22 Hornet Hunter Pistol

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MarkS
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22 Hornet Hunter Pistol

Post by MarkS »

I just picked up a Contender in 22 Hornet. I am thinking about getting back into hunter pistol. What bullet weight is best? What are you using?

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ole95
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Re: 22 Hornet Hunter Pistol

Post by ole95 »

kinda depends
on my older slow twist barrel (front sight soldered)the Sierra # 1210 45gr. shoots real good I tried heavier but would keyhole at 100 yards
I shoot these at 1900 fps with no target damage on chicks and it takes down all rams.
I just got a second barrel to set up with open sights it's the newer fast twist(removable front sight) but have not had time to play with it. but I hope to just use the same bullet and load
I really see no need to go more than 50gr. unless some of the 52gr. match maybe
just my $0.02
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Re: 22 Hornet Hunter Pistol

Post by txairshooter »

Many shoot 55 gr bullets at 1550 fps muzzle velocity for all the animals. You might need ram busters when their feet get wet or muddy (60 gr bullets).
A popular load is Win Super Field powder (WSF). 4.5-5.5 gr works well and meters well.
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Re: 22 Hornet Hunter Pistol

Post by Tlee »

txairshooter wrote:Many shoot 55 gr bullets at 1550 fps muzzle velocity for all the animals. You might need ram busters when their feet get wet or muddy (60 gr bullets).
A popular load is Win Super Field powder (WSF). 4.5-5.5 gr works well and meters well.
I used 4.5gr (+/- a couple tenths) of W231 with a 50g or 55g SP for years in a couple 10" barrels. The exact charge depended on the primer and/or barrel used. 2" groups at 100m were typical. About the best I ever saw was an occasional 1-1/2" group.

When I got a 12" barrel I started seeing consistent primer flattening (at pretty much any charge) with the W231 load and switched to 5gr of WSF, similar to what txairshooter recommends.... Bingo, group sizes got smaller (dime/nickel size 100m groups are now common) and I now have zero pressure signs using any load/barrel. It's also not primer finicky at all, unlike the W231 load.

With the WSF load I'm now down to using 4.5gr with a 50gr SP for CPT (and usually Rams). I do keep some loaded with 5gr of WSF with a 55gr for Rams, but only use them when they are stubborn. When using open sights I'll occasionally bump my nose with the peep when shooting the 5gr WSF/55gr pill load.

my .02,

-Tim

PS - Ole95... For whatever reason, although it's VERY accurate, I've left WAY more rams standing after hits using the 52gr Match bullet than the "el cheapo" 50gr SP I now shoot... I think the 52gr bullet breaks up sooner on metal and doesn't put all the energy on the target.
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Re: 22 Hornet Hunter Pistol

Post by Tlee »

FWIW, I tested some more of the 50gr and 55gr SPs using WSF and CCI small pistol primers over the weekend, using 3 different T/C 22 Hornet barrels.

With the 50gr bullets, muzzle velocities were consistently in the 1680FPS range with 4.5gr of WSF and all grouped 3/4" (or better) at 100 meters, even with some gusting 5-10mph winds at my back. Using 5.0gr of WSF I saw identical groups and an average MV of 1770FPS with the 50gr SP bullets.

55gr SP bullets with the same two charges yielded 1" to 1-1/2" groups at 100meters. MVs averaged 1600 and 1690FPS, respectively. Recoil, while not excessive at all, was noticeably more with the 5gr WSF/55gr bullet load when compared to the 4.5gWSF/50gr bullet load.

I also tested some of the 50gr SP bullets with Unique powder. Surprisingly, even with the wind, 3.5gr of Unique yielded excellent accuracy at 50meters (1/4" to 1/2" groups) with MVs averaging right at 1300FPS... Recoil was similar to a 22LR. 4gr of Unique averaged 1410FPS with similar groups. 4.5gr of Unique with the 50gr SP averaged 1570FPS with 1/2" groups at 50meters. I tested these at 50meters because they drop off pretty fast out at 100m and I wouldn't think they'd have enough power to take Rams consistently. However they all shot very well all the way out to the 75m Turkey with nearly the same POI (within an inch) as the 4.5g WSF listed load above.

my .02,

-Tim
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Re: 22 Hornet Hunter Pistol

Post by snaketail2 »

I haven't shot Hunter's Pistol in a few years. but when I did I used a T/C in .22 Hornet. PB was my go-to powder and mine loved 55gr FMJs.
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Re: 22 Hornet Hunter Pistol

Post by cedestech »

I shoot a hornet. It's a T/C Custom shop barrel, have no idea of the twist but for the first 3 animals I shoot a 30gr Barnes (sintered copper) over 4gr of bullseye. No recoil. For the rams same 4gr bullseye but with 45gr Seirra spire point. On paper the thing shoots almost MOA.... I am shooting a 16X rifle scope taco hold and never worry about flinching from trying not to dot my eye. The barnes are made from sintered copper so they are WAY bigger then a 30gr lead bullet. I have them set up so the COL just engraves the bullet with the rifling when chambered. Any more and the frame is hard to close.
I have never chronied it but it's 3 minutes from the chickens to the turkeys with the 30gr and 5 minutes to the rams but I have no idea what the zero would be with the 45gr. It recoils about the same as a
22mag.

That load data and results are on my barrel and in my gun so your mileage may vary....

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Re: 22 Hornet Hunter Pistol

Post by chickenchoker »

I shot the bulk 55gr from Speer or Sierra.
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