20 Ackley hornet

[chuckshooter]

I think that's kinda my question. so far I know that redding makes dies called 20 ackley hornet. I can order a reamer in any dimension (of course)... as thin as hornet necks are, I would rather neck down than neck up. but if it easier to buy 17hh brass and neck up that might be the way to go. I was hoping to hear from a few more people on how and what they did???
thanks B23

[montdoug]

Some of the reasons for me are the same as why a .22 K-Hornet over a standard Hornet although I like em both. Between those two I pick up 250ish FPS with the K using a 40 grain V-Max in both, due to a more efficient burn chamber that not only gives me more velocity but a lot better case life. Also, long sloping cases tend to flow brass forward more rapidly than cases with shoulders. .17 Ackley's, .22 K's etc. that are neck sized only tend to need little trimming and last a long time.
As a total aside, if you happen to have a .20 VarTarg the .20 Ackley Hornet cases run up into the the .20 VarTarg sizer will neck size only and save you on the price of another die. On sizing up a .17 Hornady I agree it's not something I'd do due to thinning the case necks.

P.S.
I called Ray and left him a message about your thread so hopefully he'll respond, he's a lot smarter then me and can answer your questions better. Seems like weekends aren't the best time to start threads if ya want answers cause everyone is out doing something.

[rick w.]

I got be a kinda a maverick in the 17 hornets, I settled on a 17 Khornet mainly because I procured the forming dies, reloading dies at a price I could stand...........

A bit of nostalgia here, the older cartridges call to me more than the new ones.

I am sure the other two 17(or 20 or 22 or 6mm) hornets will do the trick just as well.

As an old guy, I seem to have noticed that the old 22 hornet brass has stayed around in harder times, some of the 17 cartridges of oem status have come and gone a bit.

Tis also nice I think to have a project that I can learn on. I can appreciate the other side of the fence for some that a simple procedure makes more shooting time......

Have to admit the 20 or 22 hornets are easier to handle in some ways, reloading the little bullets, or cleaning the rifle bore with that thin rod.

[chuckshooter]

my hunting buddy and I are on the same page about 17cal's. .I know a lot of you love them but my bore scope won't go inside, so for us no 17's as far as the caliber choice, both of us have a few Martini's .. he wants to stay with the smaller cartridges like hornet cases,,, I have experimented a little more.. I have 22k hornet, 20 killer bee, 20 ackley bee and a rimmed 20 vartarg. my 22k hornet has never been a real good shooter and if this 20 ackley hornet works out, I'll rebarrel my hornet to that. that gives you a little more background on why we want the 20 ackley hornet, and then there is the " I just want it"

[B23]

Wondering how much, necking up, a 17 Hornady Hornet to .20 cal would thin the neck wall thickness I just went and necked up one of my fired 17 HH cases to .22 cal. Sorry, I don't yet have a .20 cal mandrel from my KM expander die so I have to go from .17 to .22 in one step. Was actually surprised, only went from 10 thou thickness to 9 thou neck thickness going from .17 up to .22 so only going to .204 would thin the necks even less.

[montdoug]

chuckshooter, as the years have gone by I have simply found my "I Want's" focusing more on the smaller cased offerings. I remember the day my good friend Dan C. sent me an email of the reamer print he'd just designed for the .17 Killer Bee, as memory serves I emailed back that was way nifty but how cool it'd be in a .20. Dan being the creative type about no time later a print of the .20 Killer Bee showed up , Dan C., Cajun Blake, Mtngoat and myself went in and bought the first .20 Killer Bee reamer, it resides at Gre'Tan Rifles with Greg who made us the first 4 .20 Killer Bees out there. This one was number two.



I love the .17's, .20's .22's and up from there, my favorite is whichever I'm shooting at the moment. I believe in the step ladder approach in .17, .20 and .22 calibers. Start small and move up a little at a time in case size till ya end up as overbore as you can stand, .17 Tactical, .20 Dasher and the wonderfully mundane old .22-250 . On a serious day in the colony rodent patch nothing has to get overheated .

[Mntngoat]

Originally Posted by montdoug

!

Doug that looks like like a Matt Smith Truck axle barrel.

ML

[montdoug]

Yeah but it's for a small truck not a full size . Finished at .75 and 23inches. I think Matt's got an in with CZ, I bought a 455 Varmint in .22 Magnum that has a .866 muzzle . Love at first sight but it was "TRUE LOVE" once I got the bolt on, Lilga Match .22 Magnum barrel with the factory contour on it. Finally got a .22 Magnum that actually shoots the way I always thought they should.



Been hanging around Matt to long .

[Super X]

Originally Posted by B23

Just curious here but why would anyone do a .20 K or Ackley Hornet over a .20 Hornady Hornet??

There is so minimal difference in case capacity between them and with the Hornady Hornet it would be a straight necking up from .17 to .20 with ZERO fireforming.

Just curious why more varminters here do not look at the 19 Calhoon, I sure love shooting mine... SX

[william t. oviatt]

SX,

'Cause we don't want to hurt 20 K-Hornet owners feelings!

Many are actually shooting 20 K-Hornets, but squeeze the bullets down just a bit....and call 'em 19 Calhoons

Not a Hill of Beans difference....19 Calhoon shooters have just been quietly enjoying this phenomenal cartridge for over 20 years!

....and with a fantastic bullet selection from 28 to 44 grains!

It's Great to share the success and enjoyment these little Dynamo's can deliver!

Wait til a few Saubier's try this cartridge necked up to 6mm!

The K-Hornet is one fine performer in any caliber and it is extremely efficient!

Bill