TXGunNut said
I think we can agree an 1873 in 22WCF was a great idea and would have been a pretty cool rifle to have today. As much as I like 22RF's I think the 22WCF makes more sense. I'm thinking Bert needs to have Mark build him a fantasy 1873 in 22 K-Hornet. 
 
Mike
  

Now that would be real cool!  I already have a Single Shot and a Bolt Action 22 K-Hornet... why not a Lever Action as well

This is why I really like the K-Hornet over the standard Hornet;

Bert

Mike

That's totally correct lMHO...  The "H" and "u" are typical barrel inspection stamps.  I've spent way too much time studying M70 inspection stamps... The "triangle I", "2"  and "3"  inspection stamps on the bedding flat are on most everything up to about 1952...  Much longer time than the "triangle I" stamp lasted on any other M70 part...

If anyone is interested,  this is what it should look like...  If you disagree, PLEASE educate me!!!

Lou

Chuck said

Bert H. said
For those that are curious, the following picture shows the official dimensions for the 22 Hornet as introduced in 1930.  Note that the only difference between it and the 22 WCF is the OAL and a .001" difference in the case neck diameter.
 
Bert
  

I got the first OAL from Donnally’s book. Nonte says 1.72″. But here’s the thing, chamber dimensions are often a range not an exact number. Different reamers, different bullet lengths and different seating depths. It is best to measure your chamber.  OAL is critical for making sure it will cycle through your action or fit in a magazine.  The Hornet started out as a Wildcat like the K Hornet.  Winchester was the first to standardize it. Who knows what other manufacturers do.
The current Saami spec shows the OAL as 1.630" to 1.723".
https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SAAMI-Z299.4-CFR-2025-Centerfire-Rifle-Approved-2-10-2025-2026-04-27.pdf  GO TO PAGE 64.
  

My original point is that 1.723" is the maximum listed OAL by all of the many different sources (Hornady, Lyman, Nosler, Remington, Sierra, Speer, etc.). 

The biggest influence (factor) for the OAL that I have found is the bullet type (shape). For the blunt nosed bullets (typically used for the 22 Hornet), the OAL must be kept very close to the SAAMI specs.  However, when I load using the Hornady 40-grain V-Max, I can seat them as far out as 1.82" (I load them at 1.815"), but I have to single feed them as they are too long for the magazine.

Bert

Bert H. said
For those that are curious, the following picture shows the official dimensions for the 22 Hornet as introduced in 1930.  Note that the only difference between it and the 22 WCF is the OAL and a .001" difference in the case neck diameter.

 
Bert
  

I got the first OAL from Donnally’s book. Nonte says 1.72″. But here’s the thing, chamber dimensions are often a range not an exact number. Different reamers, different bullet lengths and different seating depths. It is best to measure your chamber.  OAL is critical for making sure it will cycle through your action or fit in a magazine.  The Hornet started out as a Wildcat like the K Hornet.  Winchester was the first to standardize it. Who knows what other manufacturers do.

The current Saami spec shows the OAL as 1.630" to 1.723".

https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SAAMI-Z299.4-CFR-2025-Centerfire-Rifle-Approved-2-10-2025-2026-04-27.pdf  GO TO PAGE 64.

Yup... That's the right floor plate. If the front sight is 0.310" tall as you say, then everything about your gun looks period correct to me except the added receiver sight.  Like the one I posted yesterday, I can't find fault.  I just can't prove the factory put it together...

BTW... Did you ever take it out of the stock?  If not, don't do it on my account, there's nothing to prove.  But if you did, I'm curious if the barrel is stamped "SUPER" underneath and whether there are any other numbers (besides "1906", "triangle I" inspection mark, and barrel date) stamped on the barrel or in the stock barrel channel. 

I know that pre-war barrels are not supposed to be stamped "SUPER" (and the vast majority are not), but I've seen a handful of pre-war and transition guns that are stamped and they're often guns with special order features.  Rarely there are other things (order or assembly numbers?) stamped as well.  But I don't know if they're "real" or not...

Cheers,

Lou

Anthony said
Bert,
I find this interesting as I'm sure others do! I most certainly didn't try to hijack the thread previously with the added information, and pics of the #779 S.S. that you mentioned. 
I also like, and find it interesting, what Jim and Steve added previously.
Tony
  

Your post about S.S. #779 was completely germane to this topic, as it was the first Single Shot rifle chambered for the (new at that time) 22 W.C.F. cartridge.  Some of the real early Winchester literature actually listed it as the "22 Single Shot" cartridge, as it was specifically developed for that model.  I simply found it very interesting that Winchester apparently thought that they were going to add it to the Model 1873 line-up.

Bert

I sure do like you're example and find the knowledgeable comments interesting once again. My first thought we're when I saw it yesterday was I would probably gone after it, if I liked the asking price! 

I was glad to see a couple expert members help us out with they're knowledge.

Thanks for Sharing!

Tony

I find this interesting as I'm sure others do! I most certainly didn't try to hijack the thread previously with the added information, and pics of the #779 S.S. that you mentioned. 

I also like, and find it interesting, what Jim and Steve added previously.

Tony

Bert

I'm going to get in trouble here, b/c I'm going to contradict the "Gospel according to Rule" and agree with the lesser known tenant of Dean Whitaker...

There's a difference between Standard rifles and Super Grades.  Standard rifles were originally all 20-line checkered.  The factory authorized the change to 18-line checkering in 1941, but either the "memo" didn't reach the factory floor before WWII hostilities broke out, or they had a healthy inventory of already finished standard stocks, b/c you can encounter 20-line checkered stocks at least into 1947 (mixed with 18-line after 1941).

Super Grades OTOH...  Both 20-line and 18-line checkering was used from the beginning.  According to Whitaker, it was up to the checkerer and based on whether they thought the wood could handle the finer wrap-around pattern.  Rule just says that Super Grades (like Standards) were all 20-line before 1941. 

The best evidence I have that Whitaker is correct stems from the position of the front sling swivel base relative to the black fore end tip.  Initially the swivel base was further forward such that its front edge was only about 1/4" from the black tip.  This apparently led to wood splitting between the swivel base and fore end tip, so pretty early on the swivel was moved back to leave about 5/8" of wood in that location.  Best I can tell, these "later" SG stocks appear in good numbers in early 1938, although the "early" stocks can be found on guns well into 1939.  So IMHO the front swivel position is a way to "date" pre-war SG stocks (since stocks aren't dated).

So what's that go to do with checkering?  Looking at stocks with the early swivel position (c. 1936-1938), you can find either 20-line or 18-line checkering.  Same is true of pre-war SG stocks with the later swivel position, but they're harder to date.  For example, in my gun room I have three Super Grades with the early swivel position.  The earliest, S/N 3789 (early 1937) has 18-line checkering, while S/Ns 13264 (early 1938) and 26401 (1939) have 20-line checkering.  The SG Carbine I posted yesterday, S/N 21064 (1939) also has the early swivel position and 20-line checkering.  I do not believe any of these guns were re-checkered at any point.  Small sample, I know, but I've also discussed this with some dealer friends (Dave Morris and Justin Hale) and their observations coincide with mine (and Whitakers).

So, short story is that in my opinion, the 18-line checkering on Roger's SG Carbine stock is period correct...

Just my take,

Lou

Louis Luttrell said
 The SG stock (with 18-line checkering and later front swivel position) is appropriate for the 1941 date. . . . . .

Louis . . . I thought all pre-war M70s had 20-line checkering . . . .as does my December 1939 M70 Hornet?