Ruger #3 .22 Hornet

[Drm50]

3s are PIA to get eye relief, the right ring combination. A big help is to get the stock extender. It looks like a black recoil pad.Attachment 283505

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I think I would enjoy that falling block action. Much more elegant than the break open type.

[Rich/WIS]

Only #3's I have experience with are in 30/40. With the factory stock and full power loads they were an exercise in pain and suffering. The two I have now were restocked with butt stocks in the #1 configuration, one custom and the other #1 take-off. Much more pleasant. Would pick up another in 22H or 223 if the price was right. The only scope mounting option that worked for me was extension rings on the rear scope base, otherwise I could not get a scope back far enough for proper eye relief.

[Mk42gunner]

I have had a couple of No 1's in the past, this is my first No 3. With how tight the curves in the lever are, I'm not too sure I would want to shoot anything with any significant recoil through one.

As far as scope eye relief goes, you need to look at scopes of yesteryear. The Redfield base and ring combo has plenty of length adjustment for the Leupold M8 that mine has, and I am sure a steel tube Weaver K-4 would be fine as well. Not sure of the scopes with a 36-40mm objective bell.

As for ridiculous cartridge/ rifle combo's, I remember reading of a Ruger No 1 in .22 Long Rifle.

Robert

[bobthenailer]

my #3 hornet also shot better with the barrel band removed

[GBertolet]

Here is my .357 mag conversion, with shortened forend.

[Mk42gunner]

I like the barrel band sling attachment point, at least for looks. I have been wondering about that issue; don't know why, I rarely hunt anymore.

I've still got to get mine on paper to see how it does. Probably next week at the earliest.

Robert

[eastbank]

i bought a ruger # 3 in hornet NIB years ago and have not fired it and also picked up a extra 22 hornet barrel in ex outside condition, but with a few very small pits in the bore that i thought i could have rebored-rechambered to another caliber but never got around to it. my shooter .22 hornet is a older cz bolt action.

[Green Frog]

i bought a ruger # 3 in hornet NIB years ago and have not fired it and also picked up a extra 22 hornet barrel in ex outside condition, but with a few very small pits in the bore that i thought i could have rebored-rechambered to another caliber but never got around to it. my shooter .22 hornet is a older cz bolt action.

I don’t know what the collectors’ market looks like these days for a NIB #3, but I do know what I would be doing with that extra barrel. Can you say “327 Federal Magnum?”

Froggie

[braddock]

Here's my #3 in 223 rem, using barnes varmint grenades it's so accurate and using gas checked 55 grn cast boolits at around 1600 fps it cuts 1/2" to 1" groups at 50 metres and is so quiet.
I can't give the actual speed as I have a magnetospeed chrono that doesn't seem to register with cast boolits, with the gc squeezed on every so often it works.
I had considered rebarreling it to a larger c/f cal but it's so pleasant to shoot and I have a #1 in 308 win for bigger animals.
22 hornet would be a good cal but hey, the 223 can be loaded down to hornet levels and longer case life.
I also attach a pic of my #1, take a look at the scope mounts they are ruger on both rifles they fit no bother at all. BTW it's a redfield widefield on the #1 that I have subsequently changed for a Zeiss diavari 1.5x6.

[Texas by God]

I had an early one in 45-70 and it loved the 405 gr Lee cast bullet over Unique. It was not drilled and tapped for a scope- it was an early issue gun I suppose. Yes, you could load it to “hurts to shoot” levels- but why?
One of my brothers had one in .223 that never impressed us from the bench but it was a varmint eliminator in actual use.
I always thought that one in 30-30 Win, .35 Remington, or 38-55 would be so handy for hunting deer in the woods.
I wish that JES was able to rebore barrels to .30 and .32 caliber- but last I heard .33 was the minimum size.

[Larry Gibson]

Still pondering......Rebore to .357 with 16" twist and chamber initially to 357 magnum and if not happy with that rechamber to 35-30.

Back in the day.....

Attachment 287238

[square butte]

Is anyone reboring to .25 cal?

[pietro]

.

Once upon a time, I bought/shot a .22H Ruger #3, but found it too heavy for my druthers as a walking varmint rifle.

The H&R Handi was lighter, but since I wanted a repeater, I eventually opted for a CZ-527H.

[Mk42gunner]

Well I got side tracked on this project, so not much new to report.

I did buy about a quart of mixed .25 ACP and .222" jacketed projectiles. Any idea what a 30 grain JHC .222" projectile was meant for? I was thinking maybe the .22 Jet? I may try them in the Hornets.

Robert

[Texas by God]

The .222" bullets are for the .22 Jet certainly. Accuracy will be poor in the Hornet one would think.
I think I'd like one in .218 Bee, 25-35 Win, and 44-40 to add to my previous choices.
I've had better shooting Bees(2) than Hornets(3)

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[Mk42gunner]

Well don't I feel foolish. I looked in the box I separated the 30 grainers into and they are .223" not .222".

I do have an old Savage 219 in 22 Hornet, I think it has the smaller bore but don't remember for sure. It has been a long time since I slugged its barrel, if I ever did.

I think I'll load up a few and try them in both rifles.

Robert

[gnoahhh]

A buddy has one re-barreled to .25-35 and it is purely delightful to shoot. He has a spare barrel in .375 Winchester for it also, but it's the .25 barrel that sees the most use.

I stumbled onto a very nice #3 .22 Hornet locally for $799 last week. Don't know if I need a 4th Hornet even though it is a #3.

[RJM52]

Picked up a #3 about 5 years ago planning to do a "Froggie" conversion to .327 Federal...problem is I kinda like it as a Hornet... Using Unique and Hornady .218 Bee bullets it shoots a ragged hole at 50 yards..

Never did care for the #3 stock however...made a call to a friend who has connections at Ruger and asked if he could get me a #1-A stock set... Answer came back "No, but if you get me the gun Ruger will "exchange" the stock".... So I gave my friend the gun and a few days later got a call the gun was back... Got a nice #1-A stock set, my original set back in a Ruger factory box with an invoice from Ruger showing they did the work...was money well spent...

Bob

[dale2242]

What did Ruger charge to replace the stock?
I would love to see some pictures of the #3 with the #1 stock.