hornet questions

[dangerranger]

 its been along time since I reloaded for the hornet, and I have a few questions for the experts! I used to full length resize all my loads but the last few years Ive been just neck sizing most everything. for the hornet in a handi should I keep full length sizing ? or try neck sizing?  also I need new cases. has any one tried Privi Partizan ammo? good loads? good brass? I once bought some 7mm brass from an over seas source and it shot great through the gun but did not fit well in the shell holder. so I had to modify a couple of shell holders to reload them. what do you all think ? DR

[Dinny]

I can only speak in regards to sizing. I would suggest you FL size the Hornet brass using a RCBS X-Die. Once it's set, it will limit the growth of your brass and eliminate the need to trim. 


Thanks, Dinny

[trotterlg]

For the Handi you should probably full length resize.  On the Brass, I have found that S&B brass has flash holes that are so small they stick my de-capper pin, so there are lots of things to watch for.  Good luck, I just bought some winchester brass and it seems to work for me, but Hornet brass is thin, so you never know how long it will last.  Larry

[zoner]

i traded my hornet off...just didn't like the short case life...but a couple tips that worked out for me are mine was more accurate when i kept powder charges just slightly below maximum and the groups shrunk further when i went from SR primers to SP...

[gcrank1]

+1 with Zoner, it is a pistol sized capacity case, not a lot to ignite in there. Keep the loads off from top and if you need more zip maybe go to the .223 or such. I had thought about making one a 'Bee, but never did (the Hornet chamber neck is a bit longer than the Bee, though this has successfully worked at least once in the past, and the Bee does gain some in velo. All in all, the .223 loaded down does the same and is better on top).
I like the little Lee case length guage & trimmer set up. It is so easy to check every 2-3 loadings for case streach and keep it in hand.
These little cases are touchy on variations in powder charge. The proportion of variation is so much greater than larger volume cases. My Redding powder measure is wonderfully consistant, but any of them will probably do best with a ball powder.

[shaner]

i always full length size mine, and use lil gun powder

[McLernon]

Lill-gun and load em up

Mc

[gcrank1]

Just re-read your post, and had another thought.
Since your are revisiting this cartridge, start with FL sizing and get a feel for it again (go slow on raising that case into the die, they collapse with a sneeze). Once you are getting some decent results try the neck sizing and see how your chambering up and extraction/ejection are. If no problems right off you still may get some after 2 or 3 reloadings. That would cause wailing and gnashing of teeth in the field! (oh, how would I know?).
Its a fun little guy, but I sure wish H&R would make 25-20 and 32-20, or even .30Carbine barrels (those cartridges are easier to handle).

[Mike in Virginia]

To me, the Hornet is one of those cartridges not worth reloading.  Too much trouble.  I don't shoot mine often.  Sight it in with factory stuff and use it for hunting only, leave the brass where it falls.  The Hornet is good for groundhogs and turkys.  Mine has a white front post and a Williams peep.  Plenty of range with factory ammo for those critters. 

Factory Hornet ammo is really expensive, which is the main reason to fool with reloading the flimsy brass, but I'm betting you have other guns that will far out perform the Hornet at much less shooting cost and trouble. 

Just my opinion.   

 

[wreckhog]

The .223 uses about 3 cents more powder. But the Hornet cases run about 5 cents a reload. .223 is cheaper to reload, both as a plinker or a hunter, once you factor in the free range brass, assuming that you buy the 8 cent bullets (FMJs or Varmint Nightmares) for both. The plus for the Hornet is that you can use SP primers. SR primers were ridiculous last year. At the moment, SR primers are the cheapest, most common primer out there, so the .223 wins.

[tobster]

I neck size and use Li'l GUN in my handi. (ran across a cute little h&r full stock hornet at a gun show last week but the guy wanted 300.00 bucks. anyone ever see one? I think the guy said he thought it waw made in the 80's)

[quickdtoo]

I neck size with a Lee collet die too, works excellent. That would be a Topper Model 157,  it's a nice little H&R, don't remember where I got these pics, but I wish it was mine. 

