.22 Hornet: Ruger 77/22 vs CZ527?

[awp101]

Planning some future purchases and a bolt action Hornet is on the list. I've narrowed it down to these two due to budget.
Anyone have experience with either or preferably both?

I know the CZ rimfires are great, I've had the hots for the heavy bbl .308 and I would like to try their bolt action 7.62x39.

The only real reasons I even put the Ruger on the list are because I think I know where there's one in stainless for around $500, I've had great success with my 10/22s (the easiest way to drop $800+ on a $150 rifle ) and I prefer the flush mag of the Ruger design vs the protruding CZ style.

OTOH, the Ruger needs an adaptor for the scope mounts if you don't want to use theirs and IIRC the CZ should be set up out of the box for a Weaver style mount.

If Savage made a repeater bolt instead of a single shot bolt in .22H there'd be no question...

Thanks!

[jnyork]

I owned both a Ruger and a CZ .22 Hornet.

I still own the CZ. It is easily one of the best firearms I have ever had my hands on. A joy to shoot.

The Ruger was one of the first ever sold in Wyoming. I was so proud of it, great looking little rifle. Despite 3 glass bedding jobs, a barrel re-crown and trying every .22 Hornet reloading recipe known to the mind of man, it would not hit a hat at 100 yards!! I think the best I ever got was 5 shots in about 4 inches and I think that was a fluke.

The CZ has not been monkeyed with in any way, and will easily hold 10 shots inside an inch, if the wind isnt too bad. Any prairie dog with 150 yards is meat in the pan ( dont panic, just an expression! ) and have nailed a couple out around 200, which is beyond the normal intended range of the cartridge.

Buy whatever you want, as long as it's a CZ!

[6pt-sika]

My first Hornet was a Winchester model 43 . I had this when I was in high school and it actually shot pretty well with factory ammo !

Later I worked with a couple of the Ruger 77 Hornets (guns of friends) that were stainless , laminated with heavy barrels . And to be honest the Ruger 77's did not impress me with the Hornet round !

At the same time I owned a pair of Hornets myself . The first was an early Kimber 82 that shot very well ! Later after selling the Kimber I purchased a redone Winchester Pre 64 Model 70 of 1938 vintage . Without a doubt this IS the best shooting Hornet I have ever fired !

So if I were getting a NEW Hornet now I would go with the CZ over the Ruger 77 !

But on the other hand my pop is trying to acquire a LNIB Ruger #1 in 22 Hornet ! If he gets that one of course I'll have to give it a try and perhaps my opinion will change

[awp101]

Thanks!

The CZ already had the edge in my mind. The flush mag is merely an aesthetic preference on my part, certainly not a deal breaker, but if the two were comparable accuracy wise it could make the difference. If accuracy out of the box ISN'T comparable then the best shooter gets my nod.

Of course each firearm is a law unto itself, etc...

[Thunder50]

I think Savage did make their 340 in 22 Hornet. Found one earlier in the year, for $299.00 but the old saying , "you snooze, you lose". I snoozed.

[awp101]

I think Savage did make their 340 in 22 Hornet. Found one earlier in the year, for $299.00 but the old saying , "you snooze, you lose". I snoozed.

Yes they did and I saw one for $400 IIRC but I'm looking for a new rifle.

[electro]

awp101, I have owned a Ruger 77/22H since the mid 90's and it has been a decent rifle that looks better than it shoots. It has a tendency to throw occasional flyers which I have read is related to the bolt design. Randy at Connecticut Precision Chambering is supposed to be able to make the 77/22H shoot well, but I haven't had a chance to send it to him. I installed a Rifle Basix trigger and the trigger is now light and smooth instead of lawyer heavy like it came from the factory. I also own CZ 527's in .221 Fireball, .223, .204, and 7.62x39. The CZ's come with single set triggers which are much better than the Ruger trigger. The CZ's are in my opinion a better shooting rifle out of the box. Also, the CZ's come with rings from the factory. I have been meaning to buy a CZ 527 in .22 Hornet to have an updated version of my Brno Fox that I bought in the mid 80's. The Rugers can shoot, they just need a little polishing.

[neil mitchell]

I just bought a new CZ with 24in barrel and sold my Ruger 77/22H to my brother-in-law.I got the Ruger used and it took me awhile to find a load it liked (13.0gr Lil Gun and 45/50gr Hornady Hornet bullet. It will shoot a 3/8in,5/8in or 1/2in three round group at 100yds. Then it will shoot a 1 1/4in or 1 1/2in group the next time. I killed a doe with a head shot at 100yds last year with the Ruger.While working with the Ruger and researching the .22 Hornet I found out that Rugers were supposed to be poor/erratic shooters but CZ's were fantastic out of the box! I finally found a CZ and I'm still trying to get it to shoot as good as my Ruger.
My CZ has the 24in bbl which is supposed to produce higher MV than the short barreled Ruger, but NOT my CZ.
There is alot of info out there about the rate of twist also.
I haven't given up on my CZ yet!
PM me if you would like to call me and I may be able to save you some time on research.

Neil

[awp101]

Thanks all! Looks like I need to keep an eye out at the next funshow if the stars align just right over the next few weeks.

