I may as well get in on the act!
I load for the folowing wildcats, 2 of which have become factory chamberings in limited supply.
22-250Ackley
257Ackley
338-06A-Square
375Weatherby
Don't quite know if I'll ever add to these wildcats in my line up, but who knows what the future holds!

I like the idea of reloading the fireformed cases to somewhat higher pressures, but can still use factory ammo if need be without loosing too much in velocity.
243 Ackley Improved
30/30 Ackley Improved
270 Ackley Improved
N.B In all instances the performance was well above my expectations.

35 Alaska Whelen

375 Ackley & 22-250 Ackley

Updated
6.5 WSM
264 WSSM
338 WSM
358 STA
358 Ultra
9.3X338 Winchester
9.3 B&M
9.3 Ultra
416 Taylor
416 B&M
42 MDM (coming soon)
458 B&M
458 B&M Super Short (coming soon)
470 Capstick
47 MDM (coming soon)
50 B&M Super Short
50 B&M 2 (for semi)
50 B&M Alaskan
50 B&M
50 MDM (coming soon)
500 MDM
510 Wells

Michael

got any favorite loads in 6.5wsm ?

Yeah got a 120 Barnes X with 62/V-N560 at 3300 fps in one rifle, 3275 fps in another.

One rifle is a feather weight Win M70 and it is finicky! New rifle is a monkey buster that I had built a bit heavier with a stainless 24 inch barrel. Just now getting started with it, made some loads up this morning, test this week.

Oh and by the by--50 BMG .510 holes at long range----50 B&M Super Short-50 B&M-50 B&M AK-500 MDMs all .500 at short range!
Michael

8mm/06 Ackley Improved: 2960fps W/180gr Nosler BT, 2800fps W/Nosler 200gr Partition. 8mm, 180gr BT is devastating on deer.

5mm Remington Centerfire conversion (Schroeder): 2450fps W/33gr Hornady V-max seated just off the lands & loaded single shot. (too long to run through magazine)

2 1/2" high @ 100yds, 0" @ 185yds, 1 1/2" low @ 200yds. 1/2" 5 shot groups @ 100yds, 1 1/4" @ 200 yds. As much energy @ 185yds as the 17 HMR has @ the muzzle.

Great little truck gun when doing chores around the farm. A bonified 200yd light varmint gun W/little (no) recoil or muzzle blast. The 33gr V-max makes a satisfying "slap" when it makes contact W/varmints. Deadly when shooting off the hood of my 2005 Power Wagon. (it's the perfect height for an improvised rest)

I think I win the prize for most useless, but impressive. 22-378 Eargesplitten Loudenboomer.
AKA, 22-378Wbee Ackley Improved version. What a friggin' hammer.

Rich

Rich What kind of velocities do you get with the 22-378? I remember reading about that wildcat years ago, but don't remeber that much about it.

Mike

I wrote it up for Precision Shooting. The Nosler 60gr solid base were the best bullets. Right at 5200fps.

Rich

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
I wrote it up for Precision Shooting. The Nosler 60gr solid base were the best bullets. Right at 5200fps.

Rich

Porter Ackley wrote it up in his hand book many years ago.

is he related to Parker Oliphant Ackley that I visited in his Salt Lake shop back in the late 70's? As a matter of record Ackley did not have anything to do with the cartridge. If you have the two volume set, PO gives Bob Forker all the credit.

Bob Forker was a gunsmith at the Hutton Rifle Ranch in LA and about 1958-59 NASA and DoD got with him about wanting to test high impact meteorites hitting the space capsules and holing them. They used the big Wbee case necked down to 22 caliber to test iron and steel BB's, to simulate the roughly ovoid shape at speeds past 6000fps.
I had the pleasure, at a SHOT Show, of being invited to a banquet celebrating Hodgdon's 50th Anniversary. When I heard Bob would be there I got Chris to seat me next to him. I was asking him about the project, having just finished mine, and some know-it-all sitting across from us said he didn't believe the cartridge had really been done. It was one of my best days to take one out of my jacket pocket and roll it across the table to him. Once a year, if you're lucky, you get to smoke somebody like that. I saw Bob two years ago at SHOT Show Vegas, and the first thing he said was " did you bring me a dummy round for my collection?".

Rich

Rich, if you reread my comment you will notice that I said Porter (Parker) Ackley wrote about it in his books. No reflection on you Rich, P.O. just told more about the cartridge than what you described.

I don't know why I have this penchant for calling him Porter, been doing it for many years now But I do realize his name is Parker. Maybe it's the P.O. Ackley that sends me to Porter instead of Parker.

no offense meant, or taken.

When I first came to Idaho I had the privilege of visiting some of the old Masters. John Buhmiller, bought a 450 Magnum from him; and PO Ackley. Ackley was a talker, John not so much. They made their own reamers, and just about everything else they used. I learned a lot just sitting out of the way in those two shops. Buhmiller won at Camp Perry with the first bullpup rifle anybody had ever seen back in the late thirties. I should have bought that too, it was a Holland's Super 30.