Tim

[dangerranger]

Ill be using the hornet for a light weight walking around gun. I have other guns that will shoot farther and flatter but the heavy barrels arent as much fun to carry. Im still undecided weather to shoot open sights or a low power scope. my old loads were just slightly hotter than a 22 magnum but with a better bullit selection.  I live in the lead ban area of CA so thats what is driving this. DR

[zoner]

one more....i used 296 only in my hornet so can't speak for other powders but when you get near max increase by 1/2 gr increments or less. My loads went from fine to flattening primers like pancakes just bumping up 1/2 gr    







        

[gendoc]

i don't fl size mine, only neck....
never had a need too and lots of loading life.
i do a tad under max loads from time to time and i use imr-4227 only
i don't use brass that was previously shot in other guns either.
my savage, ruger, and h&r has there own cases.
i guess i'm retarded that way

[briannmilewis]

I can only speak in regards to sizing. I would suggest you FL size the Hornet brass using a RCBS X-Die. Once it's set, it will limit the growth of your brass and eliminate the need to trim.  


Thanks, Dinny

I'm with Dinny. I neck sized and FL sized my Hornet brass before I found out about the X-Die and after I had to sell the Hornet. I shot Remington, Winchester, S&B and PRVI factory. Winchester 46gr HP was by far the best factory load. S&B are Berdan primed all others are regular Boxer primed. I threw my S&B brass away after trying to reload it. Pity, as since then I have read more than one account of S&B brass being the best Hornet brass, and all you need to do is run the right sized drill thru the primer pocket and reloading problem solved. I reloaded PRVI, Winchester and Remington, they all weigh different empty, and if I remember correctly, Win being lightest then Remington then PRVI, but I believe S&B is heavier, which usually means it is thicker. My Hornet experience is about 1000 rounds, 700 of which were reloads. 1LB of L'il Gun is good for 700 reloads.

Good luck.

[dangerranger]

i don't fl size mine, only neck....
never had a need too and lots of loading life.
i do a tad under max loads from time to time and i use imr-4227 only
i don't use brass that was previously shot in other guns either.
my savage, ruger, and h&r has there own cases.
i guess i'm retarded that way

All of mine have their own brass. its cut way down on reload problems. DR

[dangerranger]

I'm with Dinny. I neck sized and FL sized my Hornet brass before I found out about the X-Die and after I had to sell the Hornet. I shot Remington, Winchester, S&B and PRVI factory. Winchester 46gr HP was by far the best factory load. S&B are Berdan primed all others are regular Boxer primed. I threw my S&B brass away after trying to reload it. Pity, as since then I have read more than one account of S&B brass being the best Hornet brass, and all you need to do is run the right sized drill thru the primer pocket and reloading problem solved. I reloaded PRVI, Winchester and Remington, they all weigh different empty, and if I remember correctly, Win being lightest then Remington then PRVI, but I believe S&B is heavier, which usually means it is thicker. My Hornet experience is about 1000 rounds, 700 of which were reloads. 1LB of L'il Gun is good for 700 reloads.

Good luck.

how was the PRVI brass to reload? I have found some loaded rounds at a very cheap price. only a little more than new rem brass. DR

[Daman]

i don't fl size mine, only neck....
never had a need too and lots of loading life.
i do a tad under max loads from time to time and i use imr-4227 only
i don't use brass that was previously shot in other guns either.
my savage, ruger, and h&r has there own cases.
i guess i'm retarded that way

I get about 10 reloads out of each brass IIRC with 4227. It is also the only powder I use for the Hornet. I don't run them hot either.

