Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Savage/Stevens 340,342....ect in 22 Hornet

How do they shoot? What bullets do you use in them. ---I just picked up a very nice one for $300.

I think they shoot great.

Mine is a 342. It did not shoot well when I first got it, throwing rounds all over the place with cheap store bought ammo. Muzzle was damaged due to a large ding pushing into the bore. I assume older-than-dirt previous owner dropped it while putting it in gunsafe. I used a piloted countersink (source: airplane mfg'ing) to do a bubba-grade crown, and it made a difference. Mounted with a really crappy Bushnell 4-12X scope in a Weaver #1 ring/base.

Last trip to the range was several years ago. I shot from the bench at 100yds, and covered the holes made by 10 shots with a quarter coin, and more than one group like that for the day. For me, that is good accuracy. I used 35gr Hornady VMax, H-110 powder, CCI small rifle primers. IIRC, Winchester brass.

I had purchased a box of 500 new Hornet cases. Just for grins, I focused on ensuring uniformity; this was my target and varmint rifle, after all. I trimmed to uniform length and inspected each case, then used a balance to sort by weight. I loaded batches based on same weight cases, of course. Powder charge was weighted, also. (I don't know how I found the time.)

Uh, just for general info, you probably don't want to bother loading Hornady 70gr match BTs ahead of IMR4350.

Model 340s in 22 Hornet used to be everywhere, now you seldom
see them, and they are usually pretty rough from being used
as ranch/truck guns. I would say $300 isnt bad at all.

Hey, they shoot great. Picked up a like new 340 a few years ago for $325 OTD. Had a dirty Weaver 3/4 inch 4x scope on it. Could barely see thru the scope. Bench tested it with some ammo I had long ago worked up for a Sako 78, just to see if it would shoot before I put more money into a better scope and mount. Well, it shot 3/4 MOA with the old scope, which is a little better than the Sako shot. That is more than good enough for anything I am going to do with it.

The load was a 45gr hornet bullet with 11.2gr of H4227 for 2550fps. I think the bullet was Sierra, but it could have been Hornady. OAL 1.8.

I was visiting with my stockmaker last month when a fellow brought in a pretty well beat up Savage hornet with that horrid side mount and a old weaver V with a chipped ocular bell. He says this was Grampa's rifle. I want it reblued, stock oil finished and checkered, and while your at it, How about making a decent scope base and install a new VX-2. He laid several nice new C notes down as a deposit. I asked him why??????????? His rely: "Because I can". The rifle will be done in April. I can't wait to see it.

My Savage 340 is in .222 Remington and is extremely accurate and a pleasure to shoot. Mounted an inexpensive Simmons "Whitetail classic" 6.5-20X50 AO scope and have no complaints.

The 340 seems to be plentiful and reasonably cheap I bought mine in a gunshop a few year's ago for very little money compared to it's quality and preformance.

Rainy day here in N.J. , took a ride to check a local gun store picked up a Savage 340 in 30/30 in 98% condition. Has the dockendroff rear sight. Paid $200 plus tax and background check , total of $230. Now I'll be searching for a #175 tang sight. this gun has to be worth this money. Its an older one with no serial number. Bore is perfect!

I just traded off a 222 just like Eocbob1. I could shoot clay pigeons at 200 yards consistanly. The only draw back is the trigger. Not alot you can do to improve it. The 222's can be found between $225 -$250.

Sounds like a good grab riverpines, hope its a shooter.

Bought a 340 in 30-30 for 150.00 a short time ago and it will put 3 shots about 1" most times with factory ammo. Would like to find one in 22 Hornet to add to the collection as well.

Savage 340s, like Remington 788s, are "sleepers" that will often outshoot MUCH more expensive rifles. Keep looking for the Hornet; they aren't common any more but you will find one. Probably not for $150, tho. That's a good price for just about any commercial centerfire rifle!