Taylor & Robbins 219 Donaldson Wasp Rifle

[1911nut]

I said I would post a picture of my new gun. It's a Bench gun made in the early 1960's by Taylor and Robbins of PA. The gun is chambered in 219 Donaldson Wasp. With the 20X Unertl it weighs 25 lbs. The action is a sleeved Mauser 98, set triggers, the barrel is 1.25", 31 inches long. I have shot a .237" 100 yd group with this gun. The checkering is of a quality seldom seen these days.

 

[wiuprof]

Beautiful rifle! I came into a 219 Donaldson Wasp in the eighties. It was on a Winchester Hi-Wall and had a Unertl scope.
I still have the rifle.

 

[dedogs]

Nice rifle. What load are you shooting?

 

[snert]

Oh, gasp, slobber, drool! I love a well thought rifle of this vintage. Considering the bullets and powders they had then, making 1/4 inch was a bg deal for the average BR shooter. But what ah oot to shoot one of these old guns. So much heart and soul compared to a plastic gun. I have an Arisaka based 220 that is similar, and so much fun. Very nice rifle yo have there

 

[1911nut]

Nice rifle. What load are you shooting?

I've been researching the loads that shot small groups in the 1950's and 60's. As you know, the 22 Wasp was a very popular cartridge in the 50's before the 222 caught hold.
The load that shot the smallest group for me was a Remington 52 Benchrest bullet ( I got 150 of these with the gun) over 25.8g of very old 3031 (I also got a lb of the powder with the gun).

I plan on shooting Sierra and Berger 50 to 55g to start. 3031, 4320, and 4064 to start and N135 at some point.

 

[dedogs]

1911, You are definitely on the right track, but don't overlook H4198. Speed isn't everything with this cartridge. I think you are going to love that rifle. Good score! What is the intended purpose of this rifle? dedogs

 

[Yote Hunter]

I have a Taylor and Robbins 219 Donaldson Wasp that is exactly like yours that I purchased at a gun show back in 1991 thinking it was a 22-250. I was really upset when I got home and no shell in my cartridge collection would fit the chamber including the 22-250. We done a chamber cast and it was a Wasp that did not have the finish reamer run in the chamber. My chamber is slightly undersized. But after I shot it I wouldn't sell it for anything. I've shot 5 shot groups at 100 yards that measured 0.070" with 28.5 gr IMR 4064 CCI BR primer and a 52gr Sierra matchking just kissing the lands. Great shooting rifle. I was told it was made in the 1950's.

 

[dedogs]

Yote Hunter, How long is the neck on your Wasp chamber? dedogs

 

[Yote Hunter]

Dedogs I'm not sure. I will have to measure but I do know it is shorter than a true 219 Donaldson Wasp.

 

[dedogs]

Yote Hunter, There are two versions of the .219 Wasp. Short and long. Harvey used a "long necked" version for loads incorporating a graphite wad. This practice had mostly gone by the wayside by the late '50s. Sounds like you have the short version but just wanted to verify. dedogs

 

[Yote Hunter]

I was not aware of that. But my base diameter of my cartridge is narrower also. I am not near my brass at this time but will measure.

 

[1K6BRA]

I was fortunate enough to have visited there at least once that I can remember for sure and maybe a few times. This was back in the late 70s or very early 80s. It was definitely an old fashion gun shop,very small but I can remember to this day that very beautiful pieces of wood and nice rifles on display there. This was in Duke Center, Pennsylvania, fairly close to Bradford. I feel very fortunate to have visited there. Truly felt like you were stepping back in time and gentlemen like Jack O Connor or Elmer Keith and they’re like could walk through that door at anytime!

 

[DeRock]

View attachment 976742

I said I would post a picture of my new gun. It's a Bench gun made in the early 1960's by Taylor and Robbins of PA. The gun is chambered in 219 Donaldson Wasp. With the 20X Unertl it weighs 25 lbs. The action is a sleeved Mauser 98, set triggers, the barrel is 1.25", 31 inches long. I have shot a .237" 100 yd group with this gun. The checkering is of a quality seldom seen these days.

 

[swd]

Cool rifle. Since this thread is a revived 2 yo thread, does the OP still have the rifle and if so how's it shooting?

 

[Vol423]

I have a highwall built by Taylor & Robbins, also in 219 Don Wasp. It’s for sale on Gunbroker auction 892883204

 

[1911nut]

Cool rifle. Since this thread is a revived 2 yo thread, does the OP still have the rifle and if so how's it shooting?

I still have the rifle and it still shoots great. It’s favorite powder IMR 4320 has been discontinued but I have a few lbs.
I only shoot it a about a hundred rounds a year just to keep it happy.
I’ve shot dozens of groups in the 1’s- low 2’s since the original post.
this is a target I got with the rifle:

 

[1911nut]

I have a highwall built by Taylor & Robbins, also in 219 Don Wasp. It’s for sale on Gunbroker auction 892883204

That is a great rifle!!

 

[swd]

I still have the rifle and it still shoots great. It’s favorite powder IMR 4320 has been discontinued but I have a few lbs.
I only shoot it a about a hundred rounds a year just to keep it happy.
I’ve shot dozens of groups in the 1’s- low 2’s since the original post.
this is a target I got with the rifle:
View attachment 1236114

A great old rifle and it shoots!

 

[Pawnee Bill]

Beautiful rifle. The 219 Donaldson Wasp was the mover & shaker in it's day. Way faster than the 222. When they necked down the 250 Savage to make the 22 Varminter (the wildcat version of the 22-250 Rem) it was the beginning of the end for the Wasp. I remember old timers back then complaining about the process of making good brass for it. I believe the started out with 25-35 brass. And they didn't anneal the brass and lost a lot of cases due to split necks in the forming process.

 

[1911nut]

Beautiful rifle. The 219 Donaldson Wasp was the mover & shaker in it's day. Way faster than the 222. When they necked down the 250 Savage to make the 22 Varminter (the wildcat version of the 22-250 Rem) it was the beginning of the end for the Wasp. I remember old timers back then complaining about the process of making good brass for it. I believe the started out with 25-35 brass. And they didn't anneal the brass and lost a lot of cases due to split necks in the forming process.

Thanks Bill,
My lookin into the history of the Wasp indicated Harvey Donaldson experimented with several cases. He settled on the 219 Zipper for the parent case. The cases I got with the rifle were formed from 219 Zipper with the rims turned down to .472”.
Harvey also tried the 30 Remington but chose the Zipper.
Theres a guy in Wisconsin who formed me new cases from 30-30 Win and turned the rims, he also formed me cases from 30 American cases - small primer 30-30 cases that Federal offered a few years ago for wildcatters. The small primer cases have produced some of the smallest groups.
The Wasp was winning most of the benchrest matches in the ‘40’s and early ‘50’s but when the 222 Remington arrived on the Benchrest scene few were wanting to form brass for the Wasp and the rest is history.