The Accurate Reloading Forums
Is wildcatting dead?
29 August 2005, 04:02
bartscheIs wildcatting dead?
Kind a looks that way.

roger
Old age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone..
29 August 2005, 04:36
CheechakoYou sure could have fooled me. Go to a long range benchrest match and you will see more wildcats in one day than you would have seen in a whole year 20 years ago. At the 2003 NBRSA 1000 yard Nationals I counted 22 different wildcat cartridges out of 48 shooters. And the other 26 were mostly duplicate wildcats. I will agree that it's getting harder and harder to come up with any really new ideas but that doesn't mean shooters aren't trying. I think Dave Kiff said he has something like 6000 different chamber prints in his files.
Ray
Arizona Mountains
29 August 2005, 06:18
bartscheFrom the activity I see on this forum one might draw that conclusion. There are a few constant posters like Bwana -B but not many that are realy working on something. I whish I could go to a long range BR shoot. To do anything shooting in the LA area is just getting more and more frustrating.

roger
Old age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone..
29 August 2005, 06:27
Bwana-beJust wait till the economy picks up, Roger. Everyone's too broke to play! It's all you can do to keep your tank filled these days, but soon I hope to start on another project, one of two on the front burner, a fast 6.5 and a big 45 lever (maybe .475").
Wildcatting hasn't made "sense" in a few decades, but there will always be those with an insatiable drive to try some new way to do an old thing....
29 August 2005, 06:31
CheechakoRoger
The NBRSA 1000 Yard Nationals will be at the Folsom Shooting Club range east of Sacramento, Sept 23, 24, and 25. That can't be but a hop-skip-jump from Temple City

Hell, I live 900 miles from there and I'm going. Unless gas gets so high or the pumps go dry. I hear the hurricane in LA (that's Louisiana not LaLa)will shut down 25% of domestic refining of gasoline. There may not be any gas left by the end of September.

Ray
Arizona Mountains
29 August 2005, 06:54
prof242Years ago, I just had to have a wildcat. Unfortunately, most all have become standard cartridges; .22-250, .25-06, 7STW, .338-06, and more.
Now I have two wildcats on one action (switch barrel). Got a 6.5WSM and a .338WSM of which my best buddy had to have the exact same duo (mine's left-handed, his is right-handed).
My friend now wants to get a .375WSM...
Oh Lordy, where will this all stop?

.395 Family Member
DRSS, po' boy member
Political correctness is nothing but liberal enforced censorship
29 August 2005, 08:08
MartytWDead? Damn, guess I can take all these dies and pitch them in the trash ... my problem is that "regular production" keeps getting in the way of the new developments. That, and getting the brass made for the new ones. The ones that are going from "first prototype" to "commercialization" are the .30 HRT (30 Herrett rimless made on 6.8 SPC brass), the 7mm sCAR, the 338 Rhino, the 470 Rhino and we are starting work on a 20mm project.
Just because you don't see a lot of posts on it doesn't mean it is not being worked on. Detroit doesn't always show the new models off in the early stages to protect some of the R&D vested in them ...
29 August 2005, 09:14
DobleTrobleNo way is wildcatting dead. And it doesn't cost much if you you learn to do it yourself.
Here's an interesting new cartridge not even a page away.It is hard to develop something that a commercial cartridge doesn't already do pretty well. But what's the fun in that?
______________________________
DT
29 August 2005, 20:28
jeffeossoin the last year, I've been aware of, or part of, 3 totally new monsters...
dead? only in the small bores
jeffe
30 August 2005, 00:20
Old Elk HunterBartsche,
I don't agree with your contention that shooting is dead in the L.A. area. Just go to East L.A., stick your rifle out the window, and see what kind of groups you can get on the closest low-rider Chebby. You'll have to settle for a three shot group because the return fire will destroy your concentration.
The Pasadena freeway in the morning is pretty calm with all the cars parked on it. Maybe it would be better for sighting-in your newest rifle.
RELOAD - ITS FUN!
30 August 2005, 00:44
bartsche[QUOTE]Originally posted by DobleTroble:
Here's an interesting new cartridge not even a page away.[/URL]QUOTE]
Yours is .120" longer than the one I built almost 10 yearss ago ********first on the .425 WR and tha later on the .404 Jeff. Trouble was I got anxious and didn't heat treat my now set back Mod. 98

