Is it just me ?

[angrybear]

I'd only use one make of brass. Different makes will have different capacities and therefore different pressures.

Ideally buy new brass, Lapua if you can. Bit pricey but cheap across several loads.

Check your consistancy with the lee neck sizing. When you think you have the arm all the way down, give it an extra push and see if you feel it move just that little bit more. Also, once done rotate the rounds 1/4 turn/90 degrees and do it again.

And finally I wouldn't crimp, especially in a light calibre as .22 hornet its not really going to be be needed.

I sense a shopping trip tomorrow & much testing.

[sidesy]

• how old is the rifle
• round count
• was barrel cleaned / run in
• how are you measuring powder

It can be very frustrating but equally rewarding when you find the recipe that suits your rifle. I have found the perfect within 20 shots but some have taken ages with 100+
As has been said bullet choice is so critical as some will never group whatever you do. My normal best groups with any calibre have been with a "medium" load of powder. COL is very important too and altering this you will see the groups open / close as you will with powder changes. Keep to the same brass as this helps with consistency.

For something to group and then NOT too seems odd.

Good luck

[angrybear]

• how old is the rifle
• round count
• was barrel cleaned / run in
• how are you measuring powder

It can be very frustrating but equally rewarding when you find the recipe that suits your rifle. I have found the perfect within 20 shots but some have taken ages with 100+
As has been said bullet choice is so critical as some will never group whatever you do. My normal best groups with any calibre have been with a "medium" load of powder. COL is very important too and altering this you will see the groups open / close as you will with powder changes. Keep to the same brass as this helps with consistency.

For something to group and then NOT too seems odd.

Good luck

Rifle is 1994, round count unknown,
When it arrived the barrel was frankly disgusting it took a serious scrub to clean up, since then about 120 through it & pulled through after use.

I have a lee perfect powder scale.
I've just bought some new brass so will stick with the one brand.

[bullbarrel]

Rifle is 1994, round count unknown,
When it arrived the barrel was frankly disgusting it took a serious scrub to clean up, since then about 120 through it & pulled through after use.

A good clean again won't hurt. Wirebrush and Dettol (or hoppe's Nos 9 if you prefer) then patch till clean. I do this everytime I shoot, 1 round to 50. I'm not a fan of pull throughs.

I still think from this thread that your biggest issue is non consistent brass and potential neck sizing issues.

Get that sorted and I'm confident the groups will shrink.

[223AI]

I am using Privvy and frontiera brass, both group well with the same load but POI is about 3/4" higher with the latter and the frontiera does group slightly better.

I'm going to keep loading both types but will keep the batches separate and tweak the zero when moving between the 2 brass brands.

Just a thought but if your vernier s a bit dodgy (based on the other thread) then your COL could be inconsistent too.

[sidesy]

just as a final thought im wondering if the crown is OK ?

just thinking when the barrel warms up if the group starts to open

[angrybear]

I am using Privvy and frontiera brass, both group well with the same load but POI is about 3/4" higher with the latter and the frontiera does group slightly better.

I'm going to keep loading both types but will keep the batches separate and tweak the zero when moving between the 2 brass brands.

Just a thought but if your vernier s a bit dodgy (based on the other thread) then your COL could be inconsistent too.

Well the COL might have been a bit off size but would have been consistent as it was set by the press & only measured by the vernier.
In fact I just checked & it was 0.003" out at 1.717 not 1.720 according to my shiny new digi job.

Oh & the crown looks very good.

[223AI]

Well the COL might have been a bit off size but would have been consistent as it was set by the press & only measured by the vernier.
In fact I just checked & it was 0.003" out at 1.717 not 1.720 according to my shiny new digi job.

Oh & the crown looks very good.

I was thinking more between batches if you changed the setting on the bullet seater or if it didn't go back into the press the same as the previous time, I don't think screwing down onto an o ring can lead to a consistent setup each time.

