.22 hornet where to start?

sir-lamp-alot

Well-Known Member
well today i offically joined the .22 hornet club after getting myself a new cz now im looking to reload for it and i was wondering where to start in regaurds to what weight bullet to start off with
 
Welcome! Fill the case up (or 13 grains thereabouts) with H Li'll Gun, use pistol primers, check the case length every time, trim if necessary and flare the case mouth before seating the bullet. Make sure the cartridge will load from the magazine as they are fussy if too long. Use light bullets and a Lee factory crimp die to finish off. Be amazed by the capability of that little cartridge and enjoy it.
My load is 13 grains H Li'll Gun with Sierra 40 grain hollow point, 2,900 fps.
 
Last edited:
Welcome! Fill the case up (or 13 grains thereabouts) with H Li'll Gun, use pistol primers, check the case length every time, trim if necessary and flare the case mouth before seating the bullet. Make sure the cartridge will load from the magazine as they are fussy if too long. Use light bullets and a Lee factory crimp die to finish off. Be amazed by the capability of that little cartridge and enjoy it.
My load is 13 grains H Li'll Gun with Sierra 40 grain hollow point, 2,900 fps.

there's your start and welcome to the Hornet, I luv mine but it was a journey...
 
Available in the UK or just import?

For what it costs I'd give it a whorl though i don't have too many issues with crushed brass
 
Available in the UK or just import?

For what it costs I'd give it a whorl though i don't have too many issues with crushed brass
We've discussed this, I know, but I still recommend using a flaring die on Hornet brass and closing it wit a crimp. Never a crushed case and bullets seat straight without the customary Hornet 'neck bulge' you see in the thin Hornet necks.~Muir
 
It's been my experience that Hornady dies are the worst on the market. I have had problems with the last three sets I've purchased.~Muir

Not suggesting purchase of a Hornady set or the resizing die but rather their excellent value for money seater with floating insert that has worked flawlessly for me since at least 2000. Sure the Redding is nice but $108 nicer?

K
 
well the journey has begun ive just been down the gun shop and some bugger has bought all the 35gr heads leaving me with just the 40gr to chose from so them it was, back home and after crushing 9 cases trying to get heads into them ive finally got it going smoothly all i had to do was read the instructions so now ive got a couple of differnt loads to try which i will do after picking up nipper from his 1st day at school (cant really miss that) and for what its worth im using the hornady dies and to be honest there ok from what i can see so far you just have to take the time in setting them up right and if your reading boydy47 i got mine from dauntsey guns
 
We've discussed this, I know, but I still recommend using a flaring die on Hornet brass and closing it wit a crimp. Never a crushed case and bullets seat straight without the customary Hornet 'neck bulge' you see in the thin Hornet necks.~Muir

I went out and bought one on your very recommendation Muir, does a great job, still getting the optimal expansion sorted but was very useful for prepping some new S&B brass I was given which was so tight i couldn't FL size it without expanding the neck first.
 
well the journey has begun ive just been down the gun shop and some bugger has bought all the 35gr heads leaving me with just the 40gr to chose from so them it was, back home and after crushing 9 cases trying to get heads into them ive finally got it going smoothly all i had to do was read the instructions so now ive got a couple of differnt loads to try which i will do after picking up nipper from his 1st day at school (cant really miss that) and for what its worth im using the hornady dies and to be honest there ok from what i can see so far you just have to take the time in setting them up right and if your reading boydy47 i got mine from dauntsey guns

Bullets or dies? It was the specific die that Klenchblaize mentioned that I liked the look of, can't see it on dauntseys website.

I know they had some 35 gr v-max until recently but i have 400 in the cabinet and 200 put aside with another RFD so sorted on those, just sold 250 to make room on my ticket for some 30gr barnes varmint grenades. I found the 40gr Varmageedon FBHP from nosler work well through mine and can be loaded to mag length to give 3/4" or better at 100, trouble is with anything poly tipped other then the 35 grainers when you seat them to mag depth you're over the ogive which just doesn't look right. I know a chap on another forum was loading 40gr v-max but pulling the tips to get over this, don't know why he didn't just buy hollows!
 
I went out and bought one on your very recommendation Muir, does a great job, still getting the optimal expansion sorted but was very useful for prepping some new S&B brass I was given which was so tight i couldn't FL size it without expanding the neck first.
Til the parallel sides of the bullet enters the case mouth. 's all I do.
I expand every case i reload now.~Muir
 
well the journey has begun ive just been down the gun shop and some bugger has bought all the 35gr heads leaving me with just the 40gr to chose from so them it was, back home and after crushing 9 cases trying to get heads into them ive finally got it going smoothly all i had to do was read the instructions so now ive got a couple of differnt loads to try which i will do after picking up nipper from his 1st day at school (cant really miss that) and for what its worth im using the hornady dies and to be honest there ok from what i can see so far you just have to take the time in setting them up right and if your reading boydy47 i got mine from dauntsey guns

The Hornet is tricky.

A possible answer is this baby .... £12 from Kranks, so cheap enough to try.

I work with 200+ different calibres, all with the potential of split necks. I use this for .224 - 458, and have been quite impressed with it.

LEE UNIVERSAL CASE EXPANDING DIE

LEE UNIVERSAL CASE EXPANDING DIE [90798] - 12.00 : Henry Krank, Everything for shooters and collectors
 
many thanks to all who have posted the 40gr heads in question are the sierra soft points which i was getting just under 7/8" groupings at 100yrds with 12.5gr of lil gun and about 2" groupings with just 12gr ive got some bullets loaded up ready to try with 13gr but to be honest im struggling to get 13gr in the case boydy the dies i got are just labled as horndy custom grade dies its just a two die set but comes with the seating die with the floating sleeve as shown in picture and it even can put a crimp on the bullet as well but ive yet to try this
 
With powder funnel still pressed firmly against neck wall, tap base of cartridge in rapid succession. You'll be surprised how Lil-Gun will settle. And don't be overly concerned at compressing the load albeit the limit of case filling will most likely depend on chosen bullet seating depth.

K
 
Back
Top