Largest case available

18 December 2001, 15:33

Wondering what the largest cartridge case available is and where I could get some. Interior ballistics for it would be great as well. Any suggestions as to what interesting catridges could be developed from it. I saw Saeed's ideas on another post which is 7.5 inches in length, but I think that may be stretching it?

18 December 2001, 16:15

<shiflan>

The largest cases that I know of, other than military or one-of-a-kind wildcats are:

.700 Nitro Express
.600 NE
.577 Tyrannosaur
.577 NE 3-inch
.505 Gibbs
.500 A-square
.500 NE 3-inch

There were other very large cartridges made, usually for black powder, but some were proofed for cordite. They were described by bore rather than caliber--12, 10, 8, and even 4!

Old Western Scrounger used to have some 4 bore rounds with the powder removed...the bullets weighed 2000 grains and caliber was pretty close to one inch!

The .50 BMG (Browning Machine Gun) is certainly a large round, but it probably wouldn't work very well for a DGR.

shiflan

18 December 2001, 22:35

Socrates

The ballistic foot pounds of the BMG round are rather scary, something like 14,000 fplbs.
I guess a 750 grain boattail, at 2900 fps does generate a bit of energy.

While very accurate, the boys around here feel it's unsporting.

I think it would make a wonderful professional poacher round, and I'm talking about the PP as the game, not the shooter.
gs

19 December 2001, 06:12

Paul H

Perhaps a better way to phrase the question, is to state the action you want to use, and see what the biggest case is that it'll take.

For the large "sporting" bolt actions, ie Mauser 98 magnum, Dakota, Ruger, P-14,17, the 505 gibbs is about max, the case is .635" in dia, and 2.9"(?) long. The 585 Nyati is the 577 NE round, with the rim turned down to 505 dimensions, ie slightly rebated, and with a bump of a shoulder.

If you go with a 50 BMG sized bolt action, you can go up to 700 NE as Saeed has done.

Huntington's sells 700 NE cases, for 505 Gibbs or 585 Nyati, I believe Midways carries them from Bertram.

As far as balistics, I have the preliminary plans for what I'm going to call the 458 Alaskan Varminter, original plan was to base it off the 500 Jeffrey, but now I'm planning on the 505 Gibbs. The goal is 500 gr @ 3000 fps.

19 December 2001, 06:59

Wachtel

Paul H; 500 gr at 3000 fps? Aiming for the magical 10 000 ft-lb limit? Now we're talking big bores!

19 December 2001, 07:18

Paul H

quote:
Originally posted by Wachtel:
Paul H; 500 gr at 3000 fps? Aiming for the magical 10 000 ft-lb limit? Now we're talking big bores!

I don't put much stock in the energy #'s. I also have no plan to use such a monstrosity on game, it would just be a fun project (I know, I am diseased to have such thoughts ). I wanted something that I could say has the trajectory of a 270, and hits like a 700 NE. After the novelty wore off, I'd re-barrel the action as a 585 Nyati.

I dispise muzzle brakes, but this thing would definately be braked, I figure a 30" blank, left full dia, with an integral brake in the last 2" of the barrel. I could always cut off the chamber brake, and still have a nice 24" tube when I'm done.

19 December 2001, 08:15

<shiflan>

Perhaps one could make a new DGR round based on the .50 BMG? Shorten the case and neck it to .500 or .577 or .600....

Bullets are easy to get, and .50 brass is CHEAP. High quality new brass is $1 each. Good once-fired brass is 50 cents or less. you could approximate the ballistics of whatever round you like.

shiflan

19 December 2001, 09:03

Paul H

Unfortunately there are a few problems with the 50 BMG case. One is, it is simply too large in dia to be housed in a commonly available sporting action. Whatever you save on brass, is more then made up for by having a suitable action made.

The other problem is the brass is so thick, the typical reloading press isn't strong enough to re-work the case to useable dimensions. You need a hydraulic press.

19 December 2001, 09:04

500grains

Shiflan,

The 585 nyati needs to go on that list too (160 grains of gunpowder is no joking matter).

19 December 2001, 19:45

Karl

Rem,
That's sort of like asking what is the most powerful engine.Where do you want to stop? Cars ,Dragsters, Jumbo jets?

It depends what you are after.
Hunting/range work/ blasting rocks /wheeling it out occasionally and showing it off etc.

You can go from the maximum sporting cartridges which I class as anything that gets 10 000ftlbs or more
585 nyati, T. Rex,600 nitro on single shot, 700 nitro etc.
Can still be built around 15lbs or so.

Up to any size military hardware your state will let you buy.
50 BMG, 55 cal anti tank, 20mm,30mm,field guns etc. plus all the usual wildcats and variants.

50 BMG wildcats would be my pick. Exchange barrels for long range stuff to rock blasting.

One fellow had a 727-50 BMG wildcat over here which he took on an African hunt.

Karl.

[This message has been edited by Karl (edited 12-19-2001).]