Daman

[PHATINJUN]

I got one of them Model 157 with the mannlicher stock mine is a freak with a BB serial prefix (1986) we think has a 1-16 twist bbl and a .221 bore . I am trying a new load with it this spring with 13gr Lilgun and 30gr Varmint Grenades should be well over 3000fps and if that don't work I will go back to the 40gr Sierra Hornet Bullets they shot very well in mine. I think most of the Hornets since then were 1-12 and the most recent ones 1-9twist with bores for .224 bullets. I FL size just about everything.Kurt

[dangerranger]

Got to go out and look but my old hornet is a 157 that I got in 1982. I just bought another barrel off the board here. DR

[Hairtrigger]

I remember reading something about primers for the hornet... help me out.... was it pistol primers or never to use pistol primers.. Gettin old  help me out

[briannmilewis]

It is a good idea to try small pistol primers as well as small rifle primers, and it is also a good idea to try benchrest primers of both types too. The word is that small pistol primers more than likely will help accuracy. I did not do enough reloading tests to prove that to myself.

[HTRDNCK]

I would FL size the hornet case as you know it does have a tendency to grow. I would (and have) re-chambered to K-hornet. Brass flow basically has stopped. I "loose" very few cases to failure. I have been using the same 5 boxes of PRIVI cases for the last three years with number of times loaded over 10 on each box. YMMV

[BritUSMC0321]

Regarding performance... In the UK & Europe Hornet aficionados tend to choose the caliber for it's milder performance compared to other choices... By that I mean that it is enough gun to get the job done on vermin such as fox with no recoil, minimum noise, relatively frangible bullets.
I view the Hornet as filling the niche between the .22 Mag & the .222/.223. Kind of a ".22 Mag on steroids".
It can be a zinger for those who do prefer to load to it's full velocity potential.

I load mine lighter & keep my max range under 200 yards.
Sierra 45g Hornet bullet
Hodgden 'Lil Gun - 8g
Neck size & check trim length every reload (= much better brass life)
Muzzle velocity = 2600 fps (NB; Sierra's data shows that 8.9g of LG should achieve this).
This is a very accurate load in my rifle & drops fox & bobcat with a lot less pelt damage than a .223 or
22-250.
 
 
 

[BritUSMC0321]

I forgot to mention - Re; Brass growth...
Another factor in regard to the Hornet's reputation for brass growth stems from the fact that there has traditionally been a variance in chamber sizes. European manufactured rifles have generally had smaller chambers than American made rifles. I do not have data to state what chamber dimensions H&R use.

[gcrank1]

I had two Hornets and hated resizing them. By dedicating brass to each and neck sizing with the Lee Collet Neck Size Die, and checking/trimming with Lee's ever so easy to use Case Length Guage and Trimmer I had about as painless a system as could be hoped for. If I got a sticky to extract case I would mark it, FLS and start over with it. I lost very few and had remarkable case life. (and No, I dont work for Lee, but have been really satisfied with their products for about 30yrs.).

[LaOtto222]

I have been neck sizing both my 22 Hornets and 22K Hornet, but I have been using a Redding 221FB neck sizer with bushings. I can put in the exact amount of squeeze for the neck. I do not load to full house powder fills, in fact I use starting loads right out of Speer's #14 manual with 33 grain bullets, but I use 34 grain bullets instead with W296 and CCI 500 primers, but still minimum powder charges. My case life went up, I get very good velocity with top accuracy.

Here are a couple of pictures of my 22K Hornet Handi at 100 yards, shot on different days





BTW, i use .4 grains more W269 in the K  and get 3100+fps out of a 20" barrel.

[briannmilewis]

Those targets are spectacular!

[dangerranger]

Well I got a chance to shoot the new hornet. the new one is 1/9 twist. I did not find anything that would not shoot well. I tryied some old hard cast bullits, some barnes varmit grenades, and hornaday factory loads. the cast bullits were kept down to 2500fps. they would shoot into 1 1/4" at 75yds. the hornaday loads shot at just under 3000fps. they also shot the best at 7/8". the varmit grenades shot OK but I think they will do better as I work up the load. the fastest I loaded went out at 2650fps. the good news is it shot well in the old hornet. I think this one will be a fun caliber. DR