Issues with my 22 Hornet

[cquist]

So I finally got out with a 22 Hornet that I recently purchased. It is a Kimber or Oregon Model 82. I looks like new, not a mark on it. I would love to have reloaded for it, but did not have brass. I did find a store with 22 Hornet loaded ammo though. They had 3 different loads available, a Remington 50 round box for $53.99, a Winchester 50 round box for $50.99, and a Hornady 25 round for $20.99. I bought the 3 boxes they had of the Hornady. They were all the same batch. I took them out shooting. I initially shot them at 25 yards, just to get them on paper and was going to shoot them afterwards at 100 yards. I got to right where I wanted them by the ninth round, but the ninth round separated the case (should be the first photo). I didn't have a way of removing the upper end of the casing from the chamber since I did not bring a cleaning rod with me. Once I got home, I used a .224 copper brush and remove it. I phoned Hornady and spoke to a guy in Tech Support and he asked me to look at other rounds that I fired and see if any looked odd of that group. They all seemed to have rings around them (see second photo). He said that the batch I got was from 2015, but they had no complaints about that batch. The measured the rim of the 22 hornet cartridge and it looked like it was 0.065" thick, which, since it is a rimmed cartridge, then that is what determines headspace. In looking at the dimensions of the cartridge, there is nothing glaring wrong.

Please, I am digging into this, so if I make any incorrect comments or assumptions, correct me.

In measuring the shot cartridge and the unfired cartridge, this is what I found. Please note that in measuring the distance from the rear of the cartridge to where the shoulder begins and ends, it is such a small angle change, that it is difficult to get the exact measurement.

Item measured Factory Ammo Fired round Hornady reloading manual says it should be
Rim thickness 0.065" 0.065" 0.065"
Diameter just above 0.292" 0.296" 0.299"
the rim (note that the fired round starts at 0.293" and jumps to 0.299".
Distance from base to 0.871" 0.867" 0.853"
shoulder starting
Distance from base to 1.043" 1.010" 1.017"
shoulder ending
Diameter just before 0.276" 0.281" 0.278"
the shoulder
Diameter just beyond 0.241" 0.249" 0.244"
the shoulder
Case length 1.393" 1.404" 1.403"

I wondered if the shoulder is too far forward in chamber and that in firing the cartridge, the cartridge stretches enough that it separates. Thoughts? Am I even barking up the right tree?

 

[cquist]

Another interesting item the Tech guy told me is that Hornady is around 2 years behind on all orders.

 

[cquist]

I have also thought about buying either the Winchester or Remington shells, and see if the same issues are found there also.

 

[Tiny Tim]

The lower cartridge appears to be stretched and even forming a groove. If you have a comparator, what is the difference between base to shoulder datum between an unfired and fired case. Its possible that the shoulder area is cut to deep or even the chamber itself, allowing the case to stretch upon firing and the case yielding right above the case head. A competent gunsmith should be able to check your chamber.

 

[cquist]

When I entered the measurements, they were all lined up. The first number is the unfired cartridge, the second number is the fired casing, and the third is the number found in the Hornady reloading manual, I assume is the SAAMI. Measuring to the shoulder is not a precise as I would want because the shoulder angle is pretty slight, but I did what I could on that.

 

[Tiny Tim]

If your first number is the factory dimension, it appears that the shoulder moves back in the chamber. This would not let the cartridge chamber. I assume the numbers are abit jumbled as I look at them on my phone. I believe your assumption that the shoulder in the chamber is too far forward. How did your measure the various places on the cartridge. Did you use some type of comparator or are you just eye balling the position of your caliper on tr he cartridge? You could section one of the fired cases or use a paper clip with the end bent 90 degrees on the inside of the case to see if there is a ridge where the ring appears near the head.

 

[cquist]

From the first post, the first number is the Hornady cartridge prior to firing, the second after firing, and the third, what the manual says should be for that cartridge.

I went and found some Remington 22 Hornet Ammo and took it out and fired two rounds. The brass looks fine. If I didn't know about the previous problem I would not have even thought there was anything wrong. If you look closely, there is a slight, and I mean ever so slight ring. When you look at the ring, you think about running your brass through a full length resizer, that leaves a slight ring, but no lips or change in diameter at that point.

Prior to firing, the diameter just forward of the rim is:
Hornady - 0.2916"
Remington - 0.2928"

After firing - 0.2956" - in both cases.
The spec calls out 0.299"

Since I purchased 3 boxes of the Hornady ammo, I now need to go out and try shooting rounds from the other two boxes.

If the Remington works, then that is what I will use from here on. I need to find some Winchester brass and see about it. They had some a week ago (1 box), but apparently it has now been sold.

 

[ducky]

If you take it to a smith, I'd set the barrel back and make it a K-Hornet. Then you'll have a much better shoulder to headspace off of, instead of the rim. Most cartridges that headpsace off the rim have a much shorter lifespan, and Hornet cases are notoriously fragile from the few samples I've been around.

 

[L.Sherm]

People i know have better luck with the Winchester brass in any of the Hornet configurations

 

[cquist]

I have been thinking of the k-hornet. When I was running into issues, I wondered what my options were and if k-hornet would fix some issues
then that was the route I was going to go.

 

[APDDSN0864]

I have a Browning Micro-Medallion in .22 Hornet that loves Winchester ammo and the Remington SP but doesn't like the Hornady ammo at all.
A couple of years ago I stumbled across a deal on 500 pieces of new Winchester brass and bought them. I have yet to have any problem with any of it.

Ed

 

[ducky]

A good shoulder to headspace from, will increase the life of your brass. The 5⁰ shoulder of the Hornet really isn't enough to stop brass from flowing, or to establish proper headspace. The issue is getting reloading dies to match your chamber since there isn't a SAAMI standard on the K-Hornet.

.22 Hornet Load Data

The .22 Hornet was once the most accurate centerfire cartridge going. The good news is that it's more alive today than ever before; here's how to handload for the .22-caliber cartridge.

www.shootingtimes.com

Hornet cases are quite thin, and it is not unusual to see excessive stretching of the primer pocket when they are used with some of the maximum loads I see published by various sources. Restricting speeds in the neighborhood of 2900 fps for 33- and 35-grain bullets, 2800 fps for 40-grain bullets, and 2700 fps for 45-grain bullets will usually result in acceptable case life. Those who need higher velocities should consider choosing a bigger cartridge.

 

[twister]

Hornady brass is the worst for the hornet.

 

[73driver]

Decades ago I had a Ruger #3 single shot Hornet. Short story is that my reloads would separate after 2-3 loads just like the issue you are having. I was using Rem or Winchester brass and using reasonable powder charges. The best I could figure was the chamber dimensions did not quite line up with what my RCBS sizing die was doing. Think I even went to neck sizing and still had a problem. Second thing I figured out was I should have just bought a 223 in the first place. Any how sold it long ago.