Ruger 77 or CZ in .22 Hornet

[terryt]

Hi:

I am thinking of buying a .22 Hornet and would like opinions on witch would shoot better a Ruger 77 or CZ in .22 Hornet.

Thanks,

Terry

[dualsport]

Just to make your decision a little harder, take a look at the Savage M40. Bit heavy, single shot, but nice on the bags. Accutrigger. Good price. I love mine, very accurate.

[Southern Son]

Terry,
Which CZ? They made the 452 (a wonderful, trim little action that I think was made for the Hornet class of cartridges) and the Model 2 Fox, which was mainly for .222/223 class cartridges, but then also chambered it in .22Hornet.

Having said all that, the Ruger 77/22Hornet is a hard rifle to pass up. Not much bigger than a 22 Magnum (it is the Ruger .22 Magnum action, isn't it?).

[Lloyd Smale]

Ive have no experience with the cz but my ruger will shoot 3/4s of a inch at a 100 yards with loads it likes. Now im talking jacketed bullets here. Ive never shot cast out of it.

[DLCTEX]

My Ruger 22 Hornet does very well with jacketed bullets, and I'm refining some cast loads that look very promising.. 231 and 2400 are the most promising powders so far with the 225-438 boolit.

[lawboy]

CZ452 is a rimfire. CZ527 is the small centerfire action. Fox action is out of print.

[doubs43]

All else being equal, I'd take the CZ in a heart beat. My experience with Ruger rifles has been disappointing while EVERY CZ rifle I've ever owned has been excellent in every way.... and I've owned several Rugers plus about a dozen CZ's.

[StarMetal]

I'd put money on a CZ outshooting a Ruger in the 22 Hornet caliber. I've see way too many Ruger hornets that shot bad and with lots of problems. I've seen them with over sized chambers, with chambers not concentric to the bore, face of the receiver not square, and bolt not square. Nope, no way I'd buy one. My friend bought a heavy barrel stainless Ruger and wasn't too happy when my plain Jane CZ, sporter outshot it. He shot my CZ so it's his claim also, not just mine. For jacketed mine loves the Hornady Amax over a good stiff load of W296. With cast it likes the NEI 55 grain over 11 grains of H4198.

[Potsy]

Bro-in-Law has a heavy stainless laminate Ruger. Fun gun.
I've never grouped it and I'm not sure he has.
I DO know that it is VERY hard on Blackbirds at 100 yards (give or take) with V-Maxes & 296.
Though you may be more particular than minute of blackbird.

[dubber123]

Although my experience with CZ's does not include a Hornet, I do have some with the Rugers in that caliber. If I had to choose, it would be the CZ. I hear of more complaints on the Rugers than the CZ brand. If the CZ is a set trigger model, (most are), it will save you some money if the Ruger needs a trigger job, (quite likely).

[Charlie Sometimes]

My Ruger shoots J-bullets better than cast- so far, but not by much. I like it very much, a bit heavy (Model #K77/22VHZ) for caliber.
I have never shot one of the CZ's, but much has been said here that they are real shooters.

About the only thing I really dislike about the Ruger is having to fit the rounds to the clip rather than the chamber. Some of the J-bullet profiles (40 gr. ballistic tips) are too long for the clip and have to be seated too deeply giving less than optimal accuracy. Same with some of the heavier cast profiles (RCBS 22-55-SP). It seems to work best with the 40-50 gr. cast and the 30 to 35 gr. J-bullets.

I am considering a bolt action in 221 Fireball- Remington makes one now!

[405]

Hmmm, I like the 221 idea as an alternative to the Hornet- fine cartridge that was completely forgotten until recently. I've had 3 different Hornets including a CZ. The CZ (BRNO) was not the best shooter. The most unlikely one shot the best by far! Uncanny accuracy. It is a light contour 10" TC Contender. Still have the 10" barrel. Put a Hornet heavy carbine barrel on the receiver along with a new butt and forearm. Now in carbine form it doesn't shoot as well as it did with the 10" light weight in pistol form! Go figure :confused:

[Marine Sgt 2111]

I have a .22 Ruger Hornet and put in hours to tighten up the bolt wobble, made a new harder pin to hold the bolt halves together, glassed the action and still couldn't get the groups I wanted.

Rebarreled it to .17 ackley hornet...it averages 1/2" @ 100yds with some loads going down to the 1/4" c-t-c at 100 yards. I bought the Ruger for the faster twist to shoot pointed 40 grainers.

I'd get the CZ because they are just a better design.

[Three44s]

Ceee Zeee for Me!

I don't have experience with the Hornet cartridge but I have a 527 American in .223 and it's a GEM!!!!

I would also look at the .221 Furball over the Hornet ... better brass and you can load it down or at specs. The criticisim I have heard about the Hornet casing is that they are thin and a little fragile.

