17 HH reloading help

[MTyotehunter]

I have Bought 5 different lot numbers of lil gun in the last year. tried in 22hornet, 22 K Hornet and 17 Ackley Hornet. Tried All five lots in all three cases showed pressure around Hodgdons starting load.

My guess is that they worked up the loads with this powder then changed it because it is way faster than the book says and you wont get near the velocity they claim without popping primers. 1680 is showing up in stores around here, hope you can find some soon!

[wally bennett]

Originally Posted by MTyotehunter

I have Bought 5 different lot numbers of lil gun in the last year. tried in 22hornet, 22 K Hornet and 17 Ackley Hornet. Tried All five lots in all three cases showed pressure around Hodgdons starting load.

My guess is that they worked up the loads with this powder then changed it because it is way faster than the book says and you wont get near the velocity they claim without popping primers. 1680 is showing up in stores around here, hope you can find some soon!

Lilgun was my powder of choice for my 22Hornet with 35gr V/M I got around 3,000ft/sec and if i done my bit i got just under 1/2"
As i had two containers of it i decided to try some in 17A/H my method of working up a load is i get 5 cases of same weight fully re-size them measure them and using the smallest published load load them fire them into the groind under the shed ( i have to go a few miles to try them on paper so dont bother yet).
I then measure them and if no case head expantion or sticky bolt or flatened primer i load them again with 0.2gr increase in load..I do this until i get any pressure signes and at the first indication of pressure i back off to the last load and that is my max load for that cobination.
I think i settled on 9.5 gr cause 9.7 gave me a slightly sticky bolt.
I then tried 5 more through the floor and all was ok.
I loaded up 5 more and headed for the range ! (b****y big field with bank at the end).
I parked up behind a tree 110yds from my best honey hole warren and noticed a half grown rabbit pie sitting on the sand loading up my normal 120/20V/M load i gave it a headach i then loaded up my mag with 5 Lilgun rounds in and tried a headshot again. with a very sandy backstop it easy to see if the different load varies in POI . It didnot annother head shot and the next two bob on but the next shot took 10 years off my life and put my pants to the test but they passed it just .
Biggest bang i have herd from a gun biggest kick and muzzel flip. a jet of flame out of the action and it missed the rabbit.
Bolt opened easily threw the case head into the grass but rest of case stayed in the chamber and stuck tight.
Asked on this site for help and it seems that the load i used was lower than the recomended min load which was not recorded on the load data i used.
I striped the remaining round and found no fault with it i use a powder measure to drop a light load and then trickle in to the weight i want so i dont think it could be a heavy charge.
Never again will i use Lilgun in a 17 cal.
Wally

[Daryl]

Something really weird is happening - then. I've gone through so much of that stuff (Lil'Gun) in my Hornet's and Ackley Hornet .17's - so many cans of it - from all the guns, probably over 9,000 rounds now stretching over 10 or 12 years - my 'late' buddy Brad as well used it in not only his Ruger .22 Hornet but his Martini and Ruger #1 .17 Ackley Hornets.

He used nothing but WW brass and his Martini AH didn't max out until 10.8gr.- I think about 10.6 for his Ruger #1. He used straight Hodgdon data in his Hornet with 40gr. Vmax's and 13.0gr. in W brass for just around 3,100fps. That's about 100fps short of my newer CZ with the same load.

My first CZ Hornet ran 14.4gr. Lil'Gun in RP brass for 6,500 rounds and produced sub 1/4" 3 shot 100 meter groups virtually every time with 40gr. bullets- very slightly elongated bullet hole.

My second CZ Hornet uses Nickle RP brass (given to me) with 14.0gr. LG with 40gr. at 3,250fps and 13.0 to as much as 13.5gr. LG in WW brass for just around 3,200fps. It's not as accurate as my first one, but well enough as it shoots under 1/2" and usually under 3/8" with those loads.

My first .17AH GM barrel ran, IIRC, about 10.6gr. LG with 20gr. but did not shoot well enough on the L579 action that was sleeved to take a 3/4x16 threaded undersized barrel.

The next .17AH, a CZ barrel on my first M527 CZ action, shot better but maxed out around 10.4gr. (RP brass) with 20gr. Vmax. In the current Pac-Nor barrel, I used 10.3gr. for a couple years in both WW and RP brass with both 20 and 25gr. Hp and Vmax bullets, but have now dropped that loading to 10.2gr. with both as it puts both into the same 100meter groups and shoots very well 1/2" to 3/4". At this time, LG is the ONLY powder I can get other than H4227 and that is not as accurate- so far in testing.

[Lunde Sr]

I've got 2 Cooper .12 AH's (1 is Alex's fault) and I found N120 perfect for me. 5 shot ragged hole at 100 yds in Varmint, a tad larger in the Classic but not much. I was pretty lucky, hit 2 2 lb. jugs at a gun show (same lot) a few years back.
V

[magranch]

Results from a little more tesing with the Chrony. Still using 20 grain V-max I backed off the Lil Gun down to 9.4 grains. Worked it back up to 9.5, extraction and extraction marks much improved. Thing with the chrony is the FPS seem to have quite a wide range, 150 fps spread or so. Same with the Hornady factor loads. Lil Gun 3450 up to 3600fps, Hornday 3550 up to 3700 fps. Are there hotter powders less consistant in fps? I then loaded IMR 4198, 11 grains (starting load) in Hornady 9th edition. Much more consistant numbers, just under 3500 fps with a much tighter spread.

Still looking for AA1680 or 2200.

Secondly, I have no prior experience with using a Chrony F1. What is the key for getting the best, most consistant results?

[Daryl]

No tricks, really, bright overcast is better than sunshine & always use the diffusers. Same for my PACT timer.

[wally bennett]

Originally Posted by magranch

Results from a little more tesing with the Chrony. Still using 20 grain V-max I backed off the Lil Gun down to 9.4 grains. Worked it back up to 9.5, extraction and extraction marks much improved. Thing with the chrony is the FPS seem to have quite a wide range, 150 fps spread or so. Same with the Hornady factor loads. Lil Gun 3450 up to 3600fps, Hornday 3550 up to 3700 fps. Are there hotter powders less consistant in fps? I then loaded IMR 4198, 11 grains (starting load) in Hornady 9th edition. Much more consistant numbers, just under 3500 fps with a much tighter spread.

Still looking for AA1680 or 2200.

Secondly, I have no prior experience with using a Chrony F1. What is the key for getting the best, most consistant results?

Best way is do away with any need for a consistat sky make a tunnel out of a box and put two 40w builbs in it (got to be tungston type not floresent) but if a long way from a mains power sorce use two 18w indicator builbs from your car battery

Wally

[magranch]

Thanks for all the info. I am getting there. Very helpful forum.

Anyone have any particilar preferences betweem AA1680 or 2200 for the 17 Hornet? If I can ever find some.

[Bodei]

1680 works great for me! Gonna need some more soon.

[magranch]

Great help here and on the other 17HH thread topics. Seems the issues with brass and available ammo is of concern. I am actually enjoying this micro caliber. I have found it a little touchy reloading but have settled in on 9.5 grains of Lil Gun for now. (.2 grains below Hornady starting load recommendation) Lucky I picked up 9 boxes of Hornady 20 grain V-Max when I had a chance so I am set to play around for a while. I still hope to come across some AA 1680 or 2200.

I was torn between the CZ Varmit and the Ruger 7212. I already have the CZ 455 Lux in 22LR which I love but I went with the Ruger. Yes the trigger pull is a bit stiff.

Anyone else reloading for this Ruger 17HH? Or adjustments to trigger pull?