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August 21, 2014
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In the Book Classic Sporting Rifles printed by Gun Digest 2012,
There is a reprint of an article from 1989 by Holt Bodinson that discusses his experiences with a Wincheter model 65 in .218 Bee with the original bolt mounted peep sight; a Winchester 64 in 219 Zipper; Winchester 1892s in 25-20 & 32-20; as well as others re-chambered.
It reminds me that Winchester lever guns are a very practical tool.
Periodically I enjoy re-reading it.
You may have already enjoyed the article.
Life Member WACA & NRA
August 27, 2014
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Good friend hunted squirrels for years here in PA with a M70 chambered for the 22 Hornet
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
April 15, 2005
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Tedk said
Good friend hunted squirrels for years here in PA with a M70 chambered for the 22 Hornet
It is extremely hard to improve on a good 22 Hornet for a small game rifle! The U.S. Military very purposefully selected it for their survival rifles.
Bert (a serious 22 Hornet aficionado)
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
January 20, 2023
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Agreed. I can’t think of one that’s better. In States where rifles are legal for turkey, it has long been the cartridge of choice. In Central Europe it is ( or was, the last time I checked) commonly used for Roe deer.
Personally, I’ve taken more Rio Grande gobblers and some Fall hens where legal, with Hornet rifles than with anything else, using a Kimber 82 and then an Anschutz. Sadly I’ve never blooded their replacement, a #1.
Loaded down, its better and cheaper to shoot than the rimfire magnum and can be loaded to replicate the old 22.Special/WRF, the best rimfire edible small game cartridge ever made.
Loaded up with the new 35 grain Hornady stuff (that Bert put me onto) it is a terrific varmint devastator.
Given the current cost of ammunition and components, the Hornet will do more for less than any cartridge I can think.of.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
May 22, 2024
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In this area, a Levergun in 32-20 was very popular for our parents and grandparents as the only family gun for deer, turkey, and squirrels, i,ve known quite a few raised that way! Ky only outlawed centerfire for small game, I forget exactly, 12-15 years ago. The fame of the 22 Hornet for Turkey is well accepted, but the 30-30 is close to it!
Not that the 32-20 was favored for squirrels specifically, but when out just hunting anything, it was used!
January 20, 2023
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The 32/20 was commonly seen as a deer rifle in prewar Texas. Our neighbor, an old half-Comanche cowboy who came to work a refinery job, had been the oldest child of a large family in West Texas during the Great Depression. Not enough food to go around. In 1932 his Dad gave him.a horse, his own Colt SAA 38/40 and the family’s Model 92 carbine 32/20 and told him.to go seek his fortune. Ive shot both those guns and the man assured me the carbine had accounted for much “wild beef” and any number of chicken’- stealing coyotes and hawks, and was the instrument used to put down hogs and steers for slaughter.
Now, in the Nineteen Thirties, Texas Whitetails were not numerous and most wouldn’t field dress a hundred pounds. West Texas was in the Dust Bowl and deer were about as scrawny as the people.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
November 7, 2015
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Sadly, the concept of a small game rifle is lost in much of Texas where a target of opportunity may be bigger than the hunter (pretty big in my case!). The feral hogs I lovingly call “piggies” occasionally have a tendency “run both ways” so I’ll always avail myself to a primary shootin’ iron that will eliminate that tendency. I love my 32WCF and 38WCF 92’s but at my age I realize piggies are a bit quicker than I am. I generally have a large bore handgun close by, and I’m still pretty quick with that but I’m no adrenalin junkie and I don’t heal as fast as I used to.
I love the “small game” centerfires for another reason, they are fun and cheap to shoot for a reloader who casts bullets. When rimfire ammo was scarce and expensive I could shoot my 32 and 38 (40) caliber 92’s cheaper than most good rimfire ammo. In my case it’s a moot point as I’ve been through rimfire ammo (and primer and CF ammo) shortages before and still shoot all I want.
The small game centerfires will certainly kill Texas white tails, in some cases (like S.Texas brush country) the trick is finding where that “dead” deer crawled off to. I’m a pretty good tracker but I have lost a couple. As much as I like the old 1873 and 1892 cartridges I like the quick and humane kills delivered by modern, high velocity cartridges.
Mike
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