Zbrojovka BRNO Model ZKW 465 .22 Hornet 22.75″ Bolt Action Rifle, 1949 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1625
LSB#: 210716RH01
Make: Zbrojovka BRNO
Model: ZKW 465
Serial Number: 15799
Year of Manufacture: 1949
Caliber: .22x36Ho (.22 Hornet)
Action Type: Bolt Action, Removable Magazine Fed Rifle.
Markings: The left side of the barrel has a proof, “49”, and “*”; the top is marked “.22x36Ho”. The left side of the chamber ring is marked “* ZKW 465” and a Czech proof. The right side of the chamber ring is marked “15799”. The left side of the receiver is marked “ZBROJOVKA BRNO / NARODNI PODNIK”. The right rear of the receiver is marked “MADE IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA”. The rear sight’s aft flip-up leaf is marked “150”, the mid-fixed leaf is marked “100”, the fore flip-up leaf is marked “200”. The rear of the bolt handle is marked “799”. The butt plate is marked “Z” in rifling.
Barrel Length: 22 3/4”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade that is slotted fore-to-aft onto a serrated ramp base, which is integral to the barrel band. The base is slotted for a hood that is not included. The rear sight consists of a fixed 100 meter “U” notched base, with a 150 meter rear flip up blade and forward 200 meter flip up blade. The receiver is milled for the addition of scope mounts (not included), the top of the receiver is flat and milled in a wave-like pattern for glare reduction.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The checkered hardwood stock has a Schnabel forend tip, pistol grip and two sling swivels installed on the underside of the forend and belly. The forend and pistol grip have flank checkering. The wood shows evenly scattered little draglines and minor compressions. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 12 3/4” from the front of the trigger and 13 5/8” from the front of the forward trigger, to the back of the checkered plastic butt plate; the plate has scattered scuffs and scratches, most notably at the heel and toe. The stock rates in about Very Good-Plus overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 97% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish shows some operational wear on the bolt and receiver from normal use. There is some light oxidation on the bolt handle. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are crisp. Overall, this rifle rates in about Fine-Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The double set trigger, with the rear trigger set, produces a crisp break with no take-up. The bolt has a Mauser-like claw extractor and performs with fluidity. We have not fired this rifle. As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: Included is one unmarked 5-round magazine.
Our Assessment: This is a Czech made BRNO ZKW 465 Hornet Sporter, which has exceptional wood grain, deep bluing and double set triggers; with the rear trigger set, the forward trigger break is extremely light. The metal retains about 97% of its finish and the bore is bright with sharp rifling and no erosion. One 5-round magazine is included, which should feed this Mauser-style bolt rifle quite well. These rifles are sought after by collectors and hobbyists alike for their effective caliber and true construction; from Wikipedia “Survivalist Mel Tappan on the .22 Hornet: “It is accurate, has virtually no recoil and a light report…. [I]ts performance limits its use to small game and pests within 150 or 175 yards. It is by no means a reliable deer cartridge, even with handloads.” Sam Fadala of GUNS magazine calls it “perfect for mid-range varmints of all stripes,” everything from small game, mountain birds (e.g., blue grouse), turkey, javelina, peccaries, coyote, and Australian wild pigs and goats. The Hornet is considered an optimal cartridge for turkey hunting, though it is not as powerful as modern .22 centerfires. In the mid-century, southern sportsman Henry Edwards Davis pronounced the Winchester Model 70 chambered for the Hornet “the best commercial rifle for wild turkeys the world has ever seen”. In 2011, Lane Kinney was awarded the “Top Turkey in the World” award by Safari Club International for a record-setting Osceola turkey taken with a T/C Contender pistol in .22 Hornet. The Hornet’s virtual absence of recoil has made it even quite popular among deer hunters in some areas, although it is generally regarded as very underpowered for deer unless bullet placement is absolutely precise. American hunter Jack O’Connor decried this practice in the 1950s, stating the Hornet could “under no circumstances” be considered a deer cartridge. Many jurisdictions such as the Netherlands, the UK (Other than England and Wales) and some states in the USA currently prohibit the Hornet (and other .22 caliber cartridges) for use on deer.” Please see our photos and good luck!