Howdy folks!

I have been itching to do a wildcat for a long time. I was looking to do a 30-cal version of the 9.3X64 Brenneke, but brass availabilty held it up at the time and it was semi-forgotten for a couple years.

So when I first saw the 375 Ruger, my first thought was necking it down. It has the 2.5 inch length and no rim, plus it's a wee bit fatter. Brass can be had right off of Hornady's website. So away we go!

The plan is to have a reamer made at Pacific, dies at Redding, bundle them up with a Krieger barrel and a Boyds JRS stock and give them to Jim Gruning for his usual expert assembly. So far, so good.

Where I need some help is when Jim sends it back. I never have developed loads from scratch before and am a bit leary of having a Remington 700 blow up in my face.

So any advice on how to proceed and what not to do, along with what equipment I will need would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Ted

i dubbed it the 300 AMERICAN...

i was actualy thinking about it yesterday but like all things it requires time and money...the latter i need more of. i was thinking you get a 300 win mag and rechamber and let the brass "flow" to 2.62" of the 300 win mag length. if that is not desirable swap the bolt of a 30-06 and do a 2.58" ish version or were you thinking 06 length?

the 30 newton is about the same in fact you could put 375 ruger brass in the forming dies to make a smidge bigger 30 newton. i have a formed 35 newton case made on the ruger brass thanks to white bison.

the 338 version i think would be better since the 300 version will be only a tad better than the 300 win but it would be a significant increase over the 338 win.
good luck and welcome!

your first post in the wildcat forum...brave soul!

Well it is being built on a 30-06 BDL action. And I was planning on having it necked to 30-cal with no other changes. I haven't seen a dimensioned drawing of the Ruger yet, and will make my decisions when I do.

So, would "flowing" the brass to 2.62 weaken the case? To my mind it would, with a thinner wall and shoulder junction.

Anyway, let the ideas fly. I haven't ordered the reamer yet, so let me hear what all you have to say. Class project!

you could not neck it to 308 and keep the shoulder angle or position in the same place unless you wanted an uber short neck...

and i dont think it would weaken the case by streaching 40 thou

Thanks, Boom Stick,

No, I don't want an uber short neck. I need to find a drawing of this thing. Hornady's website doesn't even have one.

If we're only talking .040", then streching makes sense.

Gotta find a drawing...Any suggestions where??

Thanks

Ted,
it is your money ... and my opinion is that there are WAY too many 30 mags to make a difference, in terms of performance.

but i have to clear up something for you.. THE RUGER CASE IS NOT AN X64 THAT IS THE STEYR CASE... okay, rant off.. the ruger case is 13,5MM casehead, .532ish inch, not 12,9mm,...

you would have, more or less a 300 weatherby in a standard length action.. great round... and for the 600 bucks you would have to spend to rechamber a 300 win (that's all you need to do) you get 200 FPS...

jeffe

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

i wont post the pic since it creates a stir but this here you will find a copy of a published drawing with figures from hornady.

Thanks for your opinion, El Jeffe.

I fully understand that I am duplicating the performance of several existing rounds. And I know that I will have spent your $600 on reamers, dies, etcetera, before I have the gun built ($1100.00 labor/misc. parts like trigger and lightweight firing pin/heavy spring, $300.00 for the barrel, $75.00 for the stock). Not to mention that nice, used 700BDL for $450.00, and whatever scope I decide on.

And if you read the first post again, you will see that I state that I was originally looking to do this on the 9.3X64 case--as I was looking to beat the '06 Ackley and approach the WinMag level, not exactly exceed it. I know that the Ruger and the X64 case are completely different, and state just that in the original post.

As for the case head difference, it turns out that through the wonders of mass production, one is able to swap parts on a Remington rifle and solve that issue. Or one can simply broach the smaller bolt face to accept the larger cartridge and have a closer fit.

OKAY, RANT OFF.

Cheers!

thanks ted...
good on ya!
jeffe

Jeffe, my rant in response to your rant came off more argumentative than intended. Please accept my appology.

Boom Stick, thanks for the link. I did some calculations, and with a .342" o.d. neck, the neck length comes to .2773", or .0123" longer than a 300 WinMag's neck of .265". This is with the 2.58" case length and necking down with no other changes. To me, this is acceptable considering the WinMag's reputation for accuracy. I agree that a full caliber's length neck is preferrable, but I think this is good enough.

What do you think?

Cheers,
Ted

if it makes yer heart pump go for it...wildcatting is more style than anything else...sometimes they outperform others but not always. i agree that will be enough neck...the most important thing is to have fun and to enjoy it for the long haul

Ted,
Hey Buddy, I thought and inferred a good intent and good natured rebuttal, no appology required, nothing happened, and thanks...

Hey, i think a 338/375 is in my future, for the same reasons you want the 300...

a caliber is a "nice to have" in a neck, as the 300win and 500jeffe ( and I have both) have proven for decades.... heh, and my 470 AR proves you have have "some" headspace and a short neck and deliver good performance.

in fact, to me, the 338/375 seems to be such a good idea i can't imagine the makers haven't thought of it!!!

