Wildcat Cartridges
- Thread starter Sampson55
- Start date
Rustydust
Active member
There are thousands of wildcats out there. Chances are that if you are using an existing rifle or pistol case, no matter what it is, someone, and more likely lots of people, have done it. Necked up, necked down. Sharp shouldered, shortened...etc. It has been done. And most of them are shootable cartridges, but few are any better than what we have as factory now. And really, I think that is a good thing. Grab a box of .223 or .204 or .308 rounds and you going to be hard pressed to beat it by much as far as handloads go. I was out shooting praire dogs last weekend and just because I had some to bring along, I tried factory .223 ammo as well as some off the shelf .204 on the dogs along with my handloads. Out past 300 yards if there was a difference, I couldnt tell.
Lots of good wildcats out there, and I have had some as well. But if you are going to come out with something that no one else has, you are going to have to have a brand new parent case or else at least an oddball diameter bullet.
Lots of good wildcats out there, and I have had some as well. But if you are going to come out with something that no one else has, you are going to have to have a brand new parent case or else at least an oddball diameter bullet.
IDBob
New member
I've never understood the need for wildcats considering the huge range of factory cartridges available, but folks seem to continue making them, rebarreling or rechambering to them and certainly shooting them.
After shooting, hunting and running a small gunsmith shop for a number of years I've only one wildcat I really considered doing and that was having my 8mm Rem mag rechambered to the 8mm-300 Ultra-mag. Something about being able to push the very effective 220 grain Sierra spitzer boattail bullet to 3200 fps was appealing.
I haven't done this simply because at my age shooting game at the 400 yards plus where this cartridge would really shine is no longer a desire of mine.
There seems to be a bunch of folks doing wildcats today and here's a place to check on some of the reamers that are available, it might help to know whats available.
http://www.4-dproducts.com/display.php?g...471737a383d1a8d
After shooting, hunting and running a small gunsmith shop for a number of years I've only one wildcat I really considered doing and that was having my 8mm Rem mag rechambered to the 8mm-300 Ultra-mag. Something about being able to push the very effective 220 grain Sierra spitzer boattail bullet to 3200 fps was appealing.
I haven't done this simply because at my age shooting game at the 400 yards plus where this cartridge would really shine is no longer a desire of mine.
There seems to be a bunch of folks doing wildcats today and here's a place to check on some of the reamers that are available, it might help to know whats available.
http://www.4-dproducts.com/display.php?g...471737a383d1a8d
broknaero
New member
Most people get into wildcats to fill a perceived niche they feel is left by factory chamberings. In reality there's not much room in factory offerings. Wildcats tend to be developed to maximize the velocity of a parent case, or to be the most efficient of a given caliber. Some are made to see how small of a caliber can be made. Most just like to be different.
Lots of places we can point you if you let us know what your looking for. As Rustydust said, you wont find a parent case out there that hasn't been made into something already.
Lots of places we can point you if you let us know what your looking for. As Rustydust said, you wont find a parent case out there that hasn't been made into something already.
broknaero
New member
http://www.qual-cart.com/exotic.htm
Theres one heck of a list of cartridges. Its missing a few, but not many.
Theres one heck of a list of cartridges. Its missing a few, but not many.
AWS
Custom Accessory Maker & Retired PM Staff
I like to play with cartridges and have been shooting rifles and reloading for 45 yrs. A few years ago the barrel on my 223 finnaly gave up the ghost and I had another 223 rifle waiting in the wings so why not let get off the beaten path and had it rebarreled to 6x45mm, never regretted it.
Three years ago I decided to go back to WI deer hunting and didn't have a rifle so after reading alot and comparing existing wildcats I decided to build a 25-204 Ruger as far as I know it was the first ever it pretty much matches 250 Sav factory ballistics. It worked great took my largest whitail ever 170 and huge body, one shot.
About that time the 223AI was the rage but I couldn't justify having to fire form and knew the 204 case was about the same capacity as the 223AI. So I orderred a 22-204Ruger reamer and puched out one of my 223Rem. barrels to 22-204 and it has turned into my favorite calling gun it was an existing wildcat already.
Since I've done the 22 and 25 I just have to try the 6mm-204 which is pretty close to the 6x47mm Hall but again just a straight neck-up The barrel should be here this week and just have to chamber it. Have brass formed and starting loads determined. So this one should keep me out of the bars for another six month.
I do have a 35 Whelen, a wildcat when I decided to build it but a factory cartridge by the time I got done.
AWS
Three years ago I decided to go back to WI deer hunting and didn't have a rifle so after reading alot and comparing existing wildcats I decided to build a 25-204 Ruger as far as I know it was the first ever it pretty much matches 250 Sav factory ballistics. It worked great took my largest whitail ever 170 and huge body, one shot.
About that time the 223AI was the rage but I couldn't justify having to fire form and knew the 204 case was about the same capacity as the 223AI. So I orderred a 22-204Ruger reamer and puched out one of my 223Rem. barrels to 22-204 and it has turned into my favorite calling gun it was an existing wildcat already.
