.22 Hornet cracked case necks

M14 · November 29, 2007, 02:25 PM

I've been discarding my cases after the 3rd loading but I'm getting cracked case necks. I'm using Winchester brass & the load is 12 grains of Lil Gun under a Hornady 35 grain V-Max. I'm using Lee dies & have been full length resizing.

The cracks are longitudinal but don't go from the mouth back but rather are centered on the case neck (half way between start of case neck & case mouth). The center of the crack appears to be where the heel of the bullet ends.

I'm puzzled. I thought of getting a neck sizing die but I'm not sure if that would help.

50 shooter · November 29, 2007, 06:25 PM

Have you tried annealing the brass? A neck sizing die would help also as you won't have to worry about the expander working the necks like it does with the FL die.

castnblast · November 29, 2007, 06:43 PM

1+ on annealing. May want to try remington brass. I found the primer pocke cleans better, and they last at least 2 loadings longer than the winchester does w/ my 22-250.

WIN71 · November 29, 2007, 11:55 PM

You have to be carfull reloadng .22 Hornet. The entire case is thin and soft. I use 10 grns. of H10, and only neck size and get about 5-6 reloads. per case. This is one of the downfalls of the Hornet. I doubt you're doing too much wrong.

SmokinTom · November 30, 2007, 06:37 AM

Ditto to WIN71.I`ve been loading hornets for 40 years and its just the way it is with this case.Tom

Martyn4802 · November 30, 2007, 07:30 AM

What Win71 and Smokin Tom said.
The necks on Hornet cases are only .007 IIRC, and aren't able to withstand the stresses of being fired.
I too use 10.2 grains of H-110 and get good case life. I've been using the Rem brass exclusively.
I suspect that the Winchester cases, being harder than Remington cases, are part of your neck splitting problem.
Try some Rem brass to see how it holds up.

Martyn

Scorch · November 30, 2007, 01:23 PM

From reading about how they are splitting and how you are resizing them, I think your dies are pushing the shoulder back a bit every time you size them. Try backing your die out about 1/2 turn and not touching the shoulder. This will give you similar results to neck sizing only, but will resize the base a bit also.

My standard load was a 45 gr Hornady on top of 2400. Supposedly went out around 2500 fps. I just looked in the current Hornady book, and my load is slightly over their current listed maximum load, so I won't list it. LilGun was not available at the time, but it looks like it woould be a good powder for the Hornet.

All the issues with Hormet brass (thin necks crushing, necks splitting, shoulders collapsing) are what made me give up my Krico 22 Hornet back in the 80s. Sold it to a guy who just had to have one, but when he ran into the same types of problems, he rechambered it for K-Hornet and got rid of part of his problems. Still had issues, though.

crowbeaner · November 30, 2007, 01:56 PM

This problem along with case head seperations are 2 of the reasons the K-Hornet was designed. The sharper shoulder of the K model helps stop the incipient stretching and splitting resulting in early case loss. Try backing the sizer die out 1/8 turn. WW brass has thinner walls than RP, and the thinner wall lets the case expand and stretch more with each firing. The WW case has a bit more capacity but lives a shorter lifespan. I used 2400 in the last batch I loaded. CB.

M14 · November 30, 2007, 07:18 PM

I've ordered a neck sizing die. As soon as I run out of the WW brass, I'm switching to Remington.

About 4 decades ago, I had a K Hornet & can't recall having this problem.

BILLY D. · December 1, 2007, 04:27 AM

Perhaps overly simplistic, but are you chamfering the case mouths? Everything must line up perfect for Hornet cases. If it doesn't ya get crunched cases and they are not coincentric either.

Also important, neck size only. Full length re-sizing only stresses and overworks the brass on a case that is inherently weak to begin with.

Best wishes, Bill

M14 · December 1, 2007, 01:40 PM

Yes, I chamfer the case mouths. While it's always a good idea on all calibers, it's almost imperative on the Hornet.

November 29, 2007, 02:25 PM	#1
M14 Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2006 Location: Southwest Michigan Posts: 110	.22 Hornet cracked case necks I've been discarding my cases after the 3rd loading but I'm getting cracked case necks. I'm using Winchester brass & the load is 12 grains of Lil Gun under a Hornady 35 grain V-Max. I'm using Lee dies & have been full length resizing. The cracks are longitudinal but don't go from the mouth back but rather are centered on the case neck (half way between start of case neck & case mouth). The center of the crack appears to be where the heel of the bullet ends. I'm puzzled. I thought of getting a neck sizing die but I'm not sure if that would help. __________________ Strangers in the night exchanging tracers.

