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22 Hornet Rifles

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22 Hornet bolt action rifles for varmint and small game hunting.
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22 Hornet Rifles at A Glance

The name mind brings images of the Green Hornet and his faithful sidekick Kato, but the cartridge has a unique history all its own. Developed alongside other lighter calibers that were popular in the 1930s and 40s, the 22 Hornet found fame in military applications. Not as a battlefield weapon, but rather a survival cartridge carried by pilots and sailors who could become stranded and needed a lightweight weapon to harvest game for survival. The centerfire cartridge offers greater power and range than its closest rival, the rimfire .22.

The 22 Hornet was invented at the Springfield Armory in 1932 and quickly made the jump to civilian applications. It’s a great cartridge for varmint hunting and is also a popular small game round. Savage and Ruger lead the market in 22 Hornet rifles.