roger
Old age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone..
30 August 2005, 00:49
bartschequote:
Originally posted by Old Elk Hunter:
Bartsche,
I don't agree with your contention that shooting is dead in the L.A. area. Just go to East L.A., stick your rifle out the window, and see what kind of groups you can get on the closest low-rider Chebby. You'll have to settle for a three shot group because the return fire will destroy your concentration.
The Pasadena freeway in the morning is pretty calm with all the cars parked on it. Maybe it would be better for sighting-in your newest rifle.
I'll just have to give that some serious thought

roger
Old age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone..
30 August 2005, 07:52
N. GarrettI'm working on my 400 Whelen and 30-06 AI rifles right now.
I just hunted Texas in June with my 25-284.
This fall I'll start the season with my 35 Whelen AI.
The other wildcats are in the safe until next season.
Wildcatting is alive at my house.
Garrett
lets see I have a 6mm-284, 25-284,6.5-284, 7mm Gibbs, 30-338, 323 Hollis, 348-06 A.I, 375-338, 35 Whelen A.I.
Handmade paracord rifle slings: paracordcraftsbypatricia@gmail.com
31 August 2005, 21:15
bartschequote:
Originally posted by 323:
323 Hollis,
What is the 323 hollis? Your design?

roger
Old age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone..
01 September 2005, 07:04
dougw1969I hope it isn't dead. I having too much fun with it.
We didn't inherit the land from our fathers, we're borrowing it from our children.
01 September 2005, 22:38
boom sticki aggree with jeffeosso
02 September 2005, 01:24
fritz454I've done 4 this past year on the 600 OK. I do think that RGB beat me to one of them
02 September 2005, 02:36
323quote:
Originally posted by bartsche:
quote:
Originally posted by 323:
323 Hollis,
What is the 323 hollis? Your design?

roger
It was a creation of this man Ed Hollis of Ed's Gun Clinic, 108 South 10th St, Boise, Id.
All it is a 308 Norma mag necked up to 323. I have chonographed loads with a couple of chronographs. loaded with 79.0 grs H-4831 and a 200gr part. I was getting no shit 3300 F.P.S. at first we thought it was fluke so my dad got his friends Chronograph and same velocity. According to P.O Ackley this is one of the most efficient cartridges designed. shoots excellent.
Handmade paracord rifle slings: paracordcraftsbypatricia@gmail.com
02 September 2005, 09:59
GrandpasezNot as long as I can find the funds.
I do most everything myself so I get
a bunch done economically, with little
money and a bunch of trading.Ed.
MZEE WA SIKU
02 September 2005, 10:33
323I think this Ed Hollis fellow is is no longer with us. A gunsmith if Forset Grove at H&K gunshop did the work for me. 10 years ago it cost me a whopping 265 dollars to get all the work done. I hate to see what it would cost today.
Handmade paracord rifle slings: paracordcraftsbypatricia@gmail.com
27 September 2005, 03:15
GrizzlyBaerHowdy! This is my first post here but I have been handloading since 1968. With all the wildcats out there, one would think it is hard to develope a new one. I bought a program called QuickDESIGN and it helped me develope one.
I designed a wildcat off the .300 Dakota parent case (actually a .404 Jeffery but used the Dakota as it was already formed). It is called the 8mm Grizzly. I have only fireformed a few cases for a set of dies and plan on getting out soon for some actual data. I am hoping to get the same velocity of a 8mm Rem Mag in a non-belted case.
I went with a 35 degree shoulder and blew out the shoulder to .535. It has about 5.5 grains more H2o capacity than the .300 Dakota.
Just about everything I own in centerfire is a wildcat except for a .30-30 Win I received when I was 14 and a .338 Winchester Mag Pre-64' that is custom barreled.

