Ruger 77 22 Hornet Range Trip

[hinton03]

I have had a desire for a 22 Hornet for years and saw a 24" Model 77 at a gun show about 6 weeks ago and decided to take a chance. In my research here at THR it was clear that the 77 hornet's are hit or miss when it comes to accuracy, but I figure if it was a dud I would send it off and have it re-chambered for the K-Hornet.

When I got it home I rummaged through the scopes I had and decided to go with the Leupold M8 6x42 so I mounted it and bore sighted it. I then worked up loads in three bullet weights (Nosler 35 Grain lead free, Hornady 45 Grain VMAX and Nosler 50 Grain BTSP) using IMR 4227 and Lil Gun. I had never loaded for the Hornet before and it was an experience; every load was compressed and I had a few shoulder bulges that looked ugly but chambered OK. The biggest problem was I was having necks buckle when seating, but on one of the many posts I read here at THR I remembered someone saying the the expander ball on some of the RCBS dies is .223 (the original Hornet bullet diameter) so I swapped it out with the .224 expander from my 22-250 dies and that resolved the problem

It seemed like it took forever to get to the range but I finally had a chance to get out for an hour and thought I would give the 50 grain Nosler a shot and see if I had a good one or a dud. I started with the Lil Gun and was immediately happy with 11.9 gr and 12.1 gr loads as they turned in about 1" at 100 yards, but the smiles definitely brighten when the 12.3 and 12.5 gr loads tightened up even more; turning in .75" and .55" (center to center) 5 shot groups. I then moved to the IMR 4227 loads, but they didn't perform as well with the best load coming in at about 1.5".

All in all I am very happy with the rifle, even the trigger is OK (probably 7 lbs but no creep and a clean break), now I need to get out and see what the other loads do and drag my old Oehler chronograph out and see how they perform; but I know I have at least one good load.

 

[Float Pilot]

I fixed the trigger on my M77-22 Hornet and knocked it down to a 4 pound pull. I think it was 8 when I got the rifle in a trade. I also made a shim for the two piece bolt and it improved the group sizes.
Mine really likes the cheap bulk 34 grain Dog Town bullets from Midway.
Mine likes hot loads from some reason but it is sure rough on brass life.



34 grain HP Dog Town bullet
13.0gr Lil Gun
WW brass “Virgin”
CCI-SR
1.798 col
NO CRIMP
Vel= 3,182-3,171-3,141-3,156-3,133
0.450 in grp. At 100 yards

34 grain HP Dog Town
13.0gr Lil Gun
WW brass Virgin
CCI-SR
1.798 col
Roll Crimp
Vel= 3,136-3,132-3,115-3,193-3,154
0.940 inch group at 100 yards

34 grain HP Dog Town
13.0gr Lil Gun
WW brass, neck sized only
Remington 7.5 bench rest
1.798 col
Roll Crimp
Vel= 3,169-3,298,3,210-3,225- no read.
1.288 inch group at 100 yards

40grain Sierra flat base HP
12.3gr Lil Gun
WW brass neck sized
Rem 7.5 bench rest primer
1.798 col
roll crimp
Vel=3,154-3,176-3,143-3,259-3,188
3.70 inch vertical string

50 grain Speer TNT HP
12.0gr Lil Gun
WW brass “virgin”
CCI-SR
1.802 col
roll crimp
Vel = 2,845 fps
0.90 inch group at 100 yards

50 grain Speer TNT HP
12.0gr Lil Gun
WW brass Neck sized
Rem 7.5 bench rest primer
1.802 col
roll crimp
Vel = 2,891-2,844-2,870-2,906-2,960
2.566 inch group at 100 yards


40 grain Sierra HPs,
12, grains of Lil Gun.
WWVirgin brass
CCI-500 Pistol Primer.
At 100 yards they gave a 0.60 inch group. Good load.

Same powder load with a 55 grain Hornady SP
gave 2,800 fps and a 1.75 inch group at 100 yards.


Also tried some very quite TRAIL BOSS loads.


3.0 grains of TRAIL BOSS, WW Brass and a Magnum Pistol primer.

