Ruger Hornet

dct454
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2020 8:23 am
Location: Central PA

Ruger Hornet

Post by dct454 »

Well I posted in bolt .lever ,and auto section about a Ruger M77 Hornet I ran into and decided to buy it. Took it to my range and bore sited it at 50yd. Decided to go ahead and shoot it at 50 then move to 100. I had several loads that I have used in a Savage 340 Hornet that group dime size at 100. Worst shooting Ruger I have ever bought. Best group I got was 1" at 50 with a 3 inch flyer, the two other loads were 2 to 3 inches with a flyer in each group. The flyer was 2 to 3 inches beyond the 2 to 3 inch group. Did some reading and it seems these models are very hit and miss for accuracy. Doing some research now on how to remedy the problem. Anyone Have similar problems? :cry:
Dave
67stingray
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Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2018 7:35 pm
Location: Iron City, TN

Re: Ruger Hornet

Post by 67stingray »

Dave, the M77 Rimfire rifles have a 2 piece bolt and some require installation of bolt shims between the two pieces. You can get a pack of different thickness shims for around $20. I have found improvements on accuracy after installing them. Glass bedding the stock is another way of improving accuracy. They are typically pretty accurate rifles but some need a little attention that's not that expensive.
Bennett
Any day without learning is a day of backing up.
dct454
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2020 8:23 am
Location: Central PA

Re: Ruger Hornet

Post by dct454 »

Bennett, I did some research today and found the same suggestions you mentioned. Another cure is to tighten the action screws to 80 inch pounds. Then alternately slightly tightening and loosening the front and rear screws while shooting three shot groups.I ordered the the bolt shims witch will be my first step. Thanks for the suggestions I am going to try each, one at a time to see what works or what combination works.
Thank You
Dave
Ruger8r
Posts: 403
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2020 1:28 pm
Location: Glendale, CA

Re: Ruger Hornet

Post by Ruger8r »

Dave,
See my post re accurizing the Ruger 22 Hornet in the gunsmithing section. The magwell liner/receiver interface does not mate evenly from the factory due to a casting line causing the barreled receiver to cant in the stock.

Ditto on the bolt shims as well as shims on the trigger and sear pins. And a Volquartsen sear/spring improves trigger pull a bunch.
triggershims.com

If your bolt feels rough as it seats into the chamber, check the top edge of the bolt-face perimeter. It is mostly smoothed off at the factory but sometimes they miss part of it.

I've also read that the relationship between the front and rear screw torque (60-65 in/lbs) can affect accuracy but 80 in/lbs seems like an awful lot to put on those screws.

Hope this helps and good luck.
Owen
"My greatest fear is that, when I die, my wife will sell my guns for what I told her I paid for them." Anonymous Collector
dct454
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2020 8:23 am
Location: Central PA

Re: Ruger Hornet

Post by dct454 »

Owen,
I shimmed the bolt (only took .002).Did a trigger job and shimmed the trigger. I also torqued the action screws to 70 inch pounds. The receiver sets plumb in the stock so i left it alone for now. Bolt feels smooth when opened and closed. I have 20 cartridges loaded with 12gr little gun and 45 gr SP bullet for a base line for loosening and tightening the action screws. Depending on those results in the accuracy department I have 12 different loads H110,2400,Little Gun,with 34 to 45 grain bullets to try for accuracy. Hoping to go my range today, its supposed to be sunny and 50deg here in PA after 3-4 weeks of below freezing temps. Also want to try a bisley 44spl that I replaced the front sight on with a higher one. The loads I was shooting (800 fps) were 5 inches high and the rear sight was bottomed out. I WANT TO SHOOT!
Thanks for the input I appreciate it.
Will let you know how things go.
Dave
dct454
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2020 8:23 am
Location: Central PA

Re: Ruger Hornet

Post by dct454 »

Owen,
Got some serious range time yesterday. With the bolt shimmed and the screws torqued first 3 shots were 2" at fifty yd. Tried alternately tightening and loosing the front and rear action screws with no results. Then decided to remove the .002 bolt shim as some shells were snug closing the bolt. No change in accuracy. I decided to experiment. Made a shim out of target paper folded .030 thick (measured later) and placed it between the front receiver lug and the stock effectively lifting the barrel up out of the barrel channel. (target bbl straight taper) groups changed from 2" and flyers up down, right and left, to vertical stringing up and down 1.5, right and left within 1/8" of center. Obviously changed the bbl harmonics. Since there is no recoil lug to keep the action from moving I am of the opinion that the receiver even with the action screws torqued can moove in the stock. I am going to free float the bbl and look at bedding the receiver in the front between the action and stock. May give some thought to also bedding the bbl 1 to 1.5 in front of the receiver. Looked at your post and cleaned up the casting lines. I can see where this would allow the receiver to rock and move in the stock. I think the thickness of the stock vs the thickness of the combined receiver lug and mag lug / bolt washer combo could be a problem. Ill just have to see what works.
Dave
Ruger8r
Posts: 403
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2020 1:28 pm
Location: Glendale, CA

Re: Ruger Hornet

Post by Ruger8r »

Instead of shimming under the receiver to lift the barrel try taking some material off the barrel channel where it touches the barrel. The barrel should barely touch the stock. There may also be some high spots where the receiver rests in the stock, forward and rear, that need some cleaning up. Barrel harmonics are a big factor but with a target barrel you should be able to get tighter groups. Frustrating, I know.
"My greatest fear is that, when I die, my wife will sell my guns for what I told her I paid for them." Anonymous Collector
dct454
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2020 8:23 am
Location: Central PA

Re: Ruger Hornet

Post by dct454 »

Owen,
The paper shim under the receiver was a temporary try at the range to see if it affected accuracy. This morning I free floated the barrel and torqued the screws to 60 inch lbs. back to the range this afternoon. Groups are now 5 shots in 1 inch at 50 yds no flyers now. Something is still moving. I am going to bed the action and 1 inch of bbl tonight.
Dave
dct454
Posts: 36
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2020 8:23 am
Location: Central PA

Re: Ruger Hornet

Post by dct454 »

Finally got some positive results today.Tried 5 different loads, 34gr hp with Little Gun shot 3/8 5 shot group at 50yd. The rest no bigger than 1 inch and no flyers. I used the rear of the mag well on the receiver as a recoil lug. Made sure the rear tang and radiuses had clearance so the back of the mag well was the only thing touching and bedded behind it.Barrel is 100% free floated. Now to go back and try H110 and 2400 again.
Ruger8r
Posts: 403
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2020 1:28 pm
Location: Glendale, CA

Re: Ruger Hornet

Post by Ruger8r »

Hey Dave,
Kinda lost track of this thread. How did your accurizing work out? I've decided that, as much as I like it, my 77/22 RSH will never drive tacks so it'll just have to be a nice open-sights, collectable, fun shooter. Some cool guns on this platform, I think.
"My greatest fear is that, when I die, my wife will sell my guns for what I told her I paid for them." Anonymous Collector
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