IMR4831 in .22 Hornet

M14 · June 13, 2008, 09:39 AM

I have two manuals that list a load of 11.5 grains of IMR4831 (compressed load) behind a 45 grain jacketed bullet for a velocity of 1085 & pressure of 10,700. I was thinking this would be a great quiet load, but would my rifle look as if I'd been using black powder? Has anyone tried this?

Red_Eagle · June 13, 2008, 10:14 AM

I seen that in the Lee manual. I'd be interested in knowing too. I'm trying to find a small game load and the slowest I'll be able to get it with "hornet" powders is about 1,900 f/ps with AA-5744

MADISON · June 13, 2008, 04:07 PM

In .22 Hornet with a 45 grain bullet the published velocities are between 2600 and 2650. Using IMR 4831 will only give you a "squib" type load.

Scorch · June 13, 2008, 04:36 PM

Quote:

I have two manuals that list a load of 11.5 grains of IMR4831 (compressed load) behind a 45 grain jacketed bullet for a velocity of 1085 & pressure of 10,700.

Sounds like an expensive 22LR. If you want 22LR performance, it is usually easier to just use a 22LR.

M14 · June 13, 2008, 06:38 PM

I'm not looking for .22LR performance. I would like to have a quiet load so that I could get in more practice with the rifle I use for varmints. I use reduced loads in my 30/06 not because I want to reinvent the .32/20 but because I want to practice with the rifle I actually will use later.

Scorch · June 13, 2008, 07:37 PM

Understood, but a large charge of slow powder will likely throw quite a fireball, and may actually be louder than a very mild load. In that small of a case, you could probably get the charge down even further to give you less report if you switch to gas-checked lead bullets, but you are still going to be supersonic, so it will go CRACK when you shoot.

Try this:
5.6 gr of Unique with a 45 gr gas-checked cast will give you about 2100 fps and a very mild report.

3.0 gr of Uniques behind a 55 gr gas-checked cast bullet will give you about 1300 fps.

The Lyman manual has loads for low-velocity 22 Hornet loads too, so take a look at that one.

BerdanIII · June 18, 2008, 08:02 PM

I haven't tried IMR4831, but I have tried IMR4064. I can't remember the load offhand, but it was from an IMR loading manual back when they showed loads for just about every powder they made, regardless of whether they made any sense. I was looking for an accurate silhouette load that was just about .22 Magnum level. The first five-shot iron-sight group at 50 yds. was 0.75" and I thought I had it made, even if half the powder charge was still in the barrel. The next group was about 3", so I dropped that line of experimentation. I eventually went to 4.5 grs. of Unique and a 46-gr. bulk softpoint. This is a little rowdy from a 10" Contender, but from a rifle it may be fairly quiet. I also used a lighter charge (3.8 grs., I think, but don't quote me or use it because I'm not sure) of Scot 453 (close to 700-X in burn rate) and the same bullet. This one never left a ram standing and it was only a little more powerful than the .22LR. I haven't chrono'd either load, but maybe I ought to.

MADISON · June 20, 2008, 10:44 AM

If you want small game loads you can:
Get a copy of the LEE Shooter program for about $13.00. It has a provision for using your existing powder to down-size the velocity to what you want.

I use a 45 or 55 grain bullet and 4.1 grains of UNIQUE. I estimate my load to be 1850 fps.

BerdanIII · June 22, 2008, 01:15 PM

From Sharpe's book:

45-gr. SP - .196" seating depth - 3.5 grs. Unique - 1480 fps from 24" barrel

55-gr. Sisk - .274" seating depth - 3.0 grs. Unique - 900 fps from 24" barrel (I would bump this up about 0.2 - 0.3 grains to make sure the bullet leaves the barrel.)

55-gr. Sisk - .274" s/d - 4.3 grains Unique - 1555 fps from 24" barrel.

My Scot 453 load turned out to be 3.5 grs. and the 46-gr. SP, good for 1.5" groups at 100 yds with a 6X scope.

June 13, 2008, 09:39 AM	#1
M14 Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2006 Location: Southwest Michigan Posts: 110	IMR4831 in .22 Hornet I have two manuals that list a load of 11.5 grains of IMR4831 (compressed load) behind a 45 grain jacketed bullet for a velocity of 1085 & pressure of 10,700. I was thinking this would be a great quiet load, but would my rifle look as if I'd been using black powder? Has anyone tried this? __________________ Strangers in the night exchanging tracers.