Rich

Hello- I'm new to this forum but have been shooting and reloading centrefires since 1955 and wildcats since 1977.
: .257 Roberts IMP
: .22 "K" Hornet
: .458 2" 'Amercian' (2)
: .375/06IMP (2)
: .22 BR
: .30 BR
: .9.5x68
: .375/350Rimless
: .30/03
: .30 SS
: .30/35
: .450 Alaskan M71/76
: .458 Alaskan M70
: .17 Ack Bee (3)
: .17 Ack Hornet (3)
: .220 Swift Imp
: .220 1.6" IMPSwift
: .17 Bumblebee
: .17 Squirrel

Just a few some are my own chamberings, ie:
.9.5x68
.30SS
.458 Alaskan
.30/03SHRT
.30/35SHRT
.375/350 Rimless
.220 1.6" IMP Swift

Well I'm not sure if it would qualify as wildcats any longer, but for.......

23 years I've loaded the 22PPC
And given all the chamber size variations now being shot, I think my 6mmPPC would qualify as a true wildcat.

F. Prefect

The wildcats that I currently load are for Ruger #1 and #3 Varmint Rifles and TC's for IHMSA competition.
.204 Wasp-my own design
.219 Wasp
.219 DW PDK-my own design
.224 BRM
.30 Herrett
6.5 Bullberry Imp.
.270 REN
7mm Super Mag
.300 Whisper Rimmed
Wildcats that I've loaded for in the past.
.17 Mach IV
.22 K-Hornet
7 TCU
7mm Int. Rimmed
Dave in IN

haven't recieved the gun yet, but i'm expecting a 22-243 ackley improved this week. i have the fireforming loads all ready to go. just wainting on the gun. i know it's not a wildcat but i'm pushing 208 grain a-maxes at 2575 fps out of a .308. i also just recieved my 338 lapua that i will be loading for.

Just one right now.. A 7x57 Ackley Imp. Great little round.. Enjoying playing with it.

My favorite wildcat is a 8mm-06. It likes 200 gr HotCors. My new project is a 270 Redding. I recently ordered dies from Redding and am having my rifle rebarreled by Hart. I've got some 130 gr ballistic tips and 140 gr Partitions ready to load once my rifle is ready.

I just started loading my first: the wildcat AND obsolete 35/30-30 Ack.Improved.
Great fun!
Rick

quote:

Originally posted by mjc:
Rich What kind of velocities do you get with the 22-378? I remember reading about that wildcat years ago, but don't remeber that much about it.

Mike

guestimate: 60,000 fps
barrel life: 2 shots..

22 seafire 250 savage
6mm seafire 08
6mm seafire mauser 57mm
264 seafire 08
30 cal seafire shortened 03

20 tactical necked up to 22 caliber
308 necked down to 264 caliber
30/03 Sprinfield necked down to 27 caliber
8mm Mauser necked down to 7mm, and 6mm
9.3 x 62 necked down to 30 caliber
35 Whelen necked down to 338 bore
300 Savage necked down to 22 caliber

just to name a few...

I just discovered that I can post a picture by clicking on the yellow quick reply arrow, I could never get my copy and paste method to work with the regular reply box. This picture goes with my 11-22-09 reply. These are my 30-30 bases wildcats. I do use 38-55 WW brass for the .224 BRM because the chamber is to long to use 30-30 brass.

.204 Wasp, .219 Wasp, .219 DW PDK, .224 BRM, 6.5 Bullberry Imp., .30 Herrett
Dave

Some time ago, a fellow in Europe asked me to send him some wildcat ctgs. I am now ready to send them to him, however I can't seem to access my messages for his information and need him to re-contact me. Private e-mail would be best. dtsapergia@shaw.ca
sincerely

Long time lurker.... but thought I'd contribute.
17 Ackley Bee in a No 1
218 Mashburn Bee in a No 3
30-338 in a M-70

257JDJ
7mm Super Bower
338 BR
338VVC
375 JDJ

not sure how much of a wildcat it is but
7-300wsm is what i'm working on right now

257 STW ...

The ever so popular .300 ICL.

22-250 Ackley Improved
7mm GNR
300 Whisper
309 JDJ
338 GNR
378 GNR
41 GNR#2
429 GNR
510 GNR

.41x240, 2.170" for short action
.410 Express, 40-90 Basic necked to .416

Can somebody help me please. I'm trying to find a starting load for a wildcat I'm having done. Using a 376 Styer case necked up to 0.423". I'll be using Hornady 0.429"FTX 265gr bullets resised

I feel like a wildcat slacker next to some of you guys. I shoot only one wildcat currently. The classic 400 Whelen.

Mart

22-243 Middlestead
260AI
6.5 X 280AI
6.5 SAUM
6.5 WSM
338-06
35-30 AI
35 Whelen IMP
358 STA
375 X 280 IMP
375 Ultra Mag Short(B&M)
416 B&M
458 B&M
50 B&M SS
50 B&M

I'm sure there are others because I can't remember anything.

35 Whelen, don't need anything else.

Not as many as I used to,but still got a 6.5-06 and an 8mm X 63
did several 6mm and .25's back in the 70's

17AH
22 K Hornet
219 Donaldson Wasp
6mmBR
6x45
6.5-06
30-30AI
30-06AI
338-06
458 Govt./45-70AI
458 American

I have only loaded for one wildcat and am still loading for the same one for 19 years now.

It is a 6.5-06

The only other cartridges I am loading besides that one is 357 Magnum(for a self built single shot rifle) and 375 Ruger.
I am to lazy to bother to reload for my other guns...