Don't ask me, I've got 527's in .17Hornet, .204 Ruger, .22 Hornet, .222 Rem., .223 Rem. and 7.62x39....I say buy 'em all. My .222 loves Nosler Varmaggedon 40gr FBHP's, my .22 Hornet loves Hornady 35gr Vmaxes, I think I'll be hard pressed to better either one with reloads.

 

Well, since you already have the .222...I'd start researching reduced loads. I don't think that the Hornet would be appreciably more quiet. Don't have a Hornet but have heard a few and they, too, are quite noisy.

 

I definitely agree. You can do reduced loads in a Triple 2, but can you jack up performance in the Hornet if you need it? NO. If you even try the brass life will go to crap and honestly it is already crap. That is the main reason why I will never buy one. If I was given one I might have it....until I could sell it. The 22H has been around a while and if you talk to some Old Timers they will surely bring up the kryptonite re: the brass. IF you never plan to reload and just shoot factory stuff then I guess buy it. Since I reload I see no reason to own it. It is kind of a dog when compared to the Triple 2, Fireball, Bee, Zipper, and anything else you can think of. Heck, the new .22 TCM will most likely light it up too. Out of a pistol it is over 2,100 fps.

 

Hey guys I need some advice on the 22 Hornet...So what would you advise I do ??

If you have to choose between them, I vote 222. It is much less finicky, and much more versatile. I have had a half dozen of both in a variety of guns. Will keep my ultimate 222, and I no longer own a Hornet at all.

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You have a couple of issues to resolve. One, if you don't have time to reload cartridges you'll never get the best out of either the 222 or a 22 Hornet. Second, do really want both? If not, the real compromise between the two is the 221 Fireball, another offering in a CZ 527 American. Decisions, decisions! Good luck.

 

Have to agree on Fireball. Mine is the most accurate rifle I ever owned, and that statement is not made lightly. Been around the 22 centerfire block more times than I can recount. Still, the 222 is no slouch.

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You better get loading that 222, awfully fun to shoot those rifles. Just pulling your chain Signalman. I have had a couple Hornets and keep thinking about getting another but I wouldn't keep passing up shooting weather.

 

I thought this was a settled issue? Quit stalling and get the Hornet!

 

yeah signal what the hell lol :bthumb:

 

I've got the 527 in 22 hornet this is one sweet rifle,two stage trigger ,one at 3 lbs one at 1.5 absolutely loves any factory round i've put through it.Deadly out to 250 yds with any 45 grain configuration,especially Hornady 45 gr soft point.Winchester 45 gr hollow point puts a hole in varmints that could be mistaken for a 223 round.A real sleeper more accuracy for hunting than it needs to be. I don't handload you could probably do wonders with it. Sold my Tikka 223 for the hornet and have no regrets.

 

Get the .222 and never look back. You can load the .222 down to duplicate .22 Hornet loads or load the .222 to potential. If you get the .22 Hornet, you will be limited to Hornet potential.

I've owned many .222 rifles over the years and it's a sweet cartridge. I have no experience with the Hornet but what I read would make me hesitate to buy one. The case isn't easy to reload according to what I read.

The Hornet lovers will no doubt take me to task but I see no reason to own a Hornet when the .222 will do everything it will and more. Your chances of getting an accurate .222 are excellent.

 

You have a 222. Your bride said you could have another rifle in 22 Hornet and you are asking us what to do!?

 

My opinion is...
After shooting T/c Contenders in Hornet and .222
Just stick with the triple deuce.

As far as reloading goes.
The triple deuce is much easier to load for.
The Hornets a little bit more tricky..
And picky.
.222 will shoot just about any load combination very well.

 

If you want more quieter get a CZ 22 and shoot velocitors. Maybe throw a Grand Slam on top to quell your regurge aversion to rimfire.

 

Switching from a .222 to a .22 Hornet sure would not be my choice. Check into reduced loads for your .222 using H4895 powder.

 

Sig, don't even talk to us until you get a CZ in regular old .22 caliber. As I recall, you have everything but.

 

I think the OP has the right idea, and all y'all are trying to talk him out of it.

I have three .22 Hornets and contrary to popular opinion it is not hard to hand load.

Brass varies a bit by brand with Hornady being the smallest volume, and Remington being the largest (with Winchester and PPU being right in the middle).

