6mm Long Bosquette

[Wayne Smith]

Anyone know anything about it?? A St. Etienne training rifle is on Gunbroker originally listed as 22 Hornet but a warning is listed stating that the original caliber was 6mm Long. No, I have no intention of investing $600 into an unknown French gun!

It's curiosity only at this point. I won't have a chance to look in my resources until tonite after work, to see if I have anything about it.

[Gar]

It's basically a Subsonic 22 Long Rifle. The rifle was available in several cartridges. Here a link to more information on the rifle.

http://rifleman.org.uk/Lebel_training_rifle.htm

[Wayne Smith]

Thank you. That article says it was also chambered in "the Winchester .22 centerfire cartridge" -would that be the British description of the Hornet? Do the dates match up? I.e. When was the Hornet developed? I've read it but don't remember offhand.

[Mk42gunner]

The .22WCF is not really the same as the Hornet, it dates from the late 1880's and used a slightly larger diameter projectile. 0.226 or .228" I believe. However, I think you can use .22 Hornet brass to load for the .22 WCF.

It certainly wasn't bandied about that the Hornet and the .22WCF were virtually the same cartridge, I guess nobody wanted anyone to try firing a hot loaded Hornet in an ole possibly weak actioned gun chambered for the WCF round.

Robert

[EDG]

It might have a known chamber but that does not mean the bore is a usable diameter.

[Wayne Smith]

I had asked the guy selling it if he new the chamber, he answered that "to the best of my knowledge it's a 22 Hornet". I told him the original chambers were rimfire and 22WCF but who knows what reamer might have been run into it in it's lifetime. I also told him I thought he had it overpriced as a French training rifle of unknown caliber and anyone who buys it is gambling.

[Gar]

Without doing a camber casting, there isn't anyway to tell for sure. Most likely it is a 22WCF, since the original rifle did come cambered in that caliber and it is very close to 22 Hornet dimensions. As far as his asking price, you can ask for anything, don't mean you're going to get it. I vaguely remember an importer selling these rifles two or three years ago that were "New" in the arsenal wrapping for $600. Don't remember which cartridge they were cambered for.