Hi All,
I have never owned a Ruger bolt gun or .22 Hornet, but have a hankering for a 77/22 in Hornet. Does anyone have any experience with this platform? What's the good and bad with these little rifles?

Hornet is a great150 yard cartridge. Case necks are a little thin and the case semis prone to stretching in my gun.

Would be hard to beat the ruger as a platform.

Can't give you a direct answer, but I have an old Savage 23 in 22 Hornet and love it. Same goes for my Ruger 77/22 in 22 LR.

Can't speak to the cartridge but I've had a Ruger M77/22 WMR for years now. It's the All-Weather Laminate with the Target Gray Finish. It's been a great rifle. No problems at all. I put a Green Mountain SS Fluted 18" .920 barrel on it soon after I bought it. (Glad I did because GM discontinued them for some reason). It's my go-to small varmint rifle. The stock trigger is not all that great. But it's an easy fix. I put a Volquartsen Target Sear/Spring in it that really cleaned up the trigger pull beautifully. I don't think Volquartsen still offers them but I'm pretty sure that Timney does.

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SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS

I have owned a couple Ruger 77/22 Hornet
Fun little rifle. Mine simply would struggle to shoot 1moa
Shimming the bolt did help. Had a NO.1 that actually was a bit more accurate
I found a Browning low wall in 22 Hornet and sold the Rutgers. Since I have added a KoO in the same caliber

I bought a Ruger 77/22 in .22 mag from a guy needing some cash. I found it to be very accurate and I love the Ruger 77. I found if I could see a squirrel I could knock it out of a tree. I ended up selling it back to the original owner a couple of years later when he asked if he could buy it back.

Never have dealt with the Hornet, though.

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- Change it back -

Think the platform is solid. Key to the .22 Hornet is matching bullit weight w/rate of twist in bbl. If you're a reloader you're halh-way there.

I bought a new 77/22 Hornet in the 90s. Still have it. Still love it. I did shim the bolt ($12) and it now shoots about MOA with cheap Winchester SP. I have a Bushnell 4-12 AO on it, also from the 90s. I keep saying I’m going to get a nice Vortex for it but never do. If you don’t reload ammo can be pricey. Seller Bellot is the cheapest I’ve seen but never tried it. The Hornady varmit rounds get rave reviews. I’ve also got a 77/44. It too is a great little package. It does wear a Vortex. When I bought it new last year I expected to have to shim it as well but no sir. Better than MOA out of box. The Hornets can be kind of pricey but the good thing is you’ll sell it for more than you paid should you grow tired of it.

Never had a Rugar in 22 Hornet. Currently have a 1958 Savage 340, and a 10" Bull barrel Contender w/3x scope. Both like the Factory Hornady 35 gr V-max ammo and love the same bullet over AA1680 at 3125fps in the rifle, 175 yard groups are 3/4". I've gotten 1/2" groups from the Contender @ 50 yards with the same load.

For reloading, brass length consistency is the number one concern! Number two would be propellant charge consistency. Ultimate accuracy come from neck wall thickness being consistent in two ways: The entire neck being in the 1/1000th all the way around and the same 1/1000th for all cases in the batch! Nosler Brass (exclusively from Midway) is the only one available in the last 15 years to be that good out of the box.

I've had many .22 Hornets, but never the Ruger bolt-action. The 77/22 Hornets had a reputation for being somewhat inaccurate straight-from-the-box. Clark Custom (and probably others) accurized these guns to the point they shot very well.

Had one a few years ago and enjoyed it. The magazine restricts overall cartridge length, which is seldom a problem with factory ammo but can cause an issue if you reload with plastic tips. Mine, like many, was not particularly accurate, but generally shimming the bolt can help a lot in that regard. The rifles are light and handy, and the cartridge fills the niche between the .22 WMR and the .223. Quiet, no recoil, and highly effective on small vermin and small game to maybe 150 yards. The case has a thin neck which is easily dented in handling, (re)loading, and ejection. All in all, an elegant combination so long as you understand its quirks.

We all have our opinions, but I'm not a big fan of the 77/22 series guns or the hornet. I've owned several 77/22's in various calibers and never found them as accurate as some other options in the same calibers. I know others that swear by them though. I had a 77/17 hornet but gave up on it fairly quickly. A friend had one and we tried a number of handloads, but never got the accuracy he was looking for.

