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Cast .22 bullets
- Thread starter Khornet
- Start date
john kilgore
New member
I've never seen them. They are a little more trouble to deal with as they're so small. I've shot thousands of them through my Hornets with excellent results. My mould is an old Lyman that I bought at a shop that had bought out another shop that had gone out of business after the original owner died (80+). They were new in box. They cast .226" and weigh 49.0 gr cast from wheelweight. I size them to .224" and heat treat them occasionaly, but have not found this to help.
I perfer 50/50 alox-bee's wax lube and Hornady gas checks.
I use some dedicated w-w brass and small pistol primers.
I've used the bullets w/o gas checks and Lee tumble lubed on 3.0gr of bullseye for about 1200fps for plinking and at 25yds shoot 1/4- 3/8", and seat them by had in cases that have only had the primer punched and re-primed, and then crimped in crimp die.
Going up the power spectrum, I've found that 4.5 gr of Unique gives about 1700fps and accuracy is about whatever the gun is capable of (my ruger m77/22 w 24" bbl shoots these to about 1.5"-2" @ 100yds 5-shots).
However my favorite is 7.0gr of SR-4759. It fills the case and gives me the best accuracy 1.0-1.4" @ 100yds.
As for performance on squirrels, we only have the gray variety and occasional fox in my area. The unique load is perfect, and gives essentially .22rf-mag performance w/solids.
I perfer 50/50 alox-bee's wax lube and Hornady gas checks.
I use some dedicated w-w brass and small pistol primers.
I've used the bullets w/o gas checks and Lee tumble lubed on 3.0gr of bullseye for about 1200fps for plinking and at 25yds shoot 1/4- 3/8", and seat them by had in cases that have only had the primer punched and re-primed, and then crimped in crimp die.
Going up the power spectrum, I've found that 4.5 gr of Unique gives about 1700fps and accuracy is about whatever the gun is capable of (my ruger m77/22 w 24" bbl shoots these to about 1.5"-2" @ 100yds 5-shots).
However my favorite is 7.0gr of SR-4759. It fills the case and gives me the best accuracy 1.0-1.4" @ 100yds.
As for performance on squirrels, we only have the gray variety and occasional fox in my area. The unique load is perfect, and gives essentially .22rf-mag performance w/solids.
LOL Khornet..............guess it's a geezer thing but I shoot a 45 grain Gas Check cast bullet in my 22-250. Dont know where to buy them though I cast them myself.
Found the mold on E-bay and got it for 20 bucks....it was brand new. Cast out of pure linotype and use a NRA lube. Size to .224 and use different powders to keep velocity to the 1900 FPS Range.
Deadly on squirrels and snakes and such.
Found the mold on E-bay and got it for 20 bucks....it was brand new. Cast out of pure linotype and use a NRA lube. Size to .224 and use different powders to keep velocity to the 1900 FPS Range.
Deadly on squirrels and snakes and such.
Cast .22 bullets?
The way I do is a little different than most. I use jacketed bullets in my regular .22 Hornet with 4.1 grains of UNIQUE. I get excellent groups with either the 45 or 55 grain Soft Point Jacketed bullets out to 25 yards. Many years ago I shot a
load of 7.3 grains of IMR 4227 with a 45 grain JSP out to 150 yards. Believe it or not the 4.1 Unique and the 7.3 gr of 4227 shoot to the same level.
The way I do is a little different than most. I use jacketed bullets in my regular .22 Hornet with 4.1 grains of UNIQUE. I get excellent groups with either the 45 or 55 grain Soft Point Jacketed bullets out to 25 yards. Many years ago I shot a
load of 7.3 grains of IMR 4227 with a 45 grain JSP out to 150 yards. Believe it or not the 4.1 Unique and the 7.3 gr of 4227 shoot to the same level.
Haven't tried them myself but Beartooth bullets sells them:
http://www.beartoothbullets.com/bulletselect/display.php?catagory=7
About the same price as jacketed however.
http://www.beartoothbullets.com/bulletselect/display.php?catagory=7
About the same price as jacketed however.
john kilgore
New member
The Bear tooth bullet is 60gr. It will probably not give adequate accuracy in Hornet for shooting squirrels.
There's a lot of derision written in rimfire.com about the Aguila 60gr load and it's poor accuracy.
I was even afraid that the 50gr Lyman bullet would not be good, but from the 1-14"twist barrels of the Rugers it shoots ok.
If you don't want to cast (You probably could set up and cast a thousand for what it would cost to buy 500), I would just buy some Remington 45gr soft pt. bullets from Wideners or Midway, and load with Unique to the velocity you want.
The 4.0gr load mentioned above would be about right.
The amount of damage done by a 45gr. jacketed load would probably be no more than the cast, and less than a .22rf-mag.. I've shot some squirrels with a 45gr Hornady Hornet's at full velocity (head shots) and still was able to put the squirrel in the pot.
Another good choice would be the 50gr Hi-vel. Sierra bullet which is jacketed and alloyed to shoot through .22-250's and .220 Swifts. It would expand little, and would be quite accurate.
Try the Bear-tooths though, you may have to work up your own data though as I've never see data for a Hornet w/60gr bullets.