15 October 2005, 15:20
roebuck222quote:
Is wildcatting dead ?
I have often wondered about this....and from the replies it would seem not,and it provides a good pastime or hobby to many.
But surely the question that really needs to be asked...is are there any holes or niches that require filling in calibre / performance,or to put it another way what new calibre/bullet etc combination can be contrived that is or will be better than ones already established and tried and tested in existance?
Personally I have my doubts,that such a thing exists today.
But granted its fun trying.
Roebuck222
15 October 2005, 21:43
bartschequote:
Originally posted by roebuck222:
quote:
Is wildcatting dead ?
I have often wondered about this....and from the replies it would seem not,and it provides a good pastime or hobby to many.
But surely the question that really needs to be asked...is are there any holes or niches that require filling
I think interesting to explore rather than requires filling is the path that might be open.
Resently my wildcating has gone in a different direction;at least for me.In playing around with some heavy gas checked bullets (250-300gr.). I found that a full case of 4198 in one of my short 35 caliber wildcats produced energy levels equivalent to a 30-06.Is this wedding of heavy cast bullets to wildcatting new? Probably not but it sure was an Eye opener to me.
In other words limited to about 2400 fps. and using a full case of powder with no fillers and burning all the powder rather than throwing a lot of it on the ground, have a small wildcat that would meet or exceed 06 energy levels in a 16" barrel.
I'll be playing around with this concept for a while. In fact I just put a muzzle brake on my 9X41 and rebeded it to handle the recoil a little better( me too).
Some time down the road I'll be looking for some one to take some large game ( elk, moose, boar or such) with it.Volunteers????????

roger
Old age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone..
15 October 2005, 23:03
Jarrodquote:
Originally posted by Old Elk Hunter:
Bartsche,
I don't agree with your contention that shooting is dead in the L.A. area. Just go to East L.A., stick your rifle out the window, and see what kind of groups you can get on the closest low-rider Chebby. You'll have to settle for a three shot group because the return fire will destroy your concentration.
The Pasadena freeway in the morning is pretty calm with all the cars parked on it. Maybe it would be better for sighting-in your newest rifle.

"Science only goes so far then God takes over."
16 October 2005, 18:28
jeffeossoquote:
Originally posted by roebuck222:
But surely the question that really needs to be asked...is are there any holes or niches that require filling in calibre / performance,or to put it another way what new calibre/bullet etc combination can be contrived that is or will be better than ones already established and tried and tested in existance?
Personally I have my doubts,that such a thing exists today.
But granted its fun trying.
Roebuck222
http://www.550magnum.comhttp://www.weaponsmith.com/550-exp.htmlnew BORE
new 3" round
new 2.65" round
is it dead? only as "dead" as engineering.. "it's all been done before" "except THAT"
happens everyday..
then you have the line of AR rounds that aren't designed to BEAT anything else in performance, just BE able to fit into normal actions, rather than a limited $et of action$$
jeffe
17 October 2005, 01:36
Steve E.As of yesterday (15 Oct.05)at the range it wasn't. Don't know about today though. LOL
Steve E.........
NRA Patron Life Member
GOA Life Member
North American Hunting Club Life Member
USAF Veteran
24 October 2005, 03:40
RareBearquote:
Originally posted by jeffeosso:
in the last year, I've been aware of, or part of, 3 totally new monsters...
dead? only in the small bores
jeffe
A chap by the name of Walt Berger has been using a .20 caliber wildcat in some benchrest competitions this year. (Small Caliber News, vol. 8,no. 2, summer 2005,p. 33)
24 October 2005, 03:42
RareBearSome recent small caliber wildcats:
24 October 2005, 03:44
RareBearSome recent and some not so recent small caliber wildcats:
24 October 2005, 07:21
bartsche
Very interesting!!
Are there rifles made that shoot them?

