In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
77/22 hornet vs 1885 Win. reprodution
mulesteve
Member Posts: 17 ✭✭
looking at getting a 22 hornet. What gun is more accurate the ruger 77/22 or a Winchester 1885 low wall reproduction? maybe the Browning 1885 low wall is best? Comments from anyone with experience with these guns will be apprecialted. thanks
Comments
If you wish to go a step above, and spend a little extra cash for the rifle, and good glass, I would point you in the direction of a Cooper Model 38. I will gaurantee you that you will have a one ragged hole shooter...but they are not cheap.
Best
The Ruger 77/22 target is a good gun, mine shoots 35 and 40 grain bullets about 1.5" @ 100 yds. I'd consider that OK, not great and I have the sneaking feeling the two piece bolt isn't best for accuracy. The trigger can be stoned or switched, from the factory it's fairly crisp but heavy. I'm not too keen on the stock, for a target rifle I think it should be a bit larger and have a wider forend. On the "non-target" 77/22 I think the stock is fine.
The 1885 has a bit of a mushy trigger, I think that's it's weak spot for target and best shooting. The forend piece is floated so you won't have "Ruger No1" issues. The stock on mine is straight, no pistol grip - I don't think that helps for sustained shooting. I am very, very happy with the rifle's accuracy - a 3 shot group always does "3 shots touching" at 100 yards. In my experience and from what I read, so far as accuracy is concerned I think the 1885 beats the 77/22. That there is a "fix" for the Ruger 77/22 Hornet's 2 piece bolt effect on accuracy is interesting to me, I'd think that came about as a result of folks seeking to improve accuracy.
If I had to do it again, instead of a Ruger 77/22 Hornet I'd buy a CZ 527 in 22 Hornet, the configuration would depend on whether the gun's used for target or general walking about. I have a few CZ rifles and ever one is very accurate, the 527 series has an adjustable trigger too.
I think the question was which rifle was more accurate, not an invitation for a raciest polemic...
I've owned 5 Browning Low-Walls, and one of them...and my favorite...is the 22 Hornet. It shoots many, many bullets into one tiny hole (or many tiny sage rats), and because it's a Hornet, can be shot almost as often/hour as a .22 LR. Except for the .357, all have pistol grip stocks, and I've never noticed mushy triggers....maybe because they've been shot so much.
IMHO, good glass is not wasted on a good rifle like this; all mine have Leupold.
I've never owned a 77/22 Hornet, but I have a 77/22 Mag. I'm not sure the trigger can ever be really great: it took a bunch of stoning and a lighter spring to help make it better, and, it's not nearly as accurate as my Brownings. But it's not a target barrel, so that's no help.
EDIT: Huh? Yes, of course I know they're made in Japan...I own 5 of them (see above). That's not the point. The point is that good quality 1885s are inherently more accurate than the Ruger 77. I guess we can agree to disagree on which optics...Leopold or Burris are better. I've owned both, and both make great scopes.
EDIT #2 Not to highjack the thread, but per the other post, there are several CZ 22 Hornets on Gunbroker, as well as a Savage 40. So you do have lots of other choices, especially if you're not willing to shell out $1300+ for the Browning.
Bearshooter: "....made in the USA, not a Japanchester...."
I think the question was which rifle was more accurate, not an invitation for a raciest polemic...
I've owned 5 Browning Low-Walls, and one of them...and my favorite...is the 22 Hornet. It shoots many, many bullets into one tiny hole (or many tiny sage rats), and because it's a Hornet, can be shot almost as often/hour as a .22 LR. Except for the .357, all have pistol grip stocks, and I've never noticed mushy triggers....maybe because they've been shot so much.
IMHO, good glass is not wasted on a good rifle like this; all mine have Leopold.
I've never owned a 77/22 Hornet, but I have a 77/22 Mag. I'm not sure the trigger can ever be really great: it took a bunch of stoning and a lighter spring to help make it better, and, it's not nearly as accurate as my Brownings. But it's not a target barrel, so that's no help.
WRONG...all of the newer Browning 1885's(within the last 30 years) are/were made in JAPAN...under license from Winchester. So are most of their rifles, except the Buckmark rifle. The Winchester 1885 repro's are the same, as they are a sister division of Winchester. Truth is truth, though, and the 1885's and A-Bolts are more inherently accurate than the 77/22 Hornet. The Ruger can be made into a one holer by pillar bedding the action, free floating the barrel, shimming the bolt, and a trigger job. The trigger is so stiff from the factory, you can not notice the almost 1/8 inch of sear engagement.
As for glass, I would skip the Leupolds, and go straight to the Burris XTR or Signature series, Sightron SIII, or Vortex Viper.
Best
I took the "WinMike" response to mean yes the 1885s are made in Japan and that the OP asked a question about comparative accuracy only, not a comment on "buying American".