So first batch could have been at the optimum depth, the second slightly different. Did you say you tried factory ammo through the gun? Did that group ok?

[angrybear]

I was thinking more between batches if you changed the setting on the bullet seater or if it didn't go back into the press the same as the previous time, I don't think screwing down onto an o ring can lead to a consistent setup each time.

So first batch could have been at the optimum depth, the second slightly different. Did you say you tried factory ammo through the gun? Did that group ok?

Well I set the seating press using a factory round to give the same COL & haven't changed it, (1.717") the max seating depth of the breach I've checked as 1.760" with a V-max (or 1.810" with a JHP)

Yes I tried factory ammo, Hornady V-max, S&B SP 45gn & Remington JHP 45gn all gave "groups" similar to the one's I'm now getting, around 3" at 100yds.

Have you shot across a chrono ?
I'd like to know what sort of consistency people are getting, I've had ES from 29fps @ 2786fps up to 180fps @ 2941fps (best factory was 76fps @ 2605 from the Remingtons)

[Eligus]

I take it the Hornady V-Max factory ammo was 35gr. and still only produced 3" groups?

My CZ 527 did not like 45gr. at all.

Perhaps your next step should be to have the bore checked with a bore scope. It will eliminate another possible cause.

Some variation in group size is to be expected with differing loads and if the rifle is only achieving 3" at 100m yards then any variations could be greatly exaggerated. If this would account for the inconsistency I don't know.

[223AI]

Well I set the seating press using a factory round to give the same COL & haven't changed it, (1.717") the max seating depth of the breach I've checked as 1.760" with a V-max (or 1.810" with a JHP)

Yes I tried factory ammo, Hornady V-max, S&B SP 45gn & Remington JHP 45gn all gave "groups" similar to the one's I'm now getting, around 3" at 100yds.

Have you shot across a chrono ?
I'd like to know what sort of consistency people are getting, I've had ES from 29fps @ 2786fps up to 180fps @ 2941fps (best factory was 76fps @ 2605 from the Remingtons)

No haven't shot across the chrono, was hoping to at the BBS shoot Sunday gone but Dannywayoflife had a little mishap with the club chrono .

If you're getting fairly consistent results over the chrono and factory isn't shooting well either maybe it's time to start looking at the rifle? I'm loading to 1.717" with the 35gr v-max and getting good accuracy with load fortunately, it would be interesting to chrono it at some point but I'm getting 3/4" groups or better woth the frontier brass so that's good enough for me for now.

I'm guessing you've done all the obvious things like checking everything's tight, different scope, mod and no mod?

[polski]

As above,get it bore scoped.I bought my first hornet a few years ago,took it home and gave it a good clean,I've never seen anything so dirty,my hands were green.I took it to the range but it wouldn't group at all(although it did improve as I put more rounds through it),turned out that the barrel was badly pitted.

Rick.

[angrybear]

No haven't shot across the chrono, was hoping to at the BBS shoot Sunday gone but Dannywayoflife had a little mishap with the club chrono .

If you're getting fairly consistent results over the chrono and factory isn't shooting well either maybe it's time to start looking at the rifle? I'm loading to 1.717" with the 35gr v-max and getting good accuracy with load fortunately, it would be interesting to chrono it at some point but I'm getting 3/4" groups or better woth the frontier brass so that's good enough for me for now.

I'm guessing you've done all the obvious things like checking everything's tight, different scope, mod and no mod?

Must be honest not tried it without the mod, or only for a couple of shots, so I suppose it's worth a try.

[223AI]

Must be honest not tried it without the mod, or only for a couple of shots, so I suppose it's worth a try.

Worth ruling it out then

[Mod]

TO be brutally honest - if a .22h only grouped to 3" with factory ammo, it would have been returned pdq. BUT in fairness, you have dropped it to 30mm with home loads, so there is potential.

Possible copper fouling issue (?) - requires specialist copper removal solution to shift.

Rgds

Mod