Hi Team

I am located in Sydney, Australia, and unfortunately pretty much the only powder I can get my hand on is AR2205

The equivalent powders according to theri website are AR2205, H4227 / H110, IMR4227, W296, R- 123, AA1680 and N120

http://www.thalesgroup.com.au/handloaders-guide/equivalents.asp

I need a nice load for the 22K hornet

Does anyone ahve any reccomendations ?

Kind Regards

Beefa270
www.shirehunters.com

.22 Hornet
Test barrel: 600 mm (23½"), 1 in 16" twist
Primers: Small Rifle
Cases: Sako, trim-to length 35.40 mm (1.394")

Bullet Powder Start load Maximum load
Weight Type Mfg. C.O.L. Type Weight Velocity Weight Velocity

[g] [grs] [mm] [in.] [g] [grs] [m/s] [fps] [g] [grs] [m/s] [fps]
2,6 40 Spire Point Speer 43,5 1,713 N110 0,52 8,0 713 2338 0,65 10,1 813 2668
2,9 45 Spitzer Speer 43,5 1,713 N110 0,48 7,3 654 2144 0,60 9,3 746 2448
3,2 50 Spitzer Speer 43,5 1,713 N110 0,47 7,3 609 1997 0,56 8,7 693 2274
N120 0,62 9,5 612 2008 0,74 11,3 724 2375
3,6 55 Spitzer Speer 43,5 1,713 N110 0,41 6,4 561 1841 0,53F 8,2F 644 2111
N120 0,58 9,0 574 1884 0,69 10,6 679 2229
F = Case full


Hope thet it help, work from minimum load to max very cautiously. always verify primer situation.

I there, Beefa. I have done some loads for my 22 hornet with AR2205. ADI supply Hodgdon with H4227 which is, (I think), made to a more consistent spec, batch to batch but is AR2205. ADI give quite a bit of reloading data on their website. I find that heaviest bullet that can successfully be loaded with AR2205 is a 50gr spitzer. I tried the Sierra 50gr Blitz #1340 and found it to be rather accurate. But be careful when using ADI load data with Sierra bullets. They will require reducing the max charge! When selecting a 50gr bullet, look for the shortest design. Forget Boat Tails.

I have recently changed to Lil'Gun - mainly because I wanted to be able to use heavier bullets. With that, I can shoot 60gr Hornady's. (But I cut the exposed lead tip off to shorten the bullet).

Some folk say to use a mild primer with the hornet. This is to avoid the primer dislodging the bullet before the powder ignites properly. Some use small pistol primers, I use Federal 205 small rifle primers. These are about as mild as small pistol primers.

My advise on the hornet is to load to as low a pressure and velocity that will give good accuracy. The case is not very strong and at the top end, the cases stretch and grow. Also, keep the chamber and loaded cases very clean. Too much case to chamber wall grip during firing causes premature case failure. So does too much pressure!

The hornet, with it's 1 in 16 twist is ideally suited to cast bullet shooting. With AR2205, I can load a 55gr cast bullet on top of the same powder charge as for a 45gr jacketed bullet. I get no barrel leading/bullet stripping/flame erosion.

Apparently, when fire forming, you can use your normal k-hornet load with AR2205 and shoot normally.


PS - the hornet is a great cartridge/rifle combination. Every shooter should have one!

While I have switched to Lil Gun, the AA 1680 is an awesome powder to use as well. Great accuracy and velocity across the board for full power loads. If indeed there is such a thing as full power in the Hornet!

I use the small pistol magnum primers with better results than the Fed205M's in my BRNO. YMMV of course, but they make sense to me.

Thanks for the tips guys, I will load these up and let you know how it pans out

Thanks again

Beefa

Beefa....Merry Christmas,

I'm using 11.0 grs. of AA1680 in my regular .22 Hornet loads and it makes up very good accurate loads indeed with the 47 gr. RWS HP's and the Hornady 40 gr. V-Max's.

I will definately try it in my .22K-Hornet when it arrives also.

I purchased the AA1680 because at the time I was unable to obtain VV N-110, since many of my shooting buddies are using it instead of VV N-120. They claim the VV N-120 is a touch too slow for the Hornet.

Good Luck.

Being in the 'Down Under' part of the world as we are, we do not have the range of powders available as others do. ADI supply most, if not all, our requirements. That is not a bad thing - it's just that Lil'Gun puts the hornet into a whole new arena. Who would have thought a hornet can shoot through a 200mm tree trunk? (And still take a chunk out the other side)?

The point is, we can get Lil'Gun in our part of the world.

Beefa, if you can get hold of some Li'Gun and you decide to try it, you can probably load up to and maybe more, 13.1grs (0.85g) into un-fireformed case (with considerable compression), and get very respectable velocities with any projectile up to 55gr. Sierra 55grs give higher pressures than do some others and for them I use 12.3grs (0.8g) of Lil'Gun. I use 11.6grs (0.75g) with hornady 60gr spire points (with the exposed lead tip cut off) I load to a OAL of 46.5mm to fit my mag - just.

I had read on a number of Australian forums that it was , for reasons that I cannot recall, all but impossible to obtain Lil'Gun.

I may be way off the mark, but ??? was of the view that there was not much around as it was being gobbled up to make either HMR or LeverEvolution factory ammo.

Pls advise if Lil Gun is in good supply in the States. This would enable Australian shooters to pressure importers/distributors to make this powder available.

That said, Hornet shooters in Australia are pretty thin on the ground. Shooters have migrated to .223, and now 204Ruger; at the lower end, there has been a very rapid and wide takeup of HMRs.

quote:

Originally posted by HoldenV8:
......
That said, Hornet shooters in Australia are pretty thin on the ground. Shooters have migrated to .223, and now 204Ruger;......

