A couple of members have asked me, on other threads, what my K-hornet loads are. I never seem to have my log handy when that happens, so I brought it with me today.
For fire-forming Hornet brass: I have beaucoup 55 gr spitzer and FMJ bullets bought in bulk. I use these instead of my nice Hornet bullets, with 7.8 gr of 2400.
Sierra 45 gr Hornet bullet .224 dia. 2400, 8.1 gr, Win. Small rifle primer, seated to measure 2.261 with a Davidson seating depth tool: average velocity 2299 fps
Low-power load: Sierra 45 gr Hornet **.223" bullet** Bullseye 3.3 gr, with a 1" square piece of toilet paper tamped down over the powder to keep it against the primer. Haven't chronographed this. Shoots 0.92" 5 shots at 50 yds
The data I had in 1997 from various sources appears to have been way too hot: for example a 45 gr .224 Hornet bullet with 11.6 gr 4227 at 2.618". Worked fine, and gave me a 0.99" 5 shot 100 yd group. Same loads with 9.8 grains work fine.
Please not that my rifle is a very beat-up single shot break-open Savage Model 219 given to me by my brother. The bore is quiet worn and pitted. A bore in good shape on a nice bolt gun will certainly do much better.
The current Hornady manual has K-Hornet loads.
For fire-forming Hornet brass: I have beaucoup 55 gr spitzer and FMJ bullets bought in bulk. I use these instead of my nice Hornet bullets, with 7.8 gr of 2400.
Sierra 45 gr Hornet bullet .224 dia. 2400, 8.1 gr, Win. Small rifle primer, seated to measure 2.261 with a Davidson seating depth tool: average velocity 2299 fps
Low-power load: Sierra 45 gr Hornet **.223" bullet** Bullseye 3.3 gr, with a 1" square piece of toilet paper tamped down over the powder to keep it against the primer. Haven't chronographed this. Shoots 0.92" 5 shots at 50 yds
The data I had in 1997 from various sources appears to have been way too hot: for example a 45 gr .224 Hornet bullet with 11.6 gr 4227 at 2.618". Worked fine, and gave me a 0.99" 5 shot 100 yd group. Same loads with 9.8 grains work fine.
Please not that my rifle is a very beat-up single shot break-open Savage Model 219 given to me by my brother. The bore is quiet worn and pitted. A bore in good shape on a nice bolt gun will certainly do much better.
The current Hornady manual has K-Hornet loads.
