Hornady 2260 Traditional Varmint 22 Caliber .224 55 GR Spire Point SX: The Ultimate Choice for Precise Varmint Control

For dedicated varmint hunters, precision shooters, and handloaders seeking consistent, reliable, and devastating performance, the Hornady 2260 Traditional Varmint 22 Caliber .224 55 Grain Spire Point SX bullet stands out as a premier choice. This meticulously engineered bullet, available at DEGuns, embodies decades of Hornady's commitment to excellence, offering a classic design revitalized with modern manufacturing precision. Whether you're targeting elusive prairie dogs across vast open plains, controlling coyotes, or dispatching woodchucks from long range, this bullet provides the accuracy and terminal performance essential for successful and ethical varmint eradication.

What Makes a Bullet Ideal for Varmint Hunting? Understanding the Core Attributes

When considering ammunition for varmint hunting, several critical factors come into play. Hunters often ask: "What are the best characteristics for a varmint bullet?" or "How does bullet construction impact my success in the field?" The answers lie in a combination of design, material, and ballistic performance.

• Accuracy: First and foremost, a varmint bullet must be exceptionally accurate. Small targets at extended ranges demand tight groups and minimal deviation. The Hornady 2260, with its precise manufacturing and balanced design, is renowned for its ability to achieve sub-MOA accuracy in a wide array of rifles.
• Flat Trajectory: Varmint hunting frequently involves engaging targets at varying distances, often without time for extensive rangefinding or holdovers. A bullet that flies flat minimizes trajectory drop, simplifying shot placement. The Hornady 2260’s streamlined spire point profile and respectable G1 Ballistic Coefficient (BC) of .235 ensure a remarkably flat trajectory, making those longer shots more manageable.
• Devastating Terminal Performance: The primary goal of varmint hunting is typically humane dispatch and, often, explosive terminal effect to clearly indicate a hit. Unlike hunting big game where controlled expansion and deep penetration are desired, varmint bullets are designed to transfer maximum energy rapidly upon impact, often resulting in a highly visible and definitive strike. The Hornady Spire Point SX (Super eXplosive) design is specifically engineered for this immediate and dramatic energy transfer, ensuring clean, ethical kills and clear visual confirmation.
• Consistency: Every bullet in a box, and indeed every batch, must perform identically. Hornady's reputation for quality control ensures that each 55-grain .224 Spire Point SX bullet mirrors the last in terms of weight, dimension, and performance, critical for both handloaders and factory ammunition users.

Unpacking the Hornady 2260 Design: A Legacy of Innovation

The Hornady 2260 Traditional Varmint bullet is more than just a component; it's a testament to Joyce Hornady's original vision for classic varmint hunting. Its construction blends time-honored principles with advanced manufacturing.

The Spire Point SX Profile

The Spire Point SX, or "Super eXplosive," is a critical element of this bullet's design. This sharp, pointed nose profile is not just for aesthetics; it contributes significantly to the bullet's aerodynamic efficiency and its terminal performance. Upon impact, the exposed lead tip and specific jacket design initiate rapid and dramatic fragmentation, transferring energy instantaneously. This makes it an ideal choice for hunters who prioritize immediate and conclusive results on small, thin-skinned varmints. The spire point also ensures a streamlined flow of air over the bullet, reducing drag and helping to maintain velocity over distance, which directly contributes to its flat shooting characteristics.

Traditional Lead Core and AMP Jacket

At its heart, the Hornady 2260 features a precision-drawn lead core. This core is uniformly distributed, contributing to the bullet's consistent weight and balance, which are crucial for accuracy. Encasing this core is a match-grade copper jacket, specifically Hornady's Advanced Manufacturing Process (AMP) jacket. The AMP jacket is an innovation that sets Hornady bullets apart. It's built with virtually zero wall thickness variation, a feat of modern engineering that ensures near-perfect concentricity. This uniformity of the jacket is fundamental to achieving match-grade accuracy, as it prevents wobbling in flight and promotes consistent ballistic performance from shot to shot. The copper jacket also ensures proper engagement with the rifle's rifling, imparting the necessary spin for stability and precision.

Flat Base Design for Consistent Performance

While some modern bullets feature boat-tail designs for extreme long-range stability, the Hornady 2260 retains a flat base. This traditional design choice is deliberate and offers distinct advantages for many varmint hunting scenarios and classic varmint rifles. A flat base ensures clean, consistent bullet release from the muzzle, minimizing variations that can affect accuracy. It's particularly well-suited for cartridges and rifles operating at moderate to high velocities common in varmint applications, offering excellent performance even at lower velocities often encountered in calibers like the .22 Hornet or older .222 Remington rifles, while still excelling in popular rounds like the .223 Remington and .22-250 Remington. This design simplifies seating depth for reloaders and contributes to the bullet's reputation for reliability across a wide range of firearms.

Ballistics: Understanding the Numbers

For serious shooters, understanding ballistic data is key to predicting performance. The Hornady 2260 provides robust figures for a varmint bullet of its class.