roger
Old age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone..
04 December 2005, 04:51
45ottoNope, Not dead!
______________________
Are you gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?
08 December 2005, 09:35
waterratMy present arsenal 250-3000imp,30 Gibbs,300 h&h ackley imp, 358 Norma,and a 425 Express. Come and gone are 2 30-06 ackleys,6.5 dakota,35 mashburn mag,and a Lott before they were in fashion. Next up 6.5-06 ackley.
I tend to use more than enough gun
08 December 2005, 10:31
.366torquequote:
Originally posted by bartsche:
Kind a looks that way.

roger
If that were true where would new cartridge insperation come from? All of todays RUM's come from 'Cat enthusiasts. Look at the .338 RUM and the .338 Abe Express, not much differance. Even the WSM's, based on the .348 winnie, had guys turn the rim off long ago. So don't fret, Wildcatting will never die, the industries depend on them.
18 December 2005, 02:42
45ottoExactly as 366 says. take a look at the 338 federal.
______________________
Are you gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?
18 December 2005, 10:24
ZERMELNo way is wildcatting dead. It is not that you need to design a new cartridge, but some wild cats will fill niche and satisfy your fancy for special applications and for all sorts of reasons.
At present I am revamping a 223 which I had bought for gopher shooting out to 300 yards but the barrel did not have the inherent accuracy for the job.
So I am having this barrel rebored to 6mm and chambered for the 6x47" a mild and very accurate wild cat. Why? It suits my purpose better than any other cartridge. Besides I love wildcats. I have five besides this new one.
The 222Rem Mag is the case for this caliber, mild recoil, good selection of light varmint bullets, low consumtion of powder, not much recoil to speak of.
Fred M.
zermel@shaw.ca
19 December 2005, 19:50
teraI am in the search of gauge wildcat; That silk has old gauge or feels; Or that you intended to speak Because I seek to gather the most possible Wildcat In France Wildcat not current is not nobody does not practise kind of thing I am this practice formidable Précisément I seek - his base of than it casing are the base of the gauge - - his nomination (name) - - if you know even his ballistics (or that it gauge is closest or even identical) - - I thank you for the information which you can make me by - P.S even forum or I can go for wildcat
20 December 2005, 04:54
bartschequote:
Originally posted by tera:
I am in the search of gauge wildcat; That silk has old gauge or feels; Or that you intended to speak Because I seek to gather the most possible Wildcat In France Wildcat not current is not nobody does not practise kind of thing I am this practice formidable Précisément I seek - his base of than it casing are the base of the gauge - - his nomination (name) - - if you know even his ballistics (or that it gauge is closest or even identical) - - I thank you for the information which you can make me by - P.S even forum or I can go for wildcat
Now I have absolute proff that WILDCATTING IS NOT DEAD
!!!!!!! vive le tera.
Thank you roger
Old age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone..
21 December 2005, 04:01
MarkNot to mention that the 204 Ruger was based on Todd Kindlers work in 20's.
for every hour in front of the computer you should have 3 hours outside
21 December 2005, 04:53
Paul HI had thought that the wildcatting field had been pretty well played out, but must admit it's far from dead, and I even got involved in motivating Jeffe to bring out the three AR rounds since you started this thread.
I'd also figured that I wasn't going to mess around with any wildcats myself, but it looks like I can't help it either, as I've quite about a 1/2 dozen that I'd like to try.
I's say most wildcatts these days come down to the issue of packaging, ie not so much going for "enhanced performance" perse, but more taking known levels of performance, ie given bore bullet weight and velocity, and putting it into firearm packages that haven't historical been able to yield such levels of performance.
I've become quite fond of short actions as of late, I've never had a problem functioning a full length or magnum action, but my arms do tend to lengthen after lugging a heavy rifle all day for a week straigth. Give me a light short action that produces the same performance as a full length action any day!
__________________________________________________
The AR series of rounds, ridding the world of 7mm rem mags, one gun at a time.