22 K- Hornet load recommendation

[Killroy]

I'm new to this chambering. Anyone care to share a load to get me started? I was going to fire form my standard hornet brass with 12 grains of h110 and 40 grain bullets. Remington 6 1/2 primers. I'm going to anneal first

 

[C.E.Smith043]

I can't remember the load a friend of mine used but don't be discouraged if you lose 3 out of 10 pieces of brass.

Friend of mine had a 22K Hornet and lost about 30% of brass due to split necks while fire forming.

He ended up giving up on that chambering and going with a 218 Bee. Much thicker brass with the Bee and the same end results on the ballistics

 

[Ackman]

Best thing for a 22Hornet is rebarrel to 17AH. Way more fun.

 

[snert]

Lots of guys will say Lilgun. I found it to be twitchy. I like 1680.

That said, 12 grains of Lilgun and a standard primer, 40 grain Vmax is safe to start, once you have fireformed.

But if you can get it, go to 1680 for the sweet spot with the K

 

[chuckshooter]

I agree with snert, 1680 is a great choice. But, the best thing i ever did to my 22k was change it to a 20 ackley hornet,

 

[Killroy]

I must have chose the wrong caliber then, hahaha. This was purposes built as a k hornet so changing is not an option.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

All three of my K-Hornets seem to thrive on 1680. Many years ago my first one loved the old Nosler 45gr Solid Base Hornet bullet, so I laid in a couple thousand. Still shooting them.

My Browning Low Wall in K-Hornet is used for sage rats here, and is good out to just over 250 yards. Other rifles get used after that yardage mark, 221FB and 20VT mostly, but that K-Hornet is just a hoot to carry and shoot in the rat patch. Quiet, zero recoil, light to carry and just plain fun.



Lil Gun will indeed give higher velocities, but as mentioned, pressure spikes turned me off. I'll take accuracy over speed any day.

 

[brokeasajoke]

Lots of guys will say Lilgun. I found it to be twitchy. I like 1680.

That said, 12 grains of Lilgun and a standard primer, 40 grain Vmax is safe to start, once you have fireformed.

But if you can get it, go to 1680 for the sweet spot with the K

All three of my K-Hornets seem to thrive on 1680. Many years ago my first one loved the old Nosler 45gr Solid Base Hornet bullet, so I laid in a couple thousand. Still shooting them.

My Browning Low Wall in K-Hornet is used for sage rats here, and is good out to just over 250 yards. Other rifles get used after that yardage mark, 221FB and 20VT mostly, but that K-Hornet is just a hoot to carry and shoot in the rat patch. Quiet, zero recoil, light to carry and just plain fun.



Lil Gun will indeed give higher velocities, but as mentioned, pressure spikes turned me off. I'll take accuracy over speed any day.

This^ and 1680 for me as well.

 

[stacy]

I have good results with CFE Black and 40gr V-max with 205 Fed primers in side 200 yards it’s a deadly little dude

 

[JLT]

Lots of guys will say Lilgun. I found it to be twitchy. I like 1680.

That said, 12 grains of Lilgun and a standard primer, 40 grain Vmax is safe to start, once you have fireformed.

But if you can get it, go to 1680 for the sweet spot with the K

^^^^ This, right here. ^^^^

L'il Gun can get very peaky very quickly, and that's not desirable with a thin-walled case like the Hornet. Besides, I found the precision less than stellar.

1680 is where it's at with the K-Hornet. It won't produce the velocity like L'il Gun, but it is predictable and mannerly in the small cases, and it delivers precision.

 

[ISS]

I wish I had a 77/22H. Even my stash of single shot actions (Borchardt and High Wall) are too much for the little case. One of these days some fool with one will post it here for sale. I just hope I am lucky enough to see it first...

 

[C.E.Smith043]

I must have chose the wrong caliber then, hahaha. This was purposes built as a k hornet so changing is not an option.

I didn't necessarily think you picked a bad cartridge and you will be miserable. It's a great round, just be prepared and go into it knowing there may be a few hurdles to overcome.

 

[kenacp]

I was having some split cases in my low wall. Started fireforming with 4.5gr of Blue Dot. Cases get fully formed and 0 loss.

 

[RussellJ]

I was having some split cases in my low wall. Started fireforming with 4.5gr of Blue Dot. Cases get fully formed and 0 loss.

Kenacp
What grain bullet did you use with the Blue Dot? I need to fireform cases for my 22 K-Hornet.

 

[kenacp]

40gr

 

[dbingen]

I have two KHornets, a Winchester Low Wall and a Stevens 44-1/2. I agree with the 1680 powder recommendation. I almost exclusively use 40 grain V-Max projectiles, but I don’t have to worry about overall length. Also, consider using small pistol primers, as the KHornet is basically a pistol sized cartridge.

I used Lil Gun when I was shooting regular Hornets and it seemed fine. When I went to KHornet, pressure spikes occurred. My opinion is that Lil Gun doesn’t like shouldered cartridges, as it’s really a 410 shotgun powder.

 

[snert]

I agree on the K Hornet vs Lilgun. Pressure spikes all over the place. repeat, 1680.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

In regard to primers in the Hornet and K-Hornet, I've tried 'em all over many years and have found the best primer for this case is the primer that was originally engineered and produced for this case, and that is the Remington 6-1/2.

Over a period of right at 60 years, it's proven to be the ideal primer in every Hornet I've owned in terms of low SD's, constant and consistent accuracy and a cup specifically designed for the pressures generated in the Hornet case.



This is just my experience, YMMV.

 

[Steve Kostanich]

Just for fun, about 30 years ago I built a 22 K-Hornet, on of all things, a 98 Mauser action, just to see if I could make it work. A big action for a real small cartridge. Put a Douglas XX barrel on it and stocked it in a 1960 style Shilen laminated BR stock, scoped with a Leupold that the late Wally Siebert bumped to 30X.
It actually works!!! Shoots remarkably well. In initial testing I fired nine 5 shot groups that averaged mid .440". As others have indicated, 1680 is the powder. Although I was using Winchester 680, which is no longer available hence the 1680 working. My load was as much as I could get in a FF case and a 42gr. BR style bullet I had made. I cronographed the load, and was astounded the velocity, which I will not reveal here as it was done on an old Oheler 35P, and am not sure how accurate it was. Would love to check it on a new Garmin.

FWIW
Steve Kostanich

 

[philip brousseau]

Cci 400 is best in my k hornet