Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles 22 Hornet...what's the secret?

Is there a secret to re-sizing 22 Hornet brass? I'm crushing cases. Die set ~1/4 turn into press after contact with shell holder. Lubed outside of case and graphite for the neck...just like always. Ran into the sizer die and it crushed. It also tore the neck off, was stuck between inside of die and the part that re-sizes the neck to hold a bullet. So I spent 20 minutes getting that off of there. Then I made damn good and sure I had plenty of lube, graphite...and it's crushing cases. It's lubed, the die is set up like I always do it...what gives? Am I missing something? Never had this happen before with any other caliber, and I reload for quite a few calibers. Suggestions welcome from you 22 Hornet reloaders!

die not concentric? back off a little and try again.

hornet brass is very thin. I suggest you buy a LEE collet die for resizing. It's what I use and no more lube.

take a fired shell lube it then smoke the neck the neck area, back die off a couple of turns resize shell inspect case and adjust it till it just kisses the neck area. you should be good to go.

Ed

Your depriming spindle might not be down far enough. The die is trying to size the neck with the expander plug in it.
Along with the thin hornet brass I use a Lyman "M" die to lightly bell the case mouth before trying to seat any flat based bullets.

NWPA is probably on the money, I had the same problem with 17FB dies and that brass is too expensive to waste! I simply overlooked the spindle being to far up in the die and crushed about 5 cases before my DA figured it out! T.S.

I'll try that, thanks. I'm working right now so it'll be awhile. Thanks guys. Brass is indeed too expensive to waste, I'm only down 5 as of now. Hopefully this will resolve.

That was the ticket. Thanks fellas.

I find the best accuracy when I partial resize my cases using the FL die.

Good to see you got the die problem fixed. FWIW when I size Hornet cases I back the die off so that it only sizes part of the neck, leaving a portion of the neck just in front of the shoulder unsized to help center the case in the chamber.

Ernie

I NEVER full length size a hornet. You need to size only about a quarter inch of the neck. Better yet use a bushing neck sizing die without an expander button and your case life will skyrocket.

- what Scott F said! Both case life and accuracy are vastly improved in the Hornet by neck sizing only.

I'm a week late to this party, but here's my Hornet recipe:

Partially sized case (I leave about 1/8" of the neck unsized)

Rem 6� primer (or CCI 500 small pistol)

13.0 Lil Gun

Any thin-jacket Hornet bullet from 30 to 45 grains. OAL to fit magazine.

Moderate crimp using Lee Factory Crimp Die.

Tiny cases with thin neck brass really benefit from very mild primers and a crimp, hence the choices noted above. LilGun is simply THE hornet powder with any applicable bullet weight, and 13.0 is just about a case-full to the base of the bullet with partly sized brass. Adjust the charge to just touch the bullet base or have a millimeter of compression, if required.

If this is your standard procedure then you're probably sizing a lot of your brass more than necessary.

"22 Hornet...what's the secret? "

I would love to tell you but then I'd have to shoot you ... it IS a secret you know?

I don't mind shooting my Hornets single shot and so I seat my 40-grain V-Max out to 1.910". My CZ and Kimber K-Hornets and my Ruger Hornet are all 1/2" guns.

The easiest way I have found to size a Hornet is actually pretty simple. I take the entire expander ball rod out of the die. I punch out all the spent primers with a de-priming die. Then I use the Sinclair neck sizing mandrel to size the inside of the neck. This does a couple of things. It takes care of the issues of the softer neck. Plus it gives a more consistent neck tension, with less bullet run-out. Or a WIN-WIN-WIN. Tom.

It isn't. Generally i'll adjust to where it resizes just enough. But first attempts when I don't have the rifle with me, or if I'm not doing precision work, I'll go with the generic directions per the manufacturer.

I'll look into neck sizing. I appreciate the input.