New Ruger stainless Hornet not getting the results I hoped

[nofun1]

I got a heavy barrel stainless hornet. and havent been able to get better than 1.75" I wish the magazine was loger I have to seat the bullet almost 1/4" off the lands. I have had trigger worked to 2.0LB no creep or over travel. Any tips or load suggestions would really be appreciated.

[Patriot_1776]

OK, first question!

What powders have you tried?  For me, I have found AA1680 to be working great for my Ruger VHZ.  I think that is probably what yours is, right?  Target gray finish, brown laminated stock, 24" bbl, etc.?

Secondly, which bullets have you tried; but more importantly, what do you want to use it for (hunting ((what kind of game?)), plinking, both)?  What ranges you lookin' at using it most often?

I'm sorry to be asking these questions, but they would help me out so I can help you better.  I have a few tips I can give you; but I want to find out a little more information.

Best group with mine so far is .635" CTC @ 100yds. using 40gr. Nosler BTs (and the bullets are seated to fit the magazine at an OAL of 1.79").


-Patriot

[nofun1]

Patriot
Thanks, your right about the model. I plan to use it for P-dogs, ground squirrels, crows. and other varmints, and some informal paper punching. I have used IMR 4198 behind a 45gr Hornady soft point flat based bullet, I have loaded up some Lil Gun with 40 grain Vmax's but not yet tried them.I just picked up some H110 powder. What powder charge are you using? does yours shoot .635" consistantly? or what is you average group?  I ussually get 2 shots of three touching or 1/4" apart and one 1-1.75 away. not in a consistant sequence

[Patriot_1776]

Sorry if I took a while to get back to your post.

As for my grouping, I have not really discovered an average.  My rifle is still pretty new, not even a year old.  That coupled with the fact I don't shoot it as much as I do my other guns, it is hard to say for sure.  But most of the time it stays around 1" at 100 yds. with the load I currently use.  I don't know if that is quite the accuracy you're looking for, but I think that is doing okay so far.  If I can fiddle around with it a little more, maybe I could find a way to make it more consistant.  Remember too that 40gr. bullets are on the light side, and I feel the wind does play games when I launch those bullets.  

My current load with AA1680 is 12.1gr. behind a 40gr. Nosler BT.  I have not chronographed it either, so I'm in the dark on that one.

I'm curious to hear how you do with the Li'l Gun powder, as I have seen that is a big favorite of many Hornet shooters.  I'm hoping to try it sometime, but I still have quite a bit of powder leftover I need to use up first.


If you have anymore questions, feel free to ask.


-Patriot

[jwv2001]

Maybe Lawdog has some suggestions, he's a Hornet expert.  The problem is, the Hornet is a lever action shoulder-less rimmed cartridge.  The trigger on the Ruger isn't the best either.  I'll stand by what I said in the original post.  You'll be happy if the Hornet shoots MOA.

[Doc RD]

Some 'smiths are taking the "play" out of the bolt by shimming it or a larger firing-pin retaining pin.  I guess some can do both.  The shim goes between the rotating front and the main bolt section.  It should be doable at home if you're handy with that sort of thing.  

My barrel is free floating but I got mine used (slightly).  :wink:   Is your barrel floated?  If not then you can easily do that at home.  (A little at a time.)

Another thing to check is your scope mounted tightly?... good quality scope?

Good luck pard,  

[RicMic]

I had a bull barreled Ruger in 22 Hornet one summer (one summer only).  Inch and three eighths was my best average, tried 5 different bullet weights and 3 powders.  Only the 77/44 and Mini-14 shot worse.  My only Ruger now is a Redhawk, I won'y buy another Ruger long arm.

[chupiw]

Try checking yout stocks torque mine was overtorqued by the factory and I have noticed this is common on Rugers.  Mine was so overtorqued that  I could barely break it loose, and I am not weak.  Also neck size your brass, due to its design a hornet headspaces on the rim but unless the chamber is perfectly cut it is hard for it to properly align with the centerline of the bore.  This is why the K-hornet conversion is popular.  If you neck size your brass the case will fireform to the chamber and will be aligned better. I used a lee loader which cost around $15 and re torqued my stock and was getting 1 " 5 shot groups whith various loads.  10 shot groups were around 1.5" to 2 " due to the barrel heating up.  All testing done ant 100 yds.  Also my my rifle was the stamdare M77/22 hornet with the thin barrel and after these easy and cheap mods I got pretty good accuracy.  Also I I have to say this, I am not in any way an expert, but I think a lot of people expect too much accuracy from there rifles.  Not every rifle can shoot sub MOA and if you are shooting a factory standard rifle dont expect sub MOA.  If you can get 1.5 MOA be happy. All you need

[22shooter]

My Ruger .22 hornet shoots less than one inch groups with 35 grain Hornady bullets and using Lil gun powder.  Appoximatey  12.7 grains of Lil gun does it.