Three 44s

[doubs43]

The closest cartridges I have to the Hornet are .222 Remington (700 Rem.) and .223 Remington. My .223 is a CZ-527 and I have yet to finalize a load for it. It presently has a Weaver V-24 scope on it. A couple of weeks ago I tried 10 loads in 3 shot groups at 104 yards.... the distance to our target frame on the range. I used the Sierra 53 grain Matchking bullet and different powders. The best group was sub-1/2 MOA while the worst was about 1.3". Later, I'll begin working around the loads that gave the best groups. My favorite varmint bullet is the 55 grain Hornady SX so I'll work up a load for it too.

My other centerfire CZ was a model 600 in .270 Winchester and it was quite accurate. I've owned a dozen or more .22RF CZ's and without exception they would shoot 1/2 inch - or better - groups at 50yards. My favorite .22 is probably the full stock 452. It's handy and a tack driver.

[9.3X62AL]

The CZ-527 in 22 Hornet has a pretty good reputation for being accurate "as found". My sole example in Ruger 77RH was not impressive. If I go 22 Hornet again, it will be with a CZ variant. I replaced the Hornet with a Ruger 77RC in 223, and it has been an unalloyed delight--small, accurate, and Marie and the girls love the thing. The 16.5" barrel is a little bit blasty, but that's not an issue for me.

[pietro]

I have owned/shot/hunted both with a Ruger M77/22H (sporter) and a CZ-527H Lux mini-Mauser.

Both need special, brand-specific rings ( I used Ruger rings & Burris/CZ rings).

I liked the CZ better, mostly because the Lux had much better wood than the peanut-butter looking standard CZ's (and Rugers).

The accuracy from both was pretty even/equal, as was the handling ( I used the same Leupold 2-7x28 scope on both).

Both use detachable mags, which didn't present the problem to me that it does to handloaders for the Hornet - the lengths not accepting some bullets, etc.

I found the protruding CZ magazine objectionable, so I had mine shortened to a flush magazine - but CZ now offers much the same thing as their M1 model.

The CZ isn't available, AFAIK, with a bull/target weight barrel, like the Ruger/Hornet, if that floats your boat.

.

[terryt]

Hi:

I want to thank of of you for your responce. It has been very enlighting.
Thanks,

Terryt

[NickSS]

I have owned a lot of ruger rifles over the years (more than 20) and still own three. The three I still own are all good shooters but I could not say that of all the rugers I have owned, In fact their track record with me is rather poor to the point that I no longer will look at one to buy. CZ on the other hand is relatively new to me as I only own 7 of them Three RF and 4 CF. My track record with them is perfect in that they all shoot like custom match rifles that cost a lot more. My latest one is a 527 in 7.62X39. Right out of the box it prints MOA groups with cheap steel cased Wolf ammo, With my hand loads it shoots 1/2 moa groups, The same is true of all my CF CZs. A 22 hornet is in the planning stage for my birthday present to me and it will be a CZ 527. By the way I have owned two rugers in 22 hornet and the best I ever got them to shoot was a little over 1 moa. The most accurate 22 hornet I ever owned was an old Savage 340. That rifle was scary accurate Like I could litterally drive tacks at 50 yards with it and shoot five shot 200 yard groups of less than an inch all in a rifle that cost me $75 used. I wish I still had it but it went down the street many years ago.

[waco]

i have a cz527 in 221 firebal. very cool little rifle with a sweet set trigger. mine shoots b.t.'s or v-max pills in the 40gr weight very well with imr4198 and lilgun. easy to keep 5 shots under an inch. i have never shot cast through it YET!

[6pt-sika]

I've had a few Hornets in my lifetime !

The first was a nice old Winchester Model 43 that shot well enough . Next I got an early Kimber 82 that shot a tad better . Then I picked up a Pre 64 Winchester Model 70 that was made in 1938 . The Model 70 would drive tacks and with a Leupold Vari XII 4-12AO weighed about 10 pounds .

When Ruger brought the 77/22 out in the Hornet in the HB stainless laminated model I was able to shoot one and work up some loads . To be honest it did alright but it didn't do enough to impress me . Just this past wednesday I got the chance to shoot a CZ527 in 22 Hornet with a Burris 4.5-14 on top shooting factory Remington ammo . That one would keep factory ammo inside 3/4 MOA .

So if I were choosing between the Ruger 77/22 and the CZ527 I'd have to go with the 527 !

Now I do happen to have a nice used Ruger #1B in 22 Hornet I've not yet had a chance to work with . So that could possibly be another way to go !

I might add the little CZ527 Hornet I shot this past wednesday is only the third CZ I've ever fired . the guy that owns the 527 also has a pair of 550's and both of those shoot way better then I can hold them . But then they happen to be a 375 H&H MAG and a 505 Gibbs !

[405]

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!.... that's a three shot group off the bench with a full throttle 505 Gibbs. Gives me headache just thinking about it.

To do some justice to the CZ 22 Hornet I used to have. I probably just had a bad one. Really no problem with function and feed- just the accuracy wasn't there. It reminded me of most the CZ/ BRNO guns. Obvious good metal and good, very strong design (stock was so-so). No cheap short cuts, but as per normal, the machining was a little rough. Too bad about the accuracy, I liked the gun.

[Slogg76]

Having shot samples of both I would have to recommend a CZ over a Ruger. So another vote for CZ.