Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 22 Hornet Flight Path

Okay, here we have a 21" T/C carbine in 22 Hornet with a 40 grain Nosler varmageddon traveling at an estimated 2800fps. I have it exactly zeroed at 100 yards how much drop do you think I would would result with a 200-yard shot holding dead center?


I'm testing 2 bullets #1 has a BC of .200 & #2 is .211

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It would not just depend on the bullets, but the real velocity (not estimated) and the height of the scope over the bore. Oh, and the elevation and temperature.

Apparently you don't have a chronograph? Or access to a 200-yard range where you could test the trajectory?

I do have all of that. Was looking a few semi-educated guesses.

Was surprised to see a full 5" drop @ 200 M for the .211 BC bullet. But looking at the ballistic calculator it shows -4.7" difference @ 2800 Fps, I was thinking of a 2-3"" drop but hadn't consulted the tables. The .200 BC bullet dropped a full 6"

I'd imagined a MV of 3000 fps with my 40 grain Nosler/Hornady with 13.0 grains of Lil Gun over a CCI 550 cap and 2x fired PPU brass, but l hadn't ran it over my chronograph. From the numbers it looks like I'm getting less than 2800 feet per second.

That's math for you, it never/always disappoints.


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Easy to believe that drop. I have a 24” barreled ruger 22k hornet shooting 35gr v-max @3005 FPS avg. I changed from a 100yd zero to a 200 yard.

Zeroed @200 I’m 2 1/2” high @ 100 and that is the apex. Then zeroed at 200, and right at 5” low at 250. Have shot a few rounds @300 at 6” steel and drop is some place close to 12-14”. Wind is really hard on the little bullets tho. Of course the little Hornadys have a super high BC of .109. Still a fun little cartridge to shoot.

Correct. I’d be looking at +2.5” @ 100 if I chose a 200 yard zero. Next step for me is to Chronograph this working load, reload up a batch of ammo and get this horrible factory trigger down to a crisp 2 lbs.

It’s been a fun project putting this T/C G2 together, I’ve learned a lot about the 22 Hornet.

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I have to say it a fun little cartridge. I have 2 k-hornets and 1 regular hornet. For a little hunting rifle it provides a lot of power for the amount of powder burned. Plan on wringing mine out in 2 weeks on prairie dogs.

According to the old Nosler app, if you sight it .95” high at 100, you’d be on at 150, and -2.75 at 200, with tipped Varmageddons. That sounds like a plan, and what I do with mine, more or less.

That is pretty close to what I get with mine, using 40 gn HP Sierras loaded to close to 3000 fps. The 46 gn HP Winchester, loaded to about 2750, is not far off this - perhaps another inch lower at 200. Happily it seems to be pretty near right on the first line under the intersection of the crosshairs using a Burris FFII at 9x with ballistic plex reticle, and with mid-range of no more than an inch I'm good to go on bunnies or other small critters out to 200 yards or so with either load. The 46 gn does seem to have slightly more going for it on anything bigger than a rabbit or hare though.

I sight mine .75” high at 50 yds and it’s dead on at 175 yds and 1.5”s low at 200 yds. It’s been a good fit for my hornets.

That sounds like a workable solution. Anything +200 yards for me is going to be a roll of the dice if there’s any wind blowing. And my little .211 BC bullet in the 40 grain is going to be falling of the table.

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If you "do have all that," why did you ask for "a few semi-educated guesses"?

I have found today's ballistic programs far more accurate than semi-educated guesses.

i own a few hornets and k-hornets, the Hornet is a great little cartridge does have plenty power too in a small case with a small amount of powder,i sight my Hornets dead on at 100 yards. i keep one Hornet loaded and ready for critters all year long . i shoot plenty opossums ,raccoons,some woodchucks,,fox ,squirrels,crows , wild cats ,in the past killed alot of prairie dogs too,can`t say enough good about this killer rifle cartridge. i should shoot a deer yet too with my Hornet ?

It just surprised me with the amount drop when I actually put on paper @ 200.

I thought it would be a good guessing game for the armchair ballisticlly challenged like me that inhabitant these web pages.

OK.

I do know that plastic-tipped 40-grain bullets shoot flatter and drift less in the wind than any other bullets that will stabiize in the typical 1-14 or 1-16 twist. This is due to starting to use them in the Hornet over 20 years ago with Li'l Gun powder.

A few years later a magazine editor assigned me the pleasant task of testing every varmint bullet available. This was impossible, due to so many continuing to appear, but did do enough field-testing that the ballistic advantages of 40-grain plastic-tips was apparent at any range beyond 100 yards---and not just in flat trajectory or wind-drift, but longer-range expansion. In fact I took prairie dogs out to over 400 yards with 49-grain Ballistic Tips, and they still expanded very well. This was not the case with hollow-points of any brand.

Will also note, however, that PDs out around 400 yards were "expensive"--the term often used for having to shoot a few rounds to hit 'em....

Interesting.

The accuracy of this T/C 21” carbine barrel continues to put a smile on my face. Been tinkering with my working load and the special Lee dies and .250” 1 hole 3 shot groups @ 100M are becoming more and more common. Once the terrible factory trigger is fixed, this little rig will be a solid .5 MOA shooter off the bags


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