Not realy sure where this topic fits... Small Calibre Rifles, Drillings, Reloading, Gunsmithing or Hunting, but as I know this forum we'll try here first...

I have an old drilling with an obsolete rifle calibre (9.3x65R Collath) under a double 12 bore. I have decided to have the rifle barrel sleeved down for a .22 Hornet - due to the thickness of the barrel I don't think I will get away with anything bigger.

However, I overheard a comment recently that the K Hornet can be stoked up to Scottish Roe Deer legal limits (ME1000 ft/lbs, MV2450 ft/s, min 50gr bullet). This got me thinking. If these Scottish Roe laws come to England - which it seems is fairly likely - my drilling in a deer legal K Hornet would be a very handy tool to have.

So my question to anyone out there who knows about these things is can a K Hornet really make it to these sort of ballistic figures and if so do you consider this to be humane enough for Roe?

Regards

451

You might want to read all of the comments on this thread before you sleeve the barrel. It looks like you might be able to get some ammo for the rifle as it is.

http://thehunterslife.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5818

analog_peninsula,

Thanks for your reply.
I did look into getting some ammo made for it some time ago, but I was having problems with the supplier so eventully gave up. The barrel seems pretty thin by todays standards and I am slightly nervous about putting a cartridge like the 9.3x65 down a 100+ year old gun! Thats why I made the decision to go for a 22 Hornet.

451

22 Hornet for roe deer? IMO the minimum caliber would be 243 Win. even if MY minimun caliber is 270 Win. Go figure!

Not sure about the legal minimum for Roe in the UK but I use a Kriko 22 Hornet to Kill farmed Rusa deer (size of a Red Hind)at around 80m no problem providing placed in the Head or Arm Pitt.
ozhunter

Shooter 451, please don´t bugger up that lovely drilling of yours by sleeving the barrel, it will most likely work just fine with the right and proper ammo, get a german contact and the rest will be history.

If you insist on getting it sleeved look at the 6x70R from Norma instead of the .22 hornet, the round is a lowpressure round ie an bleistiftpatronen, german for leadpencilround that will give you a better effect on roe deer and a good looking round at that.

As I am currently reloading for the .22 Hornet I should tell you that it´s a bit finicky and ewerything is tiny..

Best of luck now and would you like som help locating ammo please pm mee and I will aid you the best I can.

/C

I agree with everyone here. Don't spend money to mess up your old drilling. Surley this ammo can be found.

If you want a sleaved barrel then you can simply buy an einstucklauf from most sources in Germany and your options will be much greater. You can get them chambered for .22 lf up to .222 as well as the hornet and in some cases even larger calibers.

In my honest opinion, even thinking of shooting deer of muntjac or CWD size deer, with a rifle calibre so small, from a rifle with open sights and no second shot if it all goes wrong , is madness.

Yes, a Hornet will kill deer of that size. But with a well placed shot. Taking pot-shots at deer with an antique, will not do serious deer management any favours.

Word on the street is that the 22s will not apply to roe but only to muntjac and CWD which in effect makes them extremely specialist and as the legal use is likely to be during May to end July for those with muntjac and no roe.....

The legal requirements should they mirror Scotland will in practice mean a minimum of a 50gr bullet at 3000fps or more. From what I have seen no K hornet is capable of that.

Old guns do better with higher capacity cases loaded to lower pressure. Classic rounds for such use would be the 5.6x52R (excellent but the odd bullet diameter is rather limiting - it's 227 or something weird like that) or the 5.6x50Rmag (fantastic round)

With a scope and a little care the use of single shots for deer is acceptable. You are never likely to use such a gun for the majority of your stalking but it can be fun to take a single shot out for a change. I have a single shot blaser K95 in 5.6x50Rmag (scoped) that I use for fun in Scotland. I limit my shots to under 200 yards with little wind and ensure I have a darn good rest. Under such conditions it's fun and extremely lethal. Bullet choice and shot placement is important.

Not all deer management has to be serious, it's good to go for a walk with something different and use it should the conditions be right. You must however do so in the clear knowledge that if a medal buck shows outside of those parameters that you will stick to your previously self imposed limits!

quote:

Originally posted by 1894mk2:
Not all deer management has to be serious, it's good to go for a walk with something different and use it should the conditions be right. You must however do so in the clear knowledge that if a medal buck shows outside of those parameters that you will stick to your previously self imposed limits!

Wise words!

451

Following on .... I have to say one of the things that prompted my to start this discussion was the other evening when I was out rough shooting with my 20 bore. I came across a lovely CWD only 20 yards from me. We both stood there checking each other out for what seemed like ages before he decided I wasn't friendly and made a run for it.

It was one of those moments when just every thing was just right... apart from the gun in my hands!

451

This is my first entry in this forum, plenty of good advice given. It would be a shame to mess up your double, 22 hornet not capable of being madw deer legal anyway. As for centre-fire 22 being made deer legal in England/Wales, much promised by authorities- but don't hold your breath