What wildcat would you build?

[Perry67]

If money wasn't an issue and you could build any wildcat cartidge you wanted, what would it be? For me i think i would get a 338 tejas... launching a 300 gr bullet around 3000 fps really intrigue's me

[ShaunBrady]

Is this a legitimate question or are you a schill for whoever is selling the 338 tejas?

I had to google it. A 338 based on the RUM case with a 52 degree shoulder sounds like a pretty dumb idea.

[hermosabeach]

Why not your own wildcat???!


I was working on an 88 Magnum and ran out of funds.

[jimmykan]

Originally Posted by ShaunBrady

Is this a legitimate question or are you a schill for whoever is selling the 338 tejas?

I had to google it. A 338 based on the RUM case with a 52 degree shoulder sounds like a pretty dumb idea.

So it's a 338 Edge Ackley Super-Improved?

[DaveInOroValley]

I always liked an existing wildcat the 7MMTCU. It was a great load for accuracy and I would have loved to see it in a rifle configuration.

[M1NM]

Go big or go home......
Not sure which I'd prefer the LeSabre is stodgy and the Riv a classic.
My grandfather had a GM execs 66 LeSabre 2 door with a hot rodded factory 401 Wildcat engine - ex Woodward Ave car. My sister got it after he passed away and killed it.
My parents neighbor had a 64 Riviera with a 401 Wildcat engine. Always told him I wanted it (and his 49 Merc) but his son kept them after he died.

[ar15barrels]

Originally Posted by DaveInOroValley

I always liked an existing wildcat the 7MMTCU.
It was a great load for accuracy and I would have loved to see it in a rifle configuration.

I have chambered a Remington Model 7 in 7TCU.
The Model 7 is a short action but it still has a magazine cut in the action that would accept 308 length cartridges so there is more room than the actions that are limited to 2.25" OAL.
The 7TCU is typically too long for a 2.25" magazine.

The guy I did it for loves it.

[LynnJr]

The way I would go about it is to pick the bullet I want to shoot and the velocity I want to shoot it at and go from there.
A 300 grain 338 bullet at 3000 fps can be done with a 338 Lalua Ackley Improved and it uses off the shelf reloading dies and Lapua brand brass which makes it a easy build.

[ShaunBrady]

It'd be helpful if you'd post a reamer drawing number or print that works with a given manufacturers 338 Lapua Ackley Improved dies. Ackley Improved means a 40 degree shoulder, a shoulder/neck intersection .004" short of the parent cartridge, and a certain body taper, but not every reamer labeled Improved follows those rules or starts with the same parent cartridge dimensions.

If we go back 10-15 years, we'll find lots of threads on which dies work with which reamer or rifle manufacturer's straight 338 Lapua. I think that was pre SAAMI and somehow there were different interpretations of the CIP drawing. Stupid pressure levels probably had something to do with at least some of those problems.

300 Norma seems to be in that pre SAAMI state now. I have a set of hand me down 300 Norma dies that wouldn't work with Focus's reamer but do with mine.

While the 338 Lapua Improved has certainly been a work horse for the URSA, I think that for someone starting right now, the 33XC is a much easier way to go. I've had good results from mine anyway.

I also think that fire forming cases with 90+ grains of power is not for the inexperienced or stupid. Fire forming them to consistent internal volumes is a couple levels above that.

[Fjold]

Originally Posted by ar15barrels

I have chambered a Remington Model 7 in 7TCU.
The Model 7 is a short action but it still has a magazine cut in the action that would accept 308 length cartridges so there is more room than the actions that are limited to 2.25" OAL.
The 7TCU is typically too long for a 2.25" magazine.

The guy I did it for loves it.

I used to have a TC Contender pistol chambered in 7mm TCU no problem with longer bullets in the single shot. I may still have the dies.

[ar15barrels]

Originally Posted by Fjold

I used to have a TC Contender pistol chambered in 7mm TCU no problem with longer bullets in the single shot.
I may still have the dies.

I still have a 7tcu TC contender with loaded ammo, brass and dies.
I have not shot Silhouette since the 90's though.