The .22 Hornet performs well with Lil Gun in the lighter bullet weights, while 2400 and 296/ H110 work well with heavier bullets.

I have yet to see a Hornet that would not shoot sub MOA with Hornady 35 gr V-Max bullets and if the rifling twist si fast enough a .22 Hornet will shoot the 40 gr V-max just as well. 2 of mine are 1/2 MOA 5 shot group rifles with 40 gr V-max hand loads.

Mine also shoot the 30 gr Barnes varmint grenade very well and it's a great inexpensive bullet to shoot.

Small pistol primers can help groups with easier to ignite powders and the harder to ignite variety do well with a standard small rifle primer.

Neck sizing is your friend with the .22 Hornet to extend brass life, and the .22 Hornet is best off loaded for accuracy rather than trying to milk maximum velocity out of it. But since you already have a .222, there's no need for max performance with a .22 Hornet. If you really want more velocity, then ream it out to .22 K-hornet. The sharper shoulder improves brass life as well.

Otherwise, you are correct, the report on the .22 Hornet is a lot milder than the higher pressure .222 and .223 and it's a great little caliber to have when the ranges are in the 200-250 yard range and the neighbors are close where noise matters.

 

The only reason I got the Hornet. It is **** fun to shoot.

 

+1 I enjoy the Hornet more than any 223 ,222 I ever owned and there's been a few.The round is surprisingly deadly,I've never felt undergunned out to 250 yards,most shots in Northeast Ohio are under 200. Plenty of good factory fodder out there,and in all honesty they all work well even the cheap PPU stuff.My CZ 527 American is not picky shoots 35 to 45 grain with deadly results.

 

Note to everyone who apparently did not read the OP's initial post.

He says this:

"I already have a CZ 527 in 222 that I just got..."

and this:

"I have the hots for another 527 in 22 Hornet. I have everything but time to reload the 222. The 22 Hornet looks so nice and is a smaller quieter round...the factory 222 is too much like shooting a 223 being loud and proud right for the moment."

So telling him to get a .222 is a waste of band width, as he already has one, he just wants something that is a little quieter to shoot, and he's exploring the option of a .22 Hornet versus developing light loads for his .222.

This is a no brainer guys.

1) He's already got approval from the SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed) to get another rifle;

2) .22 Hornet has much softer report than a .222;

3) I have yet to find a quality bolt action like the CZ 527 that won't print sub MOA groups with Hornady factory 35 gr V-max, and provided the rifling twist is fast enough, Hornady factory 40 gr V-Max; and

4) .22 Hornet is also very easy to hand load, and getting a sub MOA load doesn't take much work. The 40 gr V-max is a great place to start.

 

My first 22 Hornet was a CZ527FS It was joined later by a couple of Contender barrels, a 12" and a custom shop 20". Later a CZ Lux in 22 Hornet moved in to form a happy Hornet family. I hereby cast four votes for a CZ 527 22 Hornet! Buy one, you will not be disappointed!
FM

 

I have two 527 and my approach was to select just one round ( I went 223) and two styles of gun. In my case, carbine and euro varmint.

With 22mag and 223, I dont feel the need to fill in any performance/noise gap.

Another way to go is look at the 550 line up and go big. These tend to be heavy and best suited for 30-06, 9.3 etc on up to stuff like 416 rigby.

 

The .223 to .22 WMR gap is maybe worth discussing relative to the SAAMI data.

The.22 WMR shows the following loads (all velocities in a test barrel):

28 gr JHP (lead free), 2175 fps
30 gr JHP, 2200 fps
33 gr PT, 1950 fps
34 gr JHO, 2075 fps
40 gr FMC, HSP, SP, 1875 fps
45 gr LHP, 1550 fps
50 gr JHP, 1650 fps,

The maximum average pressure (MAP) for the .22 WMR is 24,000 psi, but because the .22WMR is noted to have much more variation in pressure than .22 LR, it has a 2400 psi standard deviation with a maximum probable sample mean (MPSM) of 27,800 psi.

SAAMI data for the .22 Hornet shows the following loads:

33 gr, 3040 fps
34 gr, 2985 fps
35 gr, 3040 fps
45-46 gr, 2655 fps

The MAP is 49,000 psi with a MPSM of 52,100 psi.

SAAMI data for the .222 shows the following loads:

40gr, 3370 fps
40 gr, 3570 fps
50-52 gr, 3110 fps
55 gr, 3000 fps

The MAP is 50,000 psi with a MPSM of 53,200 psi.

