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Common uses: Varmint, Small Game
| Type | rifle (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 45gr Federal Vital-Shok Speer Soft Point |
| Muzzle velocity | 2690 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 723 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.202 |
| Case length | 35.6 mm |
| Overall length | 46.7 mm |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2690 | 723 | -1.5 |
| 100 | 2256 | 509 | 0 |
| 200 | 1865 | 348 | -5.4 |
| 300 | 1524 | 232 | -21 |
| 400 | 1250 | 156 | -51.7 |
| 500 | 1067 | 114 | -104.8 |
At 1,000 yards, .22 Hornet (45gr at 2690 fps, 100 yd zero, standard conditions) has a modeled come-up of about 92.8 MOA / 27.0 MIL, retaining 719 fps (subsonic).
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | State | Drop (in) | Elev (MOA) | Elev (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 1524 | Supersonic | -21.0 | 6.7 | 1.95 |
| 400 | 1250 | Transonic | -51.7 | 12.4 | 3.59 |
| 500 | 1067 | Subsonic | -104.8 | 20.0 | 5.82 |
| 600 | 958 | Subsonic | -188.3 | 30.0 | 8.72 |
| 700 | 882 | Subsonic | -309.6 | 42.2 | 12.29 |
| 800 | 820 | Subsonic | -475.8 | 56.8 | 16.52 |
| 900 | 767 | Subsonic | -693.7 | 73.6 | 21.41 |
| 1000 | 719 | Subsonic | -971.2 | 92.8 | 26.98 |
Extended predictions beyond 500 yards are modeled from the same G1 engine — useful for initial DOPE, but outside the 500-yard manufacturer-table validation audit. Confirm with observed DOPE, especially near transonic.
Small-game/varmint context — the deer- and elk-sized energy references aren't applicable to the cartridge's listed uses. When a downrange table is available, its retained-energy column can provide context; verify the exact load and follow local game regulations for legal methods.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own rifle.
The .22 Hornet is a mild, quiet, low-recoil centerfire prized for close-range varmint and small-game work where a rimfire lacks reach but a full-power varmint round is overkill. It shines on rabbits, foxes, prairie dogs, groundhogs and similar pests out to roughly 200 yards, and its modest report and light powder charge make it economical to shoot and easy on pelts. Its rimmed, tapered case and relatively low velocity limit both trajectory and long-range energy, so it falls well short of cartridges like the .223 Remington in reach and wind-bucking ability. The rimmed design and thin case walls have also made handloading somewhat finicky. It endures as a niche favorite for walk-around pest control, trapline use and turkey (where legal), valued more for its efficiency and pleasant manners than for raw performance.
The .22 Hornet grew out of 1920s experiments at the U.S. Springfield Armory, where Grosvenor Wotkyns, Townsend Whelen and others reworked the old black-powder .22 Winchester Center Fire (.22 WCF) case for smokeless powder and jacketed bullets. Winchester adopted the wildcat and began commercial ammunition production in 1930, with the first factory rifles chambered for it appearing a couple of years later. As one of the first widely available small-bore, high-velocity centerfires, it helped launch the modern varmint-cartridge category and remained a staple for decades before faster rounds like the .222 and .223 Remington later overshadowed it.
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