I'm considering taking the plunge and try reloading and need some advice. I'd like to reload something that is fairly quiet with little recoil. I have some 22 mag rifles and would like something similar but preferably more accurate. Long range isn't too important, I can't hit anything past about 150-200 yards anyway! I want it to be something easy to reload for starting out. Thanks!

22 CCM or 22 hornet are good choices.

My $.02 worth.

regards,
Graycg

A good .22 Hornet.

In general I would agree with the other posts - .22 hornet is a reasonable choice. However I don't think it is the easiest cartridge to reload. Due to the thinness of the brass it is prone to runout, which can be overcome if you use Forster benchrest dies or similar. Also, some Hornets need the bullet seated quite deep in order to function in the magazine, meaning that you can't play around with seating depth, which many shooters like to do in order to try to improve accuracy.

If you can put up with the extra noise, a .223 would seem like a good choice, with cheap brass - and a much wider choice of rifles available. You will probably find it easier to get great accuracy from the .223.

However, if you only want a "small" step up from the .22 WMR, get a Hornet. It will still seem a LOT more noisy than your .22WMR.

Patrick

22 hornet

I'd get a .22 Hornet or .218 Bee. I'd also recommend the Contender or G2... Look it is fun, will do what you want and you can build on it. Groundhogs are NOT DG! Neither cartridge is difficult to load for and you can have "traditional" performance (which is perfectly acceptable for your use) or rather racy performance with 35-40 gr. BT type bullets and L'ilGun. Recoil is mild, muzzle blast is mild, powder usage is half that of the .223 Rem (although you can load it down, you'll still use more powder). I have all 3 (Hornet, Bee and .223) and if I could have but one it would be the Bee!

Whatever you do, have fun.

I would agree with the post that said the Hornet is not the easiest thing for a beginner to reload because of the thin brass and very shallow shoulder. The old .222 would be perfect--a very easy round to load for, the right intensity for you, and the brass lasts forever--but they aren't so common anymore. You'd be best off getting a .223, I think. It has most of the advantages of the .222, plus it's very common. You can load it down as mild as you want with fast powders, and if you get one that's really accurate you can load for longer distance.

GA hunter, I just re-read your post, question I have is, do your 22 mags that DO hit at the range you are shooting kill cleanly and you are looking for more accuracy -or- you want better accuracy and more power?
I have two very accurate 22 mags and easily hit and kill at 125-150 yards when I do my part. I also have a 22 hornet and that give me another 35-50 yards of accuracy. Maybe you just need a more accurate 22 mag or to accurize one that you already have.
Just trying to save you some money if appropriate.

regards,
Graycg

Graycg, I guess I'd like a little more power to shoot a crow at 200yds. Sounds like maybe a 223 is the way to go. I need something easy to reload, the 22 hornet sounds a little more difficult. I've got a Cooper 22 mag that will shoot 1 inch groups most of the time but occasionaly I'll get a flyer. I'd like something a little more accurate.

[ 07-20-2003, 21:07: Message edited by: gahunter2 ]

I like the 222 and you can load it down to where you want...The Hornet is a good option.

If you have to reach out to 200 yards I'd suggest the .222Rem. It's probably the most accurate caliber to be found in normal production rifles. If you're limited to 150 yards the Hornet will do nicely. It also is pretty accurate. While the .222 is louder than the Hornet, the others are louder still. I thing these two are your best choices. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

I would also agree with the 222 Remington. Top flight Brass from Lapua; Dies from everyone; and that beautiful long neck. It is a pleasure to reload; is not picky on appropriate powders; and to "learn" all the various aspects of reloading it is an excellent choice. Looking at the above three guys that are suggesting the 222 and you will find a tremendous amount of practical and field experience behind their recommendation. I am not in their league of expertise; but I have loaded the Triple deuce for 25 years now; and it is a wonderful; well behaved cartridge.

Why the 222 and not the 223? I thought they were about the same. Thanks.

7.5 grains of AA#5 in a 223 gives 1800 fps with a 55 grain bullet, and a magnum primer. It is not close to maximum pressure. I haven't tested consistency on this round, but for something easy to reload, with plenty of brass around, this might be the ticket.

The .223 is almost identical to the .222 Magnum, and both have a deal more juice than the regular .222. I have a nice old M700 varmint special in .222 that will shoot .25" groups with 3 or 4 different bullets. It's about as nice a mild varmint round as you'd ever care to meet. If I really wanted to shoot varmints further than the .222 can reach, I would go straight to a .22-250 or Swift. (or just shoot 75gr Sierras in my .257AI).

If I wanted a thrifty, accurate .222, by the way, I'd look for a Remington M788 in that caliber. You can easily find one of those in nice condition for chump change, partly because they are plain as fudge, but their accuracy with handloads varies from very good to astounding.

Gahunter,

Well, having originally suggested the .223 I have a small confession. I think it's a very good round, but the .223 isn't for me personally. I have a .222. The suggestion of the .223 was more to do with economy than anything else.

The .222 is a really sweet round, no question. I trust mine as much as anything else I own.

Apart from differences in cartridge capacity you may well find twist-rate differences, especially if a .223 rifle is intended for military use. This faster twist is to make .223 rifles shoot heavier bullets well. The slower twist in the .222 is perfect for bullets in the 40-50 grain department.

So the bottom line is:

If noise is an issue, get a Hornet

If cost is an issue, get a .223

Otherwise get a .222.

(Get a .22-250 if you really WANT loud noises)

Patrick

Here's the easy one. Get a .223, more models, cheap ammo if you want it, BUT since you want to handload just load 40-45 gr(not 55gr) with 12.5 gr of Blue Dot powder and there are Hornet ballistics, about 2500-2600 fps. Look in some cast bullet manuals and they will show loads for Unique powder to bring speed down to about 2000fps. Stay with light bullets, heavies need speed to stabilize.

.22 K Hornet, or .218 Mashburn Bee. Maybe a .221 Fireball in a rifle. Both the K Hornet and Mashburn Bee are easier to reload for than a straight Hornet, and cases last a lot longer too.

[ 07-22-2003, 15:34: Message edited by: eldeguello ]

Thanks for all the suggestions! Some fellas on another board suggested 221 Fireball. I bought a Remington Classic 221 Fireball a while back. Shot it yesterday for the first time. All of the groups (yes ALL) shot were under 1". Some groups, all the holes were touching! There was little recoil and the noise wasn't too bad either. I think this is the one to reload!

...as much as I like the hornet, or the K-Hornet, for what you describe, I'd have to go along with the .222 Rem.... or, like others have suggested, the .221 Fireball..... If I gave up my K-Hornet for anything, it would probably be a good .222... it's amazingly accurate, and quite a bit quieter than a .223, without giving up too much power to the military round..... I'm just a sucker for an efficient "polite" cartridge.. and the Hornet and the .222 (and the .221) fit that description, in my opinion.

I gotta tell you, I know my ears are pretty warn out from too many years of shipboard life and shooting, but I'd be really hard pressed to tell the difference in sound between the 19 grains of 4198 going off under a 50 grain bullet in my 222 Sako or the 21 grains of 4198 going off in my 223 with the same bullet. I like both rounds immensely, but I can hear the difference between a hornet and a 222, but really can't hear the difference between 222, 222RMI or 223.

just my $.02 worth.

regards,
Graycg