Gary O
Member
I have a new friend who believes that any reloading attempt for the 22 Hornet should start with .005" off the jamb bullet seating length. What say you? Thanks...
Seating depth question?
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gamestalker
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I'm not 22 Hornet experienced, but I would probably deffinitely seat up on the lands if I was using a good match bullet that has a consistent olgive location, that and the slowest burning powder available for that cartridge. I load all my high powered rifle cartridges with that same approach. And for a standard purpose bullet, I would feel OK with .005" off.
The reason for seating to just off the lands, or in some cases touching them, is to reduce bullet jump., which helps to reduce harmonic distortion, in my opinion.
The reason for seating to just off the lands, or in some cases touching them, is to reduce bullet jump., which helps to reduce harmonic distortion, in my opinion.
Start at the lowest starting load you can find for your bullet weight and powder.
Start with the bullet 0.01" from the lede/rifling. Once you find a good load or two, then you can start varying the seating depth to find what your rifle likes with that bullet.
For lead bullets, I generally start with the bullet just touching the rifling. Would not start at that point with a jacketed bullet, however.
Start with the bullet 0.01" from the lede/rifling. Once you find a good load or two, then you can start varying the seating depth to find what your rifle likes with that bullet.
For lead bullets, I generally start with the bullet just touching the rifling. Would not start at that point with a jacketed bullet, however.
FROGO207
Member
I have heard some of the old timers say to do this. I understand that when poor propellants were available for the 22 Hornet the more case capacity the higher the velocity was the reasoning. Now the selection of propellants is greater and you can get a respectable load for the small case capacity. As said above, research and good component selection will produce a fine round you will be happy with. That said it will never be a 223 or a 222 but for what it was designed to do it is a good round.
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Gary O
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40 grain vmax
ranger335v
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"I have a new friend who believes that any reloading attempt for the 22 Hornet should start with .005" off the jamb bullet seating length."
I think anyone who believes he has the formula for best acccuracy in anything is likely to be wrong about other stuff too.
I think anyone who believes he has the formula for best acccuracy in anything is likely to be wrong about other stuff too.
dagger dog
Member
The bullet seating depth would be different on every rifle, even if they were manufactured on the same bench. !
My only Hornet experience is with my Savage 40, and it shoots just as accurate with
loading manual spec's as it does with custom seating.
My only Hornet experience is with my Savage 40, and it shoots just as accurate with
loading manual spec's as it does with custom seating.
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The most accurate depth is often different for every rifle.
Ammunition manufacturers load to agreed upon specifications, and how accurate any individual load is in any individual gun is not there concern.
If you hand load ammunition for your gun you can adjust things to improve accuracy, like bullet jump to the rifling, neck tension, velocity, and all the other things hand loaders have control over.
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