Here�s a follow up to my posting seeking .22 Hornet recipes. Seems the universal �best choice� was Lil� gun powder and various bullets. I found some Hornady 45 gr. Hornet bullets and Remington 7 � primers: the results are as follows.

Anschutz 1730 HB
13.0 gr. Lil�Gun
Once fired Remington brass trimmed to 1.393�
Remington 7 � primers
Hornday 45 gr. Hornets
OAL 1.860 (the bullets seated just touching the rifling)

5 shot C to C groupings @ 100 yds., F85 degrees, no wind

1. .688 2800 fps avg.
2. .701 2843 fps avg.
3. .643 2798 fps avg.
4. .623 2886 fps avg.
5. .667 2810 fps avg.

Personally, I see good possibilities here. In each group there were two or three bullets holes touching. There were no indications of excessive pressure!

Thanks again to all who responded!

Best,

Will

Will,
Try your loads over again with small pistol primers.
Regards,George.

George,

Thank you ... it'll be done tomorrow!

Took the rifle + loads out today and had a very successful hunt! Perfect cartridge, good load and great rifle. Life is good and hunting makes it better.

Best,

Will

...also, if you are in an experimental mood, try the Remington 6 1/2 primers... they are designed for the milder small rifle cartridges, like the hornet...although, the groups you're getting, I don't know that I'd mess with it....

I'm using 13 gr. (listed as a max load in the Hogdon manual) with the 35 gr. Hornady VMAX and CCI SP primers. I don't get quite that good accuracy from my Contender barrel (21" factory) but some of that is me and I have only a 4X scope on the rifle. I've yet to chronograph it.

I'd also like to hear about your case life. Particularly so since your bullet is 5 gr. more than Hogdon lists for this powder charge.

I seem to be getting good case life and while this bullet IS a little brick ballistically, terminal performance out to 150 yards (my longest shot to date with this barrel) is all one could wish for. This bullet is noticeably wind sensitive.

Case life? Hummm don�t really know. I just received the rifle a few weeks ago and fired 100 rounds thought it, just to sight in the rifle and obtain brass for reloading. All my brass is once fired with just a few (25) loaded a second time. I let you know when I�m down the road a ways.

I see no pressure signs which makes me think the case life will be good. Good to me is 7-8 reloads.

As for hunting - I agree the cartridge is perfect for my needs. 150 yds. is no problem and the noise level is reasonable!

Best,

Will

British & Hobie
I've been using Lil'Gun for about 3 years. I use Winchester cases, because they're thicker than Remington. I get better case life, and the thicker brass helps concentricity when seating the bullets (I use RCBS Competition dies, too).
I get between 5 & 10 reloadings per case, easily, though I've never kept records on it. When I was turning case necks, before I found Lil'Gun, I was getting 3-4 reloadings before the necks tore or pinholed.
Regarding the powder charge, I talked to Hodgdons and was informed that the Hornet case won't hold enough Lil'Gun to create excessive pressures. Extra powder just goes out the barrel. Basically, I just experiment with powder charge until I find best accuracy. Some bullets like as little as 12.5 grains, some do best with 13.1 or 13.2 grains. There's no benefit compressing the powder charge.
Another thing I do is sort my Hornet brass into lots by weight, +/- 0.1 grains. Due to the small volume of the cases, you can definately see a difference of point of impact at 100 yards between a case weighing 48 grains and one weighing 51 grains. (This excersize is perfect justification to buy an electronic, digital scale! )
Regards, George.

[ 06-22-2003, 19:18: Message edited by: George Capriola ]

The weight difference of 100 ea new WW cases was 1.0 Gr .The cases ran from49.6 -50.6 Gr. and sepetated in 10 batches by 1/10 Gr. The weight difference of 100 new ea R-P cases was 1.6 gr. The cases ran from 44.8 -46.4 Gr. and seperated into 17 batches by 1/10 Gr. The best 100 yd.groups that I have shot with the Kimber has been 9/10 In. with cases that were not seperated by wieght. I dident expect that much differance with in each brand and the difference between the Win. and Rem. cases. The previous post about wieghing cases may make my Hornet a tack driver...Thanks

Dear WillH,
I dont weigh cases.My case preparation consists of uniforming the primer pockets and deburring the flasholes.
Using H110,CCI 500 primers,40g Speer S/P's and Sako(neck sized)cases my BSA Hunter consistantly groups 1/2 MOA @ 100y.
I found the biggest accuracy factor being the primers.
Cheers Rob T.

[ 06-27-2003, 05:04: Message edited by: Rob T ]