I have a series of wildcats based on the 8x68s case.

I was thinking, necking down to 308,338,358,9.3,375,416

The case is somewhat bigger then the 338 Winmag, if you look here: http://ammoguide.com/cgi-bin/ai.cgi?sn=LLOjWKhRxc&catid=346=VfiFgKOBEs

Fireforming, moving the shoulder forward, 40degree shoulder??( should stop the brass from moving), and keeping the neck length long enough for "optimal" grip for each caliber, .522 at the base, .500 at the neck to make it feed good. OAL is 2.65 so it should work in a standard action.

The reason, RWS brass is supposed to be very good, strong case, and if you look here: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ammo-...Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG

the brass has a opening next to the 8, so that one could stamp your own caliber making it:
308x68s
338x68s
358x68s
378x68s
418x68s
etc, etc
And every other caliber you could think of. This would help if traveling to another country, where the headstamps dont match.

It has no belt, so it should feed better.

Its bigger then the 300 win mag, 338 winmag, somewhat bigger then the 375 Taylor and 416 taylor.

Dont know what I should name it, because its probably been done allready.

Your thoughts?

The first 8x68 I saw made me think it would be better as a .338x68. I think the metric designation works well.

iirc, there's a 9,3x68 and the 10.75x68 already
jeffe

Check out the Z-hat.com web site. I think Fred built a 35 cal on that case for someone.

Yes, but my thought was that everybody seems so concerned about the headstamps, I thought the 8x68s case would be perfect just to stamp on the remaining 2 letters, like (33)8x68s

And this is particular with the RWS brass with the opening between the Logo and numbers, and not difficult to attain in Amerika or Europe.

One could even cut it down to 2.1, neck it to 338, call it 338x68S m (small). It would better the 338x284 wich I have heard is a very efficient wildcat. Or it would even beat the regular 284 win.

The point is, you get very good brass, with proper headstamp (wich you make yourself) without going to custom brass.

Thing is, it's only a little bigger than the Winmags. H&H-based rounds are faster, and then there's the 404-based rounds after that, so it's kind of a hard pitch. In a vaccuum, I agree, it's a great case and would make a great round. But given that you can get belted cases to feed just fine, and that there's already a commercial version of basically every caliber on the H&H case, it would be a strictly "fun" driven personal project rather than a particularly intriguing option. IMNSHO, YMMV.

280 Ross is another example of an excellent case. Just no real need for it, seems. Were we to start all over, sure, make everything a Xx57mm, a Newton, and then 2.85" Jeffery-cased. For 432-475 a Rigby, then go Gibbs to 550.

kinda similar to the steyer brass... i like the idea of the 375 and 416...i thought of them a while back...issue is brass avaliability but an easy wildcat...

kinda similar to the steyer brass...the real advantage would be to blow out the taper and have the shoulder be .508 and might as well do a 40 degree shoulder... but i agree might as well do a howell cart or an a.r. cart

Boom stick: where did you find those pictures?



Looking at drawings, its very similar to the newton line of cartridges. The 338, 375 and 416 intrests me the most. Maybe in a couple of years, I can get this project of the ground.

http://www.stevespages.com/page8d.htm

make sure you donate to the web site...

Just got some new information.

8x68s necked down and fireformed to 30x68s with 40 degree shoulder, and using RWS brass has a water capacity of 92.8 grains.


Does anybody know the water capacity for 375 Taylor and 416 Taylor?

And perhaps 300 and 338 winmag?

I just did a search. A 338 win mag has 83 grains, necked up to 416 Taylor, it adds 3 grains.

So a 30x86s should ad 3 grains, up to 96grains. The 416 Howell has a water capcity of 94 grains.

This would mean, you get high quality brass, with a 40 degree shoulder one should get alot of reloads, proper headstamp when you make your own, no belt, and 400 grain bullet at 2400 fps. The 416 Rem mag, has 97 grains of H2O capacity. 375 H&H has 89 grains.


The only problem I see, is start up costs, such as dies, and reamer.

I doubt those figures. The Howell has a bigger base, bigger top of body, only .025" shorter body. Loaded to similar lengths (i.e., chambered in the same action) the 404 case ought to do at least some better than the x64 case. Now, blow the x64 out to .500 at the shoulder like you're talking and it might come aweful close to matching the Howell. (But IMNSHO the Howell could use a little blowing out as well!)
If headstamp is a major concern, I could see that weighing into the decision, but it ain't so easy to stamp a number on a casehead. Unless you have something in mind....

Yes the 404 jefferys outside dimensions is bigger, but the brass is thick. Somebody here probably knows.

But using ammoguide.coms numbers on the Howell case, it reads 94 grains of water. Compared to the 418x68s wich should get 96 grains. Even the 300 Dakota has 94 H20 on ammoguides site, but 97 grains on dakotas hompage. So very similar.

Regarding stamping the casings, in a norwegian forum, somebody has allready done it. Seen pictures of it. He just bought some stamp equipment, belive numbers between 1-10, and used a hammer to stamp it. Now its a 358x68s.

quote:

Originally posted by Snapper:
Check out the Z-hat.com web site. I think Fred built a 35 cal on that case for someone.

Yup, we have a 350 African Express designed for a Client years ago. Here is my drawing for that cartridge.


Client reports 250 gr. bullets at 2800 fps.

What brass where you using?

The hirtenberger brass has 3 grains less than RWS brass.

Hirt: 89.7
Rws: 92.8

I think the client was using RWS but I am guessing. The volume here in my drawing is for comparison only, it is calculated by the program I use, like most software its close but actual brass must be checked.

When we test fired this cartridge I used brass I picked up from a local guy that shoots 8x68S, I did not check the brand and sent the fired cases with the gun.

There's also a .257 Banshee but it is based on the 6.5x68 RWS that is the same case as the 8x68 RWS but necked down.
4000 fps with a 100 grain bullet!

That 350 African Express looks like something that I would like to elk hunt with!!!

I believe Dave Tooley has wildcats based on the 8x68. The 7mm and 30 BooBoo are used for 1000yd shooting. They are improved versions.

That 350AfricanExpress is afine looking round..338,.366,.375 would be equally as nice.

Hi Nortman,

there´s already a .375x68S. I got an artikle of DWJ Magazine 8/2005 Issue about a Cartridge named .375Hölderlin. It´s simply necked up to handle .375Diam. Bullets, amd, most important it fits a standard 98 Mauser Action.In that Artikle they compare a Winchester load using a 300grs.Silvertip that´s 2538fps with this Round using a 201grs.KJG Bullet ( a Solid ) that is getting 3118fps.With a Custom Mauser Rifle 23 1/2inch Barrel they where able to shoot 3/4" Groups....

Best

..................8x68s.................9.3x64B.................375x68s Holderlin.

-At first I thought that this was a poor quality photo, then I realized that a dark silouette of the right proportions, says more than some "in your face,rat with a gold tooth shiney case".

feeding must be great with that shoulder...

i think i want a 350 a.e.