German .22 Hornet

[Steve Whitley]

Diz,

Again, many thanks! I found a circa 1937 catalog listing for this rifle, which shows it with the later wing safety and offers double-set trigger configuration for extra money. The listing is a little ambiguous as to whether they will chamber it for either cartridge, or if they imply it will ACCEPT either cartridge. I tend to think they mean the former, rather than the latter.
Steve

Scan0090.jpg

[mike ford]

This is the problem with advertising copy, which is intended to sell something and is not always technically correct. The "Original Winchester Patrone" is the 22 Winchester Center Fire, not the Hornet. The 22 WCF will fit a 5.6x35R Vierling chamber, because it is the same case. The 22 Hornet rim thickness was specifically set to prevent chambering in 22WCF( therefore 5.6x35R Vierling) chambers. A 5.6x35R Vierling cartridge will chamber in a 22 Hornet chamber, albeit with excess headspace. I suppose, in 1937, they could have made the rifles with Hornet chambers only. After the 1939 law, they would have been required to ream caliber specific chambers( by this time the Simsons were "out", though). All this aside, I tend to agree with Steve, that the intention was either chamber.
Mike

[Nathaniel Myers]

I was very interested in the new article as well. I have been looking do for an older German 22 Hornet to rebarreled and re stock for my children. I have a 22 mini Mauser that is in process, just looking for the next step up. I bought a CZ 527 as all the older Krico and Brno's are rarely sold for the princely sum asked.

Great looking gun, should be great fun.

Not to muddy the waters, but I much prefer the K hornet myself . . .

[Steve Whitley]

This is the problem with advertising copy, which is intended to sell something and is not always technically correct. The "Original Winchester Patrone" is the 22 Winchester Center Fire, not the Hornet. The 22 WCF will fit a 5.6x35R Vierling chamber, because it is the same case. The 22 Hornet rim thickness was specifically set to prevent chambering in 22WCF( therefore 5.6x35R Vierling) chambers. A 5.6x35R Vierling cartridge will chamber in a 22 Hornet chamber, albeit with excess headspace. I suppose, in 1937, they could have made the rifles with Hornet chambers only. After the 1939 law, they would have been required to ream caliber specific chambers( by this time the Simsons were "out", though). All this aside, I tend to agree with Steve, that the intention was either chamber.
Mike

I can pinpoint this one's production to January 1934, judging from documents I have related to their small bore rifles (which continued to use the same chronological numbering range/system) even after the firm's takeover. The beginnings of the name change (Simson to BSW) actually date to September of 1933 and was not completed for years. That process is well documented in Ulrike Schulz's book Die Enteignung der Firma Simson & Co, Suhl/Thüringen
In some of the firearms, Simson-marked receivers continued to be used to complete guns (intermixed with those marked BSW) at least as late as 1936 and possibly 1937. That fact can be very confusing to someone trying to date production, if they do not have the clues to particular points in time shown by those numbers used for S/Ns at the plant.
Steve