Quote:
Originally Posted by KegRiver
I set up my chrony but got an error every time. I think there wasn't enough light. It has been very foggy and overcast here for several days now.
12.6 grains of Lil'Gun in 22 Hornet. Well that about says it. I must have a bad batch of Lil'Gun.
But what about the other calibers? Isn't starting at the old max loads a bit extreme?
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First, I don't think you have a bad batch. Hornet and Bee cases are really small. Min to max load is about 8%, or one grain to 1.5 grains. It does not take much of a change in a batches burn rate to show up in those small cases. Just changing from small pistol to small rifle primers can be enough to push a load over max that previously showed no pressure signs. Another example, REm cases have quite a lot bigger capacity than WW. You will often find that just changing cases will affect your velocity by as much as 300 FPS in a 22 Hornet. That is a lot of pressure change from a case switch. All of this is much different than loading for 30-06 where a 1 grain difference or case change is rarely even noticeable.
If you re-read what I posted I suggested you start at the
lowest published min and work up carefully to the highest published max, watching for pressure and measuring velocity. I would never suggest starting at any published max.
As to Hornady's published data, they actually pressure test all of the loads they publish. The pressures are actual, not calculated ones like some other manuals. Just because it made safe pressure with that EXACT load, that lot of primers and powder in that specific gun doesn't mean it will be the same in your gun.
I have only ever had one gun where Hodgdon's min load was too hot. Like Elk11, my 17 Hornet load is below their min, (I am running 9.6 grains of LG, 20 grain Vmax in Hornady and Privi cases) and I still get the 3,600 fps vel of their max published load. Evidence that an even smaller case with a smaller bore is even more susceptible to case capacity, primer, powder lot, clambering dimensions etc. I even had one batch of Hornady factory ammo, when it was first released, that was too hot for the gun. Hornady has since dropped their factory load down a bit because there were lots of complaints about it being too hot in many guns. I have had lots of guns where I reached max velocity or started showing pressure signs long before I got to their max published loads.
I cannot over state just how much the small cases are affected by stuff that will NEVER show up in larger cases.