Hornet cartridge length.

[Eligus]

Hornet COAL?
I've just finished a batch of .22 Hornet reloads and find the COAL varies between 1.723 and 1.715.
Hornady factory ammo is 1.705 and the recommended max is 1.723.
Will this slight variation in the overall length of my rounds be enough to affect their performance?

[Ben410]

What bullet are you using? I use 40gr vmax and they are fairly long, depends wether you want them to fit in the mag or single load....

B

[Graham2]

I doubt very much if the figures you give will make much difference to your rifle's accuracy. A consistent powder charge is far more important.

[Eligus]

The next batch I loaded I got the variation down to 1.707 to 1.711. I can't seem to get my Lee Seating die to throw an exact length each time.

I'm very careful about powder weights.

[ZAKDINGEL]

The next batch I loaded I got the variation down to 1.707 to 1.711. I can't seem to get my Lee Seating die to throw an exact length each time.

I'm very careful about powder weights.

I'm using lee dies and don't have this problem if you trim the brass first this could be where the problem is hope you get it sorted ATB

[Graham2]

The next batch I loaded I got the variation down to 1.707 to 1.711. I can't seem to get my Lee Seating die to throw an exact length each time.

I'm very careful about powder weights.

Not all bullets are the same length, hence the sale of bullet trimmers. The seating die pushes the bullet into the case by baring on the circumference of the bullet, not the tip, so you will always get minor differences in overall cartridge length.

Don't worry overly, I assume you're shooting foxes, crows etc at about 100 yards or so, not an F class Target at 1000 yards.

[Eligus]

Just for fun I loaded a few at 1.705, some at 1.710 and some more at 1.723. There was virtually no difference in POI, maybe 1/4".

[Ben410]

You may find that if you put a light crimp on your rounds with a lee factory crimp die it'll tighten that quarter inch up. I crimp all my hornet rounds now and dont worry too much about the coal.

B

[Graham2]

You may find that if you put a light crimp on your rounds with a lee factory crimp die it'll tighten that quarter inch up. I crimp all my hornet rounds now and dont worry too much about the coal.

B

Good advice.

Neck tension is pretty poor on cartridges like .22 Hornet as the brass is so thin: a light crimp certainly helps with FP consistency. I have the crimp die set up on my Dillon 550, so it's not really an extra step for me but it's worth doing on a single stage press.