• Weight: 55 Grains: The 55-grain weight is a classic and versatile choice for .22 caliber varmint rifles. It strikes an excellent balance between velocity and retained energy, making it suitable for a broad spectrum of varmint species and shooting distances. It's heavy enough to resist wind drift better than lighter bullets, yet light enough to achieve impressive muzzle velocities in popular cartridges.
• Bullet Diameter: .224: This standard diameter ensures a proper fit and engagement with the rifling of all .22 caliber centerfire rifles, from the .223 Remington to the .22-250 Remington and beyond, ensuring optimal accuracy and stability.
• Ballistic Coefficient (BC): .235 (G1): The Ballistic Coefficient is a measure of a bullet's aerodynamic efficiency. A G1 BC of .235 for a 55-grain flat-base spire point is quite respectable for its intended purpose. This figure indicates that the bullet retains velocity well and experiences less drag than less aerodynamic designs, contributing to its flat trajectory and superior energy delivery downrange. This is crucial for hunters who need to make precise shots at extended distances, as a higher BC translates to less bullet drop and wind deflection.
• Sectional Density (SD): .157: Sectional Density is the ratio of a bullet's mass to its cross-sectional area. A higher SD generally indicates better penetration for a given caliber. For varmint bullets, while deep penetration isn't the primary goal, a sufficient SD ensures that the bullet retains enough energy for effective terminal performance before fragmenting, especially on larger varmints like coyotes. The .157 SD for the 55-grain .224 bullet is well-suited for rapid, expansive energy transfer within the target.

Optimal Applications and Use Cases for the Hornady 2260

The Hornady 2260 is specifically designed for varmint hunting, excelling in scenarios where accuracy, flat trajectory, and explosive terminal performance are paramount.

• Prairie Dog Towns: This bullet is an absolute favorite for prairie dog hunting. Its flat trajectory minimizes holdover on rapidly changing distances, and the explosive SX performance ensures that hits are immediately visible, allowing shooters to quickly adjust for follow-up shots or spot for companions.
• Coyote and Fox Control: For predators like coyotes and foxes, the 55-grain weight coupled with the SX design delivers sufficient energy and rapid fragmentation for humane dispatch, especially within typical hunting ranges. Its accuracy helps ensure precise shot placement on these often wary animals.
• Woodchuck and Groundhog Eradication: Whether from a treeline or an elevated position, taking out troublesome woodchucks requires precision. The Hornady 2260 offers the accuracy to hit small targets and the terminal performance to anchor them reliably.
• Reloading Enthusiasts: For handloaders, the Hornady 2260 offers immense value. Its consistent weight, precise dimensions, and durable AMP jacket make it an incredibly forgiving bullet to load, allowing reloaders to craft custom ammunition tuned to their specific rifle and desired velocities. Many reloaders find that this bullet provides excellent accuracy across a wide range of powder charges and seating depths. The bulk packaging of 100 bullets per box makes it convenient for high-volume reloading, often required for active varmint hunters.
• "Classic" Varmint Rifles: The bullet’s design, particularly its flat base and versatility at various velocities, performs exceptionally well in a variety of "classic" varmint rifles. This includes popular chamberings such as:
  • .223 Remington: A perennial favorite, the 55-grain Hornady 2260 is a perfect match for the common 1:9" or 1:12" twist rates found in many .223 rifles, delivering superb accuracy and velocity.
  • .22-250 Remington: For maximum velocity and extended range, the .22-250 Remington paired with the Hornady 2260 is a formidable combination, pushing the 55-grain bullet to blistering speeds for flatter trajectories.
  • .222 Remington and .22 Hornet: Even in cartridges with lower velocities, the SX design ensures effective terminal performance, making it a viable option for these beloved classic varmint rounds.

Why Choose Hornady and Shop at DEGuns?

When investing in critical components like bullets, trust and quality are paramount. Hornady has a long-standing reputation as an industry leader, founded by Joyce Hornady with a dedication to producing "accurate, deadly, dependable" ammunition. The 2260 Traditional Varmint bullet is a direct descendant of that philosophy, benefiting from decades of ballistic research and cutting-edge manufacturing processes.

• Trusted Brand: Hornady is synonymous with innovation and precision in the shooting sports industry. Their commitment to quality control means you can rely on the consistency and performance of every bullet you load or fire.
• Proven Performance: This bullet isn't just theory; it's field-proven by countless varmint hunters who rely on its consistent accuracy and devastating terminal effects to achieve clean, ethical harvests.
• Value for Money: Available in convenient 100-count boxes, the Hornady 2260 offers excellent value, especially for high-volume shooters and reloaders who require a dependable supply of top-tier varmint bullets. Stock up at DEGuns, your reliable source for all Hornady products.

The Hornady 2260 Traditional Varmint 22 Caliber .224 55 Grain Spire Point SX bullet represents an exceptional blend of classic design and modern manufacturing. Its flat trajectory, pinpoint accuracy, and explosive terminal performance make it the definitive choice for anyone serious about varmint hunting or seeking superior ballistic components for their .22 caliber rifle. When you’re looking for a bullet that delivers consistent, reliable results and helps you achieve the precise outcomes you demand in the field, look no further than this time-tested performer. Find yours today at DEGuns and experience the Hornady difference.

Key Specifications of the Hornady 2260 Traditional Varmint Bullet

Attribute	Value
Brand	Hornady
Series	Varmint
Model	Traditional
Caliber	22 Cal
Weight	55 gr
Bullet Diameter	.224
Bullet Type	Spire Point SX
Core Material	Lead
Jacket Material	AMP Copper
Application	Varmint Hunting
Ballistic Coeff.	.235
Sectional Density	.157
Rounds Per Box	100
Boxes Per Case	40
MPN	2260
UPC	090255222609