A set of Lyman or RCBS moulds with Handles will run about $65.00. A Lee sizer is about $13.00 , and a 1,000 gas checks will run about $15.00. For shooting squirrels with 3.0 Bullseye, you could tumble lube the bullets and get acceptable accuracy to 40yds or so.
Good Luck !
There's a lot of derision written in rimfire.com about the Aguila 60gr load and it's poor accuracy.
I was even afraid that the 50gr Lyman bullet would not be good, but from the 1-14"twist barrels of the Rugers it shoots ok.
If you don't want to cast (You probably could set up and cast a thousand for what it would cost to buy 500), I would just buy some Remington 45gr soft pt. bullets from Wideners or Midway, and load with Unique to the velocity you want.
The 4.0gr load mentioned above would be about right.
The amount of damage done by a 45gr. jacketed load would probably be no more than the cast, and less than a .22rf-mag.. I've shot some squirrels with a 45gr Hornady Hornet's at full velocity (head shots) and still was able to put the squirrel in the pot.
Another good choice would be the 50gr Hi-vel. Sierra bullet which is jacketed and alloyed to shoot through .22-250's and .220 Swifts. It would expand little, and would be quite accurate.
Try the Bear-tooths though, you may have to work up your own data though as I've never see data for a Hornet w/60gr bullets.
A set of Lyman or RCBS moulds with Handles will run about $65.00. A Lee sizer is about $13.00 , and a 1,000 gas checks will run about $15.00. For shooting squirrels with 3.0 Bullseye, you could tumble lube the bullets and get acceptable accuracy to 40yds or so.
Good Luck !
John,
Thanks a lot! Will try it.
Are those the Aguila 'sniper' .22s, with the short case, supposedly subsonic? I tried those in my Model 52 with crappy results.
I've got lots of Unique and Bullseye, and 40 and 45 gr Sierras, so I'll go that route....but ultimately I'll cast.
Isn't squirrel hunting the greatest? Going with my boys tomorrow.
Thanks a lot! Will try it.
Are those the Aguila 'sniper' .22s, with the short case, supposedly subsonic? I tried those in my Model 52 with crappy results.
I've got lots of Unique and Bullseye, and 40 and 45 gr Sierras, so I'll go that route....but ultimately I'll cast.
Isn't squirrel hunting the greatest? Going with my boys tomorrow.
My K-Hornet
is an old Savage Model 219 break-open single shot rifle. The bore is not in the best shape, and I don't think I've ever gotten it below 1-3/4" 100 yd groups, but it's fun. The trajectory is so damn FLAT!
Today I tried Bullseye 3.0 gr with a TP over-powder wad and Sierra 45 gr Hornet bullets, 5 rd with .223 and 5 with .224, since I've never been sure which this old rifle is. At 50 yd these loads shoot about 6" low. Recoil just about nothing. The report is still a loud crack, louder then .22RF Hi speed. With .224 the group was about 3" and erratic. With .223 it was 2" with no fliers.
Next up: 3.2 gr with 45 gr .223, and 3.0 gr with 40 gr bullet...can't remember whether I have .223 or .224. Found out I was out of Unique.
Anybody ever try W231?
is an old Savage Model 219 break-open single shot rifle. The bore is not in the best shape, and I don't think I've ever gotten it below 1-3/4" 100 yd groups, but it's fun. The trajectory is so damn FLAT!
Today I tried Bullseye 3.0 gr with a TP over-powder wad and Sierra 45 gr Hornet bullets, 5 rd with .223 and 5 with .224, since I've never been sure which this old rifle is. At 50 yd these loads shoot about 6" low. Recoil just about nothing. The report is still a loud crack, louder then .22RF Hi speed. With .224 the group was about 3" and erratic. With .223 it was 2" with no fliers.
Next up: 3.2 gr with 45 gr .223, and 3.0 gr with 40 gr bullet...can't remember whether I have .223 or .224. Found out I was out of Unique.
Anybody ever try W231?
219 Savage
I also have an old 219 Savage(along with Ruger #1, Winchester 43 and Ruger 77/22H) All are K-Hornets except the #1. The Lyman 50 gr cast bullet with 1.0gr (one grain) of Bullseye makes a good squirrel load. It will penetrate about 2 " of pine board and make noise like a cap pistol. Another load that I used a lot was 8.0 gr of 4227 with the 50gr Lyman cast bullet. For prairie dogs I use 13.5 gr of AA1680 and 37 gr Calhoon HP. This load has accounted for several thousand praire dogs over ten trips out West.
Keep Your Powder Dry (KYPD)
Bob
I also have an old 219 Savage(along with Ruger #1, Winchester 43 and Ruger 77/22H) All are K-Hornets except the #1. The Lyman 50 gr cast bullet with 1.0gr (one grain) of Bullseye makes a good squirrel load. It will penetrate about 2 " of pine board and make noise like a cap pistol. Another load that I used a lot was 8.0 gr of 4227 with the 50gr Lyman cast bullet. For prairie dogs I use 13.5 gr of AA1680 and 37 gr Calhoon HP. This load has accounted for several thousand praire dogs over ten trips out West.
Keep Your Powder Dry (KYPD)
Bob