The Accurate Reloading Forums
Re: Fastest Caliber

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16 March 2004, 15:41
cummins cowboy
Re: Fastest Caliber
what about the 22-6mm. How much more compacity does the middlestead have over the swift, arn't these cases pretty close in compacity
16 March 2004, 09:16
Born to Hunt
I had a relative ask me what the fastest caliber made is. I really don't know? What do you guys think?
16 March 2004, 10:13
sako
The fastest i have read about is .22-243 Middlestead at 5278fps with 30gr berger bullet!

Regards
16 March 2004, 12:59
JOHNS5111
Got to be the 50BMG slap round..50/30cal sabot,under the military manual,it lists it at 6300fps...
16 March 2004, 13:12
DigitalDan
I don't dispute the above but question the usefulness of the loads. Quickest I'm aware of that has practical application is the 120mm gun of the M1 Abrams. I've heard quotes between 5000-6000 fps but don't know the truth of it. P.O. Ackley reported achieved velocities in the 6000 fps range with a smooth bore, but the fastest speed I've heard of with the Middlestead with 55 gr. bullets is in the range of 4400-4600 fps.
16 March 2004, 16:25
gmushial
Quote:

what about the 22-6mm. How much more compacity does the middlestead have over the swift, arn't these cases pretty close in compacity



Cummins Cowboy -

I just uploaded to our website a set of tech drawings comparing the 220 swift, the 22-243 Middlested, a std 22-6mm Rem, and a 22-6mm Improved www.gmdr.com/levern/22-6mmEtc.jpg ... the 22-243 and the 22-6mm are, respectively, 6.9 and 6.5gr (of water) larger than the (unimproved) Swift; but the real capacity gain is obtained when one necks down the 6mm Improved - the result runs 14+ grs more than the 220 (but which needs 32" of barrel just to get the same expansion ratio as the swift in a 26"'er).

do shoot straight,
greg
www.gmdr.com
16 March 2004, 16:33
ricciardelli
Okay, I want you all to go to your local hardware or 7-11 store and buy a box of ammo of ANY of the calibers mentioned!
16 March 2004, 20:18
DigitalDan
Be careful Steve, Maybe you haven't been to my part of the world yet. More gunsmiths than churches and gas stations! And with the exception of Alice, you can get anything you want at Buddy and Fred's Hardware. I have to admit that the .22 Swift AI hasn't been real popular in the neighborhood.
17 March 2004, 00:27
waitaminit
Quote:

The fastest i have read about is .22-243 Middlestead at 5278fps with 30gr berger bullet!







http://wildcatshooting.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=66



- where you'll also find (3rd entry) a note of Dr. Franklin W. Mann's 6,000 fps record shot.



Steve, for a reloader the question if one can buy the cartridge next door is of minor importance as long as components and load data are available, imho.



Of real importance is the answer to the question: how long will my barrel live ?

Or, in other words: is high speed so important to me that I accept the wear, i.e. discard the barrel after 2 - 300 rounds ?
17 March 2004, 09:30
gmushial
Waitaminit -

Have to agree on the comments w/re not being able to buy it off the shelf... being a handloader, one who proudly hasn't shot a factory load in 3 decades... off the shelf ammo - what's that?

W/re barrel wear/barrel life - yes, have to agree - if one wants to go 5000fps, then like or not, the barrel will be subjected to the wear of a passing 5000fps bullet... but the other and probably more important source of wear: (high pressures and hot gases) one can beat to some extent by going to longer barrels (and slower powders) - If one wants 5000fps from a 26" barrel, then it's going to be a 100 rounds and pitch it barrel; conversely, if one is willing to go with 32 or 34", then with the same cartridge the barrel becomes a 300, 400, 500 round barrel... it's all about the area under the curve [or said differently: if you want a car to go 0-100 in 1/4 mile, the tires will last a lot fewer iterations than doing 0-100 in 2 miles].

do shoot straight (and make mine a wildcat),
greg
www.gmdr.com
17 March 2004, 10:06
ricciardelli
Even Arlo couldn't get Alice....and I'll "guar-oun-tee" (for those of you who enjoy Cajun cooking) that none of them are factory loaded!
17 March 2004, 10:08
ricciardelli
Take a close look at the initial question...

And also realize that us reloaders are a big minority in the shooting world.
17 March 2004, 10:23
DigitalDan
We's just funnin' here Steve! But, "factory" brings up an interesting point. If you buy it over the counter, does that Qualify? I picked up some .405 Win(2 boxes) some time back before Hornady reintroduced it. Bell brass and 300 gr bullets of undetermined make. More was available from the gun shop 20 miles down the road.