22 hornet handi and turkey?

[Deerhunter#1]

I see the powder of choice seems to be lil gun which I have. also the 35 grain vmax but will it be to explosive on a turkey or what would you hornet guys recommend?

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  Nice to hear you are hunting turkey with a rifle..I used my hornet on 5 turkeys..I would go to a heavier bullet than the 35 grain..A big gobbler will soak up a hit with this small fragile bullet..I used the 45 grain Speer on several..It was my favorite in the Hornet..Others may work well, but that is what I am familiar with..In larger calibers like the .22-250 I used either the 63 grain or 64 grain bullets, but the Hornet would not stablize them..

[Crow Juice]

I suggest a 50 gr midway  dog town  soft point with 13 grs of Lil gun.

[Deerhunter#1]

havent received the barrel yet but its an older ejector so what twist do you think it has. I see that there were 16, 9 and now 12 twist rate barrels. also what primers are you using small rifle or pistol. I have small rifle rem 7 1/2 for the max are they to hot? also any issues with an sb1 receiver.

[YRUpunting?]

7 1/2 are to hot.  I prefer small pistol primers, but 6 1/2 will work given the scarcity of small pistol primer right now.

[wtroger]

Before the state made quit using rifles I used a 22 mag with FMJ bullets they don't ruin meat and it still kills them dead as a wedge.

[Spanky]

Before the state made quit using rifles I used a 22 mag with FMJ bullets they don't ruin meat and it still kills them dead as a wedge.

+1 to the FMJ's
I've used surplus 22 Hornet FMJ ammo on turkeys. I shoot 'em broadside in the forward part of the wing and it'll knock the stuffin' out of them.
 
 
 
Spanky

[gcrank1]

Ive heard the same about mil-surp ammo in about any caliber on turkey, but have no personal experience; we are not allowed to use rifles in WI  .

[petemi]

Man!!! I wish I could use a rifle on turkey.  When I lived there, Florida used to allow it.  I understand that now they don't.  Here goes some Handi Heresy    If I could use a rifle, it would be my Shorty Savage 24V Maxi over 20.  Probably with 38+P. and a 3 inch turkey load in the tubes.

Pete

[hoytcanon]

The 35 V-Max will easily do the job... were we allowed to use a rifle, I would be using an HMR or even LR and head shooting... but alas, only shotguns here.

[Deerhunter#1]

Another question is will a 22 hornet be ok on an sb1. I have read in some of the forms that the firing ping being large may be an issue. Thinking of putting it on one as looking at the presuures they seem to be no higher than 357 mag rifle and with little gun max loads are only arounb 28,000 the 357 loads are pushing 40,000

[jeepmann1948]

The SB1 frame with a small pin should be fine in the Hornet.I cut all mine out to the K version, not for more velocity but for longer case life.Every year there are thousands of turkey and Deer killed here in Texas with the little hornet very effectively.Use some shooting sticks with lots of practice  and shoot-em in the Head! Works every time
Good luck
George

[geezerbiker]

I've found the Sierra .45 grain varmint bullet to be more solidly constructed than other varmint bullets and is the one I go to for game with the Hornet. 

I think it might be made for faster shooting guns than the Hornet and the result is more of a game that a varmint bullet at Hornet velocities.

Tony 

[tobster]

I would think the 35 v-max would be pretty destuctive unless you take head shots only. I think Layne Simpson did an article in Shooting Times quite a few years ago about using the Hornet on turkeys. AA1680 is another good Hornet powder if you should happen to have trouble getting L'il Gun.

[theratdog]

+2 on the fmc bullet not as much meat damage but head shots work.

[Alias DW]

You should be fine with Lil Gun and 35 gr.V max.  I'm 5 for 5 with Lil Gun and 34 gr. Dog Town hollow points.