.22 Hornet questions

[Roe]

Another CZ527 sequence

 

[204 rem]

Very good video Jost shows you what the hornet is capable of In the right hands

[Andrew]

Oh.... He didn't work that Hornet too hard. My son and I shoot prairiedogs year round (in winter as long as the temps get over +20F you can find them out) with the Hornet. The usual range is 140 to 200 yards but we do shoot 200 to 250 yards quite often. I have shot out to 350.

 

I am surprised that he is shooting that 45 grain so slowly. I shoot 46 grain Winchesters over Lil Gun at a little over 2800 fps. (actual, 20 shot average, +80F @ 3500 ft elevation) Not my most accuracte load but coyote capable at 200 yards.

 

Of course, the advent of Lil Gun was the true game changer for the Hornet. Not always the absolute highest velocities but the pressures plummeted. Brass lasts forever and the groups people are getting with these loads in CZ's have become the bench-mark for Hornet accuracy. ~Andrew

[Roe]

Andrew's quite right. I don't push the Hornet at all. Lacking large enough numbers of varmints, this is mostly a fun plinking rifle for me. I went with a traditional 45gr roundnose bullet and just took a load from the book. With modern powders and better bullets, the Hornet can have better terminal performance than mine. I only topple cartridge cases and crush evil clays with it, so no need for me.

[Andrew]

There is something to be said for that! Few people realize the inate evil that exists in an unshattered clay bird! I kill them every weekend with both rifle and handgun. Your loads were very consistent; I didnt' catch the brass make. What was it?

 

I do use the Hornet for utility-pest control and like it. I have owned dozens of them over the decades but none that shoot as well as the CZ. At one point i was loading, or involved with the loading of, four 527 American Hornets. They were universally accurate with Lil Gun and the 35 grain V-Max: We could have interchanged ammunition and gotten the same fine results. I am being told that I underplay my Hornet by not converting the magazine to shoot the 40 grain V-Max bullet but the Hornet specific bullets made by Speer, Hornady and Winchester have worked fine when I desired a heavier bullet. My son has only shot the 35 grain V-Max in his Hornet so I leave these bullets for him now. I use a 33 grn V-Max designed for Remington's 22WMR when I want accuracy and high speeds (3200) at closer ranges but generally stay with a Midway 34 grain HP which has a much higher BC than the Hornady and might have been designed for the CZ Hornet: With the bullet seated to the upper limit of it's parallel sides, the OAL exactly fits the CZ magazine with .010" clearance. I put a lot of effort into making my Hornet loads. I trim every loading, flare the case mouths for straight bullet seating, and lastly, I crimp the bullets lightly after seating with a factory crimp die. The results are worth it. the Hornet can bea very accurate cartridge when fed good ammunition.~Andrew

 

PS: I would love to have a suppressor on my Hornet. The prairiedogs wouldn't know what was hitting them.

[Roe]

. I put a lot of effort into making my Hornet loads.[...]

 

PS: I would love to have a suppressor on my Hornet.

 

No that which promotes growth and vigour, but enthusiasts is what brought the Hornet back again I think. I find it a plain lovely cartridge.

 

I use Remington brass, bought 1000 at a sale so haven't reloaded them yet - so far vircin brass loads.

 

Would be interestez in seeing more mag-mod pictures.

[247sniper]

Yes some more pictures would be great

[Bucko]

More pictures of my crudely modified magazine as requested.

 

This is the replacement rear spacer. The spacer is tight int he mag so I haven't bothered pinning it like the original one is.

 

http://www.thebuxtons.co.uk/hornet/hmag1.jpg

 

This is the new longer follower. The plasic insert is to keep the spring pressure towards the rear.

 

http://www.thebuxtons.co.uk/hornet/hmag2.jpg

http://www.thebuxtons.co.uk/hornet/hmag3.jpg

 

This is a view inside the magazine with the slimmer rear spacer fitted.

 

http://www.thebuxtons.co.uk/hornet/hmag4.jpg

 

Here are all the parts of the magazine ready to be assembled in the correct orientations. The direction of the follower spring is important.

 

http://www.thebuxtons.co.uk/hornet/hmag5.jpg

 

and finally the magazine loaded with 4 rounds of my 40gr blitzking hunting load. ( OAL = 1.965 )

 

http://www.thebuxtons.co.uk/hornet/hmag6.jpg

http://www.thebuxtons.co.uk/hornet/hmag7.jpg

[pork chop]

great thanks for that buddy,tryed first reloads yesterday 12.2 and 12.8 gr of lilgun looked promising going to load some more of each then play around with col

[247sniper]

great thanks for that buddy,tryed first reloads yesterday 12.2 and 12.8 gr of lilgun looked promising going to load some more of each then play around with col

What bullet did you use?

