Whitespider
06-21-2009, 01:07 PM
Have you ever had one-of-those-days?
You know, when you just can’t hit what you’re aiming at, when you know your form just ain’t right but the harder you try to correct it the worse it gets. Well, yesterday was one-of-those-days at the bench for me; every time I pulled the trigger the rifle would recoil differently, the crosshairs ended up at a different spot on the target. The really light-weight, plastic stocked, Handi-Rifle didn’t help matters any, and I couldn’t get it to slide consistently on the bags. It was hot and sticky, over 90 degrees, one of those days where, because of the 100% humidity, you sweat just sitting still. We had zero wind at my backyard shooting range, I wanted to take advantage, but I just flat couldn’t get comfortable. It wasn’t that I was flinching, the Hornet doesn’t beat you up at the bench, I just couldn’t get any consistency going.
First I’ll report the chronograph results. I have no good explanation for the funky velocities when going from the 10-grain to 11-grain charge weights, other than the sky screens were moving from tree-shaded to full sun about then, and the open holes in the leaf canopy may have been messing with it. I loaded each charge weight in my cool basement and walked outside to shoot, trying to keep ammunition temp consistent. I did manage to exceed my velocity goal (2200 fps) with absolutely zero leading; at the end of forty rounds a single dry patch left the bore sparkling. As reference, the 12-grain charge weight is at 100% load density, maybe even a tiny bit compressed.
Readings taken 10-feet from the muzzle;
9.0 grs - 5 rounds - 2045 ave fps / 178 extreme spread
9.5 grs - 5 rounds - 2150 ave fps / 42 extreme spread
10.0 grs - 5 rounds - 2205 ave fps / 275 extreme spread
10.5 grs - 5 rounds - 2127 ave fps / 83 extreme spread
11.0 grs - 5 rounds - 2218 ave fps / 176 extreme spread
11.5 grs - 5 rounds - 2292 ave fps / 41 extreme spread
12.0 grs - 10 rounds - 2305 ave fps / 59 extreme spread
And the load details;
BOOLIT - Lyman #225438, cast from a 50:1 WW/tin alloy, air cooled, sized .225-inch and seated just deep enough to cover lube grooves
LUBE - My home-made “everything but the kitchen sink” concoction
PROPELLANT - Accurate 1680
PRIMER - WSR
CASE - Winchester, partial resized and expanded with Lyman M-Die
Fifty-yard groups were nothing to brag about, running 2-3 inches, mostly because the shooter was having a bad day. But, I did manage to put 4 of 5 into a cluster measuring about ¾-inch (three touching) at the 11.5-grain charge weight. And all 10 rounds from the 12.0-grain charge went 2¼-inch, with 6 in less than an inch. I’m convinced that this combination, between 2200 and 2300 fps, is capable of fine accuracy if the shooter can get his act together!
I was hoping to name this thread ‘.22 Boolit Project, Part 5 (Hornet Final)’ and move on to Dad’s .218 Bee, but it was not to be... Maybe Part 6 can be the Hornet Final. For those interested in reading how I got this far, along with all the comments and suggestions from other members, I’ve included links below;
.22 Boolit Project (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=50531)
.22 Boolit Project, Part 2 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=53637)
.22 Boolit Project, Part 3 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=54892)
.22 Boolit Project, Part 4 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=55516)
You know, when you just can’t hit what you’re aiming at, when you know your form just ain’t right but the harder you try to correct it the worse it gets. Well, yesterday was one-of-those-days at the bench for me; every time I pulled the trigger the rifle would recoil differently, the crosshairs ended up at a different spot on the target. The really light-weight, plastic stocked, Handi-Rifle didn’t help matters any, and I couldn’t get it to slide consistently on the bags. It was hot and sticky, over 90 degrees, one of those days where, because of the 100% humidity, you sweat just sitting still. We had zero wind at my backyard shooting range, I wanted to take advantage, but I just flat couldn’t get comfortable. It wasn’t that I was flinching, the Hornet doesn’t beat you up at the bench, I just couldn’t get any consistency going.
First I’ll report the chronograph results. I have no good explanation for the funky velocities when going from the 10-grain to 11-grain charge weights, other than the sky screens were moving from tree-shaded to full sun about then, and the open holes in the leaf canopy may have been messing with it. I loaded each charge weight in my cool basement and walked outside to shoot, trying to keep ammunition temp consistent. I did manage to exceed my velocity goal (2200 fps) with absolutely zero leading; at the end of forty rounds a single dry patch left the bore sparkling. As reference, the 12-grain charge weight is at 100% load density, maybe even a tiny bit compressed.
Readings taken 10-feet from the muzzle;
9.0 grs - 5 rounds - 2045 ave fps / 178 extreme spread
9.5 grs - 5 rounds - 2150 ave fps / 42 extreme spread
10.0 grs - 5 rounds - 2205 ave fps / 275 extreme spread
10.5 grs - 5 rounds - 2127 ave fps / 83 extreme spread
11.0 grs - 5 rounds - 2218 ave fps / 176 extreme spread
11.5 grs - 5 rounds - 2292 ave fps / 41 extreme spread
12.0 grs - 10 rounds - 2305 ave fps / 59 extreme spread
And the load details;
BOOLIT - Lyman #225438, cast from a 50:1 WW/tin alloy, air cooled, sized .225-inch and seated just deep enough to cover lube grooves
LUBE - My home-made “everything but the kitchen sink” concoction
PROPELLANT - Accurate 1680
PRIMER - WSR
CASE - Winchester, partial resized and expanded with Lyman M-Die
Fifty-yard groups were nothing to brag about, running 2-3 inches, mostly because the shooter was having a bad day. But, I did manage to put 4 of 5 into a cluster measuring about ¾-inch (three touching) at the 11.5-grain charge weight. And all 10 rounds from the 12.0-grain charge went 2¼-inch, with 6 in less than an inch. I’m convinced that this combination, between 2200 and 2300 fps, is capable of fine accuracy if the shooter can get his act together!
I was hoping to name this thread ‘.22 Boolit Project, Part 5 (Hornet Final)’ and move on to Dad’s .218 Bee, but it was not to be... Maybe Part 6 can be the Hornet Final. For those interested in reading how I got this far, along with all the comments and suggestions from other members, I’ve included links below;
.22 Boolit Project (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=50531)
.22 Boolit Project, Part 2 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=53637)
.22 Boolit Project, Part 3 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=54892)
.22 Boolit Project, Part 4 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=55516)