JDinFbg
Member
I've recently gotten back into handloading after a 40+ year hiatus. I've been redeveloping loads for my 22 Hornet (since powders have changed in the last 40 years), and trying to find a light weight bullet varmint load that will work in my 1917 Enfield 30-06 that had been sporterized (22" barrel).
For the 22 Hornet, I've read a lot of posts where folks have reported good results in that small case by using small pistol primers instead of small rifle primers. I'm using Hercules 2400 (probably from one of the last batches Hercules made before being bought out), have tested both .223" and .224" Sierra 40 gr. Hornet bullets, and both small rifle and small pistol primers. My rifle, a Winchester Hi-Wall in 22 W.C.F. that had the barrel re-lined in the mid-1960's, .223" bullets produced more consistent results than .224". But, small pistol primers produced much more erratic groups over the range of loads I tested than the small rifle primers. So, the experiment with small pistol primers did not work for me.
In the 30-06, I'm using Winchester 748 ball powder given the short barrel and light bullets (110 & 115 gr.) I've focused on using. I've read that magnum primers sometimes work better with ball powders than standard large rifle primers. Although it is evident my 1917 Enfield probably needs some accurizing work done on it, my tests showed worse consistency with the magnum primers than with standard primers.
I don't want to sway anyone away from testing "off-label" primers, but my two tests noted above have not shown positive results. So, I'm sticking with standard rifle primers for the two rifles noted.
For the 22 Hornet, I've read a lot of posts where folks have reported good results in that small case by using small pistol primers instead of small rifle primers. I'm using Hercules 2400 (probably from one of the last batches Hercules made before being bought out), have tested both .223" and .224" Sierra 40 gr. Hornet bullets, and both small rifle and small pistol primers. My rifle, a Winchester Hi-Wall in 22 W.C.F. that had the barrel re-lined in the mid-1960's, .223" bullets produced more consistent results than .224". But, small pistol primers produced much more erratic groups over the range of loads I tested than the small rifle primers. So, the experiment with small pistol primers did not work for me.
In the 30-06, I'm using Winchester 748 ball powder given the short barrel and light bullets (110 & 115 gr.) I've focused on using. I've read that magnum primers sometimes work better with ball powders than standard large rifle primers. Although it is evident my 1917 Enfield probably needs some accurizing work done on it, my tests showed worse consistency with the magnum primers than with standard primers.
I don't want to sway anyone away from testing "off-label" primers, but my two tests noted above have not shown positive results. So, I'm sticking with standard rifle primers for the two rifles noted.