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Winchester 43 .223 or .224?

martinicadet
I picked up a very nice Winchester 43 in 22 Hornet and was wondering if the bore size is .223.or.224? Thanks Don
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10 comments

Date Votes
  • shooter10
    From Wikopedia

    Production history
    Designer Townshend Whelen / G. L. Wotkyns
    Designed 1920's
    Manufacturer Winchester
    Produced 1930 - Today
    Variants .22 Hornet Ackley, .22 K-Hornet
    Specifications
    Parent case None
    Bullet diameter 0.224 in (5.7 mm)
    Neck diameter 0.243 in (6.2 mm)
    Shoulder diameter 0.276 in (7.0 mm)
    Base diameter 0.298 in (7.6 mm)
    Rim diameter 0.35 in (8.9 mm)
    Rim thickness 0.065 in (1.7 mm)
    Case length 1.403 in (35.6 mm)
    Rifling twist 1-14
    Primer type small rifle
    Ballistic performance
    Bullet weight/type Velocity Energy
    35 gr (2.3 g) VMax 3,060 ft/s (930 m/s) 728 ft?lbf (987 J)
    40 gr (2.6 g) SP 2,826 ft/s (861 m/s) 710 ft?lbf (960 J)
    45 gr (2.9 g) SP 2,787 ft/s (849 m/s) 776 ft?lbf (1,052 J)
    50 gr (3.2 g) SP 2,713 ft/s (827 m/s) 817 ft?lbf (1,108 J)
    55 gr (3.6 g) SP 2,652 ft/s (808 m/s) 859 ft?lbf (1,165 J)
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  • coonhunter70
    Hate to drag up an old post but I to am wondering about the bore diameter of these rifles I just bought one in 22 hornet, I dont know for sure if the info in the last reply is correct does anyone out there more about this.
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  • BT99
    Believe that pre war was .223 after WWII it was 224.
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  • cussedemgun
    martinicadet,

    "I picked up - -"

    When aquiring a 'new to you' used gun, the only safe way to go is take it to a gunsmith for cleaning, inspection, & test fire. In this process I am sure he will slug the bore to determine the proper bullet diameter.

    Speculation from afar does not address the many possible safety issues your 'smith will look for. Bore diameter is only one!

    Jim
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  • sandwarrior
    martinicadet,

    My uncles's .218 (Model 43) Bee which wasn't produced until 1944 and after was a .223" At least that was what I was told, and we reloaded it that way. I can't tell you the year it was produced, though.

    The reference to the bullet diameter, I think, is whether or not the cartridge started before WWII or not. Not if the rifle was produced before or after WWII. The key in that is all ammo had to be made the same. You couldn't go .001" bigger after WWII and say, "no problem". It had to match the rifles made prior too WWII.
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by shooter10
    From Wikopedia

    Production history
    Designer Townshend Whelen / G. L. Wotkyns
    Designed 1920's
    Manufacturer Winchester
    Produced 1930 - Today
    Variants .22 Hornet Ackley, .22 K-Hornet
    Specifications
    Parent case None
    Bullet diameter 0.224 in (5.7 mm)
    Neck diameter 0.243 in (6.2 mm)
    Shoulder diameter 0.276 in (7.0 mm)
    Base diameter 0.298 in (7.6 mm)
    Rim diameter 0.35 in (8.9 mm)
    Rim thickness 0.065 in (1.7 mm)
    Case length 1.403 in (35.6 mm)
    Rifling twist 1-14
    Primer type small rifle
    Ballistic performance
    Bullet weight/type Velocity Energy
    35 gr (2.3 g) VMax 3,060 ft/s (930 m/s) 728 ft?lbf (987 J)
    40 gr (2.6 g) SP 2,826 ft/s (861 m/s) 710 ft?lbf (960 J)
    45 gr (2.9 g) SP 2,787 ft/s (849 m/s) 776 ft?lbf (1,052 J)
    50 gr (3.2 g) SP 2,713 ft/s (827 m/s) 817 ft?lbf (1,108 J)
    55 gr (3.6 g) SP 2,652 ft/s (808 m/s) 859 ft?lbf (1,165 J)



    Wikipedia is a very poor choice of information as it pertains to this topic... I would advise using actual original sources of information in the future.
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by martinicadet
    I picked up a very nice Winchester 43 in 22 Hornet and was wondering if the bore size is .223.or.224? Thanks Don


    Hello Don,

    All of the Winchester Model 43s in 22 HORNET were made for the .224 diameter bullet.

    The Winchester Model 54s and the pre-war Model 70s were made for .223 bullets, but most will shoot the .224 bullets with no problems or loss of accuracy.
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  • sandwarrior
    Bert H.,

    By your last post, I'm assuming then the .218 Bee we reloaded for should have been .224"? (ruh-roh) We reloaded it with .223" bullets anyhow, Accuracy was good nonetheless.[;)]
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by sandwarrior
    martinicadet,

    My uncles's .218 (Model 43) Bee which wasn't produced until 1944 and after was a .223" At least that was what I was told, and we reloaded it that way. I can't tell you the year it was produced, though.

    The reference to the bullet diameter, I think, is whether or not the cartridge started before WWII or not. Not if the rifle was produced before or after WWII. The key in that is all ammo had to be made the same. You couldn't go .001" bigger after WWII and say, "no problem". It had to match the rifles made prior too WWII.


    Winchester introduced the Model 43 in the January 14th, 1949 price listing. The very first Model 43 was not delivered to warehouse stock until February 4th, 1949. The .224 bullet diameter was (I believe) introduced with the introduction of the 222 Remington in 1949.
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by sandwarrior
    Bert H.,

    By your last post, I'm assuming then the .218 Bee we reloaded for should have been .224"? (ruh-roh) We reloaded it with .223" bullets anyhow, Accuracy was good nonetheless.[;)]


    The 218 Bee in the Model 65 used a .223 bullet. In the Model 43, it used a .224 bullet. That said, a .223 bullet can and will often shoot just fine in a bore designed for the .224 bullet. Conversely, .224 bullets will very often shoot fine in the older guns... but start out at less than full-house loads.
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