequate bullet stability with very light “cat sneeze” loads. The .32 ACP was chosen for its minimum case capacity and higher load density, providing a complete, clean burn while driving a Saeco #325 98-gr. SWC bullet no more than 1000 f.p.s. for lowest possible noise.

My break-open single-shot .32 ACP with 18 inch barrel firing Saeco #325 with 1.7 grs. Bullseye is fairly quiet, about like a .22 LR, at 950 f.p.s. Typical 5-shot groups of an inch at 25 yards are readily obtained with iron sights. I think that a slightly longer barrel, say 22 inches, will reduce noise somewhat better, while not making the gun too unwieldy to carry. We are still looking at a 5 pound rifle. We hope to improve accuracy potential somewhat by using a sturdy bolt action with good trigger which can be scoped readily. So stay tuned...

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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mcskipper posted this 15 January 2010

First test: O.K. I got to the loading bench. 55 Gr. FPGC (RCBS) 1.705” LOA Std small rifle primer Quilt batting over powder. 20” Barrel all loads, no keyholeing @ short range.

3.0 Gr. Bullseye noise higher then I would like. 2.0 Gr. Bullseye Same as above, but less. 1.0 Gr. Bullseye Better but not yet.

3.0 Gr. Red Dot Noise too high. 2.0 Gr. Red Dot better 1.0 Gr. Red Dot noise in the range of 22CB Long.

2.0 Gr. Red Dot 1085 Ft/Sec @ 33 Deg. F        1.5"@ 50 yards 1.0 Gr, Red Dot 684 Ft./sec @ 33 Deg. F

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delmarskid1 posted this 18 March 2010

I messed with .22 air rifle pellets and a case with just a primer in my hornet once. No noise at all. No accuracy to speak of either. I got about 2” at 30 feet.I had a handi-rifle so it was easy to breach load the bullet. I matry it again as I have have heavier pellets now.

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mugs posted this 19 March 2010

I've shot alot of that same boolit with 4.5 grs. 231. In a 12” TC its right at 1600 fps. I used it for NRA HP silhouette gave good accuracy to 100 yrds. Mugs IHMSA 5940L

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bruce posted this 19 March 2010

Ed,

With your break-open rifle, have you ever tried a pointy bullet? like a 168 grain boat-tail?

Just wondering. Something like a .300 Can't-Even-Whisper

Bruce

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jhrosier posted this 19 March 2010

Since you are looking for subsonic anyhow, Trailboss might be worth a try.

Jack

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Dale53 posted this 19 March 2010

I have shot a good bit from a .22 Hornet barrel for my TC Contender. My squirrel loads were 3.0 grs of Unique behind a Lyman 225415 flat nose bullet. I never chronographed the load but it was extremely accurate. ½” groups at fifty yards were common (with a scope off a bench). I cast the bullets of Linotype, used Hornady gas checks, and sized them at .225". I also used small pistol primers. It was really a good tool for edible small game.

FWIW Dale53

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Daryl S posted this 24 June 2010

Ed Harris wrote: I agree that the .22 Hornet is not low noise.  So instead a friend and I are having Remington Model 580 .22 single-shot rifles converted to center-fire and rebarrelled to .32 ACP. This will use a barrel of normal .30 cal. dimensions and 10 inch twisit to ensure adequate bullet stability with very light “cat sneeze” loads. The .32 ACP was chosen for its minimum case capacity and higher load density, providing a complete, clean burn while driving a Saeco #325 98-gr. SWC bullet no more than 1000 f.p.s. for lowest noise.

My break-open single-shot .32 ACP with 18 inch barrel firing Saeco #325 with 1.7 grs. Bullseye is fairly quiet, about like a .22 LR, at 950 f.p.s. Typical 5-shot groups of an inch at 25 yards are readily obtained with iron sights. I think that a slightly longer barrel, say 22 inches, will reduce noise somewhat better, while not making the gun too unwieldy to carry. We are still looking at a 5 pound rifle. We hope to improve accuracy potential somewhat by using a sturdy bolt action with good trigger which can be scoped readily. So stay tuned...I did something similar - using a .32 Colt rimmed case.  I chambered an old worn-out .30cal. match barrel using a drill I'd re-ground a bit- can't remember the particulars, but with the normal short non-tapered pistol case, this worked perfectly - albeit with a sharply angled throat due to the drill's nose shape.  The worn barrel provided a reasonably gentle entry into the rifling. the barrel was turned to fit a Steven's Favourite .32 rimfire action, convered to centrefire.  Using a 110gr. cast bullet and mimiscule pistol powder charge for 850fps in the 20” bl. I shot a lot of grouse that fall. Accuracy was bug-holes at 25 yards, could not have been better. I used .32ACP dies to slightly taper the neck area to hold new bullets.  These go-pow loads had little noise and neatly punched holes through the heads on ruffed grouse.

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Ed Harris posted this 24 June 2010

bruce wrote: With your break-open rifle, have you ever tried a pointy bullet? like a 168 grain boat-tail?  Just wondering. Something like a .300 Can't-Even-Whisper

Bruce

Have not shot anything over 100 grs. in the .32 ACP case.   

The 150-grain .30-30- bullets work fine in the 7.62x39 with ten-inch twist using 5-6 grains of Bullseye, not .22 LR quiet, but no louder than a Hornet or .22 WMR.  

Longer streamlined boattails need a faster twist than ten inches for subsonic accuracy as bullet holes in target paper are oval until driven to the point of being “noisy,” about 1300 f.p.s.   Find an 8-inch twist .30 cal. barrel or stick to flatbase, roundnose or flatnosed bullets.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Wayne S posted this 24 June 2010

mcskipper wrote: Hi Guys,

In with some moulds I picked up was a RCBS  22-55-FN. I was thinking it would be a great bullet for a 22 Hornet.

This will be going into two guns. One H&R single shot w/ a shorter barrel and one Lone Eagle 15” barrel.  A lot will depend on the twist in each bbl.  The Trail Boss and 3.0 Unique should be subsonic, depending on where you are located. you could also try the card board  roll  thats the center of  paper towel  rolls, just tape it to your bbl.

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