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Guide

22 Hornet Ammo 2026: Loads From the Makers

By , EditorUpdated How we verifyEditorial standards

We checked 4 current .22 Hornet loads on Federal's, Remington's and Hornady's own product pages on November 5, 2026: 1 from Federal, 2 from Remington and 1 from Hornady. The bullet weights, velocities, energy figures, test barrels and statuses below are copied from the maker pages. We don't use retailer prices or third-party ballistics. This is a comparison of popular loads from 3 makers, not every .22 Hornet load sold.

Federal and Remington loads show the usage label each maker prints on its own page, copied as written. Hornady is listed in its own table, because Hornady prints no usage label. The Cartridge column shows the name the maker page uses.

Federal and Remington loads

Figures are copied from each maker page. The usage label is the maker’s own wording.

LoadCartridgeItem #BulletMuzzle velocityMuzzle energyTest barrelBoxMaker usage labelMaker status (Nov. 5)
Federal Varmint & Predator22 HornetAE22H35TVP35 gr Tipped Varmint3,000 fps699 ft-lbNot listed on maker page50Predator, VarmintAvailable
Remington High Performance Rifle22 Hornet2837645 gr Pointed Soft Point2,690 fps723 ft-lbNot listed on maker page50Big GameAvailable
Remington Premier AccuTip-V22 Hornet2915435 gr AccuTip-V3,100 fps747 ft-lbNot listed on maker page20Small GameAvailable

Hornady loads

Hornady's pages show no usage label and no stock status on our capture, so these loads are listed by product line, such as Varmint Express. Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures from each page's ballistics table, and the test barrel is the one the table names.

LoadCartridgeItem #BulletMuzzle velocityMuzzle energyTest barrelBoxMaker status (Nov. 5)
Hornady Varmint Express22 Hornet830235 gr V-MAX®3,070 fps732 ft-lb24 in25Not listed on maker page

Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures in each maker's ballistics table. Test barrel is the length the maker lists. "Box" is the round count per box. Status is the maker's own wording on its product page, and it changes daily. All pages checked November 5, 2026.

Which bullet weight? What the makers' numbers show

Loads in our tables run from 35 gr to 45 gr. The lightest are Federal Varmint & Predator 35 gr (AE22H35TVP), Remington Premier AccuTip-V 35 gr (29154) and Hornady Varmint Express 35 gr (8302), and the heaviest is Remington High Performance Rifle 45 gr (28376). The fastest listed muzzle velocity is 3,100 fps, Remington Premier AccuTip-V 35 gr (29154), with no test barrel listed. The highest listed muzzle energy is 747 ft-lb, Remington Premier AccuTip-V 35 gr (29154), with no test barrel listed. Because test barrels differ or are not listed, compare across makers with care.

The makers label loads for game or for target use. They don't tell you one weight is right for a species. The right choice depends on bullet construction, range and your state's rules. Check your state hunting rules and your state wildlife agency before you buy.

Barrel length matters: the test barrels

Muzzle velocity depends on barrel length, so compare loads tested on the same barrel. Of the 4 loads, 3 list no test barrel, 1 list 24 in. The loads with no test barrel are from Federal and Remington. A rifle with a shorter barrel than the maker's test barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box. SAAMI's test barrel for the .22 Hornet is 24 in.

No barrel-length-velocity page exists yet for the .22 Hornet, and we have not charted one. Our barrel length vs velocity data covers other cartridges, so do not read those numbers as .22 Hornet data.

.22 Hornet: what SAAMI lists

SAAMI lists the cartridge as "22 HORNET [22 HORNET]" in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4, its centerfire rifle standard (approved Feb. 10, 2025). The cartridge drawing was issued 05/29/1979 and revised 02/10/2023. SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 49,000 psi, measured by transducer (the table shows 490 in psi/100). SAAMI also lists a crusher maximum average pressure of 43,000 CUP (the table shows 430 in CUP/100). Cartridge overall length runs from 1.630 in minimum to 1.723 in maximum. Case length is 1.403 in (−.020), and bullet diameter is .2245 in (−.0030). Bore is .217 in and groove is .222 in, with 6 grooves and a twist of 1 in 16.00 in, right-hand (marked optional). SAAMI reference velocities are Not yet verified, because the PDF text does not clearly pair each bullet weight with its velocity. Read the standard at the SAAMI Z299.4 PDF. The .22 Hornet MAP row is also on our SAAMI maximum average pressure table (Z299.4, 49,000 psi / 490 psi/100).

SAAMI says all standard rifle test barrels are 24 in long and that exterior ballistic data for centerfire rifle cartridges is based on that length. Its listed exceptions (7.62x39, 277 Sig Fury, 30 Carbine, 300 AAC Blackout, 300 HAM'R, 350 Legend, 350 Remington Magnum, 360 Buckhammer, 400 Legend and 44 Remington Magnum) do not include the .22 Hornet, so SAAMI measures it on a 24 in barrel.

Not yet verified

These makers and loads are not in the tables.

Rifles for .22 Hornet

The .22 Hornet is a rifle cartridge, and the loads in the tables run from 35 gr to 45 gr. See also new rifle releases and the new hunting rifles of 2026.

Where to buy

We link only to maker pages, listed in the sources below. Federal and Remington show availability on their own product pages. Hornady's pages show none on our capture. We don't track retailer stock or prices. Before you order, check your state's ammunition rules, because some states require a background check or restrict shipping.

For more ammo, see .218 Bee ammo, .204 Ruger ammo, 5.56 and .223 ammo, .243 Win ammo, .22 LR ammo, .22 WMR ammo, .17 HMR ammo, .30-30 Win ammo, the SAAMI maximum average pressure table, the barrel length vs velocity data, new ammo for 2026 and all ammo releases.

Frequently asked questions

What is the SAAMI maximum pressure for .22 Hornet?
SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 49,000 psi for .22 Hornet, measured by transducer, in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 (the table shows 490 in psi/100).
What grain is .22 Hornet ammo?
In our tables the bullets run from 35 gr to 45 gr. Check your firearm maker's manual for what your rifle is set up to shoot.
How fast is .22 Hornet ammo?
In our tables, listed muzzle velocities run from 2,690 fps to 3,100 fps, and muzzle energies from 699 ft-lb to 747 ft-lb. Test barrels vary, and some maker pages list none. See the test barrel section of this guide.
What does test barrel mean?
It is the barrel length the maker used to measure the listed velocity. A shorter barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box.
Do you list prices or stock for .22 Hornet ammo?
No. We link only to maker pages. Where a maker page shows a status, such as "Available" or "Currently Unavailable," we copy it as of Nov. 5, 2026. Hornady's pages show none.

Sources

  1. Federal: Federal Varmint & Predator .22 Hornet 35 gr Tipped Varmint, item AE22H35TVP (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  2. Remington: Remington High Performance Rifle .22 Hornet 45 gr Pointed Soft Point, item 28376 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  3. Remington: Remington Premier AccuTip-V .22 Hornet 35 gr AccuTip-V, item 29154 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  4. Hornady: Hornady Varmint Express .22 Hornet 35 gr V-MAX®, item 8302 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  5. SAAMI: ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 centerfire rifle standard, .22 Hornet drawing (checked Nov. 5, 2026)

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