.22 Hornet cartridge length and bullet seating.

[Eligus]

I've just reloaded my first batch and have a query about the depth of bullet seating.

I have Barnes Varmint Grenades in 36g. and Hornady V-Max in 40 g. To achieve the recommended cartridge length they seem to have to go quite a way into the case, to the point where the straight section of the bullet is fully inside the lip of the case and the case does not seem to crimp right in.

With the Hornady bullets the tapered tip is so pointed that I have my Lee Bullet seater die turned all the way in just to get the rounds to fit in the magazine and even then they are a little over the recommended max. length. I've tried one in the rifle and it chambered fine.

Is this acceptable?

[Elwellaxe]

I've just reloaded my first batch and have a query about the depth of bullet seating.

I have Barnes Varmint Grenades in 36g. and Hornady V-Max in 40 g. To achieve the recommended cartridge length they seem to have to go quite a way into the case, to the point where the straight section of the bullet is fully inside the lip of the case and the case does not seem to crimp right in.

With the Hornady bullets the tapered tip is so pointed that I have my Lee Bullet seater die turned all the way in just to get the rounds to fit in the magazine and even then they are a little over the recommended max. length. I've tried one in the rifle and it chambered fine.

Is this acceptable?

Measure the distance between your bolt face & the rifling, if you don't know how, this is how I do it.
Put the bolt in the rifle cocked, obviously unloaded,slip a cleaning rod in from the muzzle untill it stops at the bolt face, mark the rod at the muzzle. Remove the bolt & stuff a bullet in the chamber ( a bullet, not the cartridge), push a pencil against the base of the bullet to stop it moving back & again put the cleaning rod in from the muzzle, when it touches the point of the bullet mark the rod again, measure the distance between the 2 marks reduce that distance by 1 mm & that is your maximum seating depth for that bullet. Sounds long winded but takes 3 to 4 minutes.
Elwellaxe.

[Eligus]

Thanks, I'll do that. On Hornadys web page the diagram states 1.725 as the max length but another chap looked it up in the Hornady manual and it said 1.810 ! So my cartridges at 1.760 would appear to be safe. They seem to shoot well with loads of 12.3g. Lilgun, tight groups at 100yards (12.5g. loads doubled the size of the groups).

[Eligus]

I should have added that the Hornady V-Max 40g. performed well, some cartridges loaded with Barnes Varmint Grenades 36g. were all over the place, not even on paper at 50 yards.

[Ben410]

Hi, I use 40gr vmax, 13gr of lilgun, remington brass and a coal of 1.825. Shots great at that. Shoots well with 40gr blitz king as well. I ve messed with the coal a few times and you can get preoccupied I will be sticking with this now snd I also crimp mine with a lee factory die which I think helps.

B

[Graham2]

I tried the 40 grain V Max in my Anschutz and they work well accuracy wise but have to be loaded singly due to them not fitting in the mag. I now use 35 grain V Max and can feed them from the mag.

[angrybear]

Measure the distance between your bolt face & the rifling, if you don't know how, this is how I do it.
Put the bolt in the rifle cocked, obviously unloaded,slip a cleaning rod in from the muzzle untill it stops at the bolt face, mark the rod at the muzzle. Remove the bolt & stuff a bullet in the chamber ( a bullet, not the cartridge), push a pencil against the base of the bullet to stop it moving back & again put the cleaning rod in from the muzzle, when it touches the point of the bullet mark the rod again, measure the distance between the 2 marks reduce that distance by 1 mm & that is your maximum seating depth for that bullet. Sounds long winded but takes 3 to 4 minutes.
Elwellaxe.

I just tried that & got 1.859" does that sound right ?

I might have pressed a bit hard on the base of the bullet as it stuck in the grooves.

[tacfoley]

Measure the distance between your bolt face & the rifling, if you don't know how, this is how I do it.
Put the bolt in the rifle cocked, obviously unloaded,slip a cleaning rod in from the muzzle untill it stops at the bolt face, mark the rod at the muzzle. Remove the bolt & stuff a bullet in the chamber ( a bullet, not the cartridge), push a pencil against the base of the bullet to stop it moving back & again put the cleaning rod in from the muzzle, when it touches the point of the bullet mark the rod again, measure the distance between the 2 marks reduce that distance by 1 mm & that is your maximum seating depth for that bullet. Sounds long winded but takes 3 to 4 minutes.
Elwellaxe.

Good post.

tac