I'm working on a mini falling block project for my youngest son. It will be a 22 Hornet of some kind. I'm not interested in velocity gains. Is there an advantage of useing the K Hornet over the stock dimensions? Longer case life? Easier loading?
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Lar45,

Perhaps there is a small advantage in having the K-Hornet over the standard configuration. Yes, you can load another grain or two and do get a little higher velocity, but you say that isn't a real consideration. That will extend the overal range a bit, but the thing I think is best is that you can headspace on the shoulder which will cut down on the case stretching and presumably will make the cases last a little longer. However, the brass is pretty cheap anyway, so longer case life isn't a big deal.

I do shoot a K-Hornet in a Contender carbine. With Nosler 40 grain Ballistic Tip bullets I routinely nail the prairie dogs at ranges beyond 200 yds., which I doubt you could routinely do with the standard Hornet. Even with headspacing on the shoulder, I still only get 8 reloadings from Winchester brass, although I have gotten as many as 12 from one set of 100. And even with headspacing on the shoulder, the most common case failure is head separation.

But either the standard or K version, the Hornet is an excellent way to start a youngster in the shooting sports.

Good luck,

Don Shearer

Thanks, maybe I'll go with the K Hornet. It might extend case life and then he can always turn up the volume later in life. I'm planning on makeing a youth dimensioned stock, but long, out to 14", drill some locating holes for future alignment, then cut off way short to start with. Then I can add sections back in as he grows.

..ditto to what Don said... he and I apparently are set up the same way with Contenders. The K version does seem to be pretty easy on brass... espeecially if you load to normal hornet velocities.. or if you wish, you can get low-end .222 Rem ballistics, and take what you can get in case life. I have loaded some of my Winchester brass 6 or 7 times with a 40gr bullet going about 3100 to 3150fps. I full length size mine every time, because of an article I read about Contenders, and frame stretch, by Mike Bellm....
..one minor advantage to the regular hornet, is that you can get the inexpensive but excellent collet neck sizing die from Lee. This really speeds up loading, not having to clean off case lube....