i have read all the bad news on the abovementioned rifle, i have to confess that i was concerned that i had bought a "pup" after reading all the "bad news". well after firing the rifle for the first time, i am happy to say that most of it is so much bulltish !! using winchester 45 grain soft point factory ammunition, one of my younger mates shot a group of 3/8's of an inch, three shot group (all shots touching) i and another oldie managed 4 shots in under an inch. i have to ask "do you guys use 22 hornet projectiles and do you crimp the bullets as the factory does ??

kel

I read a lot of bad stuff about that rifle to. But, I bought one and am happy to agree with you that everthing I read is bull shit. Maybe there was a problem with early Ruger 77/22 Hornets, but mine shoots very well; no complaints at all.
I do use 45 grain Sierra Hornet bullets, Lil-Gun and H-110 powders, and crimp bullets. I use small pistol primers too.

I owned two and both were dogs in the accuracy department.
Glad someone found a good one.

Well maybe Ruger finally figured it out. I had an early one and it was a real POS.

I bought one off of this site and as others had read/heard all the negatives and am happy to report the rifle is an excellent one in all respects. Trigger is very smooth, crisp, flush mtd. flawless magazine, and accuracy 1" w/ anything I feed it and less with reloads as stated earlier. When you consider the cost of rimfire 22WinMag rounds, the mostly forgotten reloadable Hornet really is a bargain for all around shooting at varmints or just plinking. Ruger's ring/mnt system and basic 4x scope makes for a very handy, quick handling rifle out to 200yds. Mine is a keeper in all respects.

Just received a Browning 1885 in 22 Hornet. Question to those who reload: Do you use H110 powder and if you do, do you use magnum primers? To those who use small pistol primers, what powder are you using? I am not familiar with crimping bullets. Is it necessary for accuracy? How does one do it using standard FL dies?

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I am not familiar with crimping bullets. Is it necessary for accuracy? How does one do it using standard FL dies?

Nothing is "neccessary" for accuracy, any thing can help someimes, sometimes nothing helps. Try it.

We don't crimp with FL dies. Most seaters have a small crimping ring, just adjust the die body down until you get the degree of crimp you want.

I have no way of knowing if it's true or not but the story I read is that Ruger used to buy barrels from an outside source, some were good, some were not. Then it was said that Ruger started making their own barrels and things got better. ???

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i am happy to say that most of it is so much bulltish !!

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and am happy to agree with you that everthing I read is bull shit.

I wish I could have agreed with you two with regards to my "Varmint/Target" model. Mine was a real turd that after months of load development and a couple different scopes could still be outshot using a Marlin336 and factory ammo

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Originally posted by Krochus:

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i am happy to say that most of it is so much bulltish !!

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and am happy to agree with you that everthing I read is bull shit.

I wish I could have agreed with you two with regards to my "Varmint/Target" model. Mine was a real turd that after months of load development and a couple different scopes could still be outshot using a Marlin336 and factory ammo

Yours was a tackdriver compared to mine.

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Originally posted by Cliff Lyle:
Just received a Browning 1885 in 22 Hornet. Question to those who reload: Do you use H110 powder and if you do, do you use magnum primers? To those who use small pistol primers, what powder are you using? I am not familiar with crimping bullets. Is it necessary for accuracy? How does one do it using standard FL dies?

I have a couple Hornets (not 77's). I use 'Lil Gun powder and small pistol primers. I don't see any benefit in crimping Hornet loads.

Congratulations on a nice shooting rifle!

Don't have a Dog in the Fight since I don't own a Ruger in .22 Hornet but I've a Buddy who does and apparently the initial manufactured rifles have some real accuracy issues as his older Ruger .22 Hornet rifle won't shoot anywhere (expletive deleted) anywhere even close to what the European Hornet rifles will do.

We (there's a group of us) definately do have a place for the Lee Factory Crimp Die in our .22 Hornet load developement. Our experience with these crimpers from an accuracy POV has been very positive indeed.

and, Yes; that is as the brochure with the LEE FCD states: when used with both bullets w/ or w/o a canelure.

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Originally posted by Cliff Lyle:
Just received a Browning 1885 in 22 Hornet. Question to those who reload: Do you use H110 powder and if you do, do you use magnum primers? To those who use small pistol primers, what powder are you using? I am not familiar with crimping bullets. Is it necessary for accuracy? How does one do it using standard FL dies?

One of the two Hornet powders I use is H-110; 10.2 grains, with Small Pistol Primers, and whatever bullet in the 40-45 grain weight that works in your rifle is appropo. I also crimp Hornet loads, using a Lee crimp die made specifically for the Hornet.
In fact, I have a tray of 50 Hornet loads made up, and they need to be run thru that crimp die.

Don

i've got several hornets & K hornets - i use lil gun in all no crimps and SR primers

Early 77/22H's were infamous for poor accuracy, as well as heavy, grinding, "when will it go off?" triggers. That reputation was well-deserved.

Later production has clearly been improved from the anecdotes that circulate. I have a friend who bought a late one and it does quite well, thank you.

I don't crimp any rifle ammunition other than that intended for an AR clone. You'll find no benefit to crimping your Hornets (how many benchrest shooters crimp their ammunition? Yeah, that's about how many I count, also.)

The use of small pistol primers in the Hornet has almost a cult following. I tried a taste of the Koolaid, but found that neither velocity deviations nor groups were improved in any way with SP primers. Use regular SR primers -- they have thicker cups and won't pierce as easily if you happen to have a poor firing pin fit.

Lil Gun powder generates very high velocity deviations in all the loads I've tried. I prefer AA1680. Fill the case as full as you can get it with 1680 and you will usually get good accuracy, low velocity deviations, and plenty of velocity. If you wanted more velocity you'd have bought a .223 or .22-250 in the first place.

i have the ruger hornet i had to put a trigger in it and bed the action but now it shoots great.
40 grain nosler ballistic tip
cci small pistol primers
12.9 grains lil gun

The 77/22 is the preferred rifle for conversions to .17 AH and .17 Squirrel. I have two of these rifles and they are accurate rifles.

I rebarreled mine with a .19 Calhoon conversion. Just working up loads now, some show a lot of promise. Before the conversion, mine was shooting 40 grain V-Maxes with 13 grains of Lil Gun & a Federal small pistol primer under 1" @ 100 yards without a problem. I bedded the action & first 2" of barrel, and replaced the stock trigger with a SpecTech adjustable trigger. I love the look and feel of the gun. I had a CZ 527, it shot well but was really small and I never liked it as much as the Ruger.
Regards, George

Some crimp, some don't

I am a crimper, with the Lee FCD, use 35gr v-max on top of 13gr Lil Gun w/ Rem 6 1/2 ignition -- great combo, Waidmannsheil, Dom.