22 Hornet for Deer

[Timberline001]

I watched multiple bucks over 300 pounds this year (both mulie and whitetail) and my Washington was around there this year. My MT bucks was closer to 250. The WA buck fed on the farm and hid in the cliffs and had 2cm of back fat on him. It was a great year for moisture and growth.

I’d love to see a 300lb deer on a scale.

 

[Hammsolo]

I love that we’re arguing if the 22 hornet is a deer cartridge! Good times!

 

[Timberline001]

I love that we’re arguing if the 22 hornet is a deer cartridge! Good times!

We’re not arguing anymore, you already agreed it was.

 

[Hammsolo]

We’re not arguing anymore, you already agreed it was.

I know people that have killed deer with a 22 LR. I’m not a fan. Does that make it a deer rifle? Jack O’Connor killed an elephant with a 270. Is it an elephant cartridge?

 

[Steve O]

I know people that have killed deer with a 22 LR. I’m not a fan. Does that make it a deer rifle? Jack O’Connor killed an elephant with a 270. Is it an elephant cartridge?

Can you point me to some documentation on that? I’ve read a lot of and about Jack O’Connor and that’s a first for me.

Also, most people who don’t put their deer (or bear) on a scale grossly overestimate actual weight.

 

[tpicou]

Can you point me to some documentation on that? I’ve read a lot of and about Jack O’Connor and that’s a first for me.

Also, most people who don’t put their deer (or bear) on a scale grossly overestimate actual weight.

He’s probably confusing Jack with WD Bell who would use a 7x57 and killed something like 1000+ elephants. That being said, if you read more of Bell you’ll see he really only preferred that for a particular shot (quartering away into the brain iirc). If possible, he’d step it up if the situations were more hairy and he couldn't carefully place shots from a safe location

 

[PistolPete]

OK, back to the original question:

What would be the best ~55 gr .224 deer bullet, and what kind of wound channel would it make at 1600-2200 fps? I still think the 53 gr V-Max is the best option...

 

[Drenalin]

What difference does it make if the target deer is 200 pounds or 300 pounds? How many more inches (or millimeters) of penetration does that extra 100 pounds necessitate?

 

[HandgunHTR]

What difference does it make if the target deer is 200 pounds or 300 pounds? How many more inches (or millimeters) of penetration does that extra 100 pounds necessitate?

None, as most of that weight is carried in the guts, hams, back and hide.

As for what bullet to use in the Hornet, I would say the 53 grain V-Max, 52 grain MatchKing, 50 grain Nosler BT, 53 grain Nosler Varmageddon, and the 45 grain Sierra Varminter would all do well. For the non-lead folks the 30 or 32 grain Cutting Edge Raptors or 38 grain Lehigh Controlled Chaos may be worth a look.

 

[Hammsolo]

Can you point me to some documentation on that? I’ve read a lot of and about Jack O’Connor and that’s a first for me.

Also, most people who don’t put their deer (or bear) on a scale grossly overestimate actual weight.

Sheesh I had too many bourbon and cokes last night… I read Jack’s book on Bell back in high school and I have bumped my head too many times apparently. Jack didn’t use the 270 on elephants. He gunned up to the 416 and such. “WMD "Karamojo" Bell was able to kill over 1,000 elephants using a .275 Rigby.” A chase of RUI, roking under the influence.

 

[treydfoster]

What Timberline is saying is that you need to read the 223 thread, and prepare to have your eyes opened. KE is basically irrelevant; wound channel is everything. A 338 with a FMJ has all the numerical measurements that you cite are lacking in the Hornet, yet you realize that would be unethical to use on a deer. However, if the Hornet can penetrate ~10", doing 2" diameter in damage, then it would be more than enough for a deer.

My question is, can the Hornet do that (I think it can), and if so, which bullet will do that the best?"

That thread has alot of koolaid.

 

[treydfoster]

Can I see that front quarter? No offense, but as you know shooting a tiny doe with an explosive round is different than a quartering away or toward uphill shot on a mature buck at 200 yards.

Additionally, the gutless method shows alot of blood when you quarter.

 

[FCCDerek]

Definitely not enough kinetic energy or bullet diameter there.

It also DEFINIETELY was not a 22 Hornet. 22 Hornet is a very anemic round once you get out past 100 meters or so. I would't head out into the deer woods with one. No thanks. 223 is the smallest I'd go. I feel plenty comfortable with one of those going after 4 legged critters. I know it will do its job inside of 400 meters if I do mine. I do not like having my range restricted like the 22 Hornet would.

 

[Timberline001]

It also DEFINIETELY was not a 22 Hornet. 22 Hornet is a very anemic round once you get out past 100 meters or so. I would't head out into the deer woods with one. No thanks. 223 is the smallest I'd go. I feel plenty comfortable with one of those going after 4 legged critters. I know it will do its job inside of 400 meters if I do mine. I do not like having my range restricted like the 22 Hornet would.

What load do you shoot in your .223 for 400 meters?

 

[FCCDerek]

What load do you shoot in your .223 for 400 meters?

77TMK at 2700fps. Its not my go to if I'm expecting to shoot past 200 meters, but it will do the job for sure. If I'm deer hunting and expecting a longer shot I carry my 22CM with 88ELDM's at 3000fps. Either one will do the job just fine. I don't like light weight fragile bullets for deer hunting. If I'm shooting a target bullet I want it heavier so I can get the penetration necessary.

 

[FCCDerek]

That thread has alot of koolaid.

It's got a lot of good info as well though. Plenty of inarguable facts when it comes to terminal performance of the 223 with the proper bullet, placed where it should be placed.

 

[Unclecroc]

I have a browning a bolt 22 hornet. It has a 1-16” twist so I’m very limited on bullet selection.
For deer I have a 33gr shock hammer loaded to 3300 fps. I have not harvested any deer with it yet but based on the performance of a 35 hammer at 2800fps on a wt doe I feel it would do admirably to 150 yards or so.
The Sierra 45 grain soft point (the normal varminter not the hornet) is my second choice if deer was on the menu. They seem to be a tougher bullet than most sp suitable for the hornet.
If you have a cz or a ruger with a 1-14” twist you could run a heavier ball and add some better penetration insurance.
I have no doubt a hornet would handle deer duty utilizing a good bullet and shot placement.

 

[zdc1775]

A 22 Hornet certainly wouldn't be my first choice but I have used a Savage 340 that was reamed out to be a K Hornet to kill about a dozen deer and I my grandfather used the same rifle to kill at least 100 or so that I know of. I'm sure he used other bullets for it over the years but all of the deer I killed and at least most of the ones he killed were shot with a 45 grain (IIRC) RNFP cast bullet loaded with Unique to around 2000-2100 fps.

Worked very well with the smallish deer we had around the farm out to 100 ish yards with double lung or neck shots. Double lungs resulted in them running 40-50 yards and collapsing and neck shots almost always resulted in them dropping in their tracks. For the lung shots the bullets normally deformed into an about 1/2-3/4" almost coin shaped mass and stopped in the offside ribs/hide but occasionally exited out the other side in an almost quarter sized hole, he always hated when they did that since if he recovered them he would add the deformed bullet back into the casting pot.

I also used a 22 magnum on several deer with basically the same results.