The Hornady Varmint .22 Cal .224 50 gr SP SX® (Item 2240) is a box of 100 component reloading projectiles engineered for explosive fragmentation on small pests and vermin. Designed with an ultra-thin Advanced Manufacturing Process (AMP®) copper jacket over a swaged lead core, this Spire Point Super Explosive (SX) bullet ruptures instantly upon target contact. This rapid disintegration delivers violent energy transfer while significantly reducing the risk of ricochets in open paddocks and pastures. These inert, unprimed projectiles feature a flat base and exposed lead tip, providing dependable expansion for moderate-velocity .22-calibre centrefire cartridges.

Key Features

• Super Explosive (SX) Construction: Built with an extra-thin match-grade jacket designed to expand violently and fragment completely on contact, even at lower impact velocities.
• Paddock Safety: Near-instant bullet break-up on impact minimises ground skip-offs and ricochets, making it suitable for pest management on rural agricultural land.
• Aerodynamic Spire Point Profile: Employs an exposed lead tip and flat-base design with a 0.214 G1 ballistic coefficient for predictable flight paths across short to medium varminting ranges.
• Broad Centrefire Compatibility: Sized for standard 0.224 in bore diameters, making it suitable for reloading cartridges such as the .22 Hornet, .221 Fireball, .222 Remington, and .223 Remington.

Specifications

• Brand: Hornady
• Model Number: 2240
• Product Type: Component reloading bullets (unprimed projectiles)
• Quantity: 100 projectiles per box
• Calibre: .22 Calibre
• Bullet Diameter: 0.224 in (5.69 mm)
• Bullet Weight: 50 grains (3.24 grams)
• Bullet Style: Spire Point Super Explosive (SP SX®), flat base, non-cannelured
• Overall Bullet Length (OAL): 0.654 in
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): 0.214
• Sectional Density: 0.142
• Maximum Muzzle Velocity: 3,500 fps (~1,067 m/s)

Who is the Hornady .224 50 Grain SP SX Bullet for?

• Pastoralists and Landholders — Requires explosive terminal fragmentation to cull pests under 50 lbs, such as rabbits, hares, foxes, and wild dogs, without ricocheting across open pasture, using a 50-grain varmint projectile with an overall length of 0.654 in.
• Moderate-Velocity Centrefire Handloaders — Needs a flat-base 0.224 in component bullet tuned specifically for traditional 1:12" or 1:14" barrel twist rates running under a strict 3,500 fps muzzle velocity ceiling in cartridges like the .22 Hornet, .222 Remington, or standard .223 Remington.

Less suitable for: High-velocity loads exceeding a 3,500 fps muzzle velocity ceiling, fast-twist barrels (such as 1:7" or 1:8") that generate excessive rotational stress capable of shredding the thin jacket mid-flight, or game weighing over 50 lbs; shooters in these applications should use a standard heavier-jacketed Spire Point, a polymer-tipped varmint projectile, or a monolithic hunting bullet designed for deep penetration.