K Hornet Powders

[Longshot4]

I have found Lil'Gun works well with a low pressure and High Vel. Although I have been looking for a good powder for Lower Velocities. I have lots of powders in storage but I haven't found one exceptional for Low Vel. Accuracy is a must and with the price of powders I don't want to stock pile powders since my locker is full now. I have found info on (Accurate 1680) and wonder if some one can verify accuracy with the lower Vel. Dose any one have experience with 1680?

 

[bigD01]

low velocity K-hornet

2400 may be the answer, or try a pinch of Biue Dot, 3 grains down to 1.8 gr.

 

[khornet224]

AA1680 with 22 K-hornet and 17 Hornet

Just finished working up a load with AA1680 for the 22 K-hornet. The powder sits halfway up the neck and I seat a 45 grain Sierra SP bullet just touching the powder column. The chronograph says I am getting 2780 fps. Accuracy is very good.

I also use the same powder for the 17 Hornet and accuracy is extremely good.

As for using AA1680 for reduced loads it might work but have not tested it. I was using SR4759 in the 17 Hornet for reduced loads and this worked out nicely. The sound of this round was loader and with a lower tone than the 17 HMR and it had a clean powder burn. However, the velocity was too low to adequately open up the 20 grain Nosler hollow points I was using.

 

[Longshot4]

Khornet224: That is great that you could send on the information. Very good accuracy is what I like. The fact that case volume is 100% is what I like to see. The Vel. will help to not explode the bullets so much. Can you tell me the twist in your rifle...? My Ruger 77/hornet has a 1:14 twist. I have found that the Rem. 6 1/2 primer serves me well for grouping. I have been working with the 45Gr. #1300 Sierra and hope to get out today to shoot if the wind holds off. Now I should have a good powder for Low Vel. and the Lil'Gun for high Vel. Thanks for the info

 

[khornet224]

Twist rate and powder weight

It is 1 in 14 inches for the CZ 527 in 22 Hornet. I had it re-chambered to 22 K-Hornet. I used a brass case as a powder scoop to find this particular AA1680 load. To give you the weight in grains, I will take the average of five scoops weighed on the scale and report back.

This particular load hits ground squirrels with authority picking them up off the ground and flinging their body backwards.

 

[khornet224]

Max powder charge

Longshot4,

I weighed five charges of AA1680 and the average weight for my scoop is 13.7 grains. I consider this a max charge for my rifle. I only had one pierced primer in 25 rounds and this occurred at the hottest period of the day.

I also use Rem 6 1/2 primers.

 

[Longshot4]

I have never popped a primer with the hornet. The case capacity that you are using is close to the same weight of Lil'Gun. My most accurate bullet would be Hornady 35Gr. V Max Vel. around 2900 Fps. Hopefully I will be able to drop the Vel. down with AA1680 and a 45 Gr. pill and have accuracy to. That is my goal. I understand that a 9:1 twist can give heavier bullets good accuracy the AA1680 may be a good powder for it also.

 

[khornet224]

Twist rate, powder charge, and bullet stability

Understanding the principles of bullet stability can help you make use of the large variety of .224 bullets available to the handloader.

For example, I have used a virgin case topped with Lil' Gun powder and 50 grain Hornady v-max bullets to fire-form Privi Partisan brass. It is necessary to cut off the plastic tips of the bullets to get them to stabilize in the 1-14 twist CZ barrel. This particular round is very accurate and I use it for fire-forming and kill shots on ground squirrels, feral pigeons, and rabbits.

A 1-12 twist rate would likely stabilize the same 50 grain v-max without having to cut off the tip. The nice thing about a faster twist rate is it allows you to run longer bullets at a slower velocity and still have the longer bullets stabilize in flight. Look online for a free internet calculator that will give you the minimum velocity necessary to stabilize a particular diameter bullet of a particular length.

I was able to stabilize the 50 grain Hornady bullet by shortening it (cutting off the tip) and raising the velocity with Lil' Gun powder.

Alliant's Power Pro 300-MP might be another powder for you to consider for your mid-range (velocity) 45 grain loads; powder volume will be less than 100 percent in the K-hornet case.