[pc]

My Ruger .22 hornet shoots less than one inch groups with 35 grain Hornady bullets and using Lil gun powder.  Appoximatey  12.7 grains of Lil gun does it.

My gundealer told me not get a ruger hornet when I wanted one as he had sold two that would not shoot better than 2" at 100 yards.

I bought a cz 527 american and it shoots under 1" at 100 yards and I am happy with it..........................maybe think about getting out of it and getting a cz or an annie before throwing away $$

[killdeer]

nofun1,
you might post this in the gunsmithing forum.
There is a specific sequence to tighteng the bolts on a Ruger and they are known to be critical for accuracy.

The moderator there, Gunnut69 will have the recipe.


KD

[RodBuster]

I floated my barrel, honed the trigger, replaced the trigger spring, and also use a crimp die.

The gun tweaks got it down around 1.25"or so with the loads it likes, and the crimp die tightened them up to 3/4 ".

I would suggest a Lee crimp Die. The case is very thin, and this helps to put more tension on the bullet, causing more consistent ignition.

[lilabner]

Troubleshooting starts with simple, inexpensive things and progresses to complicated, expensive things. Guard screw torque and scope mount and ring checks for tight screws are simple. So is switching a proven scope for a new one that might have a problem of some kind. Hornets have a rep for being tricky to handload. You might invest in a box of factory ammo and see how it shoots. If it shoots better than your handloads, there is probably something wrong with your loading setup because carefully built handloads normally outshoot the factory stuff. You have to be a bit careful about what you do to the rifle as you could invalidate the warranty.

[gunnut69]

I love the Hornet but the Ruger would not be my choice. The first sporters were the pits.. Bores varied in diameters and accuracy was horrible. The next release the heavy barrels, shoot a lot better. The rugers are finiky usually in that the front screw needs to be tightened first and it should be tight. The rear screw is tightened next and moderately tight is fine. The center screw on any 3 screw rifle should not be overtightened. It's purpose is to retain the front of the trigger guard and little else. Just tight enough to aviod loosening.. 2 finger tight, if you will. Neck sizing or partial sizing is the best accuracy aid for the hornet other than a conversion to the 'K' version.  I usually partial size the hornets by simply running them into the die until the neck is all that's being worked.  The body is not resized.  After a few reloadings the case will need full length sizing, although with the hornet it's not a big problem.  The cases are exceptionally thin and I some times tighten the cases hold on the bullet by using an expander for the older small bore hornet rifles.. It doesn't open the case mouths as much as it's designed for the .223 diameter bullets. With the .224 diameter hornet bullets it really tightens the case grip. The last point to remember about reloading the hornet is these thin little cases won't take hotrodding, if you need a 223, get one. Also the tiny little thin hornet cases don't last very many reloadings but are fairly cheap.. I heartily concurr about the CZ452. I have an FS(fullstock) version and it is a little scary. sub 1 inch groups are common and some are trying to get down around the 1/2 inch range.. I use mine for varmits mostly and prefer the penetration of the 45/46 grain bullets but have had good luck accuracy wise with the 40's.. The  CZ totally outperforms the Ruger and my old M54.. It is about the same accuracy wise as a much more costly Kimber.. The Kimber had bedding problems and accuracy went south and I still haven't gotten around to fixing it. The CZ also is about 2/3 the price of the Kimber..  Sorry for the length..I love the hornet!!

[Mirage]

A couple of suggestions basis my experience w my CZ 527.

1. ww 296. and Lil Gun are super accurate in my gun. Accuracy is close tie between 2, velocity goes to 296 though.

2. hornady 35 vmax and 40 gr vmax are great shooting 3/8"~5/8" consistently. The 35 vmax @ 1.730 COAL is about 25 mils off lands in my gun. The profile of this bullet gets much closer to lands in a variety of guns which explains accuracy reports. The speer 33 gr tnt is also accurate (4/8"~5/8"). gain you can seat out alittle further and still work withing magazines typically.

3. Upon advise I use the Lee collet die and Forster seater die, can't complain with results so far. I use W/W cases that I have uniformed pockets, deburred flash holes, trimmed etc.  I neck size only. So far I have gone 7 loads and cases still holding up (somewhat tight bolt lift).


4. I did adopt the use of (2) wind flags when I shoot basis advise from a BR shooter, it really seems to help tighten groups.

good luck.