doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Help .22 Hornet Improved Neidner Questions

I have a chance to buy an 1885 Winchester serial number 157xx mfg. in 1887, and chambered in the .22 Hornet Improved Neidner. MY QUESTION: The gentlemen who has the rifle says a regular .22 HORNET WILL NOT CHAMBER in it. If not, how is the improved cartridge formed? Does anyone know more about this cartridge, I am familiar with the K or [Kilbourn] Hornet but this one is new to me. I'm assuming you cannot fire a regular .22 Hornet and fireform the case as on an ACKLEY CARTRIDGE. Help! TIA Jerry

I wonder if the Niedner chamber was a tight neck so Hornet brass would have to be neck sized before fire forming.

Michael is off line for a few days; he probably knows the full story.

A rifle of this age would not have been chambered for the Hornet, rather it would have been 22WCF. If this chamber was "improved", it would have left the rim recess too shallow to accept modern Hornet cases(Hornet cases have thicker rims to prevent chambering in 22WCF chambers).On the other hand it may be something else.
Mike

Jerry
Will he let you cast the chamber?If the price is rite it may be a bargain seing there is no amunition.Hornet brass is still plentifull. Buy it on its condition no amo should be a bargaining point.

Here is the dimensions of the two.

22 Hornet



22Hornet Improved Niedner

You won't know diddly squat without a chamber cast. Went thru this drill with a "Mashburn" Bee, long story short, there's more than one version.

I agree with Craigster that a chamber cast is needed, but a great deal can be learned by "smoking",or coating with "dykem"/magic marker a 22 Hornet and try to chamber it. Where the smoke/coating is rubbed off will show where the interference is.
Mike