My pawn shop 219

[jl1966]

My new pawn shop find 219 in .22 Hornet. This gun seems very tight. Is that normal? Ejector flings brass for a long way. Gonna be fun trying to keep up with it for reloading.

[Garnett]

Your new Hornet appears to be a very nice gun!  Can you show a close up picture of the right side of the action?  Also, what are the "assembly letters/numbers"?  These letters/numbers are found under the barrel in front of the lug, on the inside top left rail of the frame, and stamped into the stock under the butt plate.  They won't necessarily be the same, but will be similar enough to determine if the barrel, frame, and stock match.  There may also be a number or letter stamped inside the forearm.  It will NOT match any of the other letters/numbers.  The reason I ask for this info, is that your gun shows all the characteristics of a "Second Model" Utica gun, but the barrel is marked Chicopee Falls.  It is a very nice gun.  Will you also share the price paid?  Yes, these guns were very tight and some are very hard to open when they have had little use, as this one appears.  And...yes!....they have a very strong ejector!  One reader says his empties eject 20+ feet or more.  Because of this, some people disconnect the ejector so they can manually extract the empty case.  Thanks for sharing this information with us!  These guns have a reputation of being very accurate.   

[jl1966]

I am not currently at home where the gun is, so I can't take a picture right now. I was kind of wondering about that myself, as the gun appears to be an older model, but has the Chicopee Falls address. It is marked simply "219"  with no suffix. I will take a picture when I can. I will also check on the numbers you mentioned. I am looking forward to spending some time with this gun and finding what kind of accuracy it is capable of.

[Garnett]

If the numbers match, it could be a "transition" gun.....a frame made at Utica and then barreled after the move to Chicopee Falls.  It would have all the characteristics of the "Second Model" Utica, but with a Chicopee Falls barrel.    Also, your barrel was most likely drilled and tapped for a scope base after it left the factory.  I look forward to hearing from you again.

[jl1966]

Well, therein lies another dilemma. To scope, or not to scope? That is the question! This gun has such great "carryability". A scope would ruin that. But I always wonder if I am missing out on some real accuracy with unscoped guns. Being as I am 52 now, open sights can be a problem. So I will probably scope it at some point in the future.

[jl1966]

Here are the pics we talked about.

[Garnett]

Thanks for the additional pictures!  The barrel does match the frame!  A very nice gun!

[Mike Armstrong]

By this time having a 219 barrel not match the frame isn't uncommon--people like me have been playing mix-and-match for decades. 

I know that pains collectors, but if you have a .30-30 and need a varmint rifle and your buddy is just hurtin' to hunt deer but thinks his Hornet won't cut it....  ("Usin' guns" like 219s and especially 220s weren't made for collectors, it appears).

But it would be a shame if your gun had a .32-20 barrel originally and it was lost after the gun was "modernized"!  I have found perfectly good barrels in garage sales, set aside in a garage corner with no price because the seller had no idea what "that black thing" was!  Got my Utica .25-20 barrel that way up in Maine where you'd think people would know better....

The fact that the barrel isn't "collector original" would be one more "excuse" to scope it, if it were mine (my main excuse is that my 76 year old eyes can't see the front sight).  A low-power, fixed power scope won't disturb the balance that much, especially if the scope tube, mount and rings are aluminum. And it will look better (to me) than some super-sniper monstrosity.

You'll have fun with that little guy!

[jl1966]

Hey, thanks for the info!! It's nice to know that the gun is all matching! Although I would still like it if it weren't. I also notice that the forearm appears to have been originally made to be held on with a screw, but a plug was installed, and it has the spring catch instead. Weather and other commitments are keeping me off the bench lately. But I have gathered up some components to put together some ammo for this little rifle, and I will be ready when the opportunity to wring it out arrives!

[Garnett]

I have been away from home for several days.  Please send a picture of your forearm where the plugged hole is and the inside metal piece if you have time.