AusVarmint

OK im about to start reloading for my cz .22 Hornet im liking what i hear about 40grn taipan & sierra pills whats the go with small pistol primers. what loads are you guys using. Thanks Bruce.

The small pistol primer has a softer cup. Some rifles have a weaker striker pin spring. My Sportco Hornet is such a rifle. Prefers the pistol primers.

Also, the small case doesn't really need a gigantic flash to ignite the small powder load.

Chrispy

Bruce I use Win 296 and 33grn Speers I also use Small pistol primers. I started using them when I was a lot younger after reading a magazine article about chasing accuracy. And IMO they do seem to up the ante a bit.

This is my load for the Hornet, a bit on the warm side.
Rifle is an Annie.

Case Primer Powder Powder Weight Projectile C.O.A.L. FPS
WW CCI BR4 296 10.8 Sierra 40 2.500 2700

Once I shoot off the rest of my loads I'll be going down to 10.6, I can get slightly smaller groups at 10.6

Hope this helps.

Thanks once again guys this has been my first attempt at reloading the first 20 cases went in the bin due to not reading all instructions [ lee dies v rcbs-speer reloading manual
] anyway live and learn. Bruce

I have a 22hornet and before I bought my reloading gear I read up a lot about what to get.

Many people suggested that you get a collet type die to do the 22 hornet cases as the walls are so thin that normal dies crush and or buckle the cases when sizing.

So I got myself a Lee 3 Die Deluxe set for the 22 hornet. It is a collet die.

Did not have any problems sizing my very old used brass (was reloaded unknown numerous times by LGS).

Hope this helps

Try AR2205 ADI works well in my old mans hornet he was running W680 but has runned out of it. I'm running IMR4227 in my KHornet and when I have run out I'll be trying ADI.

VARMTR wrote:Try AR2205 ADI works well in my old mans hornet he was running W680 but has runned out of it. I'm running IMR4227 in my KHornet and when I have run out I'll be trying ADI.

i have loaded everything from 22 lr projectiles , 33 gr speers , 35 vmax , many 40- 45 gr & 50 gr . the 50 gr are slow but penetrate deep , the 22 lrs used as reduced loads for shooting rats under the house . i'd say try the win 40 gr jhp 22 mag bulk buy projectiles & the 33 gr speer tnt's & the 40 gr typan's were very good also . i used ar 2205 & pistol primers & win 296 powder . good luck , the hornets a great lil round .

Hi Bruce. If you dig back through the forums a bit you will find some really helpful info on Hornet reloading. There are some very experienced Hornet people on this forum with a wealth of information. I am by no means an expert, but I reckon the Hornet is a great little round. I have played around a little with reloading and have had really good results with the 35gr Vmax with 11gr of 2205. I use the small pistol primers only now, I found accuracy improved greatly after giving small rifle primers the flick. Care should be taken with the brass and I also have unintentionally murdered a few. I only neck resize now with the neck collet die. I have tried a few test loads with WIN 296 powder and found this very comparable with 2205, so I'm going to use up the 2205 first. I think they are both good powders, well suited to this calibre.
My Hornet is also in a CZ. I like it because it's nice and light.

Hope this helps. Cheers, Cazza.

Hi Bruce, are you using a Lee Collet die ? best thing you could do for getting the most case life from your brass. "Normal" dies don't crush the cases, they just overwork them by sizing the necks down excessively then opening them up again with the expander button.
I used the Win bulk 40grain bullets until I got mine K'd and tried some 50gn SP's. Not as fast but more accurate in that rifle.
Pistol primers improve accuracy for some rifles, not all. Keep an eye on your case length, and if you full length size take extra care in adjusting your die to minimise how much you work the brass.
Rim thickness varies between brands of brass, esp. USA vs European.....can lead to headspacing being on the loose side

Some swear by 22H others at them, the problem is the 22H headspaces on the rim,
by 22KH the headspace moves to the shoulder.

Dies, use Redding neck die or Lee Collet, Redding body die to size case, don't use
a FLS the necks are pulled out of alignment.

Small pistol primers, theory is the smaller flash ignites the powder before the projectile
leaves the chamber. With hot loads the primers can leak resulting in a pitted bolt face.

Powder, 2400 or 296 others to slow.

Load max 2400 12.5grn 45grn 2900fps, for longer case life 11.5grn.

It took me 20yrs to shoot a 0.6" group with my Bruno Fox, the dies were
the break through, followed by seating to 0.05".

Hornets are a fantastic rabbit cartridge.