Does anyone have a load for a 22 k-hornet? I bought a ruger honet with a 20 inch barrel. Couldn't get it to shoot anything. Sent it off and had it reamed to a k-hornet, had the trigger worked barrel crowned and the bolt halves tightned. Still can't get it to shoot. I've tried numerous loads with 45,50 and 55 grain bullets using lilgun with small rifle, small pistol and magnum small pistol primers.

Thanks

Try 35 grain V-Max's and small pistol primers.
Pete

Good Luck ; In my opinion it's got to be one of the WORST Cartridges for accuracy !.
TC brand new barrel have tried EVERYTHING anyone could think of and it still wouldn't group under an 1" no matter WHO shoots it !. I sold it off Good Reddens !. Hope you have better luck .

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

I've got a #1 in K-Hornet. I'm using 35 V-max, 13grs Lil Gun, and small pistol primers. Accuracy isn't pinpoint, but it will do an inch or better.

I use 40 grain v-max small pistol primers and 13 grains of lil gun for 3000 fps. I have a contender with an 18 inch bullberry barrel. I think the problem is your rifle. It shoots 3/4 to 1 inch groups at 100 yards.

I was thinking of getting a 77/22 years ago until I was unable to find anyone who was willing to say they were any good.

Since then I have heard that the bolt is the problem.

Ranb

I load for two Hornets:

CZ 527-13 grains of Lil'Gun under a 35 grain V-Max. Can't make it shoot over 1 inch. Best 5 shot group under 1/4 inch.

Martini Model 12-15-9.5 grains of Lil'Gun under the 35 grain V-Max. Consistantly under 1 inch. Best 5 shot group just over 1/2 inch.

Remington 1 1/2 Small Pistol Primers.

Don't tell me Hornets won't shoot.

Pete

On the off chance it is a powder issue, try AA 1680 or Winchester 680 idf you have any laying around... Worked great for me in a Kimber of Oregon years ago... KH60 was the serial #, if anyone has it now...

Below is my beloved Brno, circa 1949... sub MOA with LilGun and most any decent bullet!

Thanks for the information. I'll give the V-Max a try.

I'm suspicious of the factory Ruger barrel. I have a 77/22H in K-Hornet that was reworked by the previous owner with a Krieger barrel and it shoots some fantastic groups (with certain loads). I really like the design and feel of the little gun, but you may have to cough up the money for a replacement barrel to get the accuracy you're looking for.

By the way, I've had little luck with Lil Gun, although that may just be happenstance. I've also found no difference in rifle primers and pistol primers in either this gun or a Sako Hornet, so I tend to regard that advice as urban legend -- recognizing that one reloader and two guns do not a sufficient test make and the pistol primer substitution may work for some shooters. The 35 grain V-max, followed by the 45 grain Sierra semi-pointed bullet are the two best bullets in my K.

One more comment on Hornet groups: Wind can wreck havoc with these very light and relatively slow moving bullets. In order to give them a fair test, you have to catch a near no-wind situation. A little cross-breeze will blow them all over the place.

I have a M77/22 Hornet that had the barrel set back and rechambered to 22KH. I can't get it to shoot worth a hoot with Lil'gun, but it performs nicely with WW296 and H4227 sparked by Fed 100 small pistol promers.

quote:

Originally posted by Johnly:
I have a M77/22 Hornet that had the barrel set back and rechambered to 22KH. I can't get it to shoot worth a hoot with Lil'gun, but it performs nicely with WW296 and H4227 sparked by Fed 100 small pistol promers.

I finally got some good groups with h110. I can't get my rifle to shoot the Lil'gun powder either. I've tried numerous combinations.

In my K-Hornet I tried load after load after load. On a GOOD day it would shoot 3"+ groups. Pretty discouraging.

Then a friend told me to try his load, 15.0 grains AA-1680, 40 gr.Sierra FB...any SR primer, Winchester brass.

By gosh, you know a guy can learn something EVERY day. Now the gun shoots 1/2"groups and better with that ONE load.

Do have to use the whole 15 grains of powder though. Groups start to close at about 14.5 grains and get tighter and tighter as you approach the whole 15.0 gr. enchilada. Below 14.5 grains its right back to 3"+ groups.

