.22 hornet

[Brittany boy]

Ok folks I’m up for renewal, I’m looking for something for long range rabbit and hare also capable of dealing with foxes. I have the 17 HMR but I find it a bit of a hit and miss if it’s a windy night. I have always had a hankering for a .22 WMR possibly a semi auto but have put in for a .22 hornet With the idea of selling the .17 HMR. Sound is one of the issues around small holdings but also the wind issue. Also can anyone explain the difference between the .22 Hornet and the Hornet K version.
Thanks

 

[harrygrey382]

K hornet is essentially an AI hornet- it’s blown out for a better shoulder angle. Gives a shade more powder capacity/performance but it’s real advantage is much improved case life.

Both make more noise than a 17hmr though

 

[Smellydog]

You'll still have to dope the wind my friend.
The only thing that beats the wind is Alka seltzer.
Hornet is great though. Especially with a 1:14" twist.
A lb of powder lasts a longggg time.

 

[Henns]

The Hornet is an awesome calibre, but you really need to reload to get the best out of it as most of the factory ammo is poor. Mine also replaced an HMR, it's much better in the wind and stops foxes very well.

 

[Klenchblaize]

You may get away with using factory ammo in a CZ without resorting to reloading but unlikely acceptable accuracy will be realised in other manufacturer’s rifles.

Let the stoning commence but first let’s see your factory ammo groups.

K

 

[billy_boyle_2010]

What is the rough ratio of fox to rabbit you intend to shoot ?

Have you looked at the 17 hornet? Flatter, with less drop and less affected by wind- it beats the 22 hornet on paper in all areas.

I still think the 22H is a better fox tool, however- if that's your main focus.

My 17H is the same noise level as my HMR.

Do you have a lot of rabbits ? For big numbers- HMR still wins IMO. Unless you have a little 22LR as well.

Hornets are generally considered a bit much for closer range rabbits. If you want to eat them head shots are the only real option- and even then you may well bruise the spine.

For headshot rabbit damage to look like a typical 70 yard HMR shot- you would have to have shot it at around 200 yards....

 

[sir-lamp-alot]

The Hornet is an awesome calibre, but you really need to reload to get the best out of it as most of the factory ammo is poor. Mine also replaced an HMR, it's much better in the wind and stops foxes very well.

Henns is right the .22 hornet is really a reload your own rifle, yes you can get bits and peices of factory ammo for it but when I had mine I found the factory stuff all but useless but fear not the hornet is quite easy to reload for its basically as much lil gun as you can sqweaze in the case with a 40gr bullet crushed down on top, ok you have to be a bit more carfull than that but thats basically what you will end up doing

 

[Ratel]

Wouldn't be without my .22 Hornet. Mine is unmoderated so a little noisy. I load my own cartridges as I was fortunate enough to acquire a Lee loader off some kind lad on here. A little explosive on bunnies unless head shooting but good for foxes and would be perfect for Munties, Chinese and Roe if the powers that be were sensible. A pound of Lil gun does well over 400 reloads.

 

[Fox Red]

The CZ527 22 Hornet is probably my favourite rifle in the cabinet. So underrated.

 

[EDM]

I swapped my HMR for a .22 hornet and have never looked back, I reload for mine and that just adds to the pleasure, I usually put 35 and 40gn vmax through mine but bought a thousand 45gn hp for £19 per hundred, mine (Ruger) makes no more noise than an HMR with a DP moderator on and is deadly accurate

 

[Bowland blades]

I have been on 22 hornet for these purposes a long while. you will not want or need the 17 hmr or the 22 mag once you get it . Indeed the 22 lr will be questionable until your into big numbers of rabbits ( just because loading time or expense) .
I have a cz , bedded it with pillars put and MAE scout moderator on it ! Ended up less noisy than the hmr because of burn efficiency and the better moderator than the RF ones .
You can use cast lead at 22 rf ( std velocity) 22 mag velocity and a pinch of the like of red dot .
You will be best on hand loads with lilgun powder and the 45grain .224 seirra honet bullet ( pretty much ignore 35 v max if your shooting over 100 ish )
Great gun denning cubs and the parents
zeroed at 160 yards its flat enough to not bother going high or low on rabbit size quarry
at 200 you will need 2 moa or thereabouts 5.6 moa 10 mph fv wind
Cheap ammo and components like ppu should not be overlooked as they are very econimical and at 100-160 you really dont need 0.25 performance
Never use the big press , just benchrest hand dies ( consentric rounds are essential in mine ) just 2 tho' to hold the bullet ( brass is thin) never FLS

 

[Fox Red]

