Ruger 22 Hornet question

[olywa]

I have or have had several Ruger rimfires over the years. My 10/22, 96/22, 96/22M all had slip-fit barrels and it is my understanding that the 77/22 rimfires have slip-fit barrels as well, albeit with a longer shank.

I am now thinking about getting a 77/22 in the 22 Hornet configuration and I was wondering if that comes with a slip-fit or a screw-in barrel? I have an idea that I will eventually want to ream it out to the K-Hornet and knowing how the barrel is mounted would be helpful information. Anybody shooting a Ruger Hornet here?

 

[Max Velocity]

Ruger 77/22 Hornet barrels are threaded

The Ruger 77 Hornet rifles have screw-in barrels.
I have a stainless, laminated, heavy barrel Ruger 77/22H. Randy at Connecticut Precision Chambering performed his Ruger 77 Hornet to K-Hornet Combo. The barrel was set back & re-chambered with a tight chamber and proper length throat. The muzzle was re-crowned. He also tightened the bolt halves and did a trigger job.
It’s a good shooter.

 

[fineredmist]

I am not 100% but I think it is screwed in. I am 100% certain that you do not need to go to the K Hornet to get more out of that wonderful little round. The answer is to load 13 grs. of Hodgdon Lil Gun with 35, 40 or 45 gr bullets and you will out do the K. I get 2850 fps with that load and a 45 gr Hornady Hornet bullet. Three fellows I shoot with have Rugar Hornets and have found the same little quirks in all three guns, they need to be shot in with 200+ rounds and then they will shoot .5 MOA. If you load for the magazine go as long as possible and if you load for single shot go as long as possible, Rugars have long leads.
It is a great cartridge and the Rugar is a great little gun. Enjoy it.

 

[olywa]

Thanks for the info guys. I may just pick up a 14" Hornet barrel for my Contender to give this cartridge a try. What kind of case life are you guys getting out of the standard Hornet?

 

[Ndenway]

with the 77/22H, one of the best and easiest accurizing techniques is shimming/tightening the bolt halves,

I put a .007 stainless steel shim in mine and its groups went from 2 1/4" five shot groups to 1 1/4",

I could probably tighten them more by bedding the reciever and lightening the trigger, but it might just be wishfull thinking, since mine has the pencil thin barrel.

 

[Max Velocity]

K-Hornet is Old and Improved

olywa,
Here's an article on the Hornet & K Hornet with some good information on rifles and T/C pistols.
K-Hornet is Old and Improved
Mr Raab doesn't include Lit'l Gun powder because it wasn't available when the article was published in 1993. Lit'l Gun works quite well in the Hornets.
BTW: When you get your Ruger 77/22 Hornet, if it will shoot 1/2" c-t-c groups at 100 yards out of the box. Don't mess with it.
Best Regards,
Max

 

[Vern Humphrey]

How to load the Hornet

1. Fireform your brass. The Hornet started life around 1890 as the .22 WCF and chamber/brass dimensions are sloppy.

2. Disturb the brass as little as possible in reloading. I use a Lee Collet Die, which exerts pressure from the sides, not by transmitting it throuigh the case walls. Since the collet activates when it is pressed against the shell holder, I put two washers on the shell holder. This activates the collet early and leaves the lower half of the neck unsized. This unsized portion acts as a pilot to center the neck in the chamber.

3. Use Hodgdon's Li'l Gun. Fill the case, and tap it to settle the powder. Li'l Gun will give you max velocity at pressures well under the Hornet's max -- giving long case life.

4. Use 35-grain Hornady V-max bullets. These bullets have the same shank length as heavier bullets, but a much shorter ogive. This allows you to seat them well out and still have a load that will feed through your magazine.

5. Seat bullets very close to the lede -- or even touching the rifling. I actually put my bullets into the rifling -- if I open the bolt without firing, it pulls the bullet out of the case.

My Kimber M86 shoots 5-shot 0.5" groups at 100 yards with this loading process.