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Thread: Winchester 43 Hornet

  1. #21
    Boolit Grand Master


    Larry Gibson's Avatar
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    For best accuracy I suggest NSing the cases with either a bushing die or a Lee collet die. A standard FL die "partial resizing" can warp the thin necks when the expander is pulled through the unsupported neck. A FL die can be used successfully if the cases are deprimed as a separate step then partial sized to the depth of the seated bullet leaving the remainder of the neck fitted to the chamber neck. With a case up into the FL die size just that much then adjust the expander up until it just stops at the sized neck and then back off one turn of the stem. That way the neck can be supported by the die and will not be warped crooked.

    I use the Hornady 45 gr Hornet bullets almost exclusively in my Hornets. I've found loading them over 12.5 gr Lil'Gun in R-P cases with a SP primer is an excellent load and should run 2700 - 2800 fps out of your 20" barrel. Accuracy has always been excellent, as good as the rifle will shoot. In pressure testing (21" Contender Carbine barrel via Oehler m43 PBL) Winchester factory 46 JHP 22 Hornet ran 28,300 psi at 2514 fps. The 12.5 gr Lil'Gun under the 45 gr Hornady ran 22,800 psi at 2704 fps with the 10 shot test group measuring .585" ctc at 100 yards..
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  2. #22
    Boolit Buddy
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    I tend to stick with the Lee Collet Die for 22 Hornet. I have a CZ 527 and am getting 3,250 with the 40 V-max over Lil Gun. 1/2 minute accuracy once I traded my magazines out for Calhoon modified ones. I also have a 10 inch Contender barrel. Forget the load I use in it, I don’t shoot it much but it is super accurate. You don’t see many Oehler 33 any more, they are a great unit. We have a couple 35Ps and I still have a 33 that we still use some.

    Sometimes I take my Contender Hornet when shooting rockchucks, but more often either a Smith 41 with Herret grips and 5.5 inch field barrel or a 4.5 inch HD Military.

  3. #23
    Boolit Grand Master


    Larry Gibson's Avatar
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    To shoot ground squirrels (picket pins) while shooting rockchucks is exactly the reason I got my Contender with 10" 22 Hornet barrel back in the mid '80s. I was using a 6.5-280 (basically a 6.5 AI capacity wise) back in the '70s and '80s. The 6.5 was set up for long range and I just didn't shoot any rock chuck under 300 yards. Had an area where I could do a walk about and get a lot of shooting in. When shooting the rockchucks from a usual prone position the picket pins seemed oblivious to the muzzle blast and would pop up from 25 to way out there. I took to carrying the Contender with a 6X pistol scope on it and a Harris pistol bipod in my small backpack. When in position I would set it on the bipod alongside me and when the 'chucks were down way out the (usually I shot the 'chucks from 4-500 yards to 800 yards) I'd engage the ground squirrels. Used a lot of 225415s for a quiet 22LR equivalent load on them out to 100 yards. However, occasionally, after developing confidence with the Contender would use a 40 or 45 gr jacketed bullet out to 200 - 250 yards on the fatter ones doing the "Budha".
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  4. #24
    Boolit Buddy
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    It is late in the season here now, it has been so cold that not a lot of shooting has been getting done this year. I was camping with my kids this weekend and going to the rodeo, but we also got some hiking etc in. This evening we saw shootable colonies, but the kids were too tired to go to our RV 45 minutes away and get rifles and come back and shoot. So daughter #2 and I are coming over next weekend expressly to shoot chucks.

    The following weekend we will be watching Indian Relay Friday - Sunday, so the weekend after that I will be back. That late in the season I climb up into the talus slopes and sit waiting for a rifle shot down into the hay meadows every once in a while. That is when I get most of my shooting with a pistol. If a chuck comes out near by I will take a shot with whatever pistol I have along.

    We got north of 200 last weekend shooting mostly 17 Hornet CZ American rifles, but I got about 20 from a hide in a veal pen 20-25 yards from a couple trash piles shooting my HD Military. I was shooting from behind the pallets the pen was made from and the chucks were clueless.

    I’m hoping to take the 43 next weekend. I have the K12 Weaver mounted and bore sighted and it looks fantastic. I will get home tomorrow morning and that only leaves me Wed & Thurs evening to get it to the range though.

  5. #25
    Boolit Master Jim22's Avatar
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    Are you near Omak? I never got into shooting varmints. My dad told me I had to eat what I catch.

    Jim

  6. #26
    Boolit Buddy
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    Haven’t been north yet this year. We will be in Omak Stampede Week. I’m headed back over Friday and may make a run up to Okanogan County this weekend.

    I’m basing our RV at Sunland from March - September now. I had been keeping it in Eburg. We have been mostly shooting down by Tri Cities this year so far.

    The weather hasn’t been too cooperative. Normal years I move the RV around on weekends. This year we have been staying the night at Sunland.

  7. #27
    Boolit Master almar's Avatar
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    I just found this thread and its pretty interesting because i just got a 1949 model 43 in 22 hornet. I haven't shot it yet the barrel looks a little rough near the chamber end in the rifling...so i spent a good part of the day wondering if i could have a barrel made for it if this one doesn't shoot and here is the answer. So its an option...
    Last edited by almar; 09-09-2022 at 05:08 PM.
    “It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we must do what is required.”
    ― Winston S. Churchill

  8. #28
    Boolit Buddy
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    I bought a second basket case Model 43 in 218 Bee. It too had been on a fishing boat. The exterior of the receiver and barrel cleaned up nicely by rolling them over my bench stones, but the bore does have some pitting. I am of the same opinion as Denis Olson, we both think it will shoot. But then along came a chance to buy a pristine 218 barrel, so that is what is now on the barreled action. I just picked it up from Denis along with my Hornet heavy barrel barreled action. The extraction problem is now fixed.

    When I get home I will need to redo the bedding of the recoil lug/front action screw stud because it’s now dead straight. So, since my arm is still in a cast it may be January before it’s back together.

    I need to finish inletting the semi inletted stock for the 218 and finish it too, but I am really confident both will be ready my mid March and rockchuck season.

    I also now have two barrels and most everything I need except receivers for two more Model 43s in Hornet and Bee. The Hornet barrel is in almost new condition inside and out. If I find a receiver and the pitted Bee barrel doesn’t shoot well enough I will have it rebored to 33-20. Either way, it’s blued and on the outside is a real nice looking barrel.

    The 218 basket case came with what was left of a factory installed Lyman 57A and I have most of what it was lacking. What I don’t have is available from Lyman. I’m going to put it back on the 218 rifle. I will use the rifle with a scope, but it will be cool to have it there.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check