Author Topic: A-bolt microhunter in .22 hornet (Read 1097 times)

Shel · « **on:** February 21, 2003, 05:25:54 AM »

Do any of you have experience with the A-bolt in .22 hornet? My best friend is thinking about buying one.Most of the hornets that I've worked with have been fairly finicky in load preference.How well did the hornet that you shot(own) shoot?

Lawdog · « **Reply #1 on:** February 21, 2003, 10:02:23 AM »

Over the years I've owned four different Hornets. One I wish I still had. I was young then and though I needed more speed so I traded it in for a .220 Swift. Got rid of the Swift. I still own two .22 Hornets, both Ruger's. One is a No. 1 and the other is a K77/22VHZ. Both will shoot better than I can. The main problem with the K77/22VHZ is you have to watch the over all length of your loads. The rotary magazine won't let you go over 1.825" total length. Both will shoot under MOA all day. I'm a big Hornet fan and I plan on keeping these two Hornets. I just wish the rifle companies would bring out a bolt action Hornet in a short Mauser type action that DIDN'T use a clip or rotary magazine. That is what I had that I traded in for that Swift. Lawdog

Shel · « **Reply #2 on:** February 21, 2003, 02:21:16 PM »

LawDog ,Thanks for the reply.My friend is leaning towards the CZ-527 or possibly the inexpensive NEF.He has plenty of varmint rifles.He's looking for something mild and cheap to load .Should be perfect for blowing up birds and shooting nutrias. p.s.-How long were you a LEO.I was in that line of work for a while also.

taxmiser · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2003, 06:51:11 PM »

My wife bought me a CZ Hornet for my last b-day and with handloads it is around 1/2" @ 100 yards, factory load slightly larger but still under an inch. Not all that fond of the clip feed but overall it is one terrific weapon! Love that set trigger too!

God Bless and good shooting!

Loader 3009 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 22, 2003, 01:09:57 AM »

Shel.
"Finicky" doesn't even begin to describe the Hornet. I had to experiment for a year before I found the right load for my two.

For your friend to get more bang for his buck, I would suggest that he buy a Contender pistol in a good caliber. Then buy a Hornet carbine barrel and set of carbine stocks. He will now have two guns and the potential to have many more with the addition of barrels.

I say buy a pistol Contender for legal reasons. The BATF says that you can convert a pidtol to a rifle but not the reverse. (as if they would ever know)

The NEF has a terrible trigger pull that is not conducive to accuracy. The magazine fed bolt guns may not accept his custom loads as they may be too long. My other Hornet is an Anschutz 1432D and I load it as a single shot when using 50 gr. Speer TNTs.

Lawdog · « **Reply #5 on:** February 22, 2003, 10:27:32 AM »

Shel,

Tell your friend that I've never shot an NEF rifle in any caliber but I have heard that their accuracy was not the greatest. Why this is I was never told but groups over 1.5" doesn't really do the job when shooting at varmints like ground squirrels. Missing your aiming point by .75" on them means a MISS. I never had any trouble with accurate loads for any of my Hornets as long as I didn't try to max out any load. Keep your velocities under 2,850 fps. and work from there. I worked as an LEO for over 19 years until an on the job incident got me a medical retirement. Now I work in the private security and investigations industry. Lawdog

GregH · « **Reply #6 on:** March 04, 2003, 06:23:38 AM »

The Microhunter should do you well. the 22 Hornet is not hard to load for , but that siad, it makes you be more careful about the little things taken for granted during most reloading sessions. Case trimming and proper chamfering is a must as is using proper bullet/powder combinations. One that works well in my Low Wall is 13.5 grains of Lil Gun, a Rem 6 1/2 primer and 40 grain Blitzking in a WIn case. Powder must be trickled in to fit. Or 13 grains and the 45 grain Hornady Hornet bullet. I find overall I shoot my Hornet more than any of my other rifles and have more fun with it to boot. Get that Browning or a CZ and have some fun.
Greg H

gunnut69 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 14, 2003, 09:02:44 AM »

The hornet is a great round.. It's not that it's finicky to load for it's that the case is so small that tiny changes can have large impacts on how the round performs. I have heard the NEF's have heavy pulls but they can be fixed.. and all that I have seen(about 5) have shot exceptionally well. A friends Hornet is almost frightening.. With factory loads it'll shoot under 1/2" @ 100 yards. The early m77/22 hornets were atrocious but hearsay has it they changed the barrel source and the latest vintage shoot wonderfully. I have 3 hornets at the moment a M54 winchester(getting close to 70 years old), an 82C Kimber, and a CZ 527FS. The CZ is by far and away the best buy and the best shooter. Mine doesn't have the set trigger, although I have a 223 527FS that does. I really don't miss the set trigger but it is useful on the bench. The NEF is great if prcie is a concern but the CZ 527 is an even better buy if you can afford them. You in all likelyhood have to get the NEF trigger worked on, not so the CZ..it's user adjustable..