That's a pity. The hornet is such a fun gun! With the advent of Li'Gun, the hornet has moved up quite a few notches. You guys gotta get some Lil'Gun - it's the best thing since sliced bread! Good luck!

P.S. Lil'Gun stops working well above hornet. (Refering to case capacity to bullet diameter ratio - and maybe case shape). At 221 fireball, it is only as good as the next powder. But in the standard old hornet, one can get a 60gr bullet to about 2610fps without any excess pressure! And accurately too. (This does require a bit of technique 'though. So don't try pushing it by just loading in more powder - it won't work!)

I am pleased report guys that the first range session bought 5 separate targets, all under 1 inch with 3 shot groups

Cheers for your help

Beefa

quote:

Originally posted by HoldenV8:
I had read on a number of Australian forums that it was , for reasons that I cannot recall, all but impossible to obtain Lil'Gun.

I may be way off the mark, but ??? was of the view that there was not much around as it was being gobbled up to make either HMR or LeverEvolution factory ammo.

Pls advise if Lil Gun is in good supply in the States. This would enable Australian shooters to pressure importers/distributors to make this powder available.

That said, Hornet shooters in Australia are pretty thin on the ground. Shooters have migrated to .223, and now 204Ruger; at the lower end, there has been a very rapid and wide takeup of HMRs.

HoldenV8

I was talking to the range officer at Silverdale here in Sydney and he was saying LilGun is the powder, for a Hornet, but unobtainable here in Oz.

Do any of you Aussie shooters know of a source here in Oz for it?

Cheers,

Beefa ,
Lil Gun not available here and won't be in the forseeable future I believe.
HoldenV8 has bought my CZ K Hornet recently .
I found AR2205 the most accurate powder (also tried 2400 and W296) in my K Hornet . 12.1 gns of 2205 with the 40gn Taipan HP shot under 3/4 MOA . Same results with Sierra .224 40gn HP . CCI 400 primers . Winchester brass , O.A.L. 44.40mm . Velocity about 2800 FPS from memory .
Above 2 projectiles excellent on rabbits and foxes to 200 yards .

quote:

Originally posted by Blair338/378:

I was talking to the range officer at Silverdale here in Sydney and he was saying LilGun is the powder, for a Hornet, but unobtainable here in Oz.

Not to disagree with him, as it IS recommended by a lot of shooters as a pretty good powder for the Hornet, BUT...

If none has been available how does he KNOW it is "the" powder for the Hornet? How does he know something else is not even better?

I must be a cynic, but I do not trust loading advice from people if they haven't tested what they are touting.

Alberta Canuck, I am in the 'Down Under' part of the world and I have some. It must have been available at some time in limited supplies in Oz.

P.S. Lil'Gun is only the powder of choice if you are fascinated with making that tiny little cartridge perform like a 'magnum'. In our part of the world, I would say AR2205 is the best (and often only) powder available. Anyway, I have found it to be pretty good stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by 303Guy:
Alberta Canuck, I am in the 'Down Under' part of the world and I have some. It must have been available at some time in limited supplies in Oz.

P.S. Lil'Gun is only the powder of choice if you are fascinated with making that tiny little cartridge perform like a 'magnum'. In our part of the world, I would say AR2205 is the best (and often only) powder available. Anyway, I have found it to be pretty good stuff.

Okay, .303 guy. I can buy that. If he has also compared it with AA-1680, which puts some Hornet bullets up in the above 3,200 fps range and less than 0.5 MOA I would respect his opinion.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
...... AA-1680, which puts some Hornet bullets up in the above 3,200 fps range snd less than 0.5 MOA ......

That's impressive Alberta! I notice that Lil'Gun, as powerful as it may be, only really kicks in with heavier bullets, which most people don't use. The stuff is also sensitive to neck tension. However, I have been experimenting with zero neck tension and have been able to get seemingly consistent pressure. Next step is the range! The 'power' I get is quite astounding - since my technique does involve using more powder (but not more peak pressure). Let me put it this way, when using the listed max charge in the regular way, I could recover my expanded bullet from my test medium. Now I only get fragments (of jacket material - which melts into the micro-fleece rags). My test medium is water soaked furniture padding. I must check whether I can get some AA-1680 here in New Zealand.

Yeh, .303 Guy, I couldn't believe it myself at first.

That's 15.0 grs. 1680 with 40-gr. Sierras in a K-Hornet. Will actually average closer to 3,300 f.p.s from my BSA Martini with some lots of brass.

In the standard Hornet, you should be able to use up to 14.0 grs. or maybe very slightly over, if you carefully work your loads up. You still should get close to 3,200 fps.

Hope you can find some. It's fun to reload with too. With 40 gr. Sierra bullets, I have not been able to get an overload in the case, and it is a very smooth flowing ball powder, so "throws" great from any good powder measure.

Li'l Gun is a good powder too, but right around here is more expensive to buy and harder to find. So I just stick to the 1680, as it is performing great for me...

Thanks for that, AC. The hornet has just got to be the most fascinating cartridge to load and shoot! (For those of us who like to fiddle, anyway).

I have a desire to shoot heavier bullets and to that end I have been experimenting with Li'Gun and have been able to stabilize 60gr Hornady bullets as well as 55gr Hornady boat tails. The 60gr loads did not hold enough powder for consistent burn, so I found a way of increasing the charge without raising peak pressure. This involved compressing the powder with a wad over it and holing the bullet in place with melted in bullet lube - without sizing the neck. I have also tried a paper sabot with melted in bullet lube. Both methods work but the paper sabot is a bit too fiddly - but holds better. When using bullet lube, I do not have to clean the bore - it stays shiny clean with zero copper fouling.