As far as the hornet, it's a neat idea, but much prefer the 223 Remington. You can load it down to hornet levels if you wish or need to and to me it's been a more accurate caliber.

The 77/17 Hornet is where it's at......

The Hornet is a fun cartridge but the Ruger 77 I had was very disappointing in the accuracy department. Handloads, factory rounds, it never performed well with anything. I sold it off and never looked back. I love the Ruger 77's but not in .22 Hornet.

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Hand tighten only

Maybe a question for the Ruger forum but, does anyone know if the new rifles have the same accuracy issues? Those Lipsey 77/22s are something. Thank you for the replies.

I've got a Model 77 in .22LR. Great little rifle. I love the platform. One of my sons has one, too, with the synthetic stock. He's owned it for 34 years. I've had mine a little longer and have absolutely no complaints. Sorry I don't have any experience with the .22 Hornet.

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Pack light and cinch tight.

I think you're going to get the same answers that you would on the older rifles. Some will say they suck, while others will say their rifle shoot one hole "all day long".

I don’t have anything to add here, except the wishful thought that, if you do buy one, you’ll come back and tell us about it. I’ve been wanting a .22 Hornet also, and thinking mainly of the Ruger. I’m looking for “light and handy.” The Ruger seems to fill that requirement.

In the 70’s and 80’s I was reloading, shooting and hunting with various .22 Hornets several days a week. Worked well for groundhogs out to 175 yards (never pushed it any farther).
But if I had a need for a gun/cartridge with Hornet ballistics nowadays I would just buy something in .223 caliber and load it down to Hornet velocities.
By doing that you skip all the issues with thin case necks, case stretching, and tiny variations in case head thickness and powder charges.
I admit the appeal of Hornet rifles having smaller actions and being more slim and trim in overall appearance.
All the above potential issues mentioned above you should seriously consider. Hornets can be a lot of trouble to deal with.

The hornet can be tough to get accuracy. I discovered that mt brass weights were not consistent across many brands. With nosler being heaviest. Stick with one brand and don't be afraid to experiment with magnum pistol primers. I fooled with a 1885 , a h&r, and settled on my savage 25. The hornet loves Lil gun

All I can say is the 77/44 was supposed to have accuracy issues. Shimming bolt was the first step. Than the trigger. I bought 2 brand new ones ( one for my son) and out of the box they shot great and bolt was very tight. This leads me to believe Ruger fixed whatever the issue was with their 77s

Never owned a Ruger but a Stevens Model 322 in 22 Hornet kept me in bounty money (woodchucks and red fox) in upstate New York throughout my teen years in early 1960's.

Had to sell the rifle along with my other guns when drafted into the Army in 1966.

Years later I finally found a Savage 340 in 22 Hornet and snagged that guy as fast as I could. So far only some outdoor range plinking at 100 yards, but still a great gun, a great cartridge in my opinion and the older Savage or Stevens are still around at very reasonable prices as the old timers sell off.

I will say that the ammo is expensive and hard to find around here but I have gotten hold of a decent stash so it is not out of the question.

The pics of the Stevens were lifted off the I-Net as digital anythings were not invented back in 1962 The 340 pics are of my rifle.

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	Savage Hornet right.jpg (77.9 KB, 5 views)
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Charlie B
SWCA#3083, SWHF#570

LOVE the 77/22. Have an old stainless boat paddle one. Also have an older 77/44-wish I had bought the .357 one though.
I am distressed ta RUger does not make them anymore but honestly I think the American may be a better rifle. I sent my 77/22 off ot Clark to dress up the trigger and it is perfect. Seems like the Ruger American has a nice adjustable trigger and I like the short bolt throw. The only thing keeping me from buting one is the lack of open sights and the fact that I recently won a "Trump" 10/22 with the American Flag Stock- That one is about as Obnoxious as they come

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Forum consigliere

A Savage Model 340 in 22 Hornet was my first centerfire rifle. Like an idiot, I sold it. It was the best hunting rifle I've ever owned. It got me into reloading.
Hornet rifles have good power and low noise, if that is a factor where you shoot.

