Well I am commited now, ordered the k-hornet reamer.

[aulrich]

With the other thread  "I can do this" I took inspiration and ordered the k-hornet reamer, the superlight going to get an upgrade, at this point I am planning on doing the work myself, though I might chicken out and take it to a Smith. but if I was to do it myself there are a couple of things.

I am not sure what a T-handle is.  Is it something special , or is it just the holder from a tap and die set.
How much pressure do you put on the tool I'd imagine theres no pushing like a mad man but is it more than the weight of the tool.

Once that is done what dies would I need for the fireforming loads, since i'll be using mostly freash brass would I get away with using the k-hornet seating die. or will I need both sets of dies one to make up the fireforming loads and one to reload the k-hornet brass?

[bluebayou]

Congrats on the DIY project.  I don't have any experience with it, but would probably make the same change if I had a Hornet.  I would guess that you need two sets of dies.  Let us know how it works out.  I am sure that some of the more knowledgable folks will have some advice.

[quickdtoo]

This is a T-handle, but I used the one in the bottom pic with a throating reamer, either should work fine.

Tim

[quickdtoo]

I only addressed half your question!! I found this by Stuffit at Handloads.

Tim

http://forums.handloads.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7265&PN=1&get=last

[gould]

You only need the k-hornet dies for seating.

[aulrich]

Quick I was expecting some failure rate on the fire form but what that guy was getting was insane but you know I have learned my lesson about unknown vintage brass with my 243. I only have maybe 100 fired brass I have got no real issue with scrapping them. But when I do start making the fire forming loads I am only going to make 20 or so and see if they will work. after I figure out if the will work or not I'll load up 500 or so  then blast them at gophers then work up some proper loads.

[quickdtoo]

You might try the false shoulder method of fire forming like I did with the .280 Imp, run em onto a .243 expander, then partial size with the Hornet die just enough so the barrel will lock up, then load em with start loads. That will insure they expand in the best possible way without damage to the brass in the shoulder area or separate. It may not be necessary since the rim will keep the case in place, but it may also stretch in the wrong place with too much shoulder space. Just a thought.

Tim

[aulrich]

Yes I am thinking/hoping that the rim will keep good enough initial head space.

I found this on altering a chamber it is for a rimless AI on a savage barrel but it gives an OK idea. http://www.switchbarrel.com/Wildcat2.htm but I am not sure I would use a hack saw on the back of my savage    but then again 270AI ... if this goes well maybe I'll have to do some looking.

[Fred M]

Aulrich
I don't know what kind of reamer you ordered, but there are at least three versions.

The Landis 1947 is in my opinion the best shape with a 35 deg shoulder and a .220"
neck length.

There is absolutely no need to fire form the cases with bullets. You should use Cream of wheat and a dose of 700x shotgun powder.  These loads are low noise and one or two can be tested in your basement.

Most important the cases should be lubed with a light film of Crisco. Or a thin lube of some kind oily case lube. Do not use any lube with moly content.  A false shoulder on a rimmed case is not needed.

If you do want to use bullets to fire form you still need to lube the cases, otherwise you will end up with case head separation.

See my fire forming procedure on my web page.

This will fire form the cases without head space. Most important in a Handi. Set you die to zero headspace minus no more than one or two thou. Cases will head space on the new shoulder for best case life not the rim.

[aulrich]

Thanks Fred I was hoping you would chime in.
I pulled the specs from 4d's list http://www.uc3.ca/22_K_Hornet.jpg. I had assumed this reamer was in a "standard configuration" or at least the most popular. I was planning on using redding dies I'll be calling thier CS to double check if there die set is compatible.

I had remembered something about the lubing the cases , I think Quick used it for his 280 AI with good results. The only reason I would fireform with bullets is that most things that I have read seem to indicate that you get decent performance with regular hornet ammo in the k chamber. So I figured load them up and go to town the gopher would not know the difference.

I have some 571 and blue dot would those work?

What are your thoughts on hand finishing the chamber

[Fred M]

Aulrich
Neither of your two powders is fast enough. Come by my place and I will give you enough 700x to do your fire forming. I have more than I ever need.

The case you show has hardly enough increase to call it an Imp. The Landis is the way to go. If you can find a reamer for it? I never thought that the K-Hornet had much going for it.

If you fire form loaded ammo this is what happens. The primer will drive the case tight to the shoulder or against the bottom of the rim. Next the case will expand and cling to the chamber walls.

The rear part which is solid will not cling and is driven back against the standing breech taking up the head space and the gap. This will stretch the rear of the case only and will eventual separate at the pressure ring.

Hence the lube which will stretch the whole case from end to end and should result in a case with no head space.

Once the case is fully stretched you have to maintain this length with your die for as close to zero head space you can get.
 

[aulrich]

Thanks Fred when the time comes i'll take you up on that powder.

You make a good point about fireforming hortnet brass is not known for it's durability and I should take every measure to maximize the better case life advantage of the K.

There really is only one load that I am interested in for the k-hornet for most of the bullet wieghts there is a small difference in velocity 200ish useful but not that much. But the performance with Lil Gun powder and 50 grain bullets caught my eye. In my old Hodgdon data (#25) 50 grainers are going 2400 fps, not really fast enough to be useful. But Hodgdon clames that I should be able to get 2800+ and what the buys me (on paper anyways) is another 50 yards as coyote gun. I don't know what Lil gun will do in a regular hornet with 50 grain bullets Hodgdon does not publish any data for it, I would think that there must be a specific reason for that.

This gun is primaraly for my boys the superlight is a good size for them to handel (especially once I get my youth stock) and the hornet is a good round to introduce them too so they can get use to something more energetic than a 22. And since by boys can't hunt "game" with a gun till 14 my best training ground for them is gophers and coyotes. I know I could make a 223 work the same as the hornet and then load it up to full potential for coyotes but I still like the hornet and I don't think I have seen a superlight up here that was anything but a hornet. And once thier marksmanship passes what a hornet can do they will probably be shooting my 204.

[aulrich]

It's done !! I was over at the smith today at lunch he had one fireformed case to show me as far as I can tell the chamber looks clean, no tooling marks left in the brass and the shoulder looks evenly formed.

Here is a silly question I am reasonably sure the shoulder angle is 40deg. (4d's web site indicates that) but I thought I would confirm that because not all of the die makers use  40 deg shoulders (redding's k-hornet dies are 35deg). I was thinking of standing the reamer up on a flat surface and use a larg protracter to eye ball the angle.