Hornet Enthusiasts: bullet weight for maximum distance?

[moorepower]

I load up the 40V max for mine at 2900fps. Very happy with performance out to 200yds. which happens to be 3 moa sighted in 2" high at 100. I could go further out dialing my scope or with hash marks, but thats why I take multiple guns! The 40 grain V max is much much better in the wind and carries much more energy down range than the 35 V max. I have a ton of the 50SX bullets and really need to load some up. All of the super thin jacket bullets would perform as well.

[Dean2]

There is no doubt the 40 grain Vmax/Blitzking is the sweet spot between accuracy, speed and range. I have tried the 50 grain SPSX and they are very accurate but I don't find they buck the wind any better and they drop at least 300 fps off the 3100 I can get the 40 Blitzking/Vmax to with 12.6 of Lil'Gun, WW cases, and Fed Small Pistol primers. I have posted this picture before but to me it says everything you need to know to be comfortable to 300 yards or more on gophers with the 22 hornet. It will consistently shoot these kinds of groups.

[squirrel_slayer]

I'm playing with a slightly higher capacity pipsqueek but at higher pressure (.223 parent case) and I've been dabbling with CFE BLK and 53gr varmageddon's (have v-max's on deck as well) the 53's have a .303 g1 and the v-max just right behind it. not sure how they behave on critters at the obtainable velocities yet.

The vld-style ogive's allow for you to seat out further before engaging the lands if your mags will allow it so you have more useable case capacity since there pretty long!

[tstowater]

I've had really good luck with Barnes Varminator 40 grain bullets. They are short enough so that they will fit in a magazine. Accuracy to boot. Makes a nice p-dog load.

[df06]

I use Berger 40 gr hp. Very accurate, pretty explosive and they fit in the magazine of my anschutz.

[256wm]

I have found that with a 50gr V-Max groundhogs out to 250 yards are in real peril.

[L461]

Not sure of the Model title but 34gr Nosler Hollow point projectiles go well.

Rabbits at 200 plus a little bit are in real peril.

[bert2368]

For a start, what twist? Are you loading for a single shot or is magazine length a consideration?

Running the Hornet in a CZ 527 bolt action with a 14" twist, my answer: The Winchester 46gr HP, 10.1gr W296, neck sized only 1X cases and small pistol primers. I can hit a soda can dependably to 225 yards, with a little attention to wind.

Want more than that? Get a .221 Fireball or .222 rifle. I rather like the .221.

[Daryl]

My CZ M527 .22 Hornets both had 16" twists. They would shoot the 50gr. SP's into just under an inch, but did best with the 40gr. plastic tips, Nosler & Horn. as well as the HP's of Barnes and Sierra, although the Sierra's are designed for over 3,600fps, according to them.
The Barns Varminators and the Vmax and Nos. BT's worked well on our Columbia ground squirrels. The first year, I was running 13.0gr. LGun in RP brass and 35gr. and 40gr. Vmax. The 35's were a short range proposition only, as their accuracy past 150meters was terrible. The vel. for both, was 3,200fps & I managed a kill on a young rat at 354yards. The SD's with this charge were low 20's.
The second year, I had worked up to 14.4gr. LGun in RP brass with the tipped 40gr. bullets. They ran 3,340fps for the Horn. and 3,357fps with the Nosler. The SD's were in the high teens. Incidentally, right from the get-go I crimped my bullet with a Lee Factory Crimp die.



The middle and bottom pictures were with the second Hornet, which wasn't quite as accurate as the first, however, it did just fine.
The 45gr. bullets used in the top picture, were Hornady's - 45gr. .223 and Hornady's .224".
The 45 gr. RN in the bottom target, was the Speer, semi-RN.