I am newbie for small bore centerfire rifles, so my apology for silly questions.

I found older CZ/Brno 22 Hornet (model Fox?), with collapsible peep sight. Rifle is in very nice shape and I can get it for very reasonable price. The problem is that I would really like 223 rifle so this 22 Hornet is not high on my list.

Question: can smith rechamber this 22 Hornet to 223, is magazine long enough to accept 223 round, and how about rifling twist, is too slow for 60 or 68 gr bullets? Should I just pass it and bite the bullet and get 527 Lux in 223, can this one shoot heavier bullets so I can hunt coyotes and wolves on 200-300 yards. Thanks, Onty.

Not at all feasable to rechamber to 223. The bolt face is different, and the magazine will not accept the 223 round. An option would be to rechamber to K - Hornet.

Hello,
I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, but believe it is more involved than just rechamering even if that was possible. Doubt that the mag would accept the considerable longer 223 round. I seem to remember that the bullets/diameter of 22Hornet is not the std. .223??? You would most likely be money ahead to purchase rifle already set up for the 223 and in either 9 or 8 twist to shoot the heavier bullets. Is the CZ you mention have a twist of 8 or 9?? Good luck.

martin

Onty,

I sent you a PM.

If it's a good price then buy it! It may or may not have a 223 bore. It doesn't matter! If you are a reloader and you want to chamber it to 223 then consider loading it hot with 55gr bullets over a compressed charge of Lil'Gun. Hornets al used to be 1 in 16 twist and that will stabilize a 60gr Hornady spire point but I found the 55gr to be flatter shooting and hits just as hard. I shot feral goats with mine. For cayote, I believe a lighter bullet driven faster would be quite fine if not better. With 40gr bullets it is possible to get 3100fps using Lil'Gun with no more than crimping the neck (and compressing the powder quite a bit). Pressure stays mild with lighter bullets but with 55grainers it is quite easy to open the primer pocket! Just use R-P cases - they have a larger capacity. With the correct loading technique, the standard hornet can actually outperform the K-hornet using Lil'Gun (to do with the very shallow 'shoulder' angle and long neck). I doubt it would be good for 300yds, though.

Good luck!

Buy it; you may find you like it so well you don't need a .223. If not, it will make a great trade in for a .223. Those flip up peeps are really cool.

I think I am going to pass this one. Friend is now chasing me to let him buy it. Since I will be hunting in quite hilly areas where shooting distance is either 50 yards from the rock, or 300 on another side of canyon, I think that 223 is a better choice. Thanks to all.

quote:

Originally posted by Onty:
I am newbie for small bore centerfire rifles, so my apology for silly questions.

I found older CZ/Brno 22 Hornet (model Fox?), with collapsible peep sight. Rifle is in very nice shape and I can get it for very reasonable price. The problem is that I would really like 223 rifle so this 22 Hornet is not high on my list.

Question: can smith rechamber this 22 Hornet to 223, is magazine long enough to accept 223 round, and how about rifling twist, is too slow for 60 or 68 gr bullets? Should I just pass it and bite the bullet and get 527 Lux in 223, can this one shoot heavier bullets so I can hunt coyotes and wolves on 200-300 yards. Thanks, Onty.

Tell your friend who wants to buy the rifle to go play in the street.. You should buy that rifle as it is one of the very best 22 Hornet rifles ever built. And, leave it exacly like you buy it, as a 22 Hornet. You don't often find a BRNO Fox in 22 Hornet for sale, so tell your friend to bug out of the deal and you buy it. You had first choice on the rifle, didn't you?
You can always use a 22 Hornet in your arsenal, for shots out to 150 yards, + or - a few yards.
Let me repeat, BRNO Rifles are AWESOME...
I began reloading for a Winchester Model 54 in 22 Hornet in 1948; it was my Step Father's rifle. So, I have much love for the Hornet.
You can get any of several rifles being made today in 223, but you won't find a BRNO Fox in 22 Hornet often.
End of Homily/Sermon..
Don

I hope he is a good friend! At least get him to join our forum.

But if you are wanting to shoot 300yds routinely, shouldn't you be considering a rifle with some range, like a 22-250? At least that caliber doesn't have to be loaded to max all the time.

quote:

Originally posted by Onty:
I am newbie for small bore centerfire rifles, so my apology for silly questions.

I found older CZ/Brno 22 Hornet (model Fox?), with collapsible peep sight. Rifle is in very nice shape and I can get it for very reasonable price. The problem is that I would really like 223 rifle so this 22 Hornet is not high on my list.

