Thread: 22 Hornet - Over Length Fired Once Cases?

Originally Posted by Oldbloke

Not hot enough. Will do SFA.

Yeah Im always puzzled by the candle annealing. It take 6-7 seconds of rotating a case in front of a butane torch to get it to annealing temp . An average butane torch puts out thermal units in the vicinity of 100,000 yet a candle can supposedly do the same job with less than 1% of the output?
I tried it some time ago with templaq on the inside of the neck on a 280ai case. I couldn't get it to activate even 450deg deg templaq before it became way to hot to hold at the base.
Maybe the thin hornet basss is more suitable to very low outputs?

Firstly I should point out that I have received 22 Hornet brass from 5 – 7 sources, from both Forum members and TradeMe, geographically scattered in NZ and Aust. I didn’t label the cases by source, so I have no idea who supplied what and that wasn’t to objective of my first post.

The objective was to find out why the cases were dimensionally different and how to fix them. Thanks @Micky Duck for your assistance on that. I have run the neck sizing ball, trimmed and de-burred so those 50 are; batched, correctly dimensioned and ready to load. @Micky Duck re electric trimmers, yeah, maybe I need to build a jig for my Makita to attach to the RCBC????..... Possibly…..???
Re POWDERS: @rupert @blip From the ADI Bible. AR2207 at even a max compressed load of 11.5C only produces 2400ftps with a 40 or 45grn projectile, so yes, slow compared to 3000ftps, but it is adequate for whacking bunnies (and the occasional goat if I stumble onto one). In a fit of panic, due to shortages hype, I purchased about 2kg of AR2207 so I won’t be changing powders any time soon, but I might increase the load to 10.5 or 11.2grns. For my application, accuracy, terminal results, low pressure, low noise, and long case life, are my priorities over velocity. There are many cartridges and projectiles that group better at lower velocity, so I’ll be experimenting with projectiles more than with powder.

The Hornady Bible 11th Edition, states, “H110 and WIN296 provide the best all-around performance in this cartridge. Hodgdon “Lil-Gun” is excellent with heavier bullets.” The Nosler Bible #7 references Win296 as the, “Most accurate powder tested,” so you fellas are clearly on to it.

Last week I pulled a Hornady factory load projectile 45grn SP Match. The powder weighted 11.2grns and was very fine, almost like coarse salt or white sugar in size. I’ve never seen Lil Gun, or WIN296, put imagine that is what was it was. @SmokeyJason Yes, part of my reloading strategy was to find one powder which did both Hornet and 222, hence the AR2207, so I’m encouraged by your advice on that.

Re Projectiles: In the go round, I acquired over 600 x Win 40gr HP FBX CJ. Once I run out of those I’ll be looking at changing because they are discontinued. @blip what is the model # and stockist for the WIN 40grn Half Jacket you are using? I imagine these are like the 22 rimfire magnum projectile. Could you please put up a photo.

I have ordered some Speer 45grn Spitzer SP #1023, over the Speer 40grn Spire SP #1017, simply because I think the semi round point will load more smoothly in me Weihrauch. I avoid pointy bullets like VMax, so as to avoid damaging the tip in loading. I did try to get some Speer 30grn TNT Green # 1021, just for experimenting, but I couldn’t find stock in NZ.
@rupert which model # Sierra 40grn are you using? Also encouraged by you getting 20 reloads out of one case, that makes for very cost efficient reloading, even at the hot load you are running. Are you full length resizing or only neck sizing?
@grandpamac I haven’t had any head separation with 22 Hornet (only with 30-06) but will be checking for that with the paper clip. Thanks.
@No.3 Velcro catch bag sounds like a good idea. Are you aware of any stockist in NZ? I had a quick look on Google and found one for AR17 on Ali Express. More research to do re dimensions, fit etc.

Case length is always going to be an ongoing problem with the .22 Hornet because the long taper on the case lends itself to stretching. The .22 K Hornet was developed to overcome the stretch problem and give a better ballistic performance, creating a viable rechambering option.

Not sure what they are. They came in a plastic bag. They are a 22mag type looking pill and man are they accurate.

