Browning 1885 22 hornet loads

[trader steve]

Just got the 1885 hornet need load ideas and what you think about the rifle Steve

 

[1raggedhole]

I bought one too, but made it into a k-hornet before ever shooting it. Probably shouldn’t have. K-hornet has been a challenge… anxious to see some others experience

 

[Outrider27]

I have a Hornet and a K Hornet, and prefer the K Hornet, just because of the slight increase in power. Never found K Hornet to be a challenge - just shot hornet ammo in it to fire form cases and carried on from there. Once the cases are fire formed, case preparation and maintenance are the same for either case.

 

[watercam]

Not sure if yours is modern or original. My 1893 era Low Wall needs to keep H110/40gr. Hornady loads down to 10.5gr. to avoid sticky ejection. Love mine, will be that last one to sell for sure.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

My Browning 1885 Low Wall was purchased when they first came out. Having had Hornets in the past, along with K-Hornets, mine was immediately re-chambered to 'K', as my walk-about rat shooting with it feels like it's 'just right'. I've had mine out for rock chucks too, but I need more range for that work, so my Cooper 20VT usually gets used for that.



Mine thrives on the old Nosler 45gr Solid Base Hornet bullet over A1680 and a Rem 6-1/2; still got beaucoup of them, thankfully. Not blistering fast, but wicked accurate.



Another excellent bullet (for varmints) in these rifles is the Barnes 30gr HP. Accurate, and about 3,300 - 3,500fps fast.

 

[PigButtons]

Nosler 40gr varmint ballistic tip bullets.
TCM powder, 7 to 10 gr depending on the application. All of my Hornets love that combo. The Noslers seem to like .025" to .035" of jump.
Remington 6 1/2 primers if you have any, otherwise any small pistol primer.

If your gun is a modern reproduction .224 bullets work fine. If an older model you'll need . 223" bullets, or like I did, get a custom Lee bullet sizing die made for .223" and just run the .224 bullets through it first.

 

[moorepower]

I know that LilGun can have a high es, but for the ranges I use it for, out to 225, I have never seen an issue. I use a 40Vmax and 13.0 grains of LilGun with a SP primer in Remington brass. There is a large capacity difference in brass. Remington is the highest then WW, then Privi/ Hornady. I have not checked my RWS yet so I don't know where it stands. Not many guns won't shoot bugholes with that combo.

 

[stacy]

I bought one too, but made it into a k-hornet before ever shooting it. Probably shouldn’t have. K-hornet has been a challenge… anxious to see some others experience

I HAVE A K-HORNET IN A SAVAGE MODEL 40 THAT BEEN A REAL CHALLENGE ALSO

 

[moorepower]

I HAVE A K-HORNET IN A SAVAGE MODEL 40 THAT BEEN A REAL CHALLENGE ALSO

Make sure the bedding is tight. I bought mine from a gentleman on here that said it would not shoot under 1 1/2" . I'm not sure if the wood shrunk or it was just cut large, but now it is a1/2-5/8" shooter with above loads.

 

[Dennis22]

took it out again yesterday with better results
40g Hornaday v max
42g Callhoon Dbl hp
11.3 g 4227 this is a full case with a compressed load
PPU brass( 55g)
wsr primers
I did reduce coal

10 rds each bullet
I did get 1 flyer with each bullet. you can see the key hole on the paper
3 groups under .98 MOA the best (less the flyer) .66 MOA
groups were shot indoors at 50 yds

I think I have stuff to work with

 

[lawman29]

Your stated twist rate is 1x16? You are having bullets key hole. Bullet length could be an issue. JBM ballistics has good data on bullet length for most manufactures.

The Hornady Vmax, Sierra Blitz King and Nosler Ballistic tip are long bullets.
Here are examples from JBM:
Hornady: 40Vmx = .686 45 Hornet = .590 Hollow Pt Bee = .507
SIerra: 40 Blitz King = .677 45 Spitzer = .625 45 Semi-soft point .585 40 Hollow Pt = .564 45 Hornet = .537 40 hornet = .490
Speer: 45 Spitzer = .570 45 Flat nose = .483 40 Spire soft point = .495
Nosler: 45 solid base hornet = .562 40 Ballistic tip = .700

The one poster shooting the same rifle as you showed success with the Nosler 45 solid base (discontinued) with a length of .562.

Might also measure actual twist rate of your rifle.

 

[Dennis22]

Your stated twist rate is 1x16? You are having bullets key hole. Bullet length could be an issue. JBM ballistics has good data on bullet length for most manufactures.

The Hornady Vmax, Sierra Blitz King and Nosler Ballistic tip are long bullets.
Here are examples from JBM:
Hornady: 40Vmx = .686 45 Hornet = .590 Hollow Pt Bee = .507
SIerra: 40 Blitz King = .677 45 Spitzer = .625 45 Semi-soft point .585 40 Hollow Pt = .564 45 Hornet = .537 40 hornet = .490
Speer: 45 Spitzer = .570 45 Flat nose = .483 40 Spire soft point = .495
Nosler: 45 solid base hornet = .562 40 Ballistic tip = .700

The one poster shooting the same rifle as you showed success with the Nosler 45 solid base (discontinued) with a length of .562.

Might also measure actual twist rate of your rifle.

Those were my initial thoughts
The Calhoon 42g dbl hp is .6435

with the 4227 the bullets were not tumbling at the 100 yd range I got a .75 group with the v max

Indoors at 50 yds with the4227 and the 40g v max and the calhoon 42g it shot one hole groups at .66 and .9 MOA

It was only with the H110 powder that the bullets were key holing, that is the part that still has me confused. H110 has a higher mv which should stabilize the longer bullets better.

I got a lb of lilgun and Ill load up some test rounds, back out to the range at 100yds tomorrow Ill be trying the 4227, lilgun and one more try with the H110

Dennis