I load my 22K Hornet with our local S265 in South Africa.

I use my 22K as a calling rifle for jackal.
It as a 26 inch barrel.

I started with 35gr Vmax bullets but they were to light. These 35gr Vmax bullets were running just below 2900fps and they were printing around 1 inch at 100 meters.

I then started loading 40gr Vmax and 40gr Sierra Hp bullets. They were running down range just above 2800fps. And also printing around a inch at 100 meters if I do my part. They worked better on jackal but still had to many runners.

Then I upgraded to 45gr PMP Sp bullets. These guys are going down range at just below 2800fps and also printing around an inch. With these 45gr sp bullets I have found the sweet spot on the rifle and they work very satisfactory on jackal out to 175 meters +.

Good luck finding your sweet spot on the rifle.

Gerhard

my k's all like the same load 14.5 lil gun and a 40 gr nosler bt

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
my k's all like the same load 14.5 lil gun and a 40 gr nosler bt

What velocity are yoiu getting with that load? I loaded 13 grains of Lil Gun, cci small magnum pistol primer and 35 grain V-max and they chronographed 3,400 fps. The book showed I should have gotten about 3,100. The other loads I shot the same day were close to the book numbers. The cases didn't show any pressure signs but that sure was fast!

quote:

Originally posted by Johnly:
I have a M77/22 Hornet that had the barrel set back and rechambered to 22KH. I can't get it to shoot worth a hoot with Lil'gun, but it performs nicely with WW296 and H4227 sparked by Fed 100 small pistol promers.

What charge and bullet are you shooting with the WW296?

3470 was what the chrono said, i still don't know if i believe it or not. that load works well in my ruger 77, my browning lowall and my browning micro

quote:

Then a friend told me to try his load, 15.0 grains AA-1680, 40 gr.Sierra FB...any SR primer, Winchester brass.

Hey, Albert, that sounds like a lot of powder, even in the K-version. I've never tried AA-1680, how does it compare to WW 296?

Lil Gun can produce some very high velocities -- with two or three rounds out of a five shot string. The other two or three rounds were typically a couple of hundred fps slower. The Hornet and K-hornet have always been difficult rounds for achieving consistent velocities, but Lil Gun seemed to compound the problem for me. On the other hand, I've tried Lil Gun in some large bore handgun loads and it seems to be the cat's whiskers in those.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:

quote:

Then a friend told me to try his load, 15.0 grains AA-1680, 40 gr.Sierra FB...any SR primer, Winchester brass.

Hey, Albert, that sounds like a lot of powder, even in the K-version. I've never tried AA-1680, how does it compare to WW 296?

Lil Gun can produce some very high velocities -- with two or three rounds out of a five shot string. The other two or three rounds were typically a couple of hundred fps slower. The Hornet and K-hornet have always been difficult rounds for achieving consistent velocities, but Lil Gun seemed to compound the problem for me. On the other hand, I've tried Lil Gun in some large bore handgun loads and it seems to be the cat's whiskers in those.

Hi, Stoney -

That was exactly my first thought when my friend told me about his load...."Jeez, that sounds like a LOT of powder..."

That's why I know how badly it shoots in my rifle when using less than 14.5 grains...I started with 14.0 grains just to be safe. I also looked the load up in the AA book and they recommend 15.0 grains as a max load.

At first I was a little leery for another reason. 15.0 grains comes within about 1/32nd to 1/64th inch of completely filling the case, neck and all. I don't normally like to compress ball powders, and AA 1680 IS a ball powder.

But, with the 40 grain bullets, it doesn't seem to ever expand primer pockets, regardles how many times the cases are loaded. As you likely already know, Hornet primer pockets are pretty fragile, so if they don't expand over a bunch of loadings, pressures can't be very high.

At the same time, because it is a very slow burning powder for the case size, it manages to produce about 3,200 fps VERY CONSISTENTLY with the 40 gr. Sierra bullet from my 18"-barreled Martini Cadet rifle. I consider that velocity, together with the great accuracy for a Hornet, to make it an outstanding combo.

