Just starting wih a K Hornet and need fo know if Annealing is required....if so does anyone have a source of reading material that tells of this process...have heard many ways, but don't know who is right....also what charge is required with fireforming and do I use a Bullet of Cardboard,wad, etc. thanks,,,Hal

1. Fire regular power hornet loads for fireforming. In my gun, they perform beautifully, so why waste a bullet and powder?

2. I wouldn't touch the thin little Hornet case with heat. The fireform of the shoulder is a one-time deal, after which you should be neck-sizing anyway. Whenever the thin little necks split, they split, and I don't think it safe to try to "cheat" by annealing.

I'm sure some think otherwise, but hornet cases are too cheap and plentiful to worry over an extra loading or two.

janahal,

I agree with stonecreek that just plain old shooting a standard Hornet in a K-Hornet chamber will do just fine for fireforming. However, if you start out with new brass and want to have a fireformed load to start shooting, you can fireform with cornmeal.

Yes, that is right, use any old primer, charge with about 5 grains of a very fast powder like Red Dot, fill the case with cornmeal, cap it off with a little paper wad (like one cut from the paper backing from a writing tablet), push the wad into the mouth of the case and it is ready to fire form. You can do the fireforming in your basement rather than to make a trip to the range just for that, but do be careful, as there is quite a bit of power in that cornmeal and paper wad. It will blow the bottom out of a bucket, so put some padding in it.

To cut the paper wads, take an empty case, say a 223, cut a chunk of the side out of it just behind the shoulder, sharpen the inside of the mouth of the case with your case burr removal tool, chuck up this modified case in your drill press and cut wads from thick paper over a pieces of soft wood.

It works well and saves a trip to the range.

Don Shearer

Annealing is not just so the brass will last longer. Bullet pull consistency, less chance of deforming bullets when the case gets brittle and last but not lease I can get 20 or more loading from the Remington brass. Uniformity is the name of the game in accuracy and consistent bullet pull will aid immensely. I had rather send $�s on bullets than brass.
Brooks