34 gr Dog Town bullet was 1,625 fps and a 1.5 inch group at 100 yards. IT WAS WINDY.
40 gr Sierra HP was 1,414 fps and a 2.0 inch group at 100 yards
55 grain Hornady SP. NEVER LEFT THE BARREL.... DO NOT ATTEMPT>

40gr V-max
12.0 gr AA#9
WW Virgin brass,
CCI-500 pistol primer
1.802 col no crimp
Vel= 3,133 fps and a 1.4 inch group KINDA HOT....

40gr V-Max
13.0gr Lil' Gun
WW virgin brass
CCI-500
1.804 col o crimp
Vel=3,144 fps and a 1.0 inch group (book load, but shoots much faster than other bullets)

45gr Speer "Hornet" soft point
12.0gr Lil' Gun
WW virgin brass
CCI-500
1.766 col no crimp
Vel= 2,835 fps and a 0.85 inch group

45gr Speer (Hornet) soft point
11.5gr AA#9
WW Virgin brass
CCI-500 pistol primer
1.766 col and no crimp
Vel= 2,962 fps and a 2.75 inch group

IMR-4227 listed accuracy loads

34 grain dog town bullet
11.5 grain IMR-4227
Rem virgin brass
Remington 1.1/2 primer
1.745 col
Vel= 2,550-2,542-2,486-2,582-2,569 fps (2.0 inch group)

40 grain Sierra HP flat base
11.7 grain IMR-4227
Rem virgin brass
CCI-500
1.790 col
Vel=2,578-2,595-2,574-2,655-2,602 (0.75 inch group)

40 grain Hornady V-max (EKC's bullets)
11.7 grains IMR-4227
Rem Virgin Brass
CCI-500 primer
1.807 col
Vel=2,588-2,635-2,586-2,584-2,644 fps (1.25 inch group)

45 grain Speer Hornet flat base soft point
11.3 grains IMR-4227
Rem Virgin Brass
CCI-500 primer
1.765 col
Vel= 2,399-2,446-2,493-2,499-2,395- (2.5 inch group)

55 grain Hornady Flat base soft point
10.7 grains IMR 4227
Rem virgin brass
CCI-500
1.805 col
Vel= 2,257-2,281-2,265-2,245-2,259 ( 1.25 inch group)

 

[hinton03]

Thanks, I will order some of the 34 grainers.

 

[Rancho Relaxo]

Last winter I did some handloading for my neighbor's M77 Hornet. Got it down to 1.5" groups for 3 shots with the usual Lil' Gun recipes. I considered that pretty good for a Hornet.

If you've got an accurate hornet, better hold onto her!

 

[ColtPythonElite]

You know, someone bought me one of those to shoot varmints with about 15 years ago....It's still unfired.

 

[Walkalong]

It's still unfired.

Mine's not. get out and shoot that thing.

 

[hinton03]

As I said I am new to the Hornet, but have been shooting 223 and 22-250 for years; what do you consider the max effective range for ground hogs and alike?

I have seen a couple post where folks in Texas are taking some pretty big hogs and White Tail with the Hornet; what is the largest game that, IYO, can be taken humanely with the Hornet?

 

[Float Pilot]

Using the little 34 grain hollow points which explode after a couple-three inches of entry, mine worked fine on fox and coyotes. With no exit wounds messing up the hides and very little noise for the performance. The furthest I have every used one for that was 150 yards.

Many years ago fisherman paid a bounty for seals. The 22 Hornet was rather popular for that sort of thing. Of course these days you go to jail just for thinking about it...

 

[hinton03]

Got around to dealing with the trigger a few weeks ago. I found the picture below and studied it for a while and decided to give it a try; only I bought a new Volquartsen target sear and spring rather than grind on the existing sear. Just the sear upgrade was supposed to significantly reduce trigger pull and creep, so I installed it first to see what I would get.

I actually installed two since I have a 77/22 in 22 LR as well. The new sear worked much better in the 22 LR than in the Hornet, reducing the trigger pull to about 4 lbs but it still had a little creep. The Hornet sear almost felt the same so I trimmed the old spring a little but there was still a little creep and the trigger was about 6 pounds.

I decided to modify the trigger assembly as described in the picture and it worked out well; I did the Hornet first and probably took a little to much off--the trigger breaks crisply at about 2.5 pounds (a little lighter than I wanted) but seems safe. Since I did the 22 LR second I was less aggressive and it is just about perfect....crisp and about 4 pounds.

If I were to do it again I would use a small honing stone rather than a file.

