I dont know which ruger hornet you are looking at getting but I have the model that is a copy of there m77/vt. It has a 24 inch barrel laminated wood stock with a wider than normal forearm for rest or bipod shooting. It is running 35 grain hornady v-max bullets at about 3100-3200 fps using h110 powder. I used redding regular dies to reload this cartridge with no problem at all. and most cases have been loaded about 5 times both neck sized and full length. Accuracy with my particular ruger hornet is sub 3/4 moa at 100 yards and with the v-max trucking along as it is really cleans out the ears of whistle pigs nicely.

Here's the difference between a 35 grain V-Max and a 40 grain V-Max in my Savage.

I use Winchester brass and get good case life, neck sizing only. I had one lot of Remington brass and had to throw them away after the second reloading.

100 yards



150 Yards

The major problems with US made .22 Hornet rifles is the chambers. US companies make these huge chambers: The Europeans do not.

Last year a tool and die maker friend made me a .22 Hornet reamer to European 5.6x35 specs. Recently my Sako was re-barreled and chambered with that reamer. With my handloads the gun makes consistent <.5" three shot groups at 100 meters.

So i finally found one I really like, she came in today. It's the Ruger 77/22 with the green mountain stock with a 24 inch barrel. I got it all scoped and it shoots pretty nice, granted I don't have reloading dies for it yet but they are on there way very soon. I'm thinking about trying the Hornady 40gr v-max or the hornady 45gr sp. But I already have some hornady 55gr SP for my 223 rem so I might start there.