BTW electro,

[Pete44ru]

[I owned both a Ruger and a CZ .22 Hornet. I still own the CZ. It is easily one of the best firearms I have ever had my hands on. A joy to shoot.]

Me too !

BTW - Here's what I did about the CZ mag "problem".

I made it "go away".



A standard mag will still work, should I become overcome by some insurmountable need for more firepower.


[OTOH, the Ruger needs an adaptor for the scope mounts if you don't want to use theirs and IIRC the CZ should be set up out of the box for a Weaver style mount.]

BAAAHHH ! ! Wrong Answer(s) !

1) Burris, and other companies, now make sets of their rings with bottoms compatible with the Ruger receiver dovetails.

2) The CZ-527 needs a dedicated, non-Weaver ring, as it has it's own receiver dovetails, different from Ruger dovetails. Only one of the CZ receiver dovetails has a recess for a recoil lug protruding down from a ring bottom, whereas both Ruger receiver dovetails have/need the feature.
I used Burris rings, ILO CZ rings, on my Hornet.

.

[awp101]

BTW - Here's what I did about the CZ mag "problem".

I made it "go away".



A standard mag will still work, should I become overcome by some insurmountable need for more firepower.

Factory reduced capacity?

1) Burris, and other companies, now make sets of their rings with bottoms compatible with the Ruger receiver dovetails.

2) The CZ-527 needs a dedicated, non-Weaver ring, as it has it's own receiver dovetails, different from Ruger dovetails. Only one of the CZ receiver dovetails has a recess for a recoil lug protruding down from a ring bottom, whereas both Ruger receiver dovetails have/need the feature.
I used Burris rings, ILO CZ rings, on my Hornet.

.

Ah-ha I dinna know that, thanks!

[HEAD0001]

I have owned two Ruger 22 Hornets, and I got rid of both of them. I do not wish to knock the Ruger's openly. But I would avoid them. I do have one of the CZ LH 22 rifles. It is a good rifle. Not excellent, but good. There are not a lot of choices out there for a Hornet, but if it had to be a bolt then I would look at the CZ, Browning, or an older Kimber 82. Tom.

[Bronco]

+1 for the CZ
Love the single set trigger and also the true mini mauser action.
I have a friend who has a ruger and a cz. The only reason he still has the ruger is the his wife got it as an anniversary gift. Brings it out once in awhile just to show her that he still has it

John

[Pete44ru]

[Factory reduced capacity?]

Reduced capacity - yes; factory - no. The mag was shortened and the triangular webs in front of the trigger guard removed, then the tiny spots left by the removal touched-up with a cold blue that cannot be differentiated from the factory finish on the rest of the rifle.

BTW, electro - The CZ-527's don't "come with" CZ rings, unless the dealer oders them thusly - adding to the price.
I bought my M-527 spanky new, w/o rings.
The dealer had CZ rings, but I declined for two reasons: He wanted an extra $55 for the ringset, and they looked like they were dipped in acid - fugly.
I bought the very nicely finished Burris rings online for $31.

.

[electro]

Pete44ru, my .221 Fireball and .223 Americans came with rings as did the 7.62x39 Carbine, but my .204 Varmint did not come with rings. According to the CZ-USA website the CZ 527 Americans come with rings but the Varmints do not. The carbines they do not mention either way. I used Burris rings on my .204 Varmint and they work well. Cz is also making a reduced magazine CZ 527 in .223 called the M1 American. The Burris rings I bought here a decent price: http://www.shoptics.com/br-mt-czss.html#

[Pete44ru]

My CZ-527 is a Lux, and I've found pretty good pricing on optics and rings/mounts at: www.swfa.com - especially if what someone wants happens to be the monthly "special".

.

[crs]

awp101 -
I agree on the CZ and really like the reduced capacity mag.

A friend of mine bought a Ruger .22 H new when they came out and after shooting it, I thanked him and kept shooting my Savage turkey gun with .22H over a 12 G. It is heavy and ugly, but after a trigger job and a Bushnell Trophy Turkey scope, it is deadly on turkeys with Winchester factory ammo. With Hornady Vmax ammo, it did well on prairie dogs on last years pronghorn outing. I am taking it back to NM this weekend to pot prairie dogs after blasting a pronghorn with my 1895 .405.

My apologies to Pete44 ru, who's motto is "LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO SHOOT AN UGLY GUN". This old Savage is a beast, but very effective with either barrel. I will post a couple of pics after this hunt.

[Pete44ru]

[My apologies to Pete44 ru, who's motto is "LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO SHOOT AN UGLY GUN". This old Savage is a beast, but very effective with either barrel. I will post a couple of pics after this hunt.]

Thass allright, crs - no apologies needed.

As long as it works, it's beautiful !

It's only when that doesn't happen, that "life is like a box of chocolates".

.

[Gamekeeper Junior]

I have the Full Stock CZ-527 in Hornet. Imo its one of the nicest looking b/a rifles around and it shoots well too. I got a nice scope for it last week for my birthday but the dealer hadn't got any mounts to fit so i'm waiting for the CZ mounts to arrive from the official UK dealer. That should step it up another level as the iron sights it came with are funtional but very basic.