I was reloading my prewar hornet tonight and figured while I had it out I might as well snap a few photos. This rifle is so fun to shoot and accurate as well. Hope you enjoy.

That is beautiful!
Pete

Great rifle! Nice period scope and mounts. Are the mounts Tilden? Good pics......
I am green with envy.......... Grant.

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

Beautiful rifle, workmanship instead of plastic, very nice!

In today's money, I am sure it cost a fortune back then!

It's a Weaver 330 in Stith Mounts.

That is a VERY beautiful and classic rifle.
Probably the most desireable Hornet ever produced.
I just bought a Model 54 in 22 Hornet; haven't shot it yet.

Don

Beautiful rifle. You have to love the M70. FWIW, however, I find the M70 and its action way too large and heavy for the dinky hornet. I understand they used what they had, but I am glad they have made actions that are to scale for the hornet. I bet there is not recoil. Lou

No doubt it's a big action for the little hornet, but that's what I like about it too. One action that covered everything from the Hornet to the 375 H&H and 458 with a litte ingenuity. It's a heavy rifle and just a blast to shoot. If I get around to it I will post some of the groups I've shot. NOt bad at all with that little 2.5x, 3/4" tubed scope.

Drool

I now want a .22 Hornet M70...

Yes the M70 Hornets are very sweet.

I have a short rifle, 72,6xx that someone cut the side of the stock for a peep, and then apparently needed more length so then put a pad on it.

Needless to say that one day I will replace the stock.

But with period Redfield mounts, the old 7/8" square rings, and a 6x Leupold Alaskan, along with Speer 45 gr bullets and 2400 powder it will shoot under one inch groups all day long.

James Wisner
Custom Metalsmith

very nice.Thanks for posting.

Very, very nice.

That just makes me want a pre-64 hornet even more!

Beautiful rifle!!



Did the rifles come with the mounts and scope from Winchester, say on special order, or did the owners send the rifle and scope to Stith for mounting?

That's a jewel of a rifle.

Mounts were put on 99% of the time after they left the factory by the purchaser.

Prewar

Did you catch any fox while you were up north deer hunting?

thanks!

Very nice indeed!

On the fox, no. I was too busy chasing deer, so maybe later in the season, hopefully....at least I have the equipment now.

quote:

Originally posted by DMB:
That is a VERY beautiful and classic rifle.
Probably the most desireable Hornet ever produced.
I just bought a Model 54 in 22 Hornet; haven't shot it yet.

Don

Gee, Don, I think your Model 54 may be just as desirable. There were fewer of them made than even the M70s, I do believe. The Model 54 Hornet did not come actively on the market until late 1933/early 1934, and it went pretty much off the market in 1936. The Model 70 was around from 1ate 1936/early '37 until well after the war.

Prewar70 didn't mention it, but the model of Stith mount holding his Weaver 330 is the one which Stith called the "Streamline". It was also made for the Lyman "Alaskan" scopes. It is one of my all time favorite mounts and I have several still. The other common Model 70 Stith scope mount was the Stith "Master-Mount". They work on entirely different principles. The Streamline mounts pretty much require scopes with objective bells small enough to fit inside the front mount ring, and work best with scopes which have internal adjustments, at least for elevation. The Stith Master Mount has easy-to-use adjustments in the mount itself, and size of the objective bell does not much matter, up to about 36 or 38 m/m.



I once owned & frequently shot a brand new M54 Super Grade Hornet, and it was the first Hornet I ever owned which would reliably shoot 5-shot 100 yard groups under an inch. It had a Fecker scope, the power of which was unmarked, but as near as I could tell was about 14-X.

My own ranking of preference for the Hornet rifles is in the following order:

1. M-70 Super Grade
2. M-54 Super Grade
3 & 4. M-54 & M70 standard grades (tied)
5. BSA Miniature Mauser
6. JG Anschutz Model 1432
7. Brno Miniature Mauser
8. Francotte Martini
9. Other Martinis


I have owned all of these (and more) except for the Super-Grade Model 70...I just never happened to run across a Super Grade in the chambering.

Anyway, if your Model 54 shoots anything near as well as mine did, I think you'll be tickled pink!