Quickload/GRT request (.22 Hornet / 5.6x35R)

[gunwonk]

Would anyone with Quickload, or Gordon's Reloading Tool, be able to run a couple of scenarios for me?

The scenarios: .22 Hornet or 5.6x35R Vierling (doesn't matter which), 60 grain cast bullet (seated about .300" deep into the case neck), and Winchester Super Field powder, either a) 3.6 grains or b) 3.9 grains. (I think that's enough input data; if not, please let me know.)

The question: what's peak pressure?

What's going on is, my ".22 Hornet" rifle is actually a 5.6x35R ("Euro Hornet"), which was the .22 Hornet's predecessor cartridge. The 5.6x35R is supposed to run at or below about 20K psi. I understand the .22 Hornet is a souped-up version, which of course means higher pressure (40K?), so most of the .22 Hornet loading data out there is not right for me. (Not that there's any data for 60 grain cast and WSF, but that's another story.)

FWIW, officially the .22 Hornet and 5.6x35 cartridge dimensions are slightly different (I might have diagrams somewhere, will try to find & post if there's any interest), but IIRC it's a few thousandths here & there, and any differences (other than rim thickness) would be pretty much wiped out by putting either one through a resizing die. So Quickload/GRT results ought to be about the same for either one.

(In any case, I am not asking for any kind of endorsement of either load above, just pressure estimates. I have already fired load a), and it's a pussycat, with the classic "high primer" indicating pressure too low to stretch the brass. So pressure is no problem, I'd just like to put a number on it -- a "second opinion" from the computer, if you will.)

Thanks for looking.

[lar45]

My experience with GRT shows that it is not very close on it's velocity predictions,
Quickload doesn't have WSF, but the burn rate chart puts it next to Herco. So the following is an incremental table with Herco from Quickload.

Cartridge : .22 Hornet(.224 groove=custom)
Bullet : .225, 62,N.O.E. Bullet 225-61-FN GC A2
Useable Case Capaci: 11.510 grain H2O = 0.747 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 1.758 inch = 44.66 mm
Barrel Length : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm
Powder : Alliant HERCO

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms

-20.0 43 2.88 1348 242 12028 1073 100.0 2.043
-18.0 44 2.95 1369 250 12594 1094 100.0 2.002
-16.0 45 3.02 1389 257 13174 1115 100.0 1.962
-14.0 47 3.10 1410 265 13768 1135 100.0 1.925
-12.0 48 3.17 1430 272 14374 1156 100.0 1.889
-10.0 49 3.24 1449 280 14994 1177 100.0 1.855
-08.0 50 3.31 1469 287 15628 1197 100.0 1.822
-06.0 51 3.38 1488 295 16275 1218 100.0 1.791
-04.0 52 3.46 1507 302 16936 1238 100.0 1.761
-02.0 53 3.53 1525 310 17610 1258 100.0 1.732
+00.0 54 3.60 1544 317 18299 1279 100.0 1.705
+02.0 55 3.67 1562 325 19000 1299 100.0 1.678
+04.0 56 3.74 1580 332 19716 1319 100.0 1.653
+06.0 57 3.82 1598 340 20445 1339 100.0 1.628
+08.0 58 3.89 1615 348 21189 1359 100.0 1.604
+10.0 60 3.96 1632 355 21946 1379 100.0 1.582

[gunwonk]

Thank you, sir! This is quite helpful.

I see that -- if I were using Herco -- Quickload would estimate peak pressure of the 3.6 gr. load at 18,299 psi, which is consistent with the high-primer behavior I observed, and reasonably within the ~20k psi limit for 5.6x35R Vierling. For anyone interested, here's a snip from the 1938 DWM export ammo catalog, which I found on the NitroExpress.com forum:

Note first that the 3rd load, with "0.6* grams" for the powder weight -- i.e., w/ footnote -- is most likely for the American .22 Hornet, and not relevant here. The 1st & 2nd loads are evidently for the Vierling, and include powder charge (0.4 grams), velocity, and peak pressure. The latter, 1600 kilograms per square centimeter, is where I get my estimate of ~20k psi -- 22,757, just doing the math and ignoring any nuances of how they went about measuring it 100 years ago.

FWIW, the particular rifle I have is a single shot bolt action, with the root of the bolt handle as the only locking lug, so I'm going to remain serious about that pressure limit, and I appreciate any information that helps me do so.

BTW, I chronographed my 3.6-gr.-WSF load, and got 1400 fps, which is about 10% below the Quickload estimate for Herco, but again reasonable in the circumstances. I'm actually not tempted to try Herco, at least not yet, because the extreme velocity spread of my WSF load was less than 1%, so I'm expecting good news when I test for accuracy.

CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

I hope they mean these loads would be below recommended minimums ...

Thanks again!