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  #11  
Old 04-01-2019, 12:10 AM
barretcreek barretcreek is offline
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Was going to make some snide comments about finding a Sedgley converted 1922.... I'll sign on with the Hornet fans recommending an Anschutz or CZ. Unless the desire is to get a period rifle to go with the vintage cartridge, the current manufacture will give a lot more value.
The only drawback to the current rifles is limited cartridge o.a.l. due to magazine restrictions.
Had a 77 Hornet but got rid of it.
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  #12  
Old 04-01-2019, 01:04 AM
bcp bcp is offline
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I haven't had a M70 Hornet since the early 60's. I think it had a long bolt guide on the left side that made the stroke the right length for the Hornet.


Bruce
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  #13  
Old 04-01-2019, 02:05 AM
rick w. rick w. is offline
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In single shots for the hornet, a couple come to mind; the Ruger no.1 and the Winchester 1885(new or old). The Winchester is more pricey than the Ruger, bought half dozen No.1 hornets over the years for 400 a pop, use for donors now. Never owned the new Winchester, but ones handled were nice.

The Dakota 10 in a hornet is pretty nice, but priced like a custom.

Lower cost single shots might include the old Savage 219, the H&R, or the Contender set up as a rifle. The break actions are a bit cumbersome shooting off the bench, and usually the triggers are fairly basic.

In bolt guns, the first one that comes to mind is the CZ or BRNO, the clip can be made flush to the wood if needbe or even with a single shot follower. Single set or double set triggers were around or still may be.

The martini cadet can make into a nice hornet. Trying to be sensitive about rules etc; but a nice redone cadet or martini can make a dilly hornet.

I like the Ruger 77 in a hornet, but it will try you some. Will usually require some touching in barrelling, breeching, beddding, and triggering. Once sorted out, nice as most in my opinion, but you gotta get there on your own.

A Krico in hornet is a nice rifle, but fairly rare around these parts.

The pre64 hornet is an adapted big game rifle to the little case. Special parts have to be present in said action to feed. The stroke of the bolt in a factory hornet pre64 model 70 is controlled in length to the hornet's length. Some people like a full sized rifle no matter the chambering, some don't; up to you there I reckon. I have one that sports extra barrels, 17 and K'd; but I like full sized specimens.

If I was going to build up a hornet, I think I would give some thought to the K'd model and headspace on the shoulder primarily, just an opinion. Hornet rims vary some from vendor to vendor, lot to lot, and sorting is not my cup of tea anymore.

There was a Winchester 54 made in hornet as well, but only seen two myself in my tenure. Kinda a predecessor to the 70, but a bit plainer in the trigger area.
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  #14  
Old 04-01-2019, 02:26 AM
Teddy Bear Rat Teddy Bear Rat is offline
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Great list and assessment of the respective options and characteristics. I would add the Walther KKJ to the mix, and even Melvin Forbes will make a very nice little single shot NULA boltgun for you...for about what a Dakota M10 or Lil’ Sharps will set you back The KOA Kimbers can be exceedingly accurate, but sometimes exceedingly disappointing as well.
I’ve owned pretty much all of them, and the Dakota is likely my favorite, though my current is a .218 Bee.
TBR
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  #15  
Old 04-01-2019, 02:36 AM
rick w. rick w. is offline
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Yeah, getting old; forgot about the Walter KKJ...........a nice rifle indeed. The little Sharps is a killer.......... :-)

Guess I could have offered on this site especially, the Cooper. A nice semi custom.

Some thought here has been given to modifying a BSA martini international to centerfire Khornet. Somewhat more easy now to venure into with what I hear about an extractor from OKC being available. Martini extractors as a whole, kinda scarce at times; making one up from billet takes time.
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  #16  
Old 04-01-2019, 12:11 PM
Glenn Arner Glenn Arner is offline
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Default 22 Hornets

I have had many Hornets over the years, including several M70s. Found they were all fairly accurate without any modifications. Had one open to K Hornet and has been one of my favorite PD rifles. As other members had stated the bolt throw is shortened to Hornet length

The M43 with the rimfire action as well as the Kimber 82s were a lottery ticket as far as accuracy was concerned

My most accurate Hornet is a early Model 38 Cooper
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  #17  
Old 04-01-2019, 03:56 PM
kenbro kenbro is offline
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Hi all,
Thanks for the many varied replies.
I had a KKJ in 1968, but that’s long gone.
My prefered choice now would be a 1885 LW, but I doubt there’s even one in all the UK in Hornet cal.
I have a choice of a couple Annies, a Baikel break barrel and the pre ‘64 Win.
The chap with the Winchester says a bore scope shows some pitting just ahead of the chamber area (24inch Barrel) and some of it is also visible to the naked eye, also some lesser internal marking nearer to the muzzle. Guy wants £500 ($670) for rifle. This rifle only has the Winchester marks in an oval stamped on the barrel or action, so, it would need to go to the proof house before he could sell it.Proofing costs about $100 including shipping.
Does that price sound reasonable considering the condition?
Regards,Ken.
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  #18  
Old 04-01-2019, 04:23 PM
Glenn Arner Glenn Arner is offline
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Default M70 hornet

$670 sounds quite reasonable to me. Action and stock would be worth that plus on an auction site. M70 in 22 Hornet are quite hard to find, many were converted to 222 Rem in the 50s and 60s

The "proofing" seems to me like a government scam to keep you safe.
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  #19  
Old 04-01-2019, 05:27 PM
TinMan TinMan is offline
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That price might compete with a CZ, but certainly far less than an Anschutz. Even post 64 M70's have gone way up since the Winchester/USRAC facility in Connecticut was closed several years ago.
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  #20  
Old 04-01-2019, 06:47 PM
Teddy Bear Rat Teddy Bear Rat is offline
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While many Winchester fans in the US, me included, would dearly love to buy that M70 for $670+$100, if even for just the action, and while it's tempting to encourage you to do so, there is apparently no collector market for M70 Hornets in UK, so we get back to what would be the best rifle as a shooter. For reasons already stated, the large-for-the-cartridge M70 is not really a good fit, and they really are not known for being tack-hole shooters. Add to that the pitting, and I would not really recommend that M70.

Since even older Anschutz rifles in Europe seem to hold little value, and since, in my experience, the Anschutz barrels have always been very good, with the Hornets being no exception, I think I would recommend the Anschutz as being most likely to give you the best chance for top accuracy with a very good trigger in an eminently handy repeating field rifle. You mentioned preferably a single shot, though, so, if being a single shot and shooting from a bench is more important than being a handy repeater, I would try to find a Walther KJS (at least that's what some called them here). They were for Running Boar competition and could be had with either Walther's Match trigger or the DST. I had one with the Match trigger that shot very well. The chamber was tighter than most, as I recall. Those rifles also featured a unique starburst-like crown, so, if that's missing, it isn't original.
Here's mine from a few years back, posing behind the ubiquitous KKJ:


Good luck,
TBR
P.S. I'm with you on a single shot, as they usually allow the use of the longer, more aerodynamic plastic tipped BTs and VMaxs...that also happen to be extremely frangible and much flatter shooting.

Last edited by Teddy Bear Rat; 04-01-2019 at 06:54 PM.
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