Since I've done the 22 and 25 I just have to try the 6mm-204 which is pretty close to the 6x47mm Hall but again just a straight neck-up The barrel should be here this week and just have to chamber it. Have brass formed and starting loads determined. So this one should keep me out of the bars for another six month.
I do have a 35 Whelen, a wildcat when I decided to build it but a factory cartridge by the time I got done.
AWS
mikethehunter
New member
i am planning on building a semi-custom in .280AI soon, not because the factories aren't producing something like it (7mm rem mag), but simply because i am a certifiable 'gun nut' and i like having stuff that not many people have. just my $.02
Owning a wildcat based on the 6br has been alot of fun recently. It's shoulders are improved 40 degrees and moved forward .10". It gives you roughly 130fps more than the parent case, using heavy bullets (105-108 grain ).
No this isn't a normal hunting rifle, its a target rifle. Although I use it to shoot rockchucks. It's called a 6 Dasher. Here are some groups the first is a 5 shot group at 295 yards.
Second photo, is a group shot at 1000 yards. And it was windy.
I am using RE-15 33 grains, 105 Berger VLD's at CCI-450 Small magnum for fodder.
No this isn't a normal hunting rifle, its a target rifle. Although I use it to shoot rockchucks. It's called a 6 Dasher. Here are some groups the first is a 5 shot group at 295 yards.
Second photo, is a group shot at 1000 yards. And it was windy.
I am using RE-15 33 grains, 105 Berger VLD's at CCI-450 Small magnum for fodder.
I have an old Sako Vixen in 222 Mag and the gun wasn't shooting well at all. It needed a new barrel. One problem is the short magazine which forced me to seat the bullets deeper than I really wanted. The 223 cartridge fits perfectly but I was looking for the little extra performance of the 222 Mag. The solution was to have the new barrel chambered for 223 Ackley Improved which outperforms the 223 and the 222 Mag. The shorter case gives me the room I was looking for and the gun performs very well now.
I always carry plenty of ammo but if I were to get stuck I can easily shoot standard 223 rounds in the gun with the same kind of accuracy of the 223 AI.
I always carry plenty of ammo but if I were to get stuck I can easily shoot standard 223 rounds in the gun with the same kind of accuracy of the 223 AI.
Quote:
i am planning on building a semi-custom in .280AI soon, not because the factories aren't producing something like it (7mm rem mag), but simply because i am a certifiable 'gun nut' and i like having stuff that not many people have. just my $.02
I too like wildcats just to have something a little different . I have several but I would have to say that my favorite is the 17 Ackley Hornet . It is amazeing what the little 17 AH will do with so little powder !
i am planning on building a semi-custom in .280AI soon, not because the factories aren't producing something like it (7mm rem mag), but simply because i am a certifiable 'gun nut' and i like having stuff that not many people have. just my $.02
I too like wildcats just to have something a little different . I have several but I would have to say that my favorite is the 17 Ackley Hornet . It is amazeing what the little 17 AH will do with so little powder !
White Eagle
New member
Its like a first kid on the block syndrom
personally I like to have stuff out of the ordinary
personally I like to have stuff out of the ordinary
Ridge Runner
New member
well seems like all my wildcats get domesticated, I have a 7mm STW, 458 socom, 6.5 gibbs, 375 JDJ, 7mm JDJ, 6mm PPC, a 7mm Allen Mag and a 20 tac on the way. These were all wildcats when I got them but all but the 6.5 Gibbs, the allen mag, and the 20 tac are now factory loaded. Thats the reason I got the 6.5 gibbs instead of the 6.5/284, I like making cases for cartridges folks never heard of.
RR
RR
blinddog
New member
I have one more or less wildcat rifle it is on an Ar platform and chambered in 458 Socom. That did not really come from an existing case although the 405 jeffery is close and can be formed, but needs work to get it right, I think the preproduction experimental loads used a reformed 50 AE but again the rebated rim is differant and has to be reworked. But now cases can be had from Starline when they have them and that seems to be about once a year, then the supply dries up along with the price going up over 70 bucks a hundred last time I saw any. But I guess it is a wild cat since it has a case that is had to get and harder to form from any other. If your not familiar it is the length of the .223 but pushes a 300-600 grain .458 diameter bullet at speeds from 2100 fps for the 300 grn JHP, to about 1200 FPS with a suppressed rifle in the 600 grain wt range. It is a great brush gun giving the stopping power and aprox ballistics of the newer 45-70 loadings in a semi auto platform that has a wt of around 7 pounds it also is very pleasant to shoot since the recoil is pretty light considreing the wt of the ejecta and the speed it travels, as well as the terminal energy.
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Just out of curiosity. If you are into wildcats what are your favorites and why? Also, if you could develop your own what would it be? I am not trying to get loading data or anything just the big picture of what’s happening. Thanks
6mm 30-30 AI - it gives maximum 6mm performance to a TC Contender based gun. Whats not to like...it will shoot a 58 gr. Vmax at 3400 fps, blows up pds just like my 22-250 shooting 55 gr. bullets, uses 30-30 brass you can get anywhere and brass lasts forever.