[Fjold]

Originally Posted by ar15barrels

I still have a 7tcu TC contender with loaded ammo, brass and dies.
I have not shot Silhouette since the 90's though.

I quit shooting IHMSA in the 80's and still have a 10" barrel Super Blackhawk

[LynnJr]

Originally Posted by ShaunBrady

It'd be helpful if you'd post a reamer drawing number or print that works with a given manufacturers 338 Lapua Ackley Improved dies. Ackley Improved means a 40 degree shoulder, a shoulder/neck intersection .004" short of the parent cartridge, and a certain body taper, but not every reamer labeled Improved follows those rules or starts with the same parent cartridge dimensions.

If we go back 10-15 years, we'll find lots of threads on which dies work with which reamer or rifle manufacturer's straight 338 Lapua. I think that was pre SAAMI and somehow there were different interpretations of the CIP drawing. Stupid pressure levels probably had something to do with at least some of those problems.

300 Norma seems to be in that pre SAAMI state now. I have a set of hand me down 300 Norma dies that wouldn't work with Focus's reamer but do with mine.

While the 338 Lapua Improved has certainly been a work horse for the URSA, I think that for someone starting right now, the 33XC is a much easier way to go. I've had good results from mine anyway.

I also think that fire forming cases with 90+ grains of power is not for the inexperienced or stupid. Fire forming them to consistent internal volumes is a couple levels above that.

Shaun
I use pacific tool reamers and Redding dies to avoid all the mismatch issues from off the shelf dies. Dave Kiff makes all the resize reamers for Redding so I have never had an issue. Whitemamba and rickyracer87 had mismatch issue with other reamer makers.

The main problem is from the other reamer manufacturers.
As to the reloading if the op is going to make 338 Tejas brass making 338 Lapua Ackley Improved brass would be even easier.
If I was building a 33xc I would also be looking for 150-200 fps more velocity or I wouldn't burn the extra powder.
My suggestion would be for a 300 grain bullet at 3000 fps using the least amount of powder.

Rickyracer87 is going with the 33xc pretty soon over the 338 Lapua Ackley Improved so we can see what velocity and accuracy he gets without my bias.

[DaveInOroValley]

Originally Posted by ar15barrels

I still have a 7tcu TC contender with loaded ammo, brass and dies.
I have not shot Silhouette since the 90's though.

Same here I still have about 100 rounds that my Dad and I reloaded. Now that he's gone I just have the heart to shoot them.

[edgerly779]

17/50 dtc with stellite 50 inch barrel and titanium slugs with beryllium jackets.
6500 fps goes thru all known armor.

[crowbar]

.25-35 Ackley on a Ruger No. 3.

[LynnJr]

Originally Posted by kingjxxn

The 338 Tejas sounded way cool until my buddy had one and he kept buying brass because they would get stuck in the chamber... the case wall is way too straight. He got fed up with it and ended up buying a 338 Lapua reamer and we cut the Tejas chamber off and did the Lapua.. he is still working on loads but even with a couple test loads he is at a 1/2" with room to improve.

338 Edge is awesome I built mine last year and shot my elk with it at 1300 yards last year too w one shot.

Right now I'm in the process of building another wildcat... I just cut most of the chamber a few minutes ago for my 6mm Dasher wanted one that would be way cheaper to shoot and still with a decent BC and besides nothing wrong with another gun or two.

Look for posts by Dasher Dan Dowling the inventor of the 6 Dasher or Mr Dasher Richard Schatz.
My father and I both campaigned 6 Dashers for years in 600/1000 yard Benchrest.

[Fjold]

Originally Posted by crowbar

.25-35 Ackley on a Ruger No. 3.

Mike,

I have a No. 3 in 30-40 Krag if you need a rifle for that.


I don't think that there's a wildcat that I would build. For anything practical (notice the caveat) there's already a factory cartridge that will do the job.

[ShaunBrady]

I blew past practical awhile ago.



Left to right:

7mm/338 Lapua, 7mm/338 Lapua Improved, 30/338 Lapua Improved, 33XC, 300 Lapua, 7/300 PRC.