I can't really tell you how it compares with W-296/H-110. Neither of those shot well enough in my rifle to be worth getting closely acquainted with.

I CAN tell you it appears to be even more round and regular in shape, therefore metering even more easily, has maybe even somewhat smaller "spheres", and definitely burns much slower (than 296/110).

I first bought it for my .357 Maximum, but never got to use it much there. Luckily, when I bought it, it wasn't popular for much of anything (about 1993), so I fortunately got it for about $2-$3 per pound in bulk at the Portland Expo gun show. Some guys from Idaho were trying to sell out about 200 or 300 1 lb. plastic cans of it. I bought 60 or 70 of them, but they still had a bunch left when the show was over.

Since I pretty much never sell or throw away any loading components, I still have lots of it even now and NOW I have a great use for it.

Well, I'll be damn, Albert. I was shuffling around in my cabinet looking for some WW 296 to load some K-Hornets and there was a bottle of AA1680. I didn't even know I had it (finally remembered picking it up with a lot of reloading equipment from a guy who was cleaning out his garage.) So I thought I'd just try some.

14 grains was all I could get into a non-fireformed Hornet case. It gave me about 2800 fps with a 45 grain Sierra semi-spit, and promising accuracy. Then I tried 14.5 grains in a fireformed case with a Rem 45 gr HP. Velocities were consistent (max spread 32 fps) and averaged 2960. Accuracy was marginal, but then that is likely a function of the bullet (haven't had much luck with it in this gun.) Neither load gave much in the way of pressure indications. This may be THE powder for the K. (Incidentally, loads with these two bullets using Lil Gun gave me maximum velocity spreads of around 150-175 fps.)

I went down the exact same road with my Ruger; I also floated the barrel and bedded the receiver end of the barrel. Enclosed are a number of loads I came up with over the last 4-5 years with a total of about 1900 down the bore.
GeneralizationsMy rifle)
1. For speed use Lil Gun; for accuracy AA 1680
2. Neck size only (Modified Lee collet die)
3. Seat bullets .015 from rifling
4. All loads printed under 3/4 inch

Bullet Powder Primer Case Vel Std Dev
30 Calhoon 12.9 H110 R61/2 W 3365 15
37 Calhoon 15 AA1680 R61/2 R 3080 18
40 BlitzK 14.9 AA1680 R61/2 R 2950 40
40 Nos BT 14.9 AA1680 F100 R 2950 40
40 Vmax 14.9 AA1680 R61/2 R 2950 40
46 Calhoon 11.9 LG R61/2 R 3020 15
50 SP HP Moly 12 LG R61/2 R 2910 17

I've done some shooting with IMR4227; SD's very low; velocities also very low

quote:

2. Neck size only (Modified Lee collet die)

Just about the time you think you're a pretty smart cookie, you find that someone else has invented the same wheel already. I had never before heard of adapting a .22 Hornet Lee Collet, but I did so myself a year or two ago. I simply took a common drill bit as close to the size of the K-hornet shoulder as I could find and carefully drilled out the lower neck area of the collet just deep enough to clear the K-hornet shoulder. Works like a charm. Is that what you did, AR?

I also use a .223 collet die to resize .222 Magnum simply by dropping a washer of the right thickness over the case placed in the shellholder. The washer keeps the case from entering the die far enough to crush the shoulder and presses the base of the collet to resize the upper 2/3rds of the .222 Magnum neck. This also works unreasonably well for "baling wire" engineering.

By the way AR, welcome to the forum!

For Stoneycreek:

I modified my Lee collet die on a lathe. After I did it I thought "Hell, I could have done it with a drill". I also use a washer with the Lee die like you suggested to neck size only the top half of the case. Somewhere I heard or read that Lee will modify their Hornet collet dies upon request.

Stonecreek -

I just re-read your comments about trying 1680 in your rifle. I couldn't get more than 14.0 grains in my Winchester cases either until I fire-formed them. Now I can get about 15.2 grains in the cases IF I fill them all the way to the top of the neck. Of course, I don't know how I would then seat a bullet, but maybe it could be done.

