I haven't found that neck annealing has helped much with my Hornet when shooting jacketed loads.  The case stretches back near the head and I get case separation in that area after a few reloads.  I've not seen any neck splits.  So, I quit doing jacketed loads, use a Lyman 225415 GC bullet at around 1600-1800 and never see any problems after a number of reloadings.  My experience anyway.
Jim

Hello, gus.  Alot depends on how close the chambering is.  Back in the mid 70's, I bought a used Anschutz .22 Hornet..this had same bolt & lockup as their .22 rimfires..I was going thru brass like crazy..head seperations etc,though headspace on rifle was ok.  On my Shillen barelled Borchardt Hornet, I asked Ed to put a nice match type close chamber..he did the work himself in spare time...I have been using the same lot of RWS Hornet brass now for over 18 years..of course over most of that time loads were with cast.  Last year I noticed necks were springing back..so went to .001 smaller bushing in the Redding neck sizing die..still loose..I then started to anneal.   
   The factory RWS had anneal-heat colors back into shoulder, and this is where I annealed mine..finger held & drop in water..those little cases get hot quick..fingers sore for few days!

I just picked up a Handi 158 in the Hornet along with dies and 74 cases.  All but three had been reprimed, 13 of these had split necks.  The three had VERY flat primers, think the old boy had been pushing things.  I have annealed the necks of the good brass, I use medium loads of A1680 in my bolt Hornet with 40gr pills, hoping to see better case life.  Time will tell.  GW

uscra112 wrote on Mar 23^rd, 2013 at 9:34pm:


I've thought about that a lot.  I just don't want to screw with what will probably be a collector gun. I don't see many and rarely one for sale.   My son or daughter will get it someday and a K will only be another 1885 with shooter value.