Thread: Reloading 22 Hornet (The Original) – Optimal Canada Goose Load

Reloading 22 Hornet (The Original) – Optimal Canada Goose Load

I’ve got a contract to cull Canada Goose at two locations:
(1) Ponds on private land adjacent to public spaces and shopping precinct. Shot ranges between 10 metres to 50 metres
(2) Open farm land. Shot ranges between 100 – 200 metres

Target Species Anatomy: Canada Goose have big strong wing feathers, large bones and weigh 4.5 – 6kg (By contrast rabbits weigh 1 kg). They are a reasonably tough species.

Calibre Options:
• 22LR, subsonic or supersonic. I’m not planning to use 22LR because once the pandemonium sets in, shot placement will go to hell and I can’t afford to have one armed flappers in the adjoining car parks. It’s just a bad look on social media!
• 222 Remington, does a sweet job, but is a bit loud for close proximity to residential housing
• 12 gauge – too much noise!
• My choice, Weihrauch HW60J 22 Hornet Twist 1:16. With a DPT suppressor it is almost as quiet as a suppressed supersonic 22LR, but with a greater selection of bullet weights and velocities it has better knock-down power

ADI Reloading data indicates 10.5grn of AR2207 as a starting load, up to 11.5 compressed. (Note: I don’t do Compressed or Maximum loads. Typically I load light loads so as to prolong case life. For this location I want to keep noise to a minimum, so light loads)

Projectiles: I have a selection of Brands, designs and weights from 35grn to 55grn. Note: Nosler #9 Bible doesn’t recommend going as heavy as 50grn. Speer goes as heavy as 52grn. ADI, Hodgdon, Hornady, Sierra & VihtaVuou all publish data to 55grn. Obviously there is a desire to avoid ricochets.

Question Time: Probably a question that has been asked a million time, “Would I be better to use a light fast projectile (35grn Ballistic Tip)? Or a heavier bullet going a bit slower (Nosler 55grn SP)? What’s your pet load for medium sized game, like goats rather than rabbits?

I have not been able to stabilize a 55 gr in any 1-16 twist hornet I have tried,
I shoot a High speed load, of 12.5 gr little gun with a 40g v-max or 45 gr Speer. 2900 ish, loaded long as I have lots of room,
I have a quite load, of 3.5gr trail boss with a 46gr Speer, bullet, flat nose for the 218 Bee. 1600 fps.

I would load the flat nose Bee bullets to 2000 ish, for close range work.

I use the winchester small pistol primer, 11.2gr of Lil Gun and 40gr Sierra HP and Rem brass (the largest capacity) for 3,200ft/sec out of a BRNO 465. Consistently accurate to 200m. I've shot Highland 50gr, with accuracy from this 1:16 twist barrel but that is a very short 50gr bullet. Sold the rest of my Hornady 35gr bullets because they are not accurate to 200m. 40gr is as light as I would go in a Hornet. If you use Lil Gun you will probably get the highest velocities but it is important to work up to an accurate and safe load. 11.5gr in my rifle damages the brass. So, I don't get the 20 reloads/case that I get with 11.2gr. The 40gr Sierra HP is a tough bullet so OK for small game (goat).

Use your accurate load if the range is out to 200M.
35 or 50 gn won’t matter.
I use 13 of Lill gun with a 40 gn Nosler shots pill. It’s quick for a hornet. Above 40s to 45 generally are longer and don’t feed so well or need to be seated deep in the case.


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10-50mtrs use your light soft pills as fast as can drive them at noise level you happy with.
a 50grn spsx from hornady is another really good projectile that expands quickly and causes huge terminal damage to wallabies..far too much bruising etc for meat recovery...the vmax will be similar by comparison.

Started....

2205 and 40gr VMAX
Or something soft in 45g
My VMAX are doing 2150 with 2207 and they don't expand but I don't have to worry on background here

find some .224 45grn taipans Les....... they simply dont exit lol

I'm thinking close shots abt 40 or 45gr in the Hornet.. The 55s will likely pass through.

222 on the farms. Whatever you have that shoots.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

find some .224 45grn taipans Les....... they simply dont exit lol

The 40gr VMAX shoot tight for me, I can only get 2207 here

Job done. 110 x Hornady 45grn GR HP/BEE #229 BC .108 10.5grns ADI AR2207 COL 1.655 +/- 3thou
Thanks for the advice Team and especially @southernman who helped me change my mind from heavy & slow (Nosler Shots 50grn #48400) to something lighter and designex to expand more rapidly at short range.
Tomorrow's task sight in the rifle with both daylight scope and thermal scope.
Then pick another projectile and load for 100 - 200 metres.

that would just about be territory of the ballistic tips driven as fast as you can drive them.... even then they wont be fast in hornet but much better served up from slightly bigger case.... dynamite on hares and wallabies. should be good.

If the numbers are anything like what we have in Paraparaumu you'll get through a case of those round in 5-10mins on one gaggle.

It would be nice if they just sat there after the first shot

@Marty Henry them goose ain't going nowhere! Before I start shooting them, I'm going too tie a noose around their legs!