Got a mint Mod. 3 Ruger in 22 Hornet. any ideas on accuracy loads and reloading techniques. I get a chance to shoot this tomorrow and get cases for reloading

Try 13 grains of Lil'Gun under a 35 grain V-Max. Use a small pistol primer and only neck size.
Pete

I owned a Ruger #3 single shot once briefly, but I never could get it to shoot accurately. I think the way it was stocked with the barel band had a lot to do with it. I always thought it would be neat to chamber it to the .22 K-Hornet and then neck it up to .25 caliber.

if it doesn't shoot well #1 rebed off the hanger like you would with a #1 - if not then - rechamber to K hornet

quote:

Originally posted by Elmer:
Got a mint Mod. 3 Ruger in 22 Hornet. any ideas on accuracy loads and reloading techniques. I get a chance to shoot this tomorrow and get cases for reloading

I've had a #3 in .22 Hornet since the mid '70s. I have fired several thousand rounds through it. It has a 1-16" twist barrel so .224 bullets of 35-40 gr shoot the best. The barrel has the same outside contour as the 45-70 #3 so in essance you have a light varmint weight barrel. As mentioned remove the barrel band and bed the forend to the hanger. After doing the above mine shot sub MOA with the loads listed below.

As for loads I've always preferred the 40 gr Speer or Sierra Hornet bullets, excellent accuracy and terminal performance out to 300 yards. As also mentioned use neck sized cases. Get a NS die or the Lee collet die. A full length die backed out does not work that well as the thin necks stretch unevenly over the expander ball and usually are crooked. I use a Redding Bushing die and NS only enough of the neck to hold the bullet. A Lyman M die to slightly flair the case mouth will help reduce ruined cases when seating bullets.

The classic Hornet load of 11.8 gr H4227 with either 40 gr bullet will run 2640 fps with always excellent accuracy. This has always been my standard Hornet load. For better performance (most often not needed at normal Hornet ranges) I use H110 powder. Work up to 12.5 gr, it pushes the Sierra 40 gr bullet to 2976 fps with excellent accuracy. I tried Lil'gun powder but did not have very good results with it in the #3 (it does fine in my Contender Carbine barrel though) but it might be worth a try. The most accurate and consistant Hornet load is the 11.8 gr of H4227 though.

Larry Gibson

Well it turned out to be no trouble at all.
I mounted an old Lyman 8 x and went to the range. AT 50 yards sitting. using Remington 45 grain factory ammo. After zeroing:

My old, but gone now, Ruger #3 never did shoot minute of angle. Every thing iis this post is with a 45 grain bullet. I used 12.5 grains of 680 and 11.5 grains of 4227. The guy I sold the gun to saiid he bumped the load 1/2 grain [over max] and the group came in.
I have a Ruger 77/22-Hornet that you can cover with a dime at 100 yards. The load is:
9.7 grains of 2400.