As you can see she shoots well with 35, 40 and 50 grain bullet weight and likes Lil Gun.

 

[badnova]

Hornet

I have an older Anschutz that makes a ragged hole @ 100 yards
45gr. Hornady hornet bullet and WW680 powder

 

[panhead58ak]

performing a trigger job like the one in the illistration will definatly lighten the pull but I would question the nuetral engagement angles for safety . if you stop just short of horizontal its much safer as the spring tension pushes down it will try to engage more and if the ramp is smooth and short the trigger will still be good

 

[dagger dog]

hinton03,

Try the 40 gr VMax and Lil'gun, get a Lee Collet die, and do Vern Humphreys 2 washer on the shell holder trick to activate the collet sooner ,that only sizes the top portion of the neck and leaves the rest of the case undisturbed.

I've found that 12.5 grains of Lil'Gun saves a lot of wear and tear on brass, isn't compressed and won't buckle your necks when seating and still clocks about 2800-2900 fps out of a 24" barrel with the 40 gr VMax. Some Hornet shooters are using small pistol primers, but I've had very good results with CCI Small Rifle Bench Rest.

My Savage 40 Varmint Hunter and me shot a 20 rnd sub 1" group @ 100 yds off the rest using the above load.

I'll bet your Ruger will do better than that once you get it broken in, that's one nice looking rig!

 

[tallpaul]

I had a bud give me one last year. I need to bench her and get some reloading dies n powder for it. I REALLY hope I can get her to shoot- it is a great looking and feeling rifle for sure!

 

[GooseGestapo]

My rifle looks exactly like op's.
But, it took a lot more to get it to shoot decently.

I did the trigger job and it's at about 3lbs. I had a lot of experience with M1911's, S&W's, so I already knew about the angles and how little to actually take off.
Knew not to use files, too.
Also free floated bbl and glass-bedded reciever.

My favorite loads are:

40gr Sierra fb hollow point @1.780"oal
Win Small pistol primer
S&B brass (has a much smaller flash hole, will require a smaller decap pin); neck turned
12.5gr Hod. Lil'Gun.
Gets 3,000fps from my bbl and ~1.0moa

11.8gr Hod. LilGun
45gr Sierra PtSpt. @ 1.780"oal
gets 2,750fps and MOA

10.8gr Acc#1680
WSP
50gr Hornady SX
2550fps Once got 0.45" 5-shot group. Couldn't replicate even with same 5 cases... Go figure!

re: larger game. I've taken over 50 deer with the Hornet. About half were road hits that needed dispatching. Other's were shot on fields from shooting houses. All except 3 were head-neck shots, and bang-flops. Once got 4 in 20seconds, deer couldn't discern where the shots were coming from and were running from impact hits on other deer.....until I ran out of deer. I've taken 3 with heart/lung shots. Most were with the 45gr Rem. HP "Hornet" bullet. This isn't a particularily frangible bullet and expands and penetrates well from the Hornet and did well.

As always, well placed shots are neccessary.

I'd forego shooting pigs. Their skulls are sloped and much thicker on frontal and side areas than a deers. I've shot several with a .22wrm and fmj's and hp's and had them run off squeeling, not to be seen again.... I prefer a .30/30 or .35Rem l/a and Remington Corelokts (170 and 200gr) for pigs.....

 

[tallpaul]

Well I actually got off my butt this cold morning and met a bud at the range. I took my ruger 77 hornet I mentioned above. It is also a laminate stainless target version. with all the talk of them being hit or miss I was nervous considering last summer I shot a dozen rounds through her impromptu at another friends place,half sighted her in but did not group at all but the conditions were not really up to it either, the impromptu bench was wobbly etc.

Anyhow I kept wondering and this post made me drag her out. It has a chapy simmons scope on it which was fuzzy today At twenty five yards I got two touching and one a bit off... same thing with a couple of fifty yard targets!

I am guessin that between a better scope and the "shim trick" she just very well be a decent shooter. I really like the looks and size of this particular gun and hope I can get a few good loads for her. I started ground hog huntin at a friends suburban farm last year and it might work for that duty along with my 17 hmr

This is so welcome since I had wanted one of these for years since I first saw them.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

mine really likes 35 vmaxs with 1680. I found my gun to be primer sensitive. It like cci small rifle match primers hands down over any other primer and in some cases it will cut group size in half.