November 29, 2007, 06:25 PM	#2
50 shooter Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2002 Location: SoCal PRK Posts: 986	Have you tried annealing the brass? A neck sizing die would help also as you won't have to worry about the expander working the necks like it does with the FL die. __________________ I see the world thru bloodshot eyes Streets filled with blood from distant lies The dogs of war never compromise, No time for rearranging.

November 29, 2007, 06:43 PM	#3
castnblast Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 2006 Location: Corpus Christi TX Posts: 1,148	1+ on annealing. May want to try remington brass. I found the primer pocke cleans better, and they last at least 2 loadings longer than the winchester does w/ my 22-250. __________________ VEGETARIAN...old indian word for bad hunter

November 29, 2007, 11:55 PM	#4
WIN71 Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 2005 Posts: 729	Hormet brass is skinny You have to be carfull reloadng .22 Hornet. The entire case is thin and soft. I use 10 grns. of H10, and only neck size and get about 5-6 reloads. per case. This is one of the downfalls of the Hornet. I doubt you're doing too much wrong. __________________ Air goes in and out. Blood goes 'round and 'round. Any variation on this is a very bad thing. 개인 정보를 보호하십시요

November 30, 2007, 07:30 AM	#6
Martyn4802 Senior Member Join Date: June 12, 2007 Location: Grayling, Michigan Posts: 737	What Win71 and Smokin Tom said. The necks on Hornet cases are only .007 IIRC, and aren't able to withstand the stresses of being fired. I too use 10.2 grains of H-110 and get good case life. I've been using the Rem brass exclusively. I suspect that the Winchester cases, being harder than Remington cases, are part of your neck splitting problem. Try some Rem brass to see how it holds up. Martyn __________________ US Army Retired NRA Benefactor Life Member JPFO

November 30, 2007, 06:37 AM	#5
SmokinTom Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 479	Ditto to WIN71.I`ve been loading hornets for 40 years and its just the way it is with this case.Tom

November 30, 2007, 01:23 PM	#7
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	From reading about how they are splitting and how you are resizing them, I think your dies are pushing the shoulder back a bit every time you size them. Try backing your die out about 1/2 turn and not touching the shoulder. This will give you similar results to neck sizing only, but will resize the base a bit also. My standard load was a 45 gr Hornady on top of 2400. Supposedly went out around 2500 fps. I just looked in the current Hornady book, and my load is slightly over their current listed maximum load, so I won't list it. LilGun was not available at the time, but it looks like it woould be a good powder for the Hornet. All the issues with Hormet brass (thin necks crushing, necks splitting, shoulders collapsing) are what made me give up my Krico 22 Hornet back in the 80s. Sold it to a guy who just had to have one, but when he ran into the same types of problems, he rechambered it for K-Hornet and got rid of part of his problems. Still had issues, though. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

November 30, 2007, 01:56 PM	#8
crowbeaner Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2007 Location: Upstate SC Posts: 1,943	This problem along with case head seperations are 2 of the reasons the K-Hornet was designed. The sharper shoulder of the K model helps stop the incipient stretching and splitting resulting in early case loss. Try backing the sizer die out 1/8 turn. WW brass has thinner walls than RP, and the thinner wall lets the case expand and stretch more with each firing. The WW case has a bit more capacity but lives a shorter lifespan. I used 2400 in the last batch I loaded. CB. __________________ If you want your children to follow in your footsteps, be careful where you walk. Beware the man that only owns one gun; he probably knows how to use it. I just hope my ship comes in before my dock rots.

November 30, 2007, 07:18 PM	#9
M14 Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2006 Location: Southwest Michigan Posts: 110	I've ordered a neck sizing die. As soon as I run out of the WW brass, I'm switching to Remington. About 4 decades ago, I had a K Hornet & can't recall having this problem. __________________ Strangers in the night exchanging tracers.

December 1, 2007, 04:27 AM	#10
BILLY D. Member Join Date: February 15, 2005 Location: MINOT (MINDROT) ND Posts: 81	Perhaps overly simplistic, but are you chamfering the case mouths? Everything must line up perfect for Hornet cases. If it doesn't ya get crunched cases and they are not coincentric either. Also important, neck size only. Full length re-sizing only stresses and overworks the brass on a case that is inherently weak to begin with. Best wishes, Bill __________________ PLEASE EXCUSE UPPER CASE TYPING I AM HANDICAPPED AND ONLY TYPE WITH ONE HAND. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. HANDLOADS ARE LIKE UNDERWEAR.....BE CAREFUL WHO YOU SWAP WITH. HAPPY TRAILS, BILL NRA LIFE MEMBER-1965 THE THREAD KILLER

December 1, 2007, 01:40 PM	#11
M14 Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2006 Location: Southwest Michigan Posts: 110	Yes, I chamfer the case mouths. While it's always a good idea on all calibers, it's almost imperative on the Hornet. __________________ Strangers in the night exchanging tracers.