.22 Hornet in a Browning Low Wall

.22 Hornet in a Browning Low Wall

The .22 Hornet was tested in a Browning Low Wall single-shot rifle in Rifle Issue #167 – September 1996. This type of action is particularly well suited to small, high-precision cartridges like the Hornet due to its rigid barrel clearance and absence of a magazine feed mechanism, minimizing interference with accuracy.

Load tests in the article used bullets in the 35- to 46-grain range, paired with clean-burning powders such as Lil’Gun, IMR 4227, and H-110. The Low Wall rifle delivered tight groups at 100 yards, comparable to modern bolt rifles, especially when handloaders carefully optimized seating depth and neck tension. Some of the best accuracy was achieved when bullets were seated just ahead of the lands to reduce jump and maintain predictable pressure curves.

A key takeaway was how well the Browning Low Wall handled component sensitivity. Bullets that showed variance in other rifles often grouped tightly in the Low Wall, likely due to its stable action and minimal lateral stress on the receiver. The 1885’s counterpart in this test underscores the importance of the rifle’s mechanical platform when pushing small cartridges like the .22 Hornet.

Overall, the piece demonstrates that in a properly built single-shot action like the Browning Low Wall, the .22 Hornet still delivers excellent precision and usability—especially when paired with modern reloading techniques and fine-tuned loads.

Source: Rifle Issue #167 – September 1996