The bullet I am using is the Sierra #1385. It is a hollow point, flat base, and has a reputation for being relatively hard (which I wanted in caae I came across a goat). I have found it to be accurate, effective on game and readily available in shops (at least until the last couple of years). The 20 shot test on one case was neck sizing only. I did the same test on another rifle, a Martini small action (which is effectively a rear locking action in contrast to the front locking action of the BRNO465). Again, I went through 20 shots on one case with more life left in the case. I had the same problem of the neck hardening over the 20 shots but without any sign of neck splitting. The neck hardening did have an effect on velocity consistency. I did try larger charge weights of Lil Gun which produced higher velocities. But the cases showed distinct signs of overloading and lasted only about 5 shots. I used Remington cases because the capacity of this brand was the largest of those I tested (Win, Rem, Fed, Norma, S&B). The chamber in both rifles was cut with a minimum spec reamer.

That line back from the tip is where a thin copper jacket starts

@blip yeah it looks like you and I are on the same page.
I've been told these are old, very old Winchester and are discontinued.
Have you purchased these recently? Or had them for years?
Can you give me the name/number of a current stockist/supplier please?

I got them about 5 years ago the guy didn't really know what they were for but having played with the hornet for a long time as soon as I saw them I thought perfect hornet pills. I'm using 12.5gn lil gun with these in a krico. I dont know who has them but I always keep an eye out for them...the 35 v max would be good on rabbits I use them on possums and have used them on goats as well

Just a thought, seeing as the hornet is so painfully twiggy like, perhaps a boatail might be easier on the necks. I have a packet of 40 gr vmax coming just for that reason, see how we go.

Originally Posted by sneeze

Yeah Im always puzzled by the candle annealing. It take 6-7 seconds of rotating a case in front of a butane torch to get it to annealing temp . An average butane torch puts out thermal units in the vicinity of 100,000 yet a candle can supposedly do the same job with less than 1% of the output?
I tried it some time ago with templaq on the inside of the neck on a 280ai case. I couldn't get it to activate even 450deg deg templaq before it became way to hot to hold at the base.
Maybe the thin hornet basss is more suitable to very low outputs?

But it doesn't need to be that hot to anneal brass. The candle method works, (though I use a leather glove.) Brass cases candle-annealed and resized to different calibers works, while without the necks crack, so it does make a difference.

Hugh, what are you culling with the Hornet?

Originally Posted by blip

I got them about 5 years ago the guy didn't really know what they were for but having played with the hornet for a long time as soon as I saw them I thought perfect hornet pills. I'm using 12.5gn lil gun with these in a krico. I dont know who has them but I always keep an eye out for them...the 35 v max would be good on rabbits I use them on possums and have used them on goats as well

Re the projectiles. Yes that pretty much what i thought. The 600 I got recently were from a guy cleaning out long stored collection of gun stuff. I don't think anyone stocks these in NZ, in fact I don't believe Olin produces them any more?..... I'm happy to be corrected.... If you see some please let me know.

I haven't tried, and am trying to a void, pointy bullets like the VMax because Hornet was designed to use round nose bullets and I'm a dinosaur! My concern is around feed issues, although this may be rifle brand specific. My Anschtz feeds straight from the magazine into the breech (which should be fine) but the Weihrauch, which is suppressed, so it gets used more, has a guide/bridge from the magazine to the breech. I don't know if pointy projectiles will work....

Yeah agreed, boat tail would be easier to load.

Originally Posted by JohnDuxbury

Hugh, what are you culling with the Hornet?

Hello John, I have to confess that I had no Idea where Waikouaiti is! Sorry, northislander! You live in an amazingly beautiful part of the country!

I've been commercially culling since October 2020. I'm using the Hornet for long range 150 - 200m shooting rabbits, hare, Canada Goose, possum, goats and have set myself the objective this year of shooting a red deer or fallow, or both. That will be at close range, with careful bullet placement.

The Hornet is setup with both daylight scope and thermal imaging scope for long range night shooting.

No wallabies in this part of the north island.