22 K Hornet in Ruger with rotary magazine... go... no go ???

M

Magnum Wheel Man

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anyone got a Ruger 77-22 Hornet with the rotary magazine that has rechambered to K Hornet... wondering if there are any issues with the rotary magazine ???
 
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If you're talking about buying one from somebody who's had the chamber reamed and has ammo, I'd have him load a mag and cycle through it. If it works, fine.

While I don't think there would be a feeding problem, I gotta plead ignorance.
 
I have one, that I've already customized with a 1 in 9" twist heavy barrel... I have access to a reamer & thinking about chambering my rifle to K Hornet... getting brass is easy... just fire regular 22 Hornet ammo in the K Hornet chamber... dies are pretty available... my only concern, is with the body blown out to nearly straight, will the rotary magazine still function with the brass wider up by the shoulder...

my local builder buddy also was at least a little concerned... the straight case is not an issue for the rotary magazine, by design ( it works with the 44 Magnum ) but they may have designed the "star" inside for a tapered case ???

my buddy suggested I try some of my 17 K Hornet cases from my Contender, to see if they'll load ( I think the case is close, minus the 17 caliber case mouth )

was just curious if anyone with this rifle has ever chambered one in 22 K Hornet, or has seen / shot one, trying to be sure the magazine will work correctly, before I hit the chamber with the improved reamer...
 
MWM...

I'd say we need to find you a hobby to keep you out of trouble... But it would seem that your current hobby is what gets you into trouble.

Please post the results of this project. I'm very interested.
 
Give Ruger a call if you don't have any 22K's to run through the magazine. I would think that the worst would require a new magazine or a modification of that block on top of the mag top open it up a little.
 
I bought one like that about 3 years ago. When I got it, there were 2 mags with it and they would only hold and function with 3 rounds in them. The gun shop owner told me I could send them out and have them modified to function with a full load.

I looked up the cost of the mag mods and I figured for that price, I'd rather try it myself. So I took one of the mags apart and worked on the feed lips with a set of machinist's deburing files. I took it slow and fit a round after a little work then did more and repeat. I probably put about a half hour's work into each mag and they now function properly with 6 rounds. One of them has a weak spring and from time to time I have to slap the side of the rifle to get it to advance the next round...

Tony
 
Some magazines will feed K Hornet just fine. Some will require feed lip mods. Some will require follower mods. Some with require feed lip and follower mods. Occasionally, you may come across one that even needs some clearancing work on the inside of the magazine body.
What situation you'll find yourself in is a crap shoot...
 
Well... I checked the magazine that was in the rifle, against some of my 17 K Hornet cartridges, & they went in that magazine just fine, so I'm thinking this will be a good modification... hoping to get just a little bit better accuracy, with the cartridge seating on the shoulder instead of the rim... increased brass life is supposed to be a plus, as well as a few extra 100 fps...
 
I don't know about the .17 K-Hornet but the .17 Hornady Hornet has a slightly shorter case. One of the reasons was so that it would fit better in a rotary mag. I don't know about that because my .17 Hornet is a single shot...

Like I said before, it was only a little work to open up a Ruger mag to take the .22 K-Hornet rounds. I got my rifle already converted so I can't say about the difference but it's a tack diver as I got it.

Tony
 
I seem to remember the magazine in the Ruger has a sort of block at the top of the mag that the cartridge cases feed past. I think that block was a pretty close fit of the long taper in the regular hornet case. If that is true, you will probably have to do a little bit of "field modification" of that block so that the straighter bodied K-Hornet case willl slip through it with no hangups. As was mentioned before, just a little trial and error judicial filing should make it run like a top, I would think.

As far as the extra fps in the K version, you can easily hit 3000 fps with the 40gr bullets. If your gun allows, you can actually go higher than that, if you so desire. Personally, I keep mine right at 3000, and it is a really nice shooting cartridge. THE powder of choice is Lil Gun.... AA1680 is a close second.
 
Longshot4

Greetings Magnum wheel man:
You are just the guy I would like to talk to. I have a Ruger 22/hornet reamed out to K Hornet. After having it reamed out it was years before I used the magazine for the K Hornet since I fire formed many cases and them worked on load development as a single shot. I have her shooting well now and now I am in the process of working out the magazine block fit. The weather is slowing me down but It is coming along. I started removing stock with trigger stones but it was too tight. I thought I had it after using my Dremel tool but I will need to get some better selections of bits. I will get it done but I haven't been in a hurry since my Garage shop doesn't welcome me in the Winter the way it dose in warmer times. As far as the magazine goes you may want to disassemble it and put the block in a small vice to work on it. The shoulder being farther forward is giving me a little challenge but I will get it after the snow is gone. I fire form the hornet cases twice for a solid fit to the chamber. Also I have only been neck sizing the K. I finely had the opportunity to use it for Squirrel this year and let me tell ya. The Squirrels are in trouble. If you have any more questions I am open to them.
Paul
 
Thanks for the reply... I also have a 17 K Hornet Contender barrel, so I did try stuffing both the magazines I have full of 17 K Hornet, which they ate with no issues... so I'm hoping I can just ream the chamber & be good to go... fingers crossed:o
 
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