I have over the years used the Hodgdon data a lot. I too have found some of their loads really quite hot, depending on the gun. I always cross check their loads with other manuals, start at whichever is the lower min and work up to whichever is the higher max carefully, and paying close attention to pressure signs. I let the velocity and gun tell me when I have reached max load. I always use a Chronograph when developing loads. Did you speed check the loads you were making.
With respect to the particular load you are working on, I load 12.6 grains of Lil'Gun in 22 Hornet with WW brass, Fed Small Pistol Primer and a 40 grain Vmax. I have shot that load in a couple of dozen Hornets and never had pressure problems. My 218 Bee is in a Ruger #3. Being quite a bit bigger case, I have loaded as high as 14 grains, with a 40 grain Vmax in WW cases with no pressure signs. In the 221 Fireball I have loaded as much as 17 grains of Lil'Gun, WW case, Fed SR primer and 40 Vmax.
There are two possibilities with your loads. One, you got a hot batch of Lil'Gun, it happens quite often with that powder. I buy it in 8 Lb kegs, and work the load back up if I have to switch to a new lot. Second, your gun may have headspace issues. Both the Hornet and the Bee headspace on the rim, after the first firing, I neck size only so it will also headspace on the neck. I do this because the Rim thickness of various brass is quite a bit different. If you are shooting FL sized brass or new brass you may be getting a lot of stretch in that first firing. Try measuring your rim thickness and compare it to what they should be.
My best advice is back down to 11 grains, and measure the velocity. Workup .1 grain at a time. When you get to max published velocity you have reached max load. If you see pressure signs before max velocity, you have reached max load in that gun.
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