Looking For A Rifle...

[Josh Smith]

Hello,

I've begun a selection process for a rifle in .22 Hornet.

Specs must be these:

Left handed bolt action

Four to five round capacity

Heavy, or semi-heavy, barrel, no sights

preferably MOA accuracy from the box with good hand loads

D&T for a 'scope mount

Reasonable price, similar to that of a Savage

Does anyone know of any rifles like this? The Ruger M77 would be awesome, as would a number of Savage rifles, but they're chambered in .223 on up. I'd really like that lil' .22 Hornet. I figure it will save on powder and will do anything I need it to do out to 200 or 300 yards.

It would potentially be a squirrel gun, so I can't have it passing through trees and stuff.

In other words, I'd like something more powerful than the .22 Long Rifle, but with more potential than the .22 Magnum.

I've never really latched onto the .17 calibers. Seems a mite explosive to me.

Any help?

Thanks,

Josh

 

[TLong]

Re: Looking For A Rifle...

Why are you stuck on the .22H? Why not go to the .223, or .220swift, or any number of other smaller caliber rifles? If you are concerned with conserving powder, just find a custom load with a smaller amount of powder in a larger casing. Just curious...thinking out loud.
*Edit* What are you going to be doing with it? Hunting? Paperwork?

 

[Elxx]

Re: Looking For A Rifle...

He said squirrel hunting, so... Remington 700 sps varmint in .17hmr or .223 =)

They also make the rifle in 204 ruger...don't know much about that cartridge, but I bet its size would perform well.

 

[jlaw973]

Re: Looking For A Rifle...

.223 seems a little unsafe to be shooting up into trees to me, as does .22H or any other centerfire rifle cartridge. But they also seem a little overkill for squirrels too, unless loaded way light I guess, but I've never tried them either.

 

[TLong]

Re: Looking For A Rifle...

"Potentially a squirrel gun" so I was wondering what his primary reason was for the cartridge. If you just want a squirrel gun, look into a 870 or Maser might sell you his Mossberg since it kicks real bad.

 

[MontanaMarine]

Re: Looking For A Rifle...

I'd go with a 223, and load it down. Think 8-9 gr of Unique, or similar, corked with a 40gr bullet.

Don't think you'll find heavy barreled Hornet boltgun. Most Hornets are twisted 1/16 too, which rules out a lot of bullet options.

221 Fireball is worth consideration too. Small enough case to load it down quite easily.

 

[bignada]

Re: Looking For A Rifle...

.22 K-Hornet basically an AI'd Hornet is the better choice.

.224 barrel to be sure. Original hornets were .223 dia...


Reason the hornet is a great choice is economy. Reduced loads with 2 or 3 grains of Unique or Bullseye.


Get a Sako Vixen, magazine not clip version. Nicest small ctg action ever made. Good luck!

 

[frog5215]

Re: Looking For A Rifle...

Remington has sold RH light varmint 700s in .221FB, which, as noted above, can be loaded down to Hornet power.
Thus, with a common boltface, the LH small ?yugo Mauser action can be adapted pretty easily. Daly sold 'em , not sure who now. Maybe just a barrel set back and chamber from .223. Does Remington make the smallest 700 in LH?

Alternately, consider falling block or Martini Hornets.

 

[cobaltbomb]

Re: Looking For A Rifle...

if you wanna shhot up into trees you will need a shotgun, everything else is asking for trouble, unless you live in an area where you can be sure to hit noone out to sveral miles.
even a 22lr will travel 1 mile , and land somewhere

 

[tt350z]

Re: Looking For A Rifle...

What about an air rifle?

 

[AK10mm]

Re: Looking For A Rifle...

Ruger used to make a 77/22 model in 22 Hornet w/ a 5rd mag I think.

I would also consider a 17 HMR , it is accurate,drops off fast and almost no ricochet danger.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Looking For A Rifle...

Savage Model 40 Lightweight Varminter. Single shot is all. 24" 1:14" barrel, 7-8lb, Accue-Trigger, D&T, $582 list.

 

[blackblue]

Re: Looking For A Rifle...

CZ is a good choice for the hornet. not sure they come in lefthand though.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Looking For A Rifle...

Oops, missed the part about LH.

 

[Remoah]

Re: Looking For A Rifle...

.221 fireball, dad bought a single cartridge at a gun show for s***ts and giggles (plus hes turning into a budding ammo collector thanks to the guy over the road).

Personally i fell in love with it. Once i begin reloading and the like im very tempted to build a rifle in the calibre.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Looking For A Rifle...

I think what you want would be better served with two rifles than one. Your needs are for a squirrel rifle, and also for a varmint rifle.

Shooting upard, I would defintitely not want to be putting anything into the air with more energy and distance potential than a .22LR. Any significantly upward shot on a squirrel that can't be accomplished with a .22LR really needs to be reconsidered before it's loosed.

For horizontal varmint shooting, the only condition that would make me want something less energetic than a .223 is one where noise is a prohibitive issue.

For me, such conditions involve shots in my back yard, in a village context, and my solution is a Chinese .17cal pellet air rifle. Very effective within 100ft, and quiet enough to not even spook the 'Chuck if I might miss. Two out of two this Summer.

They may run, but they never come back. When you think about it, that gits 'er done.

Greg