22-250 AI - does everything a standard 22-250 does and more. Cases don't stretch, will shoot standard 22-25o ammo and looks cool.
Just out of curiosity. If you are into wildcats what are your favorites and why? Also, if you could develop your own what would it be? I am not trying to get loading data or anything just the big picture of what’s happening. Thanks
6mm 30-30 AI - it gives maximum 6mm performance to a TC Contender based gun. Whats not to like...it will shoot a 58 gr. Vmax at 3400 fps, blows up pds just like my 22-250 shooting 55 gr. bullets, uses 30-30 brass you can get anywhere and brass lasts forever.
22-250 AI - does everything a standard 22-250 does and more. Cases don't stretch, will shoot standard 22-25o ammo and looks cool.
Rich Cronk
New member
The only wildcat I have at this time is a .257 Roberts A.I.
It shoots about same as a standard .25-06 now. Several years ago, I came up with a new idea for a wildcat that I don't believe anyone has built as yet. I couldn't justify the price of a custom reamer at the time, and never did complete my idea. It would have been based on the old 6mm International idea. For the 6mm International, a 6mm Remington reamer was ran "part way" in, so that the chamber was same length as a .22-.250 round. A .22-.250 case was necked up to 6mm. Once a loaded 6mm/250 was fired in the new chamber, the result was a short 6mm remington case, only shorter. Very cool. My idea was to run a .257 A.I. reamer in "part way" to make the chamber, and fire a standard .250 Savage round in the new chamber to fire form. If the .250 Savage case would have survived that much stretching during the fire forming, I would have a genuine .257 CRONK. I think it sounds cool.
It shoots about same as a standard .25-06 now. Several years ago, I came up with a new idea for a wildcat that I don't believe anyone has built as yet. I couldn't justify the price of a custom reamer at the time, and never did complete my idea. It would have been based on the old 6mm International idea. For the 6mm International, a 6mm Remington reamer was ran "part way" in, so that the chamber was same length as a .22-.250 round. A .22-.250 case was necked up to 6mm. Once a loaded 6mm/250 was fired in the new chamber, the result was a short 6mm remington case, only shorter. Very cool. My idea was to run a .257 A.I. reamer in "part way" to make the chamber, and fire a standard .250 Savage round in the new chamber to fire form. If the .250 Savage case would have survived that much stretching during the fire forming, I would have a genuine .257 CRONK. I think it sounds cool.
I wildcat a 12 ga. 3.5" shell for shooting steel shot. I cut it down the 3.380", and trim the wads and adjust the powder charge accordingly. It patterns steel shot better than the same load in a full length 3.5" case, and functions through some actions which a full length 3.5" case would not.
But, it's time consuming to get a couple thousand 3.5" cases trimmed, and to make the trim die to do it. However, I have plenty of time during the summer.
Is it sufficiently better performing than a standard 3.5" case to justify the extra effort? It is when I don't get many shots at waterfowl, as is normally the case in Ohio. LOL
But, it's time consuming to get a couple thousand 3.5" cases trimmed, and to make the trim die to do it. However, I have plenty of time during the summer.
Is it sufficiently better performing than a standard 3.5" case to justify the extra effort? It is when I don't get many shots at waterfowl, as is normally the case in Ohio. LOL
In the spring of 1985, I was finally able to get my "perfect" coyote-calling rifle. I used an M98 Mauser with Timney trigger. I used a Fajen thumbhole walnut stock and the finish was Coleman-oil mixed with boiled linseed oil and hand-rubbed with 000steelwool(I had lots of time)
I used a 20" Douglas (Winchester Featherweight style) 10-inch twist barrel. I put a 2-7 Redfield Widefield scope on it. The idea was to call a 'yote into my pocket, but be able to reach out as far as I can shoot, too. I can shoot 400 yards or so, but that's a long shot with our winds.
The cartridge? I call it a .25x2. My gunsmith had a new .257 Ackley Imp reamer, so we shortreamed it to 2". I use .243 Win new cases, and after fireforming, trim them to 2.00" It is the same as a .250/3000 Imp, except with a long neck.(OK...it's .08" longer lol)
I've had a real ball with it, and in Alaska, used it on Sitka black-tail deer
Have fun,
Gene
I used a 20" Douglas (Winchester Featherweight style) 10-inch twist barrel. I put a 2-7 Redfield Widefield scope on it. The idea was to call a 'yote into my pocket, but be able to reach out as far as I can shoot, too. I can shoot 400 yards or so, but that's a long shot with our winds.
The cartridge? I call it a .25x2. My gunsmith had a new .257 Ackley Imp reamer, so we shortreamed it to 2". I use .243 Win new cases, and after fireforming, trim them to 2.00" It is the same as a .250/3000 Imp, except with a long neck.(OK...it's .08" longer lol)
I've had a real ball with it, and in Alaska, used it on Sitka black-tail deer
Have fun,
Gene