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· "eleutheromaniac"
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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
So, I am wanting to get a refresher and "Deeper" education reference a class of small centerfire cartridges. Much smaller the 5.56X45 size. I am actually looking for some good articles comparing that size cartridges. (I suck at finding things on internet)
 

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Not sure if it is allowed to post link here, but here is an article on 218 bee and 22 hornet.

 

· reluctant sinner
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I think when the 222 Rem came out a lot of old stuff rolled over and died.

22 Hornet is small case capacity so velocity is limited. The old ones were .223 not .224 in diameter. The story is Eskimo's loved the take down military survival 22 Hornet bolt action using full metal jacketed and would shoot polar bears and stuff in the head. I had a H&R 20ga and 22 Hornet set. The 20 was light to carry, the same size barrel in 22 was a brick.

I never fooled with the Bee, lever guns aren't know for accuracy.

I did shoot the Ruger Hawkeye single shot pistol in 256 a few rounds. Never wanted to buy one.

I think it will be hard to find loaded ammo or brass for any of them.
 

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I have a 22 Hornet, haven't seen ammo local for years, back in the day it was the go to for ground hogs in the field. Head or body shot at 100 yards was very effective, used to pop crows with it as they circled and I've spotlighted deer and taken them with head shots.
I would rate the 22 Hornet as a hot 22 Mag.
 

· Chef,cook & bottle washer
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Kind of a weird grouping in my mind. Why a 256W when the others are 22cal? 25-06 may be one to look at if you want bigger cal but still extremely accurate and fast…maybe a 220swift…fasted factory cartridge.
 

· KOAD; FOAD; ESAD
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Ive always been a fan of the .256 WM…Around here its devastating to anything Im likely to shoot.. One day I read about the 6.5x.284 wildcat…Thats become my new project bolt gun…Time Im finished Im looking at better than 10,000 counting high end optics so its a ’slo build’
 

· "eleutheromaniac"
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Discussion Starter · #12 ·
Kind of a weird grouping in my mind. Why a 256W when the others are 22cal? 25-06 may be one to look at if you want bigger cal but still extremely accurate and fast…maybe a 220swift…fasted factory cartridge.
It is not the caliber; it is the relative cartridge size that put them in the same class "COMPARED" to your suggestion of 25-06. Which is twice as huge.
 

· Retired Army
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I love .22 Hornet. I hunt deer with .22 Hornet. I have killed many deer with the Hornet and can honestly say, I have never lost a deer that I shot with my Hornet.
Cases for loading are far more available for it than either the .218 or .256.

It is not a hot .22 magnum. .22 magnum doesn't even come close unless I load a reduced load. .22 magnum would be closer to .22 WCF, the parent to the Hornet.

Fact: Even at today's primer prices, I can still load .22 Hornet cartridges for less than (non-reloadable) .22 magnums cost.

Al
 

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I have owned 2 22 hornets and three 25-20s. They were all fun to play with but I never shot much game with any of them.
I agree with Al Diehl that any are a better choice than a 22 mag. You can reload them mild or hot. Mild makes them suitable for head shots on squirrels and I shot many of them with one of my 25-20s.
The full load Hornets are fairly loud. I never liked that part.
 

· "eleutheromaniac"
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Discussion Starter · #15 · (Edited)
So, learn me about the FN-5.7X28 cartridge, that looks like a winner. The good, bad & ugly.

I have a Ruger 44/77 and been thinking the pointed plastic tipped .44 Mag. ammo, if it will fit the rotary magazine.
 

· reluctant sinner
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The 5.7x28 was plastic coated brass (might still be) for extraction purposes. It wears of patchy after a few reloads - MEK peroxide with finish removing it. Chamber pressure are still high enough at unlocking and moves the shoulder forward, so you will be full length sizing the brass every time in autoloaders. I helped a guy on gunbroker figure out loading for it IIRC he had the FN pistol.

I'd bet money these will fit your magazine.

I'm near 100,000 rounds of 44 Mag shot in the last 30 years. Most all of it was my own cast bullet 245 gr Keith Lyman "# 429421". From a good handgun they will shoot threw an elk, often found under the hide on the off side.

Yes I have shot some factory stuff, bought some factory bullets, even have a 1/2 and 3/4 jacketed swaging tool. Cast bullets work just about as good, same for the 45-70 and anything else that is less than about 2000 feet per second.
 

· Retired Army
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5,992 Posts
The 5.7x28 was plastic coated brass (might still be) for extraction purposes. It wears of patchy after a few reloads - MEK peroxide with finish removing it. Chamber pressure are still high enough at unlocking and moves the shoulder forward, so you will be full length sizing the brass every time in autoloaders. I helped a guy on gunbroker figure out loading for it IIRC he had the FN pistol.

I'd bet money these will fit your magazine.

I'm near 100,000 rounds of 44 Mag shot in the last 30 years. Most all of it was my own cast bullet 245 gr Keith Lyman "# 429421". From a good handgun they will shoot threw an elk, often found under the hide on the off side
I tumble polished a bunch of 5.7 brass and they looked like crap. That's when I realized they had a coating on them. I back burner them since I don't own a 5.7 (yet) and I plan on a soak in some acetone and a re-tumble.:)

I would like a small bolt gun to shoot them. Savage made one but, I'll be danged if I can find one. Savage 5.7

Al
 

· Live Secret, Live Happy
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18,674 Posts
I bought a 22" Bullberry custom barrel in 218 Bee for my TC Condender carbine 20 yrs ago. It still is the most accurate gun I own. I used to buy brand new Bee brass from Winchester, and load 52g match bullets to 2600 F/s using H322.

Then I bought a Winchester 92 in 25-20, a 25 cal casting mold, and a tang sight. Still more accurate than a rimfire, and a 65g cast bullet at 1800 f/s hits a lot harder.

Loads of fun for the handloader.
 
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