Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors model 43 22 hornet info needed

I inherited a model 43 winchester 22 hornet and I would like some information on it. It came with a old weaver 3/4" long scope with the front scope mount on the barrel, not on receiver. There is a slot blank where the rear sight was, but I also got a box of old sights that the origional rear sight may be in. I removed the weaver and put a better leupold 2x7 rimfire scope (glossy & compact) and want to put the origional rear sight in if possible.
1. Picture of the factory rear sight. PM me if you can email pictures or post please.
2. Source of spare magazine or aftermarket that may work.
3. Mine is checkered, but I think that was done afterwards. Input?
4. Improve the trigger - possible?
5. Better to put the old scope on for collector appeal if I decide to sell it?

Just curious on this old rifle. It was my dads and I only shot it once when he was alive and I never really asked him the history of it since he had a large collection.

It has been modified so the collector value is far less than original.

1. don't have, see The Sight Book by George Madis
2. aftermarkets are junk, originals are rare and expensive. Try here, Gunbroker, Auction Arms, etc.
3. they were made checkered and not. Early ones were not.
4. trigger can be improved by CAREFUL stoning and polishing but it is basically like a cheap 22 rimfire trigger and there are limits.
5. the Weaver scope isn't worth much, actually if they are Weaver 3/4" top mount cross lock rings, they may be worth more than the scope.

The incorrect top mount holes on top (some originals were factory D&T for a Weaver N side mount) can be made to go away by a skilled restoration shop, but you'ld be "upside down" on cost/benefit.

If it's a 98%+ rifle with the original scope, you're in the $400-450 range.

They are decent shooters with loads at less than factory or handload max. Nice for chuck hunting in built up areas as they are quiet and effective out to 150 yards or a tad more.

Good hunting !

Thanks. I'm thinking of using it for racoon and beaver control when I don't want something as loud or hot as the 223, specially around buildings or cattle. I can't wait to see what it does when I get it to the range.

Have to smooth out a previous response....

Special Grade 43s were factory checkered....the 43 was released in 1949 and was not factory D&T until SNs approached 37,000...

43s were NEVER D&T by the factory for any kind of side mount...

A 98% Special Grade Hornet is worth a minimum of $800-$1,000, even in this economy....

ANY decent 43, even D&Ted or cut to K-Hornet or Mashburn Bee, will bring $600 in my area of Southern California. One of the main selling points is having factory original magazines (if you try to sell this rifle by consigning it to a gunshop, DON'T leave the clip in it on the rack. They have a way of "walking away."). Nice rifles, worth keeping even if it weren't your Dad's.

Guess nobody owns the Winchester period catalogs but me.

Took the rifle to the range and got some 1.5 inch groups if I could get the horrendous trigger to work for me. Plenty fine for the occasional hunt and I don't think I will sink any more money into it other than finding a spare magazine, if I can. Will continue my quest to get the rear sights for it in case I sell it someday.

i have a model 43. i know no-one likes them, but.... mine was re-chambered to 218 bee when i got it. with a weaver 3/4" 2 1/2 power scope it's good out to 150 yards. with a 1" higher powered scope, i would trust it to 200 yards +..... these are nice little
rifles.

If nobody likes them, how come they cost so much?

What I think is that Winchester collectors who can afford a Model 70 or 54 .22 Hornet don't want to settle for anything less, which is, of course their right since it's their money.

The rest of us like them just fine.