Hmmmm.

So, it I stay with the .22H, what bullet, what weight and which rate of twist?

1:12 70gr?

I shoot a 25-20 WCF and a 22 Hornet. Both give exceptional accuracy but in running them over Barry's ballistic system the .25 caliber does show a bit of an edge. That's running a .25 caliber 120 gr. bullet @ 1660 fps. compared to a .22 caliber 70 gr. bullet at ~1800 fps. I have no idea what lighter bullets and lower velocity would do to the comparison.

If I was trying to decide between the 22 and 25 Hornet I would go with the 25 Hornet. I've seen a couple of them that shoot really well. Dave Purcell shoots one and he's tough to beat in a QB match.

The .25 caliber is plenty competitive in any Schuetzen match, even against the various .32's. The 22 Hornet would be more of a challenge, especially on those days when even my .33 caliber holes are hard to find in the mirage.

It comes down to what you expect out of your rifle, and which one will give you the most enjoyment. They're both a hoot to shoot and you won't be sorry with either one. However, the .25 will be easier to get shooting right out of the gate.

My 22 Hornet uses a 12 twist barrel with a Darr 70 gr. bullet. As rkaires said, the Darr mould casts an excellent bullet. I don't find match grade .22 caliber bullets any harder to cast than match grade .33 caliber bullets.

I hope this may be of some help to you with your decision.

 
JerryH
AKA Jerry_H

Frank,

It's been a while and I don't remember all the facts and numbers. I just remember Barry saying the .25 had a slight advantage, at least according to the ballistic system. In the real world it may not be all that obvious.

Maybe Barry will see this and shine some light your question.

JerryH
AKA Jerry_H

How about the 270 REN, another bygone wildcat based on the Hornet case?

Any love left for this one?

gewehrfreund wrote on Dec 11^th, 2014 at 2:06pm:


I've got a FBW J barreled for the REN, and Schuetzen stocks, but haven't finished it.  I'll probably build another REN instead on a Hepburn or High Wall.  I've got a special barrel in my stash for it.

I did the FBW REN many many years ago, when I was even more ignorant than I am now, and used too slow a twist of barrel, if I remember correctly.  That's why I've put off investing the effort it would take to finish it.

dave