I'll second that. More pressure, less soot. On another note I found problems with velocity spreads using Li'l Gun with light bullets. 45 gr. Hornady Hornets and its a rip snortin' tack drivin' see ya later Mr. .222 Rem. kinda cartridge.
Quote: Largely due to the commentary on this board, I picked Lil' Gun for my Hornet and haven't looked back. The combo of Hornady 35 Vmax's and Lil' Gun has been nothing short of fantastic in my rifle. Great accuracy coupled with low pressure and good velocity. (Actually accuracy with any bullet I've tried has been very good.)
HOWEVER, I have noticed that when I go to clean the barrel, soot is abundant. I sometimes think I'm running the rod up a diesel pickup's tailpipe. It doesn't seem to hurt anything but I just can't believe how much carbon I work out of the barrel after a day's shooting.
Until some other magic powder appears, I'll stick with the Lil' Gun though. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this?
Thanks, Tim
I tried lit gun but it did not group as good as w 680 or w 296. 680 is not made any more lucky me i got about 2 pounds of the stuff.W 296 would be my second joice of powder.
Posts: 46 | Location: Friendship,Wis. USA | Registered: 18 November 2001
No problem with you guys that like and use Lil Gun, but I just don't see the point in "hotrodding" the .22 Hornet. I bought a Hornet because I wanted something LESS than a .222 -- quieter, less recoil, and just as effective but at shorter ranges. Anyway, I have a good supply of IMR 4227 and it seems to be consistent, clean, and quiet. I'll keep on shooting it even if velocities are somewhat south of 3000 fps.
Posts: 13238 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001
You mention folks that load LilGun are "hotrodding" the Hornet.That is JUST the point,we use "LILGUN" so we DO NOT have to "hotrod" it!!
"Hotrodding" a cartridge (to me at least) is loading maximum pressure loads(or even overloads) in an attemt to increase velocities beyond the normal capabilities of a cartridge..
There is NO NEED to "Hotrod" the Hornet with LILGUN as it produces only a FRACTION of the pressure with loads of equal or slightly greater velocity compared to just about EVERY .22Hornet compatable power I know of!
Most other powders operate at 35 to 40K CUPs with top end loads in the Hornet.LILGUN tops out right around 30K...
A substantial difference when one considers you get great velocites without brass wrecking pressures.
I have taken several varmints out to 300yards(witnessed) with my 40g Vmax/13g LILGUN loads in my Hornets.This load has grouped as small as .3" at 100yards for 5 shots.I also get great brass life when brass is neck sized(haven't thrown a case away yet)..
Performance like that is why many of us Hornet lovers are so impressed with LILGUN...
The load in my Anschutz is: WW cases, 40 V-max, WSR primer, 13.2 grains of Lil'Gun. Right at 3,000fps and bughole groups, no hotrodding here! In fact my experience is when I try to add much more powder there's no pressure, but instead velocities actually drop, accuracy decreases and standard deviations go to hell. When I first started using Lil'Gun I called Hodgdon about it. I was told by one of their techs that you can't put enough Lil'Gun in a WW case under a 40 grain bullet to cause pressure, I don't intend to try that out but that's what they said. A little dirtier than some powders but nothing two or three extra patches won't cure. Meters like crazy, I love the stuff!
Didn't mean to imply by the use of the term "hotrodding" that users of Lil Gun were overloading their Hornets. I just meant to point out that I prefer my Hornet to shoot in the traditional velocity range because that's the type of performance I want from this particular gun. I have a .222, .223, .222 Magnum, and a couple of .22-250's, so I have no need of an additional gun that performs like any of these.
Actually, my "Hornet" is a K-Hornet, but the improvement is not for purposes of velocity; rather it is for case life, ease of loading, and accuracy. As I said, no problem if you want to use Lil Gun and wring the last FPS out of your Hornet, it's just that higher velocity doesn't have much appeal for me in this cartridge.
But ain't Hornets fun, any way you use them?
Posts: 13238 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001
I sort of agree with StoneCreek.... I like velocities in the 2600 range for most plinking stuff... but it's nice to be able to go to almost 3200 in the K Hornet without overstressing things, if needed. Mine also likes the Speer 50gr TNT at about 2800... I'm still waiting for a coyote to wander in front of one of these... the 40gr VMax is VERY explosive on the yellow dogs...
As long as I get full brass life(low pressures) along with great accuracy (.5 MOA)and velocity(2,700 to 2,800 FPS) with the Hornet using the LILGUN powder, I will always do so.
One thing I did notice in several Hornets a few years ago that even the "normal" velocity Hornet loads with older powders like 4227,H110,296,VVn110,etc. produced pressures which shortened brass life.
Sunday , just for fun I reloaded and fired a single standard hornet case(Win.) eleven time at which I stopped because I got bored doing it over and over and over, etc. the load was 13.3grs./Lil'gun and a 40gr. Sierra HP. And I'am full lenght sized the case.
It doesn't seem to hurt anything but I just can't believe how much carbon I work out of the barrel after a day's shooting.