Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Loading 223s to duplicate 22 Hornet loads?

Since the price of 22 Hornets is kinda sky high like everything else nowadays, and I have an abundance of 223s, I am looking at two of my Sporters ones... to load them to be equal to a 22 Hornet, but using 55 grain Bullets...

55 grain Bullets are bought in the bulk stocks, so they are cheap...

I am using both of these rifles as walking varminters for walks in the woods, when time permits... Oregon is pretty wet in the winter, so trying to go for walks when it is not playing monsoon... As my son jokes, It only rains once a year in Oregon... from NOV to MAY....

The two rifles I am using are an ADL in 223, with a 6 power Weaver on it, and the other is a 1980s vintage Model 70 Featherweight, with a 3 x 9 Leupold on it...

I don't need 223 power on this walks, being in thick brush along the trails and also figure the 22 Hornet speeds will allow me to be able to really stretch out the barrel life on these two rifles...

So anyone else doing stuff like this?

if so, what are your loads and bullets you choose.. and what kind of service are you putting the rifle in? Like Coyotes, or just the target of occasion, that you feel the world could get along with one less of at the moment?

What is the barrel life on a 22 Hornet or K Hornet Anyway???

Think .221 Fireball..............

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I have posted reduced loads on this forum and got negative responses. Like "if you want a hornet then buy a Hornet" or "why load a 22-250 down to 223...you should have just used a 223.." and other like comments. I shoot reduced loads in my 22-250 that match the 222. Those loads are great for a walking gun and targets of opportunity. I can carry both reduced loads and standard 22-250 loads and have the equal of two guns. It works for me.

As for barrel life, I don't have a clue but it has to be much longer than full house loads. A 50 grain bullet from a 22-250 at about 3000 fps is a very pleasant round to shoot. A 223 at around 2500 fps is also be a great fun.

2400, Blue Dot, and others make good reduced loads.

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My rifle likes both the 40gr BT and V-max and I had bought some AA 5744 to shoot reduced loads. 12grs of it would push the 40gr bullets at 2100fps, so it was more like 22 WMR than Hornet. I kind of forgot about it because I would have to change the sight in on the scope so much between the regular and reduced loads.

You might want to contact Seafire. He was working on some loads using Blue Dot that might help you out.

Uh, Seafire started this thread.

Seafire, didn't you just do a bunch of Blue Dot work? I've always kind of felt the 223 with a little 40 or 35 fills the Hornet niche, about the same sound, WAY more accuracy and tons more ZAP.
All I can think of is maybe that SR 48whatever reduced-load powder but I can understand wanting the cheapo bullets.

I tried blue dot in a 10in barrel TC pistol with a muzzel brake. Tried to duplicate 22hornet/22mag balistics. I stopped load testing after about 10 shots. Dang thing was so loud I put it up to collet dust on the top shelf of the loading bench. Some day I will get an unbraked 14. I have yet to try blue dot in my 223 CZ , I'm still working on a 60gr. Hornady deer load.

I have only worked up one accurate reduced load with a 55 gr. bullet. I would call it a mild Hornet load but shoots well. Data as follows.
Lake City 98 cases.
CCI550 small pistol magnum primers
Hornady 55 gr. bought in bulk from Midsouth. Seconds I believe.
10.0 gr. Bluedot
velocity 2298 avg. 10 shots
Groups run 9/16" to 3/4" for 5 shots at 100 yards.
Rifle, Howa with 24" heavy barrel. This rifle is not to fond of this bullet even in full power loads. With 1" high zero at 100 yards bullet drop is consideable about 6" at 200 yards. Also shoots to a very different poi at 100 yds. than full power loads.
Don't know how many round it would take to wear out a Hornet but suspect it would be many thousands.

There is a seafire2 and a Seafire/B17G on the Accurate Reloading forum. Both have posted about 223 Blue Dot loads. Here's one:

http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5411043/m/366108068?r=366108068#366108068

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Some more reduced loads here:
http://www.jamescalhoon.com/bee.php
http://www.jamescalhoon.com/tobee2.php

Bruce

I've always had success using the reduced loads in the Speer Manual. Try using starting loads. They won't be as slow as the Hornet, but below 3000 fps.

Second on the Speer manual reduced loads. I used # 12 and developed a load using 12.0 grains of SR4759 with 40 grain moly V-max, Rem 7 1/2 primers and Lake City brass with virtually one hole accuracy at 2400 fps. That manual says use 11.0 to 12.0 of that powder with 55 grain bullets for about 2050+/- fps. New manual doesn't have this powder but has another one for reduced loads.