June 13, 2008, 10:14 AM	#2
Red_Eagle Senior Member Join Date: February 3, 2007 Location: Western NY Posts: 598	I seen that in the Lee manual. I'd be interested in knowing too. I'm trying to find a small game load and the slowest I'll be able to get it with "hornet" powders is about 1,900 f/ps with AA-5744 __________________ My Calibers: 22 Hornet, 223 Rem, 22-250, 243 Win, 270 Win, 280 Remington Ackley Improved, 30-30, 308 Win, 30-06, 300 Winchester magnum, 7.62x39mm, 380 Auto, 9mm Parabellum, 38 Special, 357 magnum, 40 S&W, 10mm Auto, 45 GAP, 45 Auto, 12 & 20 Guage

June 13, 2008, 04:07 PM	#3
MADISON Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2000 Location: Roanoke, Virginia Posts: 2,678	4831 in a .22 Hornet In .22 Hornet with a 45 grain bullet the published velocities are between 2600 and 2650. Using IMR 4831 will only give you a "squib" type load.

June 13, 2008, 06:38 PM	#5
M14 Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2006 Location: Southwest Michigan Posts: 110	I'm not looking for .22LR performance. I would like to have a quiet load so that I could get in more practice with the rifle I use for varmints. I use reduced loads in my 30/06 not because I want to reinvent the .32/20 but because I want to practice with the rifle I actually will use later. __________________ Strangers in the night exchanging tracers.

June 13, 2008, 07:37 PM	#6
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Understood, but a large charge of slow powder will likely throw quite a fireball, and may actually be louder than a very mild load. In that small of a case, you could probably get the charge down even further to give you less report if you switch to gas-checked lead bullets, but you are still going to be supersonic, so it will go CRACK when you shoot. Try this: 5.6 gr of Unique with a 45 gr gas-checked cast will give you about 2100 fps and a very mild report. 3.0 gr of Uniques behind a 55 gr gas-checked cast bullet will give you about 1300 fps. The Lyman manual has loads for low-velocity 22 Hornet loads too, so take a look at that one. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

June 18, 2008, 08:02 PM	#7
BerdanIII Junior Member Join Date: May 6, 2008 Posts: 9	IMR4831 in the .22 Hornet I haven't tried IMR4831, but I have tried IMR4064. I can't remember the load offhand, but it was from an IMR loading manual back when they showed loads for just about every powder they made, regardless of whether they made any sense. I was looking for an accurate silhouette load that was just about .22 Magnum level. The first five-shot iron-sight group at 50 yds. was 0.75" and I thought I had it made, even if half the powder charge was still in the barrel. The next group was about 3", so I dropped that line of experimentation. I eventually went to 4.5 grs. of Unique and a 46-gr. bulk softpoint. This is a little rowdy from a 10" Contender, but from a rifle it may be fairly quiet. I also used a lighter charge (3.8 grs., I think, but don't quote me or use it because I'm not sure) of Scot 453 (close to 700-X in burn rate) and the same bullet. This one never left a ram standing and it was only a little more powerful than the .22LR. I haven't chrono'd either load, but maybe I ought to.

June 20, 2008, 10:44 AM	#8
MADISON Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2000 Location: Roanoke, Virginia Posts: 2,678	Small game load for .22 Hornet If you want small game loads you can: Get a copy of the LEE Shooter program for about $13.00. It has a provision for using your existing powder to down-size the velocity to what you want. I use a 45 or 55 grain bullet and 4.1 grains of UNIQUE. I estimate my load to be 1850 fps.

June 22, 2008, 01:15 PM	#9
BerdanIII Junior Member Join Date: May 6, 2008 Posts: 9	.22 Hornet "cat sneeze" From Sharpe's book: 45-gr. SP - .196" seating depth - 3.5 grs. Unique - 1480 fps from 24" barrel 55-gr. Sisk - .274" seating depth - 3.0 grs. Unique - 900 fps from 24" barrel (I would bump this up about 0.2 - 0.3 grains to make sure the bullet leaves the barrel.) 55-gr. Sisk - .274" s/d - 4.3 grains Unique - 1555 fps from 24" barrel. My Scot 453 load turned out to be 3.5 grs. and the 46-gr. SP, good for 1.5" groups at 100 yds with a 6X scope. Last edited by BerdanIII; June 22, 2008 at 01:17 PM. Reason: I just checked my data.