will accomplish the necessary safety goal of preventing any case stretching in such poorly headspaced guns. (Frankly, barring utter economic necessity, I would not use such a gun on purpose. Safe ballistics will be dismal and any- thing resembling an accurate load is apt to be something of a miracle.) In all instances, if primer pockets
begin to loosen after several loading cycles with your chosen load, reduce charge used. Normally, a reduction of 0.2 grain will suffice. Be advised also that temperature
matters with most propellants and espe- cially with ball-type propellants. Hornet loads that are perfectly fine at 50 degrees F can destroy cases when used at 90 degrees F. It is wise to be sufficiently cir- cumspect when loading to choose a light enough charge to avoid this situation. I would suggest reducing the charge about 0.1 grain for every 30 degrees F when using extruded propellants and about 0.2 grain for every 30 degrees F when using ball-type propellants. AccurAcy MeAsureMents All accuracy data represents ex-
pected five-shot, 100-yard groups based upon average of a limited number of tested groups. Wind was something of a factor during most testing. I made an effort to fire all shots in each group while wind conditions were similar. I am cer- tain that someone who could dope the wind better than I do could have done better. No doubt, plenty of folks can do a better job at the bench. These loads and this gun are likely capable of somewhat, perhaps significantly, better accuracy under ideal conditions. DAtA PresentAtion of testeD LoADs
I presented only tested maximum-
recommended loads (approximately one-half grain below charge that gen- erated about 2/10,000 inch average case rim expansion in new cases). Your results will almost certainly vary sig- nificantly. Such variation depends upon components, tools, techniques, and gun characteristics. Start at least 1.5-grains below listed charge (2 grains when using naked bullets) and work up carefully, while watching for any sign of excessive pressure — never continue to use any load showing any such sign. DAtA resoLution
Because I do not have access to actual pressure-testing equipment, my
estimates of actual pressure are impre- cise to some unknown and unknowable degree. Therefore, you could well find that your results differ sufficiently to alter velocity ordering. I suspect that if I could actually pressure test and adjust all loads to
generate the same mean pressure, ve- locity with many propellants and bullet combinations would vary by about 20 fps and a few would vary by as much as 40 fps. What this means is that unless reported velocity of any two loads with any given bullet differs by about 20 fps,
BULLET SEATING DATA IN 1.392-INCH HORNET CASE BULLET
SAVAGE M-40 CZ 527 AMERICAN 0.020-INCH JUMP
BULLET MAKE TYPE SEATING
OVERALL SHANK- OVERALL SHANK- DEPTH AT LENGTH IN-NECK LENGTH IN-NECK 1.72-INCH (INCHES)
OAL
Barnes 30 VG 1.750 0.140 Berger 30 HP 1.895 0.095 Calhoon 30 DHP 1.770 0.074 Speer 33 TNT 1.692 0.138 Berger 35 HP 1.895 0.095 Hornady 35 V-Max 1.730 0.160 Calhoon 37 DHP 1.855 0.130 Berger 40 HP 1.895 0.095 Hornady 40 V-Max 1.932 0.098 Nosler 40 BT 1.925 0.120 Sierra 40 BK 1.945 0.098
1.780 1.925 1.800 1.722 1.925 1.760 1.885 1.925 1.962 1.955 1.975
0.110 0.065 0.039 0.108 0.065 0.130 0.100 0.065 0.068 0.090 0.068
0.170 0.270 0.124 0.110 0.270 0.170 0.265 0.270 0.310 0.325 0.323
Maximum Load Development: Generally, charges are either a full case or one-half-grain below the charge that resulted in about 0.0002-inch average case head expansion in new cases, or represent the maximum charge upon which it is feasible to seat the bullet. However, one important exception exists. As a result of this testing, I now sus- pect that many of the tested H110 loads were too close to the point where significant case head expansion would have occurred and I have indicated suggested maximum charges in the various tables, as needed. Regardless, always start with lighter charges (as suggested previously), and work up to a safe maximum in your gun with your components using your loading methods and tools.
Propellants in bold font tested with Federal-100 primer. Propellants in italic font tested with Winchester Small Pistol primer.
30-GRAIN BARNES VARMINT GRENADE (MOLY PLATED): 45-GRAIN CASE OAL: 1.78 inches; which exceeds SAAMI maximum 22-Hornet length by 0.03-inch; for loads where length must conform to standard Hornet cartridge length reduce charges about 0.2 grain.
In the Savage M-40 test gun, these loads had 0.020-inch bullet-to-rifling jump: Seating these bullets to give between 5/1000- to 20/1000-inch bullet-to-rifling jump gives a shank-seating depth between about 0.125-inch and 0.140-inch. Such seating depth tinkering is feasible and desirable for improved accuracy.
30-GRAIN: BARNES
PROPELLANT TESTED CHARGE FPS @ 15’ STD. DEV. ACC. (IN) COMMENTS Lil' Gun
H110 2400
4227 (C)
14.5 15.5 13.0 13.8
3,390 3,561 3,163 3,247
26 13 15 12
0.5 1.2 1.2
1.5 ½" Horizontal
The Barnes VG is phenomenally explosive — it fully disintegrates inside a grape! It is an ideal choice for applications where one cannot tolerate ricochets and where prohibitions against lead exist. The Varmint Grenade is almost certain to violently disintegrate on impacts well beyond feasible Hornet range. Recoil is about 15% less than with full-power loads using 40-grain bullets.
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