22 Hornet Load Suggestions?

[303Guy]

I can't help it, I just have to try PP in the hornet.

Do I just use the same charge as I was using for J-word bullets?
(I tested one and pressure is pretty much the same).

Should I be using the boolits gas checked or plain?
(They are RCBS 55gr g/c flat tipped).

I have been using 13.4gr Lil'Gun under a 55gr Hornady spire point. I do not size the neck - instead I use a 'paper cup' and that is how I tested the first load. Boolit length is about the same but in any case I can shoot 60gr bullets in this gun with the paper cup. The gun is more accurate (with J-bullets) with hotter loads. At lower loads the ignition becomes less consistant.

Suggestions would be appreciated!

[JeffinNZ]

I used to load 5gr 800X under a 48gr cast bullet in my CZ fro 1900fps. Not sure if that is any help.

[heat-round]

13 gr Lil Gun, 35 gr Hornady V-Max and small pistol primers is a very accurate load in all four of my hornets. It will stop a groundhog in its tracks and not exit even at close ranges. I shot crows in the snow and had a six foot area of red spray on the snow, beautiful!

Cast boolits, I'm getting decent accuracy with 4.0 gr. red dot with Lyman 225438 and 225450 cb's. I have Lyman 225107, 225107hp and 225462 molds I have not worked with yet. Details to follow.

I love the hornet, cb's and four grains of powder make it a very economical gun to shoot.

[Nrut]

Well 303Guy you might try Seafires reduced "BlueDot" load as he suggested on the "Popping Porkers with Pellets" thread over on the AR forum...

Just don't tell Hotcore eh?

[303Guy]

Thanks guys.

I have tried 'light' loads (fired into my 'test tube') and found that the patch doesn't come off too well. One full-house load showed the patch coming off just fine. That was 13.4grs Lil'Gun under the 55gr patched and paper cup seated boolit. There seems to have been base obturation and the lube groove being compressed.

I have some AR2205(H4227) and of course Lil'Gun. AR2205 starts producing pressure at a fairly low velocity. I could get 2200fps with it. I would prefer full tilt loads. There is a gap between AR2205 and Lil'Gun in which the pressure is too high with one and too low with the other (for consistant ignition). I suspect the heavier boolit will require higher velocity due to the 1 in 16 twist. Mmmmm....

The patched boolits waiting to be loaded

[rhead]

12.8 gr LilGun, small pistol primer, and a 55 grain paper patched bator boolit cast from 50 50 wheel weights and pure lead with 1% tin added is very effective. Crows and this load is how my rifle earned the name "Misty".

[6.5 mike]

Very nice looking boolits, 303 guy. Makes me wonder how my hornet would do with p/p & cast. Might have to find another just for that reason, d**m the bad luck.
Wonder how it would work in a uberti low wall & 6x malcom scope. I can see it now.

[DLCTEX]

Gas checks shoudn't be necessary with PP boolits.

[303Guy]

... uberti low wall & 6x malcom scope. I can see it now.

Is that a single shot? I have a 1 in 14 twist 4140 22LR barrel lying around ...... I have thought of building my own action for it chambered in hornet. That should be about ideal with a 60gr PP boolit driven to around 2600fps. Long neck to accomodate a wad and boolit seated out a bit. Mmmmm.... Maybe one day.

Gas checks shoudn't be necessary with PP boolits.

I was wondering whether the g/c would assist in boolit alignment but is seems that with the thicker patch, there is no problem anyway. Besides, sizing down the g/c could be detrimental.

12.8 gr LilGun, small pistol primer, and a 55 grain paper patched bator boolit cast ...

rhead, how do you seat your boolits?

[rhead]

I seat it to just short of touching the rifling. I have never measured it but it would be way too long to feed in a mag. I use a Handi rifle. Kind of ugly but I'm shooting it not dating it.

[303Guy]

Right! The first batch of test loads. (Notice one is seated too deep). These are with heavy tracing paper. I ruined some of them before realizing the new case mouths were smaller than my well used cases, even though I had expanded them. I used a different loading technique for these, that being a thin cardboard wad over compressed Lil'Gun (12.8gr), boolit base dipped into molten waxy-lube and seated. The sized boolits are a neat fit in the case mouths. We'll see how they shoot! (I will load up a few more first).