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Offline JamesIII

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22 Hornet accuracy problems
« on: April 23, 2009, 04:42:47 AM »
I purchased a 22 Hornet from a member here. The barrel is in excellent condition and locks up well on 2 or my frames. I have not been able to get it to shoot under 3" at 100 yds yet. I am hand loading for this and have tried everything from 8.3 gr to 10.4 gr. of IMR 4227 with a 45 gr. soft point and can not get any consistentcy. I will try removing the forearm when the wind dies down and see if groups tighten up. The latch smoked shows most of the wear on one side and I am a little hesitant at filing on it. A good cleaning is in order today while I wait and I will check distance to lands, maybe I can play with COL a little. Any other ideas would be apreciated. I am going to pick up some 35 gr. bullets this weekend and try that if nothing else works. I guess as a last resort I could try the other frame also. Thanks JamesIII

ps: I will reread the Help section for the umpteenth time for more hints. Just thought I would beat Tim to it.
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Offline jeepmann1948

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Re: 22 Hornet accuracy problems
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2009, 05:39:06 AM »
My 22 Hornet loves a case full of Lil Gun and 40 Nosler Ballistic Tips. They really ruin a house cats day at 100 yards
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Offline bigvarmnt

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Re: 22 Hornet accuracy problems
« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2009, 05:50:27 AM »
Man them sweet little Hornets can be like a wife. Sometimes they're hard to figure out. I have two Hornets bolt Rugers and plan to get a Handi barrel. Hope they are not all a pain. I've had good luck with the new 30 gr. Barnes V.G. in my sporter Ruger. Not as good in the heavier barreled one??  They are longer than 35 V-Max. That's why I tried them. There's a couple other 30 grainers out now. Haven't got back to playin with them, been sidetracked with new 44 mag. What barrel length and TWIST is your barrel? I would clean and maybe polish it a little and check twist. I've been using Lilgun lately and like it so far. 4227 was pretty good before. C.o.l. and other frame sound like a good test also. If scoped, check mounts and scope. I got rid of a good rifle and found the scope was bad later. Please keep us posted. I may be going through this sooner or later.
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Offline LaOtto222

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Re: 22 Hornet accuracy problems
« Reply #3 on: April 23, 2009, 06:09:48 AM »
I know you are going to get advised to use Lil'Gun. There are several members here that have had good luck with it, enough that you may want to try it. Mine did not like it too much at all, I kept getting erratic results so I abandoned it for the 22 Hornet. Remember with a Hornet the case capacity is small so little increments in powder makes a big difference. You may want to try small pistol primers too, it works for some folks. I had best luck with it using W296, but nothing to write home about. I also determined that it did not like boat tailed bullets at all. I had not given up on it altogether, and was going to try some other powders and bullets. While thinking about what to do next I got this idea I wanted to shoot a 22 K Hornet. It is right now out being stubbed with a Douglas SS barrel for 22 K Hornet. Good Luck and Good Shooting
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 22 Hornet accuracy problems
« Reply #4 on: April 23, 2009, 06:16:46 AM »
I bought my Hornet barrel from Raynor about 5yrs ago, it's always been a good shooter with the 35gr Vmax on top of 12.5gr Lil'gun by weight, not from a measure, the 30gr Calhoun Silver bullets don't do too bad either, I use the Lee Collet die to neck size and have had excellent results even in the short 12ga adapter insert that Larry made me, <½" at 50yds.  ;)

Tim
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Offline OBXPilgrim

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Re: 22 Hornet accuracy problems
« Reply #5 on: April 23, 2009, 03:05:53 PM »
Quote from: JamesIII on April 23, 2009, 04:42:47 AM
The latch smoked shows most of the wear on one side and I am a little hesitant at filing on it.

I couldn't get any kind of grouping with my 22 Hornet as it came from the factory - the latch only contacted on one side.  I stoned it down to get full engagement across the latch & it improved a bunch.

It shot everything into 4-7" groups at 50 yards & went to 3/4" groups with better latch engagement.