-----

There are not many apples to apples comparisons in terms of bullet weight, mostly because the SAAMI data does not show a 40 gr load for the .22 Hornet. In my own experience I get a an average velocity of 2,857 fps with the 40 gr V-Max in a 20" barrel and that's in the ball park for factory data for similar 40 gr bullets - 2,850 fps for the 40 gr Nosier ballistic tip, and 2800 fps for the Hornady 40 gr VG FB.

Consequently with a 40 gr bullet you get:

.22 WMR = 1,875 fps
.22 Hornet = 2,850 fps
.222 = 3,570 fps

That puts the .22 Hornet 1000 fps over the .22 WMR and 700 fps slower than the .222.

Practically speaking, the .22 Hornet works better when launched a little slower, and despite getting superb accuracy with the Hornady 35 gr V-max factory load (3100 fps published, 3009 fps in my 20" rifles) I find my best accuracy at around 2700 fps with the 40 gr V-max and 2770 fps with the Barnes 30 gr VG (although I don't pay much of an accuracy penalty at 3017 fps with the 30 gr VG).

That puts the .22 Hornet squarely in between the .22 WMR and the .222.

Ballistic data shows the following:

.22 WMR Remington 40 gr JSP at 1910 fps

161 yard point blank range (+/-3") with a 140 yard zero, 6" low at 200 yards, 12" low at 250 yards and it goes sub sonic at 161 yards.

.22 Hornet 40 gr Nosler ballistic tip, 2,850 fps

260 yard point blank range (+/-3") with a 225 yard zero, 6" low at 290 yards, 12" low at 325 yards, and it goes sub sonic at 550 yards.

.222 Remington 40 gr Nosler ballistic tip, 3450 fps

306 yard point blank range (+/-3") with a 265 yard zero, 6" low at 340 yards, 12" low at 385 yards, and it goes sub sonic at 690 yards.

In that regard, the .222 doesn't gain all that much over a .22 Hornet, but the .22 is able to launch a heavier bullet at .22 Hornet trajectories:

.222 Remington 50 gr Nosler ballistic tip, 3025 fps

275 yard point blank range (+/-3") with a 240 yard zero, 6" low at 305 yards, 12" low at 350 yards, and it goes sub sonic at 640 yards.

.222 Remington 55 gr FMJ, 2789 fps

250 yard point blank range (+/-3") with a 215 yard zero, 6" low at 275 yards, 12" low at 315 yards, and it goes sub sonic at 510 yards.

So the advantage of the .222 over the .22 Hornet in terms of practical field performance is 12-15 grains more bullet weight with the same trajectory, or alternatively, about 60 yards more effective range with the same bullet weight.

But the .22 Hornet gives you a 100 yard range advantage over the .22 WMR and it gives you some better options in terms of higher BC and reduced wind drift.

 

Model 52...sir thank you for the research and advice...but the "SWMBO" made me fall of my chair :bthumb:

Guys its too late now: the CZ 527 American in 22 Hornet has already been ordered and paid for.

Thank you for all those who gave advice :bthumb: and Gobble~Gobble

Signalman

 

You won't regret it,just be aware wind can be a factor with the 35 grain v-max at times,not so much with the 40/45 grain. On another note the 35 grain Hornady will turn any varmints lungs to jello,i'm not kidding either.Farthest runner with yotes is 25 yards max,mostly drt with a sudden stiffening up and a few tails sweeps,lights out.I'm going to try and figure how to post a few pics,to back up my claims.

 

Signalman,

I think you will have fun with both your 22 Hornet and 222. Now you just have to get on the ball and do some reloading, it's half the fun!

Have a Great Thanksgiving!!

 

Good going Signalman1, but I would have lost money if someone would have wanted to bet on what you'd buy. Knowing your penchant for a certain stock design I would have given odds you would buy a Lux. Shows what I know.

 

NNT...Sir I went to the Shot Show in Vegas earlier this year (January) and it took me a long time handling both the 527 American and a Lux they had on display...the Lux was fantastic looking but the pistol grip just was not there for a hunting rifle...the angle was not very comfortable for me as a walking hunting rifle...now if I was mostly shooting from a bench then the Lux would have been the call of the day. Besides the 527 American I bought in 222 (February) got a stock change to my favorite style. I love FS rifles without sights.



Signalman