First session with the Hornet re-loading

[gerald butler]

Well thank's to all the tips given on here my first loading session seemed to go very well indeed.

 

Using the favoured load recipe of 13gr Lilgun, 40gr V-MAX, rem 6 1/2 smrp, neck sizing the cases and finishing with a light crimp the chrono was reading 3000fps with a 6fps variation over 4 shots.

 

Very pleased with the outcome, unfortunately the weather conditions were diabolical for zeroing/testing accuracy, strong blustery side wind and horizontal rain, but even so the few shots had were very respectable so I'm confident of much better to come.

 

Just out of interest what system do you use for measuring your powder and loading your cases. I was able to use my friends very expensive Harrels powder thrower with 8" drop tube coupled with scales check back up but this a very expensive bit of kit and takes alot of justifying, having said that it really did make the reloading process very quick and easy.

 

Can someone also tell me in terms of powder descripton ie: stick powder, coarse ,fine etc which category Lilgun falls into as some equipment seems to be better suited to certain types of powder. Many thank's Gerald.

[Andrew]

Six feet per second extreme spread?? You are certainly doing something right! I use an excellent Belding and Mull volumetric measure. It will throw Lil Gun to a frightening exactitude. These are an ancient design but must be good because Buffalo Arms in the US still has them. I find older units on E-Bay and have about 4 of them now. There is at least one in the UK that I know of because i sent it to the fellow.~Andrew

[gerald butler]

Six feet per second extreme spread?? You are certainly doing something right! I use an excellent Belding and Mull volumetric measure. It will throw Lil Gun to a frightening exactitude. These are an ancient design but must be good because Buffalo Arms in the US still has them. I find older units on E-Bay and have about 4 of them now. There is at least one in the UK that I know of because i sent it to the fellow.~Andrew

 

Hi Andrew, My friend was chrono testing some 308 competition ammo at the time of my reloading exercise so we took 4 sample bullets out of the mix to see the results, 3000, 3002, 3004 and 2998 fps this was by no means a conclusive test but at least told us we were on the right track and was certainly a testament to the efficiency of the Harrels powder thrower/8" drop tube.

 

Alot of people have commented on problems getting 13 gr Lilgun into their brass, using the Harrels/drop tube gave a nice 3/16th seating cavity which allowed for a slightly compressed neat bullet seating followed by a light crimp. I was using both winchester and remington brass.

 

Heard some good things about the Belding and Mull powder throwers on some of the American loading sites but I think I,m more likely to find a pile of Rocking Horse S--t here in the UK. Apparently Lilgun is a very fine powder and obviously seems to work well in powder throwers.

 

We modified the magazine to accomodate the 40 gr V-Max bullets with mixed results. sometimes the bullet will not feed this is apparently due to the top bullet nosing down. According to Barber from Schertz Texas Coyotegods Forum, this can be overcome by adding a spacer or shim to the back of the follower to make up for the angle change. So back to the drawing board on that one. Cheers Gerald.

[nicholiath]

When i modified my mag i tried the shim thing at the back with unsatisfactory results, so instead i actually cut the follower in half and extended it to fit the now longer mag by laying a slim piece of metal underneath it and fixed it

in place with metal putty. the top of the carrier retained a smooth surface by laying the carrier on a waxed board with putty in the gap whilst fixing the metal strip on the underside.

[Andrew]

I just left mine and shoot lighter or shorter bullets. The 40 grain V-Max are a favorite of a friend of mine. His CZ shoots them really well. The thing is that he seldom shoots past 150 yards so the added BC is "wasted". In light of this, I decided to stick with the 35 grain bullets and the heavier bullets made for the Hornet, to avoid the magazine conversion. The Winchester 46 grain HP is very good to 200M from my CZ.~Andrew

[nicholiath]

when i bought my rifle i was given a spare mag which needed mending anyway, otherwise i would not have bothered either, at the risk of ruining an expensive mag!

[Andrew]

I hear that! They are about $50 US now.~Andrew

[nicholiath]

I hear that! They are about $50 US now.~Andrew

 

Just checked midway uk mag is £49.35 which is $74 near as dammit!!!!!

[Andrew]

I would figure that: About dollar to the pound seems to be Midway's "exchange" rate.~Andrew