Guys,

I appreciate the responses... I was surprised to see Seafire mentioned by several other members... Seafire2 and Seafire/B17G are the same person as me....

I have done a lot of work with Blue Dot, but was looking to see if other people were making the 223/22 Hornet loads... and what was being used...

I am not where near using blue dot, and in fact that is my prairie dog load exclusively...

however was looking to branch out into other powders, but still classified as fast burning... I am working with SR 4759 right now, after seeing it in a hornady manual for a reduced load with a 55 grain FMJ.. so far it looks promising...

I have to admit, this is compensate for the potential of Osama bin Obama trying to cut down firearm ownership thru heavy taxation.. taxation always seems to be the dumocrats answer to about everything...

But having to take walks, I prefer to take them out in the woods instead of up and down the road to keep myself in some sort of shape... and taking along a light sporter 223, with some loads equal to a hornet is fun.. and to keep the old eyes in shape for varminting and hunting...

varminting makes it real easy for quick target acquisition on a deer, even at long distances... when you've practiced all off season...

I am looking to do some work then with SR 4759, 2400, 4227 and 5744, along with maybe 4198 during the winter months here...

a 223 and handloading just gives me a lot more flexibility than a 22 Magnum Rimfire... and loading to the 22 Hornet standards gives a little extra ooomph..

this kind of winter project keeps me going and keeps me from getting cabin fever all winter long... even If I have to test it in the rain at the rifle range.. at least the seats and benchs are covered, as long as the wind isn't blowing too much...then it rains in there sideways...

Scratching my head here about why you'd want to experiment when you already have almost the perfect load. But...

I duplicate the 22 Mag in the 223 with 3.5 Bullseye (another near-magic powder charge). I use 45-gr bullets, but 55s ought to work equally well.

You ought to be able to fudge up a load using cast bullet/fast powder data from Lyman, even substituting jacketed bullets.

Or, go straight to AA 5744, which is intended for reduced loads.

I've used blue dot with the 35 v-max for crazy accuracy and milder report. I never chronoed the loads but figure they were running at hornet speeds.

Since I run both a bolt gun and ar-15 in 223, the sub loads that won't function the ar aren't as interesting. That said, I was running low on ammo and my son run the blue dot loads through the ar. It worked great, since he had to manualy cycle the bolt it extended our range session vs. him quickly emptying the mag

Well Rocky...

that is the frustrated part that probably should have been an engineer by profession instead of what other route I took in life....

always looking for alternatives, just in case the components are stopped from being available..

14 grains of SR 4759 with 55 grain Bullets are also showing a whole heck of a lot of promise...just as accurate as some of the blue dot loads...

I like going for daily walks in the woods with a sporter weight 223, vs just walking down the neighborhood roads with my hands in my pockets...

No confusion here about the walks, my friend.

And considerably less confusion about the quest, as well. Toward that end, allow me to point out that AA5744 is not only intended for the same use as IMR 4759, but almost exactly duplicates its burn rate. So if you someday can't find a can of 4759...

I like SR 4759 over 5744, for accuracy and has less retort to it also...I ordered a couple of 8 lb containers of it not long ago thru Powder Valley....I use SR 4759 in a lot of other calibers also, and the same thing compared with 5744... less Boom with the SR4759...

Out at the range for an hour this afternoon, and trying some different bullets with the 14 grain Charge... the 52 grain HP Speer gave a 5 shot group I will post when I get the chance...

I think you'll agree that the combo is a winner..

again this is for a walking varminter.. so I don't need 3000 fps...

Im glad to hear that SR 4759 is quieter than 5744. Lower noise was one of the reasons I wanted to try this combo. My rifle likes the Speer 50gr TnT, and since I have 300 or so of them, I guess I will have to try it. What primers are you using? Any chrono data yet?

Actually FC, I got the load out of a Hornady Manual for 55 grain FMJs to be used for 'reduced loads'.. 14 grains was supposed to be in the 2450 fps range...

those 52gr Speer HPs sure turned in some impressive 2 hole, 5 shot groups today at 100 yds...

testing accuracy for the 50 gr TNTs is also on the agenda... I really like that bullet also!

as far as primers, I have tested it with CCI SR, Rem 6 1/2, Rem 7 1/2, Win SR and CCI Small Pistol... all worked well with no change in point of impact...

in many cases the brass doesn't even need to be necksized until after making 2 or 3 shots with the same round...another feature I like a lot..