As long as the muzzle crown looks good, I'd think that's your biggest problem.
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: 22 Hornet accuracy problems
« Reply #6 on: April 24, 2009, 12:13:19 AM »
Quote from: OBXPilgrim on April 23, 2009, 03:05:53 PM
Quote from: JamesIII on April 23, 2009, 04:42:47 AM
The latch smoked shows most of the wear on one side and I am a little hesitant at filing on it.

I couldn't get any kind of grouping with my 22 Hornet as it came from the factory - the latch only contacted on one side.  I stoned it down to get full engagement across the latch & it improved a bunch.

It shot everything into 4-7" groups at 50 yards & went to 3/4" groups with better latch engagement.

As long as the muzzle crown looks good, I'd think that's your biggest problem.

GOOD ADVICE HERE!!!

 Before you even think of different recipes, get your firearm is shooting condition. Poor/uneven latch engagement is a big known accuracy problem. Remember what I have said CONSISTANCY is key in everything shooting. With that latch you can not hope to get consistent lock ups.

Good luck,
 CW
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Offline Wyo. Coyote Hunter

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Re: 22 Hornet accuracy problems
« Reply #7 on: April 24, 2009, 02:12:24 PM »
 :D My Hornet is a little Browning, but it is a good shooter. I seldom shoot much over 100 yards with it. And most of my groups have been shot at only 60 yards. For years I heard the hornet was not accurate. Well, the Browning is. I have used 35 grain Horn. 40 grain Horn. 40 grain speer, 45 grain speer and horn. and the 46 grain Rem. hollow point. I usually use two powders 4227 or h110. Honestly I love the Hornet for ground sq., chucks, tree squirrel, grouse, cottontails, and even got a couple coyotes with it. For my turkey hunting it is fair. Paul Mathews wrote about his Hornet in his book 60 Years with Rifles. As someone suggested the problem my be with the rifle rather than the loads. Most of the loads I tried were very satisfactory. ;) :)
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Offline JamesIII

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Re: 22 Hornet accuracy problems
« Reply #8 on: April 24, 2009, 02:53:39 PM »
I ran a stone on the latch shelf today, everything looks good. Now if I could get the wind to quit blow'n I could try it again.
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Offline zoner

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Re: 22 Hornet accuracy problems
« Reply #9 on: April 25, 2009, 03:14:40 AM »
my hornet(traded it for a 357mag) really liked the 40 gr Sierra SP in front of 10.5 grs 296 and a Winchester small pistol primer...try a pistol primer in your hornet....it's well documented that some hornets shoot better with the smaller flame...
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Offline Inrut24/7

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Re: 22 Hornet accuracy problems
« Reply #10 on: April 25, 2009, 10:35:10 AM »
Back when my hornet barrel was still a hornet it shot great with lil gun and the 35 and 40 grain v-max pills, The 35 and 40 grainers shot about the same size groups at 100 yards, usually 1/2 to 3/4.  But at 200 yards the 40 grain v-max still held good groups and the stubby 35 grainers groups would open up. I had better luck with the cci 400 over the cci small pistol primers, but buy what you can find. primers are getting real hard to find, at least here in pa.
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Offline JamesIII

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Re: 22 Hornet accuracy problems
« Reply #11 on: April 30, 2009, 02:22:07 AM »
Finally got to shoot the Hornet after cleaning up the latch shelf. I loaded up IMR4227 under a 45 gr. hrdy sp and Lil'gun with the same bullet. Again I was disappointed with the IMR load. The Lil'gun load was an improvement, but not great. Switching to 35 gr.V-Max with Lil'gun tightened groups up to about 1 1/4". Then I shot the 35 gr. v-max-12gr. lil'gun and SMALL PISTOL primers, WOW, 5 rounds. 1 flyer(me), 4 rounds .451" group, just shy of one ragged hole at 100 yds. When all else is working correctly componets can make a huge difference. I would like to thank all of you here that gave me the valuable information and guidance to achieve this. JamesIII
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