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April 15, 2005
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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
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
December 9, 2002
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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
April 15, 2005
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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
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
March 31, 2009
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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 77.
April 15, 2005
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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
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
November 7, 2015
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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
April 15, 2005
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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
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
April 30, 2023
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All Mark needs is a down payment, let’s get it going!
March 31, 2009
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Bert H. said
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
I messed up the SAAMI page. It should be 77 not 64. The page says it is 64 but when searching you have to consider all the pages before #1 too.
I guess I wasn’t clear. Using the max OAL may not fit in some chambers. Like Bert’s fat bullet example. The chamber has what is called a free bore area where the end of the neck and the bullet sits. This length changes if different bullet weight/lengths are available. Usually the free bore is set for the longest available bullet. After the free bore the chamber has an area where the chamber reduces down to meet the rifling. This area may be where Bert’s bullet gets hung up? Early Hornet dimensions often didn’t meet the current SAAMI spec. If there was one? If you look at the top of the SAAMI page it says Issued 5/1979 and Revised 2/2023.
You will see that the Hornet cartridge was developed during an era where SAAMI may not haven been involved. The Hornet appeared in the 1930’s.
Read these.
https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/the-22-hornet-history-performance/
April 15, 2005
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I load my Single Shot (custom built Winder Musket) K-Hornet with 14.0 grains of Lil’Gun under a 35-gr V-Max bullet and get 3,525 fps out of the 28-inch barrel.
In my Model 70 SG K-Hornet I load it with 13.5 grains of Lil-Gun and am getting 3,330 fps.
Both rifles will cleanly eradicate varmints out to 300 yards with no problem!
This is a copy of Winchester’s original blue print drawing for the 22 Hornet barrels made for the Single Shot;
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
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