I have been on 22 hornet for these purposes a long while. you will not want or need the 17 hmr or the 22 mag once you get it . Indeed the 22 lr will be questionable until your into big numbers of rabbits ( just because loading time or expense) .
I have a cz , bedded it with pillars put and MAE scout moderator on it ! Ended up less noisy than the hmr because of burn efficiency and the better moderator than the RF ones .
You can use cast lead at 22 rf ( std velocity) 22 mag velocity and a pinch of the like of red dot .
You will be best on hand loads with lilgun powder and the 45grain .224 seirra honet bullet ( pretty much ignore 35 v max if your shooting over 100 ish )
Great gun denning cubs and the parents
zeroed at 160 yards its flat enough to not bother going high or low on rabbit size quarry
at 200 you will need 2 moa or thereabouts 5.6 moa 10 mph fv wind
Cheap ammo and components like ppu should not be overlooked as they are very econimical and at 100-160 you really dont need 0.25 performance
Never use the big press , just benchrest hand dies ( consentric rounds are essential in mine ) just 2 tho' to hold the bullet ( brass is thin) never FLS View attachment 279659

Interesting. Never tried the 45gr Sierra Hornet bullets and I have some on the shelf. Must give them a whirl. Been using the 45gr H&N bullets for a while now on the rabbits. Very cheap, but I don’t think they make them any more

 

[Bowland blades]

Interesting. Never tried the 45gr Sierra Hornet bullets and I have some on the shelf. Must give them a whirl. Been using the 45gr H&N bullets for a while now on the rabbits. Very cheap, but I don’t think they make them any more

i have a long list of what works and how in 22 hornet now . i have only shot RWS 46 grain in factory though , hornet factory being 5 rounds more a box but still uneconomical for high volume shooting - very good brass though !
the sierra comes in 223 and 224 the cz and most run 224 the best , 223 is for older guns and hornets looked after have a very long barrel life

 

[the_greenman]

Owned a .22 hornet and had it rechambered to .22 k hornet. Fire formed brass with normal .22 hornet ammunition. Fantastic little round and more fun to shoot than the .223 I had but the noise was comparable. It's not a quiet round. Thumps foxes over a treat though especially with 35gr vmax or 40gr blitzkings. If I could have read the future I'd have necked it down to a 17 k hornet!

 

[Sierra]

I was very fortunate to be given 4 different brands of factory ammunition when I bought my CZ 22 H. They were a mix of brands, bullet types & weights........none of which shot under 1.5" consistently.

I know this will do the job at 100m for 99% of shots but wasn't enough for me. I have reloaded 45 & 40gn sierra SP's now, both with great results.

Head shots only on rabbits as a body shot is devastating & does a tidy job on fox.

It's a joy of a rifle to take out & covers most scenarios I come across

 

[Bowland blades]

Owned a .22 hornet and had it rechambered to .22 k hornet. Fire formed brass with normal .22 hornet ammunition. Fantastic little round and more fun to shoot than the .223 I had but the noise was comparable. It's not a quiet round. Thumps foxes over a treat though especially with 35gr vmax or 40gr blitzkings. If I could have read the future I'd have necked it down to a 17 k hornet!

moderated with the MAE scout and 12 grains of lilgun ( half the powder of a 223) i assure all that all you get is the sonic crack that nobody can silence . my range is shot from my driveway the kitchen is the nearest room , My wife commented soon after getting rif of the hmr ( with a SAK) that the 22 hornet is inaudible inside . Fired at 8 yards moderated into soft material ie a bale its just a thump of the strike no blast at all as the sonic boom / crack hasnt the distance to build . I have never fired it unmoderated in all the years i have had the hornet . Unless its shot along the length of a wall or fence ( when you get multiple relected sonic booms ) its as quiet as a supersonic round can ever be. 222, 223 will be similar though if you have the correct size and spec of moderator ( its just the mod needs about double the capacty to handle double the gases)

 

[the_greenman]

moderated with the MAE scout and 12 grains of lilgun ( half the powder of a 223) i assure all that all you get is the sonic crack that nobody can silence . my range is shot from my driveway the kitchen is the nearest room , My wife commented soon after getting rif of the hmr ( with a SAK) that the 22 hornet is inaudible inside . Fired at 8 yards moderated into soft material ie a bale its just a thump of the strike no blast at all as the sonic boom / crack hasnt the distance to build . I have never fired it unmoderated in all the years i have had the hornet . Unless its shot along the length of a wall or fence ( when you get multiple relected sonic booms ) its as quiet as a supersonic round can ever be. 222, 223 will be similar though if you have the correct size and spec of moderator ( its just the mod needs about double the capacty to handle double the gases)

Absolutely. To be fair I had a husher mod on it (shows how long ago!) and it wasn't up to the task.

 

[Brittany boy]

Thanks guys you have confirmed what I had thought, I have a good number of rabbits but only harvest 10 - 12 at a time so won’t cost a fortune, I’m also considering going the FAC air rifle route for the rabbits. I do a lot of foxes near to small holdings with horses about and the .22-250 makes a bit of a boom even moderated. I did share a bit of ground with another shooter until he shot a Fox next to the horse paddock with an unmoderated .270, needless to say I have the ground to myself now. The .17 HMR is ok on fox at short range on a calm night but need something in between and the hornet fits the bill.

 

[Muir]

The CZ Hornet is the best 22 Hornet I have owned. (I have owned many) It is by far the most accurate. I bought one for my son and once I saw how accurate it was, I sold my Anschutz and bought CZ. It remains one of my most accurate CF rifles within it's scope of use.
Handloading is the way to go.~Muir

 

[Fox Red]

Great to see so much love for the 22 Hornet