Anyone here have a rifle in that caliber? Like it? Dislike? I am curious about them.
I have a Ruger 77-22 Hornet in stainless. Laminated stock. Bright clear little scope.
Got it for a walking around rifle for groundhogs, before the coyotes cleaned them all out...
It's perfect for carrying around, report is not very loud, as mentioned. The caliber is very flexible for handloading--but the the case necks are thin and very easy to collapse when seating the bullet. Case capacity is small, so this caliber does best with 40-45 gr bullets. You can load 50 grainers, but the velocity drops below 2400 fps. There are also 30 gr bullets that can be pushed past 3000 fps.
Bullets of 50gr and below are almost entirely intended as varmint rounds. These bullets have paper thin cases for instant expansion and disintegration. They are intended to expand explosively at velocities below 2800 fps. If you intend to hunt anything larger than raccoons, please, please, please, do some homework and pick a bullets intended for better penetration. Even coyotes are too big for the 40 gr and lighter pills for a body shot, or for a hit that's an inch or two off. Please a bullet that's more strongly constructed.
My biggest complaint is that the Ruger lacks accuracy. Best mine will do is 1.5-2" at 100 yards. I've tried multiple powders, bullets, and charges. I'm convinced it's the rifle. Don't know how or why, but the Ruger 77-22 Hornets have that reputation, while other rifle are often tack drivers.
Every once in a while I haul mine out and try it again, but I keep getting the same result. It's the rifle...