Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Some recent Woodchucks/Groundhogs with the 22 Hornets

I really enjoy roving / walking Woodchuck hunting and the 22 Hornets are about ideal. Here are a few recent ones.

Todays unlucky Woodchuck "swamp-chuck" taken with the CZ American 527.







The 45 grain soft point hit this one hard the other day.



The old Winchester Model 70 Super Grade downs one.



And another.....with a head shot.

Hi, welcome to the 'Fire!

Great photos, and good taste in cartidges.

If I may ask, just how old is that old Winny?

Hi,

Circa 1941 comes to mind............67 years

Sounds about right.

That's one rifle at the top of my wishlist. Fine looking example you have there!

And it's good to see it out-and-about, doing what it was made for.

Man, that model 70 looks outstanding for how old it is! Nice to see a classic rifle being used. Thanks for sharing the pics.

Great pictures ! Looks like you have a gold mine with that property. Plenty of shooting in the off season. Did you make those shooting sticks yourself ?

Ken

Thank you,

Yes, I did make the shooting sticks myself per Varmint Als website specs. I hate to leave home on a Woodchuck hunt with out them. I also epoxied in a couple of good sized finish nails leaving the blunt end out so they dig in well when I want. In fact if a Chuck pops up while walking I can just stick them in the ground quickly with a jab and pull the rifle up for off hand or take a knee.

Shooting Lady - I agree. It should be cared for yet shot/hunted. Its ideal for Woodchuck hunting and warm dry hayfields hardly hurt a rifle (grin).

BTW- For me Woodchuck time is not "the off season" but rather the best season (grin)

Here is my favorite picture of my old Winchester Model 70 Super Grade 22 Hornet which wears a classic Redfied Widefield 4x scope and has the original peep sights also. BTW- it was never altered its original. Hunting Chucks with the 4x scope is sporting. It is a vey accurate Hornet and is not bullet fussy although I use the .223's. With 45 grain soft points and 12.5 grains of Lil Gun and neck sized only brass lit by a soft CCI400 SRP it puts enough 5 shot groups in the .4's - .8's at 100 yards to keep me happy, as long as the weather is ideal and I put up the proper size target to align the crosshairs with on the 4x scope.

It is a joy to walk Woodchuck fields with, very sporting in a traditional way. There is quite a story behind this gun that I will share some day around the ol campfire.

here are a few more photos for around the ol campfire.

I like to go light and this is about all I bring for roving along with some mini binos. Although I did switch out fanny packs for one I found at a mil surp. store.



When the hay bails are out we like them as much as the shooting sticks ......maybe more This is my son Mike from a couple years ago with our inexpensive break action Handi 22 Hornet (it works). He gets out with me now and then, I think mostly because he knows it makes me happy He is a fine shot (better than me off hand). Off to college this fall (my buddy is gone). he will be attending Cornell U (brains from his mom) and I am very proud of him. By the way, I brought him home that floppy hat from a business trip........he luvs it for outdoors stuff.


And here his him saying "right back at ya Dad" as he snaps a photo back at me on another bail latter. (chuckle).


Other than fall Steelhead with swung flys and a flyrod, maybe Grouse/Partrige behind a pointing dog.........not sure anything else is a good as roving Woodchuck hay fields with a sporter wt. rifle

Well, there is the sport of wandering a Wyoming prairie dog town, or a Montana ground squirrel field - also with a Hornet, of course.

Either one will keep the barrel a bit warmer - and the empty brass bag heavier!

Aah!
Those pics bring back some memories, I used to live in Springville, NY pretty close to you.
Woodchuck hunting is a lot of fun......I would do it for days on end and never get sick of it.

Ah yes...

To my statement

"not sure anything else is a good as roving Woodchuck hay fields with a sporter wt. rifle "

I likely should have added......with in walking distance of my door..... After all it is the world wide web.

By the way, what kind of glass do you have on your CZ?

Burris 4.5-14x42

Bill_I: I own a couple of pre-64 Winchester Model 70's in caliber 22 Hornet. Neither of them are the Super Grade Model though.
I still Varmint Hunt with a couple of pre-64 Model 70's but they are both in caliber 243 Winchester (Varmint Models).
The Model 70 is a handsome, strong, accurate and safe Rifle to use afield!
I would love to hear the story behind your Super Grade 22 Hornet!
It appears the only "modification" to that early Model 70 is that someone added some holes in the rear bridge so you could use the two piece bases?
Model 70's of that vintage did not come with scope base mounting holes in the rear bridge of the receiver.
Many years ago I actually got to shoot a pre-war Model 70 in 22 Hornet. It was an accurate and slick operating Rifle.
Thanks for sharing your great photos of your Hunt, your Rifles and your son!
Many happy returns of those days.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Thanks Have to run now for the "evening woodchuck hatch" (chuckle). I will get back with ya on the above. BTW- I don't think there were any mods made for the two pc base on that one.

It was my grandfathers. I will check my "Winchester books" but I think I looked that up back when.......

Either way that one will always be in the family, my boy gets it next.

I would like to see pics of your M-70 Hornets.

Do you have any M-12 Shotguns? I like them too

How many cartidges do the M70 Hornets hold?

ShootingLady: The Model 70 in 22 Hornet holds 5 (five) cartridges in the magazine and 1 (one) in the chamber for a total of 6 (six).
Unfortunately many of the old Model 70's in 22 Hornet have been converted to 222 Remington and I even saw one that had been converted to 223 Remington!
They have to butcher the magazines for this conversion but they shot pretty well - at least the ones I have seen shot, did so.

Bill_I: The Model 70's of that vintage used a mount that attached at the two side screws at the rear and left side of the action - the same two screws that are holding on the base for your aperture sight.
Under that system the rear of the scope base curled up over the action and on forward to the front base which is very similar to todays traditional attachment.
Reference = The Riflemans Rifle by Roger Rule 1982 - Alliance Books Incorporated, page 125.
"The Type I ("Pre-War") Model 70 1936 - 1947 manufacture. Under "Receiver Type 1" - pre-drillings for sights. Two holes were tapped and plugged on the left side only. The top of the rear bridge had no holes in the recessed wavy matting area. The top of the front receiver was drilled, tapped and plugged with two filler screws".
The fact your nifty Model 70 has those two holes in the rear bridge does not diminish one iota from its "classiness", beauty or strengths.
Your son will be a lucky person indeed to be bequeathed such a charming and splendid Rifle.
I am working on new computer capable picture taking technology right now!
Long live the pre-64 Model 70!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Interesting, thanks, VarmintGuy!

That old model 70 is like a fine wine!