Contender barrel length

[Hookeye]

I run 22 Hornet thru my 10" & its just OK @ 50 yds.
Probably a lot of Operator Error involved!
I reload everything, so for the OP's issue, I would suggest 22 Magnum.
The ammo isn't Cheap, but i think it might fit the sit.

Hmm , maybe I should just hang onto my 14" .22 mag LOL

Haven't shot a yote w it, was keeping it for fox, but got a CZ457 and that thing is more quiet, very accurate and much easier to employ.

I grew up handgun hunting, before electronic earpro.
It has no allure these days.

 

[Whip_McCord]

My 6th Edition Hornady manual states "Our 22 Hornet was the most accurate of the Thompson /Center barrels tested in the Hornady lab."

That may be, but I do not know what T/C barrels they tested or what distances. I do not see it being more accurate than a .223 T/C barrel or 7mm TCU, especially past 100 yards. The 22 Hornet is kind of finicky. The Handloader magazine article acknowledges that round needs more tweaking than most. A buddy of mine also needed to do a lot of experimenting to get accurate 100 yard loads in his pistol (not a Contender).

 

[Hookeye]

Reg or K hornet?

 

[Creedmoor]

That may be, but I do not know what T/C barrels they tested or what distances. I do not see it being more accurate than a .223 T/C barrel or 7mm TCU, especially past 100 yards. The 22 Hornet is kind of finicky. The Handloader magazine article acknowledges that round needs more tweaking than most. A buddy of mine also needed to do a lot of experimenting to get accurate 100 yard loads in his pistol (not a Contender).

22 Hornet is a love hate cartridge for sure. Not to many firearms have been built that it very accurate in.
My sons Micro A bolt in Hornet that I bought him, is a blast to shoot.
It just loves 35 grain Blitz Kings. The killer part with the Hornet case is the small web and pockets expanding.

 

[Whip_McCord]

Reg or K hornet?

I'm talking 22 Hornet. I do not have any experience with the K-Hornet.

 

[Whip_McCord]

I found an article from Handloader mag. This may be the one I mentioned. Not sure, since it has been a couple decades since I read it. Regardless, it is a good read if you want to get more accuracy from your 22 Hornet.

.22 Hornet | Handloader Magazine

www.handloadermagazine.com

 

[Creedmoor]

I'm talking 22 Hornet. I do not have any experience with the K-Hornet.

Reg or K hornet?

I never looked into reaming to get a K Hornet, it just seemed with a bigger powder payload I would blow out poacets easier than with a regular case.
Maybe with more volume and a bit slower powder would work.

When I'm bored I will run it through Quick Load.

 

[Creedmoor]

I found an article from Handloader mag. This may be the one I mentioned. Not sure, since it has been a couple decades since I read it. Regardless, it is a good read if you want to get more accuracy from your 22 Hornet.

.22 Hornet | Handloader Magazine

www.handloadermagazine.com

Thats a good read, Thanks.
Small Caliber News did a few articles with Hornet over its years of publication.

 

[Hookeye]

My buds w .22 hornet rifles all reamed to K.

 

[Hookeye]

Im good on .22 mag ammo, not like a Contender burns through it.
Alas, I hardly hunt groundhogs, did go 6 times this yr.
After a couple years off.
Not the like old days were I went a couple times a week, multiple properties and plenty of targets.
There you can play around a little.
But lugging a handgun AND a rifle sucks.
And after a couple trips for yotes last yr, w the .22 mag contender scoped........that was a bit of a boat anchor by itself.

Do wonder about a .357 mag 12". Magnum for deer and maybe 38 or .38 +P for varmints.

If wanting one bbl.

Have never taken a deer w specialty pistol, And my other bbl is .35 rem, so public land legal.
So I have maybe both sides covered.......w .22 mag and .35 rem.
Problem is I hate switching bbls.

Maybe I should find a minty blued frame...............LOL

But.........being a cheapskate, er I mean frugal person...........I could MAYBE tolerate a seasonal barrel change. Maybe.

 

[Hookeye]

Actually, before my CZ457 purchase, I thought about having my 14" .22 mag bbl threaded 1/2-28 and getting an XM15 type flashhider, having that turned slightly and affixed permanent.

With the cost of aftermarket or original contender rifle barrels that wouldn't have been too bad.

 

[tomcat13]

I shot a lot of 22 Hornet back in the IHMSA silhouette days, w/ a 10" barrel. It is a tricky cartridge to ring out accuracy. I found a nice trick from Handloader magazine years ago that worked for me. They suggested using SP primers instead of SR. The reasoning; the small amount of slow pistol powder used may not respond well to the violent blast from a rifle primer. I tried this, and with some tweeking I got sub 1" groups at 100 yards. It is a fun little cartridge.

Totally agree with "a fun little cartridge"
Gonna Have to try the Primer replacement-Thanks for the Idea!
One of the Many reasons I Enjoy this WS.

 

[700 LTR 223]

That may be, but I do not know what T/C barrels they tested or what distances. I do not see it being more accurate than a .223 T/C barrel or 7mm TCU, especially past 100 yards. The 22 Hornet is kind of finicky. The Handloader magazine article acknowledges that round needs more tweaking than most. A buddy of mine also needed to do a lot of experimenting to get accurate 100 yard loads in his pistol (not a Contender).

Just looking through the handgun data again there were 24 Contender barrels and 5 Encore barrels tested. The 22 Hornet I had was not that spectacular in accuracy although I did not not really try a long and in depth load development process. My Super 14 223 shoots better than some rifles and does so with loads that were not that hard to come up with.

 

[Hookeye]

My .223 supwr 14 liked the 55gr V max factory stuff just fine

 

[gemihur]

My go-to 22 cal barrel is pretty uncommon, a 222 Rem Mag Improved, but shoots to the crosshairs all day long.

Bellm TCs - .222 Rem Mag Imp

Official Mike Bellm's TC Performance Headquarters, Thompson Center Arms Co, Encore and G2 Trigger Job instructions, TC Encore and G2 Trigger Jobs, TC Contender Trigger Jobs, TC Encore and G2 TriggerSprings, TC Encore and Contender G2 Oversize Hinge Pins, TC Contender and Encore G2 Hammer...

web.archive.org

Mike did the rechamber a long, long time ago and it is as reliable as the day I got it back.
I concur with Hookeye with his recommendation on 22 WMR for ammo availability, tho.

 

[Twangbanger]

22 WMR out of a long pistol barrel isn't going to generate much more energy than a 22LR rifle. So think about whether you consider that effective for coyote.

I know 22WMR out of a proper rifle will anchor doggies nicely at reasonable distances, and a Hornet in a Contender would probably approximate that. You just aren't going to find the ammo overly much in a store that smells like fish bait.

I really think you want a .357. I have a Super 14" in 30 Carbine that is a hoot to shoot and would work, but non-FMJ ammo is hard to find, and 30 Carbine in general isn't as popular as it was back in the 70s, it seems.

 

[Hookeye]

Interesting

https://rifleshooter.com/2018/03/22-magnum-barrel-length-and-velocity/

 

[Hookeye]

My assumption was my 648 Smith 6" revolver in 22mag was proly close to 22 LR HV in rifle power wise. Dunno, never chronod it.

But a 14" Contender might up the zap considerably.

 

[Hookeye]

I dont have a chrono but do have the 14" Contender pistol and a 24" bolt rifle.
Will see if a bud wants to run em across his screens and see what the diff is