Question: can smith rechamber this 22 Hornet to 223, is magazine long enough to accept 223 round, and how about rifling twist, is too slow for 60 or 68 gr bullets? Should I just pass it and bite the bullet and get 527 Lux in 223, can this one shoot heavier bullets so I can hunt coyotes and wolves on 200-300 yards. Thanks, Onty.

Onty, if you're in Australia or New Zealand, let me know... and how much the seller wants... even i you're Stataeside, let me know the price - it may be worth my while paying for the export stuff to get it here to Australia.

I've been trying to get my hands on one of those Foxes for ages....

Can they rechambered to 223? I doubt it, the mag wouldn't be long enough for starters. As to bore diameter, may not be an issue depending on how old the rifle is.. more recent Hornets had the usual 224 bore..

If you're after a 223, I'd recommend the 527 American (I have had one for years) and it gets used for everything from walkabout hunting through culling under spotlight to Military service shooting...

I know for a fact that it's had 4000 rounds of Mil Ammo (Win Ball) through it, and more than that number of handloads through it... and it's still a sub MOA rifle. How do I know the numbers? I've bought 4 cases (1000) each of Win White Box Ball ammo (when they were available here) kept the shells, reloaded once or more and then discarded, and I've had to buy factory ammo on occasion.

Why do I want the little Fox? Rechamber to 218Bee...

I have a new CZ 22 Hornet that came from the factory with a black fiberglass stock via special order for a midwest gun distributor. With the 45 gr Hornady A-MAX and a stiff load of Win 296 powder it will shoot a 3/8ths in one hole five shot group at 100 yards. The rifle has a long thing sporter barrel. There is no way I'm messing with changing this rifle. By the way being new the damn thing has a very tight groove and definitely isn't a .224 centerfire dimension. Strange as most American Hornets today have a .224 groove.

Joe

quote:

With the 45 gr Hornady A-MAX .... one hole five shot group at 100 yards. .... definitely isn't a .224 centerfire dimension.

I suspect the way to go for hornet accuracy is 224 bullets in a 223 bore. I would guess your MV to be in the region of 3100fps?

quote:

Originally posted by 303Guy:

quote:

With the 45 gr Hornady A-MAX .... one hole five shot group at 100 yards. .... definitely isn't a .224 centerfire dimension.

I suspect the way to go for hornet accuracy is 224 bullets in a 223 bore. I would guess your MV to be in the region of 3100fps?

No no it wasn't. Don't remember off the top of my head, but was of normal Hornet velocities for that weight bullet. Funny too the case or primer showed no evidence of high pressure. You remember old Ackney said the main pressure is to initially engrave the bullet? Maybe it doesn't make too much a difference if it's over size. We know cast doesn't, really.

Joe

Starmetal

13 gr H110 under a 40 gr Sierra .224 Hornet bullet uns 3050 fps out of my #3. 12.5 gr H110 under the hornady 45 gr Hornet runs 2900 fps out of my Savage m40. 13 gr Lil'gun under the 45 Hornady runs 2950 fps and is more accurate.

Larry Gibson

Buy it. The Hornet is a great little caliber when used within its capabilities.
The older Brno's are the best rifles for that round ever built.

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Gibson:
Starmetal

13 gr H110 under a 40 gr Sierra .224 Hornet bullet uns 3050 fps out of my #3. 12.5 gr H110 under the hornady 45 gr Hornet runs 2900 fps out of my Savage m40. 13 gr Lil'gun under the 45 Hornady runs 2950 fps and is more accurate.

Larry Gibson

Well I have some of those still loaded up Larry....I'll put them across the chrono tomr if I have a chance.

quote:

13 gr Lil'gun under the 45 Hornady runs 2950 fps and is more accurate.

I'm putting 13.7gr under a 55gr bullet. That works well! I do have a rather long throated gun. All in all, I have probably had more fun with my hornet than any other rifle. It only gives way to a 223 at longer ranges.

quote:

Friend is now chasing me to let him buy it.

You have a wise friend.

quote:

I found older CZ/Brno 22 Hornet (model Fox?), with collapsible peep sight. Rifle is in very nice shape and I can get it for very reasonable price.

Buy it and give it to me!

Larry and 303guy...I chronoed that Win 296 load and it's 2723 fps out of my 24 inch barrel CZ. I also apologize I meant to say the bullet is a 40 gr V-MAX.

Joe

Thanks starmetal. I know a guy who loads 40gr bullets on top of so much Lil'Gun he has to compress it twice to get it all in! He says he gets around 3100fps. With Lil'Gun, that is not an overload, even by SAAMI standards. (My load is! But my cases last forever so it can't bee too bad).

..the old BRNO you all are talking about..Is that the Model 465??
If it is, I do get to see them in gunshops now and then here in denmark. I have been tempted to get one...Nice little rifle