[pork chop]

40 vmax both loads shot two within 1/4" then threw one out by about 1" ,it is a strange gun to both of us and very light to what we used to.also had my 204 with me and we both shot 1/4" groups with it so pritty sure we were on form

[247sniper]

40 vmax both loads shot two within 1/4" then threw one out by about 1" ,it is a strange gun to both of us and very light to what we used to.also had my 204 with me and we both shot 1/4" groups with it so pritty sure we were on form

Good stuff fella, im using Lil-gun and 40 grain V-MAX, and use 13.2 grain (3019Ftps) During load testing I went up to 13.6 grains with no pressure signs, LiIl-Gun runs at low pressures compared to other powders. Accuracy was best at 13.2 but all loads in the 13 grains were awesome.

 

Steve.

[247sniper]

Here is a 5 shot group I shot the other day, there is always one that gets away! this is my 40 grain Vmax load with 13.2 grains of lil=gun at 100 yards.

 

Steve.

[pork chop]

good going that mate pitty about that one shot,13.6gr that must be quite compressed,my mate started to flap when we put 13gr of powder in the small cases even though i said the max load was 13.2gr and guess who got to shoot the 13gr loads.waiting now to see if the winds going to drop a bit so we can take the gear up to the farm and try some more

[247sniper]

good going that mate pitty about that one shot,13.6gr that must be quite compressed,my mate started to flap when we put 13gr of powder in the small cases even though i said the max load was 13.2gr and guess who got to shoot the 13gr loads.waiting now to see if the winds going to drop a bit so we can take the gear up to the farm and try some more

 

13 griains is only suppose to be maximum case capacity, if you could put 14 grains of Lil-gun in the case (it wont fit) you would still be below the maximum pressure limit. I can fit 13.6 in and 13.8 with care and time, but like I said the accuracy is at 13.2. These groups are a common sighting with my little .hornet!

[Andrew]

The original loads for the 40 grain was 14 grains of Lil Gun but it is said that they develped the loads with Remington brass which held more. When it was found that most makes wouldn't hold that much powder, they reduced the load. Thirteen point-five grains will almost fill a neck-sized Winchester case.~Andrew

[pork chop]

well the wind did drop a it so we got off to the farm with some gear and had a bit of a play,tried the 13gr loads first and they shot just over 1/2" loaded three more and got the same.so loaded three more and played with col and got them abit tighter again in, the end loaded a 40gr vmax over 13gr of lilgun 7/12 rem primer seated to 2.539 comp with a light crimp and got this

[Aggy]

I would be very pleased with that

[pork chop]

yes me too bog standard gun aswell he had the barrel cut too 18" and it handles great just need to get the mag sorted

[Andrew]

I know this will be viewd a blasphemy, but has anyone tried small pistol primers in the Hornet? I use them exclusively with all my Hornet loads (Lil Gun, H-110, and AA 1680) and they have reduced the group size and standard deviation considerably... especially with Lil Gun.

 

Probably not as universally available in the UK as in the US, but worth a try.~Andrew

[pork chop]

I know this will be viewd a blasphemy, but has anyone tried small pistol primers in the Hornet? I use them exclusively with all my Hornet loads (Lil Gun, H-110, and AA 1680) and they have reduced the group size and standard deviation considerably... especially with Lil Gun.

 

Probably not as universally available in the UK as in the US, but worth a try.~Andrew

we did think about using them but in the end just used what was to hand cci 400 and rem 7 1/2's,shot about ten three shot groups all about 1/2" or so while playing with col then changed from the cci to the rem's and shot the group on the right last off.may be we will try pistol primers at some point but very pleased with the results so far.what pistol primers do you recommend

[Andrew]

I use CCI and Federal interchangably...I think I probably shoot more Federal's due to availability. ~Andrew

[no bull]

I personally think you could get better groups than what you have achived so far (it is a ball ache I know but its rewarding when you do), below is a 5 shot group achived with my old Hornet after I have obviously done my bit

 

CZ 527 16" barrel remmington brass 12.9gn of Lilgun 35gn V Max OAL to fit mag.

[Roe]

Whaaaat "better"? That's five misses!

 

On a more serious note, a friend refers to "my Hornet before and after Vmax..."

[kent]

I know this will be viewd a blasphemy, but has anyone tried small pistol primers in the Hornet? I use them exclusively with all my Hornet loads (Lil Gun, H-110, and AA 1680) and they have reduced the group size and standard deviation considerably... especially with Lil Gun.

 

Probably not as universally available in the UK as in the US, but worth a try.~Andrew

CCI 500 small pistol, 12.2 grns LILGUN, rws case and 45 grn sierra hornet bullet 2900 fps. Awesome, wish I bought one years ago. I have only pushed it out to just over 200 yds. I use a T12 scout moderator, How quiet? well shoot it out the upstairs bedroom and you cant hear it downstairs all you get is the sonic crack if your near enough. Its quite windy here and you have to respect that on quarry 5.6 moa at FV 10mph 200 yds and 2 moa low at that range on a 130yds zero it is 1/2" high or low up to 150 yards, fully expect 1/2 moa at 200 if I don't get caught out by wind