My only .22 Hornet story goes back over 50 years when I lived in Western Maryland. I had a friend with a Winchester Model 43 in .22 Hornet. It was his one and only deer rifle and it worked for him.I believe at that time, and maybe still, any CF rifle was legal for deer. In that part of the world hunting distances were usually short, less than 100 yards.

The only experience I have with the 22 Hornet is I saw my friend knock a starling off a fence post at 129 yards.

The 77/XX family, I have a lot of experience with them. The VBZs are the laminated heavy barreled version. Those are the best working rifles. I put Volquaretzen barrels on a 22LR and a 77/17HMR.
The LR accuracy is dependent on ammo. I always say that a 1000 yard rifle in a 150 yard round. Sub one inch at 100 has happened numerous times. The 17HMR does even better. It’d better be dead calm if you’re shooting for groups. I did a prairie dog at 235 (Leupold range finder); 9 groundhogs last year.

The Rifles: They have a very solid overbuilt feel to them. I’ve never shimmed any of mine and I have 5 of them. There is no reason to send them anywhere if you’re dissatisfied with the trigger, usually just a lighter spring is all they need. The latest is a 77/357.
The only downfall is the fact that they’re kind of expensive. I’m a little surprised Ruger still makes them.

I’m of the opinion that Ruger barrels are better now than in the past. My latest 77/22LR (5ish years old) give my Volquartzen barreled 77/22LR a run for its money.

My opinion is BUY.

Yendor, I think the current popularity of suppressors has something to do with Ruger still making the 77/357 and 77/44. The current models come with threaded barrels. And yes they’re kind of expensive.

I have a 10" and a 16" contender barrel in 22 Hornet and a 23" in 17 Hornet. I find them accurate and easy to load for. Strangely, the Lee collet die eliminates much of the problems with thin necks.

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Front sight and squeeze

For a medium power .22, I would skip 22 hornet and go with .222 Remington. Better performance. Easier to deal with.

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I've still got it made.

I've had ten .22 Hornets (including a K-Hornet or Improved, don't remember which) in the last forty or so years. Only one I would call truly accurate and that was a CZ that I sold.

I was interested in the Ruger 77 Hornet some time ago but didn't want to buy one and then have to have it accurized. I really like the .222, but the .223 is almost as good. One advantage of the Hornet is that it's quiet in comparison with the bigger cartridges.

Unfortunately, in today’s market, hornet ammo looks to be running $1.00 to $2.00 bucks per round. If you love the hornet, go for it. If you hand load you have a bunch of options for bullet styles and loads.

The hornet used to be a150 yard Pennsylvania woodchuck gun due to the ranges and reduced report compared to the other CF .22’s.

I love shooting the hornet. Had some issues getting a tight shooting load until I forget who, here on the forum suggested the 30 grain varment grenades with 296 powder. Groups went from 1.5” @100 to less than .5” @100.

I have had a couple of hornet rifles over the years and love shooting them. Each had its own “sweet spot” for accuracy.

I would suggest if you like the hornet, get one.

I had one of the first 77/22 Hornets and I liked it alot!

Having said that, I replaced it with a CZ 527 in .223 Remington.

I have been reloading for 40 years and I can make a .223 do pretty much the same as Hornet and then some. If you dont reload, then the get the Hornet. If you reload however, get the much more common component cartridge .223 and reload it up or down as needed.

As for the CZ platform; I got their heavy barrel varmint model with a single set trigger and slapped a Leupold on it and went jihad on woodchucks in mt locale. Had some pretty spectacular shots. Best was a measured 427 yards; thats almost a quarter-mile!

Best,
RM Vivas

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RM Vivas
SWCA#1482L, SWHF#837

I think conventional wisdom would suggest the opposite. There are tons of .223 factory loads. Hornet, not so much. AND expensive. I think the Hornet would be better for the hand loader……… another thing is, OP didn’t ask what caliber we would suggest instead of the Hornet. He asked specifically about the Ruger platform. No matter the caliber I can tell you about one that out performs it. Why would anyone buy a 222 when they could have a 223? Why would anyone buy a 44 special when they could have a 44 magnum? The attraction to the 22 Hornet is that it’s a 22 Hornet. And that’s pretty cool.

