I built a .22 Hornet in the 70's. (Falling Block Works action.) Barrel is 18" with a 1/16 twist. Time to rechamber for another (non hornet.) cartridge.

There have been many new cartridges since 1976, and I am taking suggestions as to an accurate one. What do you have out there.

I do not want to set the barrel back, and rimless cartridges are off of table because of extractor alterations needed.

Any favorites?

THANKS!!!

RT

With a barrel of that twist 1-16" the best bullets are the hornet weight ones around 46 grains and lighter. Unless you rebarrel, I don't see much point in a rechamber to anything with a much larger capacity. A K-hornet or an AI Bee would work better but these have been around since well before 1976.

Depends on how much case prep you want to get into. .219 DW, .225 Win, 22 30-30 on the high end and .218 bee, .22 Hornet AI and similar on the lower end.

If the gun would handle it I like .225 Win and shooting 40-45 gr. bullets.

If you don't mind forming cases, you can make a rimmed version of the 221 fireball by using 360 dan wesson cases (a 1.40" long 357 mag). I had a 218 mashburn bee, but didn't care for the short neck. I also find the slightly larger 357 basic case easier to handle.

There is also the 5.56X50R, sort of a rimmed .223, though it is a longer case.

I wish you would reconsider about the Hornet. Ream out to K-Hornet and you can get 3000+ fps. I have both a regular Hornet and K-Hornet and love them both.

rt-

The action you mention, Falling Block Works, does it look like a little cute miniature 1885?
I think that is the brand of action I have laying around.
It has really crisp sharp corners.
I have had it for years and years, so count me in on this discussion.

I have two 218 Mashburn Bee's on two Martini actions and I absolutely love them.

-Spencer

The action does look like an 1885. It attaches to the stock via a through bolt. A problem with the design was that the bolt angle was to steep and with a stock over about 10" ..it was came out the toe of the stock. I altered two actions by

1. milling the cast portion in the action away and silver soldered in a section of steel to allowed a different angle, and allowed me to mount a flip up tang sight. (Never make a tang sight when you can buy one...not worth the time.) the top of the piece was made to conform to the grip section of the action.

The second action was altered by milling a "tuning folk" piece, and attaching it to the action via screws through the action sides. This allowed me to: mill scallops into the action sides, for a pleasing look instead of the factory right angle rear of action look, and to move the through bolt attachment forward. The fork portion straddled the trigger swing.

The action are strong but they did sell actions that had casting pits, so watch for them.
(Both of mine did. ) The company was bought and sold several times I understand and were design changes. I sold the second and superior design some years ago, and still have the first design. The hammer needs work to remove the sharp corner, or your thumb becomes sore from cocking it. Also the trigger can have a travel limiter imstalled. I do not think that I would choose the Hornet again because the extractor did not extend far enough to the right to have a firm grip on the case.
I would buy one again though for another caliber. If you like to tinker, it will be a great project for you!

I am looking at the .225 Winchester for the rechamber...no custom dies or case forming. I will be limited to sub 55 grain bullets, but that is OK.

The Hornet chamber is to long to allow the Bee chamber, or a .357 Mag. based round. The .357 Max. based .221 sounds interesting, but case forming is not my thing. Seems as if my other choices require hard to obtain cases or custom reamer/ dies. So the nod seems ot go to the .225 Win.

Attaching the forearm was a not a joy to overcome. Either one makes a hanger and attaches it to the action below the barrel shank, or attaches to the barrel. I tried both. the former was more difficult but yielded better results, the latter, MUCH easier, but inferior accuracy results. With a stiff barrel, the latter would be easier and net similiar results.

Mfg. in Rochester, Mich. I bought mine in the fall of 1975 and spring 1976.

Hope this was of interest.

RT

Go for the .225 Winchester. A 1-16 twist will spin the Sierra 50 gr SPT just fine. The rage in .224" is the 40 gr Nosler anyway so your in fine shape with that twist.

Great news, thanks.
Another vote for the 225, neat old obsolete round.
I have alot of factory ammo available if interested.

I always thought I would make a 17 Ackley Bee little hunting rifle.
I have a really pretty rifle stock that was snapped in half so I think I can salvage enough wood off of it to make a light cute stock.

With all the spare time I have of course.

-Spencer