Now, as to your bullets...I did not get good accuracy in my rifle with any bullet weighing more than 40 grs. I got best accuracy (consistent sub-half-MOA groups) with the cheaper of the Sierra 40 gr. flat-based slugs...the $10 and change per box ones. The pricier Sierras (about $16.40 per box) did not shoot as well in my gun, thank goodness.

As soon as I went up to 45 grain bullets in my rifle, accuracy fell in the trash can. I tried 35 gr. V-Max bullets (Hornadys) also, and they didn't shoot well either. So, for my gun it is 15.0 AA-1680 and the 40 gr. cheaper Sierras. I had never seen a Hornet shoot like that before with anything in any rifle, not even my Anschutz 1432 Sporter. So I am well pleased.

Maybe yours would like that specific combo too?

Alberta Canuck,
have you converte to 22K-hornet your Anschutz 1432 Sporter also?
I did.

Alberta,

I've had good luck with 45 grain Sierra semi-spitzers (not the Hornet bullet, but the regular .22 CF bullet, now apparently discontinued.) I'm guessing that their shorter profile is better adapted to the Hornet's speed and twist.

Right now I have some 40 grain Sierra spit HP loaded over 14.5 gr of 1680 for a try, and some 45 gr Sierra spit over 14.25 grains. I won't shoot them for a few days because DOVE SEASON STARTS TOMORROW! I'll post the results when I get around to testing them. In the meantime, I'll look for some of the Sierra 40 gr Spitzers to give a try. I just wish I could get some more of the old semi-spitzers as they did well with several powders in this gun.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Malinverni:
Alberta Canuck,
have you converte to 22K-hornet your Anschutz 1432 Sporter also?
I did.

Stefano- I did not convert it, but found after I bought it that the previous owner HAD converted it (or his gunsmith had). Can't say I was too upset, as I gave only $200 U.S. for the rifle, which was otherwise in ANIB condition.

Anyway, if you were going to ask about feeding, etc., it fed very well from the magazines (both original and a spare). Was no more accurate than my 1422 Anschutz, however.

That 1432 has now passed into the possession of a father and son who live up in the Portland, Oregon, district and who collect Anschutz rifles.

Thank AC,
at the end the question that I have about you Anschutz 1432 22 k-hornet was: wich the best recipe for it (light bullets, powder, load data)

Stefano-

To be perfectly honest, I never HAD a "most accurate" load for the 1432...more to the point, I never found a load which I considered even acceptably accurate in it. For instance, NO load I tried in it would ever average under 1 MOA.

That's why I sold it. Even my Marlin lever action in .219 Zipper was much more accurate than that.

quote:

Dr.K
one of us

Posted 18 August 2007 03:27
Good Luck ; In my opinion it's got to be one of the WORST Cartridges for accuracy !.
TC brand new barrel have tried EVERYTHING anyone could think of and it still wouldn't group under an 1" no matter WHO shoots it !. I sold it off Good Reddens !. Hope you have better luck .

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ... salute
r.K Carbon

Posts: 478 | Location: Southern Calif. | Registered: 08 April 2006 Reply With Quote

There is a big difference between having a bad barrel or inaccurate firearm and deeming a cartridge inaccurate from one personal experience. "Huge difference".

I had a Cooper Model 38 Varminter in K Hornet that while a bit of an anomaly, shot in the .3's with it's favorite load. (It has since become a .20 caliber wildcat called the .20 Killer Bee).
Mine was an anomaly in that it's fire-form load was 13.1 grains of Lil'Gun in a WW .22 Hornet case with a 40 grain V-Max and WSR primer, chrono'd 3,000ish fps and shot bug holes forming. After forming if I loaded the same 13.1 grain 40 V-Max load back into the formed case it clocked 3,400ish fps and blew the primer plumb out (go figure). After much wailing and gnashing of teeth (and ruined cases), I discovered that after forming in this particular rifle it was much more efficient and I ended up in formed cases with a working load of 12.2 grains of Lil'Gun a 40 V-Max and WSR primer in WW cases for 3,250ish and again "bug holes" (the bullets in this load as in my Anschutz straight Hornet were seated out too far to fit in a magazine).
Totally counterintuitive but after I figured it out it was extremely accurate and terminated the lease on a multitude of p-dogs, rock chucks, ground squirrels and a number of badgers. Great little round.
I too have heard of guys having accuracy problems with some of the Rugers, my guess is it's the rifle not the round. I'd search out some of the Ruger Hornet specialist gun smiths to see what they think about accuracy issues cause I know some of em do seem to come around nicely with the proper tweaking. Good luck.

