Pulling the barrel off my Ruger 77-22 Hornet

[Chill Wills]

I am going to be pulling the barrel off my Ruger 77-22 Hornet and was wondering if it was like most any other rifle or if Ruger did something tricky like I know they can sometimes. I just want a heads up before I go and do something I end up regretting.

I plan on setting the barrel back and rechambering - and if that does not make it more loveable it will get a new barrel in short order.

[Vopie]

Chill, try shimming bolt and rechambering to K-hornet. Did wonders for mine and the late, great Alt-heat.

[Mk42gunner]

All I can tell you is to pull the action out of the stock and look at it. The instruction manual on Ruger's website shows the barrel as having a notch like the 10-22, but I didn't see the barrel retaining block or the screws.

Robert

[Nobade]

The Hornet barrel is threaded. Just use a barrel vise and unscrew it like most any other rifle. And yes, setting it back and making the headspace correct (use a case, not the SAAMI gauge which is too long) will help it. Or, as mentioned, you can shim the bolt.

-Nobade

[Chill Wills]

Thanks for that info. I did not want to unscrew it only to find there was some cute Ruger cross pin or other thing I did not notice and really make a mess.

Fun fun fun.

I am a much better shot than a hobby gunsmith! However, I am enjoying learning a step at a time. Thanks again.

[Chill Wills]

Okay, I have the rifle apart and see that of the two kinds of barrel systems, mine (the Hornet) is threaded like a normal bolt rifle. Some of the 22 rf models used the dovetail and draw screw system. (thanks)

So now I am looking at GM barrels and there are 0.220 - 0.224" CenterFire barrels or GM offers a 22 Magnum blank which has deeper rifling at 0.219 - 0.224".

Any reason to think one might be better or more accurate than another? BTW - both are 14 twist.
Links to both - look carefully at the data (not the name) as a quick look will mislead you as to the bore/groove sizes.

http://www.gmriflebarrel.com/rx2214-223-caliber-1-14-twist-chrome-moly-barrel-blank/

http://www.gmriflebarrel.com/22m-blank-22-magnum-raw-gunsmith-edition-blank-1-14/?revpage=2#reviews

[GooseGestapo]

IMO, the RX229 is what you want. The 1/14" won't likely give you anything you don't already have.
In fact. I'd just set back your barrel, recut the chamber, and shim your bolt.My .22H/77 shoots just fine, but it took a bit to get it there.
I glass bedded the action, free floated the barrel, took the trigger to ~2.5lbs, and have re-shimmed the bolt a couple of times.

I had a Carbine version that had a bad chamber. But setting it back and recutting chamber could have fixed it.

[Chill Wills]

IMO, the RX229 is what you want. The 1/14" won't likely give you anything you don't already have.
In fact. I'd just set back your barrel, recut the chamber, and shim your bolt.

Thanks for the reply. You might need to explain in more detail. I'm not sure what you mean.

checking to see if we are thinking the same:
The RX229 is a 9 twist barrel - and you write "is what I want".
you write: "The 1/14" won't likely give you anything you don't already have."
and "just set back your barrel, recut the chamber"

Sorry, not being a smart @ss - are the Ruger barrels 14T different way than other 14T? And, the RX229 is a 1 in 9 twist.
I am not sure what you mean.