Author Topic: ruger 22 hornet help (Read 1319 times)

theoldman · « **on:** March 24, 2004, 04:01:09 PM »

Are there any help for my hornet. It will not shoot below 1.5 inches at 80 yards on a good day, most days not that good. I have heard from some guys that USE to have the Ruger hornet, was that the only way to make them shoot better was to re-barrel them with an after market barrel. I dont want to go this way if anything else can be done to help. Has anyone had any work done by Connecticut Precision Chambering. From what I have read from their web site it seems like they may be able to make this rifle shoot much better. If anyone has had this work done by Connecticut Precision Chambering, how pleased are you with the groops you are getting now with your hornet. Any help would be much appreciated, GETTIN A LITTLE BIFFED WITH THIS RIFLE ! :x

Jerry Lester · « **Reply #1 on:** March 24, 2004, 05:52:27 PM »

I'm assuming this is just the standard blued sporter?

If so, before you try anything else, free float the barrel, and bed the recoil lug, tang, and the area under the action behind the bolt lugs. I know this goes against the grain of what's normally recomended on a light sporter rifle in any caliber, but it definately helps these Hornets. If you've never done a bedding job, get somebody with some experience, because on this gun, you can definately make a mess of it pretty easily if you're not familiar with them. A little bit of bedding compound goes a long way on this one.

I know this particular rifle has a less than great reputation for accuracy, but I've owned several of them, and they "can" be made to shoot without having to spend lots of money, or do outrageous modifications to them.

Do you handload? If so move away from the lighter stuff, and load up some 50g bullets. Almost every one I've owned, including my current one, as well as my sons current one, prefered 50g bullets over anything else. If you don't load your own, try Winchester 46g HPs in factory ammo before you give up, because that load has been more consistantly accurate in at least a dozen or more Hornets than any other factory ammo I've tried.

A good trigger job also does wonders for these light, slim rifles as far as making them easier to shoot accurately.

theoldman · « **Reply #2 on:** March 25, 2004, 01:50:05 PM »

Jerry thanks for the information, sorry I forgot to include the type of ruger I have. It is the laminated stock, heavy gray-stainless barrel rifle. I do reload and have tried many different bullet weights as well as different powers and primers. The gun has a floating barrel and a triger job done. I have tried a pressure pad under the barrel near the end of the stock. Three different scopes, no help there. I like the looks and the feel of this gun. It is a very well built in MHO. Just wish it would shoot. THANKS AGAIN

theoldman

Jerry Lester · « **Reply #3 on:** March 25, 2004, 04:47:58 PM »

That gun will shoot, I garrantee it. I've yet to see one of those rifles(and I mean out of a couple dozen) that wouldn't shoot at least one load MOA, with most doing a lot better with a wide variety of loads.

If you haven't yet, try this combo.

50g Sierra SMP, or 50g Blitz
CCI BR-4 primers
IMR-4227

Are you taking extra pains with prepping your brass? I really baby my Hornets. I trim every loading, try to keep a consistant chamfer, clean primer pockets, and everything else I can think of. The Hornet will respond to this kind of attention better than just about any other caliber. I'm even extra careful when sizing cases, and especially when seating bullets.

Bedding the action like I described above will usually make a world of difference in these Ruger Hornets too.

safetysheriff · « **Reply #4 on:** March 26, 2004, 01:28:51 PM »

Try this link to a site with a potential fix for the two-piece bolt if that's what you have in your rifle:

www.centerfirecentral.com/ruger22h.html

I can't understand how they ever expected to get good accuracy out of the original bolt configuration if it's as bad as that website shows us!

Blessings upon you.

oneb · « **Reply #5 on:** March 27, 2004, 11:41:38 AM »

I had my 77 VHZ converted to a K Hornet with the same stock barrel and never looked back. The Ks are faster, better designed for consistentcy, and much more accurate.

Yhe conversion process involved cutting a chamber that was not as sloppy as the Ruger original. You could have a smith remove several turns from your standard Hornet barrel and then clean it up with an accurate reamer. I bet that would give you more accuracy and it is a relatively inexpensive fix. I got a better trigger but did not rebed the rifle or float th barrel either.

I do not have to baby the handloads either. Just fireform the cases from standard Hornet loads and then load them like any center fires.

The little Hornady Vmax 35gr bullets shoot great out to two hundred yards.

Good luck,
1B

Coltrane · « **Reply #6 on:** April 08, 2004, 04:06:42 PM »

If you have not tried it yet, try using a small PISTOL primer. The amount of fire to set off the charge for a Hornet does not need to be that great.

Ross Seyfreid did a 2 piece article for Rifle and Handloader magazines a couple of years ago. He mentioned neck sizing, bullets under 52 grains, the small pistol primer, and consistant case prep.

Lil' Gun from Hodgen is supposed to be the newest powder of choice for Hornets. I just picked up a lb the other day to use for some 357 loads, but I might dig out my Contender Carbine and the 22 K hornet barrel and try it out.

wallynut · « **Reply #7 on:** April 13, 2004, 12:10:12 AM »

If you mess around with the bolt as suggested by the link from safetysheriff, at least buy headspace gauges and check before shooting. I don't doubt that suggestion could help in accuracy. In theory, the headspace should not change, but they are cheap enough to buy.

mikej · « **Reply #8 on:** April 14, 2004, 10:41:47 AM »

I have the sporter 77/22 Hornet. When I first purchased it I was underwhelmed by it's accuracy. 4" at 100 yds. with factory ammo. After free floating and glass bedding, the groups shrunk to 2" at 100 yds., and after testing a number of handloads, I settled on the 45 gr Hornady and the 52 gr Hornady Match bullet. Each of these bullets will shoot into 1.5" on average using 2400 and CCI primers. The brass has been neck sized only.

22shooter · « **Reply #9 on:** May 02, 2004, 11:08:00 PM »

I have a Ruger 77 VNZ. It is a sweet shooter. Using 40 gr Bal tips and 13.0 grains of Lil'Gun, I get 2990 fps and groups under one inch at 100 yards. It takes a bit of work to get that much powder into the case. I also use small pistol primers.

I haven't worked much with my Ruger No 3 in .22 k hornet and Lil'gun. I am getting 3000 fps now using other powders. The vmax and baltip bullets have really helped the accuracy of my hornets.

I haven't tried 35 grain bullets yet.