The first 2 were done to get information on barrel life, QuickLoad modeling parameters, controlling velocity spreads, string lengths, and jacketed bullet limits. The 338 Lapua case was used as the base because at the time it had the highest working pressure available. The 7mm/338 Lapua Improved had a overbore ratio similar to a 338 Snipetac and gave similar barrel life. Both of the 7's turned a lot of bullets inside out.

The 30/338 Lapua Improved still has some life in it, but I'm not sure I'll do another one.

The last 3 share their overbore ratios with the 416 Barrett and 375 Snipetac. It's more or less where many in the ELR world pulled back to after figuring out that the problems with case capacities much past that overwhelm the apparent ballistic advantages when shooting the string lengths used in many ELR matches.

Next on the list is a 33XC set for for solids.

[theduracellbigd]

I would take a 50 cal and neck it down to a ,338

[LynnJr]

I would still pick the bullet out first and decide on the velocity then chose the smallest case that would make it happen.
Some wildcats like the Ackley Improved versions are very easy to make. Some that are just necked down seem easy to make but may require neck turning depending on your reamer specs and the necks new thickness after sizing.
The more advanced wildcats require shortening the case and turning down the case walls so a neck can be formed and should be avoided if your not a mad scientist.
Rounded shoulders double shoulders and stepped cases are left to the criminally insane with nothing better to do with there time.
The first picture is a 14Flea made out of a straight walled pistol case for shooting rats at a feedlot. Long shots are 20 yards and the bullet is half the weight of the primer in the 50 bmg round next to it.
The next case is what happens when you buy a skip Otto die and have lots of shot out 22 barrels around.

[fguffey]

Originally Posted by Perry67

If money wasn't an issue and you could build any wildcat cartridge you wanted, what would it be? For me i think i would get a 338 Tejas... launching a 300 gr bullet around 3000 fps really intrigue's me

If money wasn't an issue; money was an issue and then there was availability. there were barrels available, some were selling for $20.00 each, others, at the time were selling for a little move. I purchased 6 machinegun 8MM Boffer barrels. And there were Israeli 308 machine gun barrels. Needless to say these barrels are a little short and very heavy but they are difficult to beat when it comes to accuracy.

I have 3 of the 308 barrels and 5 of the 8MM barrels. I do not have any questions about the 308 chambers. A friend built heavy barreled 308 rifles to shooters that did never owned an accurate rifle. And then he sold one to a reloader. It was not long before he called me to tell me about all of the problems his rifle had. I asked him to ask the new owner about the accuracy of the rifle. There was nothing wrong with the accuracy, he just did not like the loose necks. I fixed that and we never heard from the reloaders again.

8MM chamber: He asked and I said: When he decided on a chamber I suggested he make sure the new reamer cleaned up the old chamber, the first attempt resulted in a neck with two diameters. The chamber is called 8MM/338 Winchester.

Cases were formed from almost any belted case; in the beginning more cases were wrecked than survived the forming process. It started out with :All you got to do is etc.

F. Guffey

If you still feel it is necessary to make a new reply, you can still do so though.

Thank you, at the time the rifles cost $400.00 in parts plus labor less scope.

[Madpyro]

Originally Posted by ar15barrels

I have chambered a Remington Model 7 in 7TCU.
The Model 7 is a short action but it still has a magazine cut in the action that would accept 308 length cartridges so there is more room than the actions that are limited to 2.25" OAL.
The 7TCU is typically too long for a 2.25" magazine.

The guy I did it for loves it.

Yes I do, and it’s a tack driver! Thanks Randall!

[JTROKS]

Originally Posted by Fjold

I quit shooting IHMSA in the 80's and still have a 10" barrel Super Blackhawk

10.5”

[Fjold]

Originally Posted by JTROKS

10.5”

Mea Culpa

[DEA]

338 Lapua AI is on my hotlist!

[8mmFMJ]

.308 diameter, 250gr, .338 LM case, 3300 FPS whatever length required to get BC into the .950’s.

CNC 300gr solid brass projectiles that look like practice arrows.

[kcstott]

I had the idea of a 7mm 300 Norma but once I figured out barrel life was shorter than I was willing to accept. So that idea is scraped. Right now the priority is a .284 Shehane or Shiraz or something to that effect.