I have just purchased a stevens walnut hill 22 hornet.  Can anybody tell me about the age of this firearm??  The serial number is #540.  It looks to be in 80% maybe better.  I see the barrel has been set back, must have been a head space issue at one point?  The butt plate is not factory.  all the peices are stamped w/ serial number from stock to inner parts.  the Barrel is 25 5/8"  would that make it a 26" before cutback?? Any help would be great.

kinglooie 

How do you tell the diff between a 417 and a 417 1/2??

The 417 has a barrel band on the forearm where the sling attaches. The sling screws into the forearm on the 417 1/2. The 417 weighs 10 1/2 to 11 pounds. The 417 1/2 weighs 8 to 8 1/4 pounds. The 417 came with factory installed scope blocks. The 417 1/2 did not and came with the Lyman 144 tang sight. The 417 came with several sight options including no sights and up to a Lyman 438 scope. The hornet was only made in about 1932 and 1933.

Sounds like a 417. What sights are on it? According to my 1933 Stevens catalog the 417 weighs 10 1/2 to 11 pounds and the 417 1/2 weighs 8 to 8 1/4 pounds.

You want to keep the loads on the low end with these. It is my understanding that the bores in the early hornets are .223 rather than .224. Seria and Hornady both offer .223 bullets in hornet weights. You will probably have to order them. I bought a Savage 219 in .22 Hornet a few years ago and it came with a box of Seria .223 bullets that the owner had bought in the '50's. Cast bullets have been recomended  to me but I have not found a commercial source in hornet weights yet. Let me know if you find one!

Was looking over my Walnut Hill again. It is apparently a 417 1/2. No barrel band. Weighs about 8 1/4 pounds. Has to be 417 1/2. But it has the Lyman 17 front sight, scope blocks that were on the 417 . It apparently had a tang sight on it originaly that is no longer there which could be on either model. It was never set up for a reciever sight which is correct. Has the small fold down open sight which is correct for the 417 1/2. This goes along with the opinion held by many that Stevens would pretty much option a gun any way you wanted it. A lot of guns have had parts swapped around over the years but this one looks like it has not been messes with.

I was looking at mine and the rear tang has some ???? pis in it possible these were screw holes at one time??  They would be place correctly.  It has a barrel band with the swivel  Like you stated it must be a general issue product......You know us dang americans use it till its plum wore out!!

kinglooie

Is it possible to repeat history again???

Good question. I also have a Savage 219 in .22 Hornet. When I bought it, it came with a Lyman tang reloading tool and a partial box of Seria bullets .223 diamiter which could be a hint. I have shot it a little with factory loads. Fired brass looked ok. A friend is loading the .223 bullets for me this week with low end handloads. I plan to try the both the .223 and .224 bullets and check accurcy. I think the 219 is a tougher action than the Stevens 44. I am prety sure the Stevens 44 is .223. I am not sure about the Savage 219. The only way to be sure is to slug the barrel. I belieive that topic has been discussed on this website before. The 219 is a neat rifle. Seems to me that the prices on these have been going up like everything else. Good luck with it!

417.Hornet.will.shoot.loose.if.factory.ammo.is.used.Action.is.not.strong
enough.Ditto.417.1/2.Was.discontinued.for.that.reason.