.22 hornet or .221 fireball for contender?

Boeydafunk

Boeydafunk

New member
I just bought a contender frame and am looking for my first pistol barrel for it. Im looking for somthing relatively quiet that will take care of coyotes out to 100 or maby just over. I am thinking a hornet will fit the bill. This could be used to dispatch coyotes in traps too. Do you think this will be suficient or should I step up to a .221 fireball?
this will be in a 12 or 14 inch barrel.
DaFUnk
 
.221, if for no other reason, the hornet seem more of a hassle to reload. Not from actual experience, just what I have read. .221 is going to have more bullet weight and fps options.
 
Originally Posted By: TimberToes.221, if for no other reason, the hornet seem more of a hassle to reload. Not from actual experience, just what I have read. .221 is going to have more bullet weight and fps options.

between the two, the .221 seem to be the better round as you mentioned due to reloading problems on the hornet, however if it was the .22 k-hornet then the K-hornet for me..


Juan
 
I shoot the hornet out of a 10" barrel, I really love this barrel, will it take coyotes out to 100yds, I think so, but id want tthe 221 for a bit more oomph.

I origionally was in the same boat as you, couldnt decide, I got a used 221 but it wouldnt fit my frame well, so I sent it back and got the hornet. then instead of the 221 I decided to go a bit bigger just to make sure I had enough and ordered a 6.8 in a 10". I killed a doe this year at under 100yds so itll take a coyote for sure.

Just remember, they are both spendy to buy, just that instead of 20rounds for the 221 you get 50 with the hornet, if that makes a difference to you.

GOod luck

Dave
 
With the K Hornet you get a few added bonuses. You can shoot the Standard Hornet loads with good accuracy, and the case will then be fireformed. Then with the new case when you reload you get added powder capacity and usually longer brass life. I have one in a rifle Barrel, and the Contender shoots it pretty well. 3200 fps with a 35 gr Vmax with only 14 grns of powder makes it cheap to shoot too. Good Luck.
 
Originally Posted By: Boeydafunk Im looking for somthing relatively quiet that will take care of coyotes out to 100 or maby just over. I am thinking a hornet will fit the bill. This could be used to dispatch coyotes in traps too. Do you think this will be suficient or should I step up to a .221 fireball?
this will be in a 12 or 14 inch barrel.
DaFUnk


I'm not a big fan of the hornet and shoot the .221 quite often.....in a rifle. But for your stated purpose including "relatively quiet" in a 12 or 14" barrel, get the hornet. The .221 was first chambered in a handgun and it's called Fireball for a reason. It burns around 19gr. powder, in a short barrel those things are loud and have muzzle blast. It'll also have a lot more recoil than a hornet.
 
By next year my dogs will be big enough to bring a wounded yote to a stop. I just want this gun to fill one special niche. When a shot on a coyote presents itself (like it did this morning when a coyote ran in front of my truck on a dirt road) by the time you get the rifle ready hes on the other side of a hill. I just want to be able to step out and shoot. Any of my defensive handguns would work, but want something a little more specialized with a low power scope. How loud is a hornet out of a 10 to 14" barrel?
 
I shoot both the 22 Hornet and the 221 FB in rifles. I've never had any problems loading for either, so I wish I knew what I was doing wrong there by missing out on all of the Hornet reloading issues. In a rifle, both are pussycats...

I also have a 10" barreled 22 Hornet Contender, and I like it a lot. It's very easy on the ears and recoil, and it's a real joy to shoot in the Contender. In contrast, I have a friend who shoots a 10" FB barrel and it is just that - a fire ball - in comparison to the Hornet - when it goes off. Even with those differences, his FB doesn't seem to kill PD's any further out than my Hornet does.... I've never tried the Hornet on coyotes in the Contender frame.

For a short barreled Contender, my hands down choice is the Hornet. In a rifle the 221 FB is hard to beat for a lower powered .224....

JMO - BCB
 
I shoot an XP100 in 221 FB and really like it. There are a couple draw backs though. I have tried to night hunt with it, after the shot you had better sit for a while!! Also it is kind of loud. My cousin has Contender in Hornet and it seems to be OK for noise and muzzle flash, but not the horsepower that the FB has ( coyotes, not Pdog ).
Though I like my XP very well, I'd go with a K Hornet for what you want to do.
JMO hope it helps
John
 
I have had 10, and 12 inch fireball and hornet barrels for my contenders. The fireballs were the easist to load for and the most accurate. I would like to have another hornet barrel, but given the choice I would rather have a fireball.
 
Well, got the call today that my frame was here. As I walked into the gun shop a man was just leaving after traiding in three contenders. I ended up getting a good deal on the most applicable barrel. Its a super 14 .223 barrel with a T/C 2X pistol scope. Looks like Ill be still carrying my .22 rifle for dispatching. The .223 should reach out and smack them with the 14" barrel though.
I'm thinking of sticking to 55 grain soft points, any other suggestions? What distance should I sight in at?
DaFUnk
 
From my observations, many of you that espouse the inherent problems of reloading the Hornet, have no actual experience loading it.

Having loaded the Hornet for many years, on both single stage and progressive presses, all I can say is, you know not of what you speak!
 
Originally Posted By: claimbusterFrom my observations, many of you that espouse the inherent problems of reloading the Hornet, have no actual experience loading it.

Having loaded the Hornet for many years, on both single stage and progressive presses, all I can say is, you know not of what you speak!

Speer Reloading manual.. they do know what they speak of.. and yes they do mention the problems specially around the neck area.


Juan
 
Originally Posted By: JuanjoOriginally Posted By: claimbusterFrom my observations, many of you that espouse the inherent problems of reloading the Hornet, have no actual experience loading it.

Having loaded the Hornet for many years, on both single stage and progressive presses, all I can say is, you know not of what you speak!

Speer Reloading manual.. they do know what they speak of.. and yes they do mention the problems specially around the neck area.


Juan

Well..... I suppose if you have no real experience with doing it, it must be a fact if it's in a Speer manual.

I guess I need to look at one I have (Speer manual) to see what I've been missing/doing wrong.

-BCB
 
for 300 each, barrels, scopes and bases- just get both. i have them and shoot the hornet much more- i would go with super 14s verses the 10s- at least i like my s14s better than my 10s. And the hornet is my fav rig- But i have yet to see a contender pistol barrel shoot better than the TC Super 14 in 223. PM me if you are looking for anything specific to TC i either have it or can direct you the best place to find it- i use to buy/sell TC stuff as a hobie and still have a ton of items hand selected to keep for myself that i dont see myself playing with.
 
You will enjoy that 14" .223... just remember ear plugs! LOL I have one that Ive managed to pick squirrels off at over 150 yds with a scope. But its very loud, will definately make your ears ring.
 
I will agree with Claimbuster, I have loaded lots of hornets and if you champher the case necks, use a 17 caliber funnel, and pay attention you will have no trouble loading the hornet.
 
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In a 16 1/2" Contender a .221 is a sweet shooter. Brass lasts forever and a lb. of powder goes along ways. Not as far as it does in a Hornet but still alot of shootin.

In over 3 decades of handloading and owning a virtual library of loading manuals there is one thing I have learned. Just because some dweeb writes it in a hand loading manual does not make it so.

In fact most of the so called problem chamberings to load for were no such thing.
 
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