AC,
it is my sensation also about an absolutely precise load, but the problem in Italy is that the customization is really difficult to realize, because near to not loyal. We have a national catalogue of guns that describes al the most important characteristics of every gun commrcialized after the first 80's. Today it has more or less 17000 entries.
If I buy a 22 hornet and then I transform in a 22 k-hornet I can be prosecuted. This is however one of the few limitation that we have in Italy.
I'll start again with IMR4198, i had good results with it, but it was scarce in the past. now I have two bottles of it, and I can made a lot of test with two lbs of powder.

quote:

If I buy a 22 hornet and then I transform in a 22 k-hornet I can be prosecuted.

Seems a bit unreasonable, but I think that people who rechamber a .222 to .223 SHOULD be prosecuted!

montdoug ; That's why I said I wasn't able to make it shoot .
Now another shooting buddy had bought a 22 Hornet because another one of our mutual friends had bought one also . To date neither of them including the one with my barrel has been able to shoot under an MOA . Now counting barrels that's 3 !. Old Bill must have tried 10 powders and 5 projectile weights and is still no where with them .

The fellow who bought my barrel ( Bill ), shoots an old Garand ( Danish issued CMP surplus ) 7/16" on a pretty regular basis .

Everybody would like old Bill he's from a bygone Era . Super Military collection is putting it mildly !!. Cast , sizes , developed loads for obsolete crap through the latest cartridges .

He eats sleeps thinks reloading .Shooting is a pain to him ( Bores him ) the excitement is perfecting the load !.

I'm glad some folks have found it to be useful I didn't and now neither are my shooting buddy's . Experiences are what most of us bring to the discussion isn't it ?.

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

I don't know how it would work in a "K", but I always had good luck with 4227 in my "regular" Hornet.

Stonecreek,
did you ever see in your life an absolutely and with no defects/inconsistency law or rule?

quote:

Dr.K
one of us

Posted 06 September 2007 03:34 Hide Post
montdoug ; That's why I said I wasn't able to make it shoot .
Now another shooting buddy had bought a 22 Hornet because another one of our mutual friends had bought one also . To date neither of them including the one with my barrel has been able to shoot under an MOA . Now counting barrels that's 3 !. Old Bill must have tried 10 powders and 5 projectile weights and is still no where with them .

The fellow who bought my barrel ( Bill ), shoots an old Garand ( Danish issued CMP surplus ) 7/16" on a pretty regular basis .

Everybody would like old Bill he's from a bygone Era . Super Military collection is putting it mildly !!. Cast , sizes , developed loads for obsolete crap through the latest cartridges .

He eats sleeps thinks reloading .Shooting is a pain to him ( Bores him ) the excitement is perfecting the load !.

I'm glad some folks have found it to be useful I didn't and now neither are my shooting buddy's . Experiences are what most of us bring to the discussion isn't it ?.

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ... salute


Dr.K Carbon

Sorry about your bad luck, don't bother buying lottery tickets .
I've had 3 friends as well that have had them and have yet to see one that "didn't" shoot at least as well or better than the parent rifle (usually better). That being said I haven't had much luck with lottery tickets either.
This is a few of the groups shot with my Cooper .22 K-Hornet and kept for records.



These are all 5 shot groups at 100 yards measured center to center outside.
Guess the round itself isn't the problem.
I was mistaken on numbers in the charge weight plus it was a 40 Sierra BlitzKing instead of a 40 V-Max.
(they say the memory is the second thing to go )

I took my 1432 Anschutz in Namibia this year, I was tired to use it only at the range, these the results.
Steenbock

the same Steenbock, unfortunately the little 1432 is covered by the little bull.

hyrax, three of many.

About hyrax photo, one of many

Way cool pics, thanks.