I had one for a few years. Tried to make it shoot but like others here couldn't get good accuracy. I used factory and my hand loads with Sierra and Hornady, 35 and 40 grains. SR primers, pistol primers - nothing helped.

On line "corrections" took me to the two piece bolt and I did the shimming with no luck. Perhaps it was related to how the receiver and trigger group go together. I kind of moved on, got a single shot Anschutz that is boringly accurate.

I wanted to like the 77 Hornet, but for me it's right up there with the No1 for "beautiful but a PITA" to get to shoot right.

They're are many older .222 rifles available on the used market, most of which are very good quality rifles like the Sakos.

Ballistically, and in the field, there is very little difference between the .222 and .223. I've handloaded for both for many years in a variety of rifles. I've found the .222 slightly more accurate and it's a bit easier to develop a good accurate load for the .222 than it is the .223. Splitting hairs here, granted, but that's what accuracy is all about.

No condemnation of the .223 intended. If I had a .223 that I was satisfied with, no need to replace it with a .222; the cartridges are just too similar. The .222 was THE benchrest cartridge for many years because of it's accuracy and there is still a place for it. Of course, the .223 is far more popular these days and ammo is cheaper and much more available, but I've found the bulk junk ammo to be a waste of money as it's not very accurate. As always, though handloading is the best bet.

It is hard to get a “bad” load for the .222.

Have an old Remington 722 in .222 that shoots bug holes all day long with H322 powder. H335 is good but not as good.

I would suspect if you do not hand load, go .223. If you hand load go whatever you fancy. I fell in love with the hornet back in the early 70’s, then the .222, then the .221 then the .22 jet then- - -

77/22s in .22LR, .22WMR or .22 Hornet are capable of good accuracy, but not always right out of the box.

There are four major areas for improvement:

1) You need to shim the bolt to achieve minimum headspace. Bolt shim kits are cheap and it’s not hard to install them. There are plenty of how to videos out there.

2) The triggers leave something to be desired, not bad, but not what you normally want on a Hornet. Volquartzen, Rifle Basixs and Timney all make trigger kits or replacement triggers for the 77/22.

3) Like the Model 77, Ruger designed the 77/22 receiver to bed in a single horizontal plane with four contact areas (under the barrel block, the tang and the two flats behind the magazine well). They did that to make it easy to get good results with machine inlet stocks. Unfortunately it seems to work better in theory than practice.

Depending on the model some are free floated and some use a pressure bad under the barrel at the end of the fore end. All of them shoot better when free floated. And it’s when you start free floating the barrel that you often discover the action isn’t properly bedded as the barrel keeps sinking as you remove the wood pad in the forend. If you encounter that, just stop and properly bed the action. Leave a business card between barrel and fore end at the front of the fore end and you’ll get adequate clearance ar the bottom of the barrel channel. Also make sure it’s even side to side. You just need to bed the four contact areas discussed above along with 5e first inch or two of the barrel in front of the barrel block.

4) If it still won’t shoot in the 1.25-1.0 MOA range with Hornady 35 gr V-Max (which shoots 1 MOA or better in virtually every Hornet capable of that accuracy), then it needs a new barrel.

Ruger sourced their rifle barrels from Douglas from 1968-1973 and they were excellent barrels and gave the Model 77 a good reputation for accuracy. However in 1973 they switched to barrels from Wilson and accuracy with them was….spotty…. and Ruger rifles developed a reputation for hit and miss accuracy. Ruger stayed with Wilson barrels until 1990.

The 77/22 was introduced in 1983 and from 1983-1990 those Wilson barrels were used, and you can get one that just won’t shoot.

In 1990, Ruger started hammer forging their own barrels and very quickly started producing excellent barrels. If you have a 77/22 made after 1990 the barrel should be fine.

I bought two new 77/22s in the '80s. With the exception of adding low-powered scopes, these guns were straight out-of-the-box unmodified and surprisingly accurate. Same for a laminated/ stainless heavy barrel version purchased new in the '90s. Good results from three such guns tells me Ruger was doing a lot right with these .22s, or at least they were some years ago.