Ruger is planning a whole family of cartridges based on the 375 Ruger.

Pacific Tool and Die and been making
the reamers for Ruger.

Everything from 6.5 on up.

They already have the 300 made.

quote:

Originally posted by prescott:
Ruger is planning a whole family of cartridges based on the 375 Ruger.

Pacific Tool and Die and been making
the reamers for Ruger.

Everything from 6.5 on up.

They already have the 300 made.

prescott... just a few for testing or a bunch for production???

great info!!!!!!!!!!

any news on the 416? can you find out what specific calibers?

that a reamer maker is making 'cats is NOT confirmation that a rifle maker is making it.

there would be very few things more boring than ANOTHER 30 mag.

now, a .338 ,,,,,,,

There not cats.

They are for future production.

Ruger will have their own short versions as well.

Call Pacific, I caught them flat footed about
a month ago. They may have zipped up there mouths by now.

They are coming.....

The more I think about the 338, the more tempting it is. But my riflesmith has his 338 Gruning, basically a 338/300 RUM with some tricks, that is more tempting. Also, I already have a 280 and a 35 Whelen, so there's a 30-cal whole in the collection, and I don't like belts or the 300 RUM as too overbore, or 300 WSM as short of true WinMag pop...so that 300 Ruger keeps looking just about perfect to me.

Hmmm, maybe sell the 280, build a 6.5-284 and a 7mm WSM and see what happens here.

quote:

Originally posted by prescott:
There not cats.

They are for future production.

Ruger will have their own short versions as well.

Call Pacific, I caught them flat footed about
a month ago. They may have zipped up there mouths by now.

They are coming.....

aaaaaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

they do read my posts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

way to go ruger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

those r+d guys are getting my smoke signals from here.... i have done many a post on the shortened versions!!!!!!!!!!!

yipeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!

I called Pacific about making a 30 caliber reamer for me based on the 375. The gentleman I talked to
said it had already been done, by Ruger and thats when he told me their further plans.

It might take the next couple of years for these to come out and it also might depend on market conditions and the conceived right timing by Ruger.

No offense, but these is not a ruger or hornady annouce meant, rather a rumor from a reamer maker.

Hornady and ruger both have reamer shops, so I don't put alot of stock in this rumor.

No dispect, prescott

I'd do a straight neck down of the 375 case; that way you can use 375 head space gauges. As far as initial loading data, your case capacity is just under the 300 Weatherby, and you don't have the Weatherby free-bore so use the Weatherby starting loads and increase slowly to the first accurate load and stop; don't try to reach the Weatherby maximums.

I hope they make it, and I hope they call it "30-375 Ruger.

The final word, from Steve Hornady:

quote:

There is NO caliber or case length that we have not considered that could be built off this platform. Some have merit and some do not.
Where we and Ruger think there may be an opportunity we will explore and possibly introduce variations as market conditions and opportunities allow.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
The final word, from Steve Hornady:

There is NO caliber or case length that we have not considered that could be built off this platform. Some have merit and some do not.
Where we and Ruger think there may be an opportunity we will explore and possibly introduce variations as market conditions and opportunities allow.

Ooooooo! 17-375 Ruger.

Jeffeoffo,
I have been grinding a lot of wildcats such as the 6.5/375 Ruger which has been winning a lot of matches this year. We have had ordres in just about every wildcat you can think of using the 375 Ruger case. I have talked with many folks about the 375 Ruger but I know of no plans of Ruger coming out with a family of rifles in long or short versions. I have talked with several gunsmiths and benchrest shooters about my opinion on the case being necked up and down as I really believe in the performance of this case. I hope that people don't jump to conclusions that Ruger and Hornady are going to come out with a family of cartrides and rifles just because I am pushing the wildcats. I respect Prescott's support of the case but I have no imformation on any other calibers coming out in the future.
Thank you,
Dave Kiff, Owner of Pacific Tool and Gauge

Dave
thanks for clearing that up. Lots of folks ordering wildcats, sure enough. I need a 338 barrel!

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
Dave
thanks for clearing that up. Lots of folks ordering wildcats, sure enough. I need a 338 barrel!

338 win mag?

Well gentlemen hornady has announced it first two rounds comming off the 375, but they are shortened rounds and not the full length version. How disapointing. I was looking forward to barreling my p17 for the full length version in 300. You could use 300 Dakota loads to start with. there is only .010 difference in the case size. Start with the lower loads and work your way up. If one of you guys gets a reamer made please pass on the dimentions. I would like to get one made also.

You know, I think Prescott actually mentioned that there would be short versions coming. Maybe his source is good

Ya'll are going the wrong direction with the .375 Ruger, need to go up..Mine is a .416/375 Ruger and the .404/375 Ruger is on my plate next....

Hey Ray, I thought the 375 RUM is what we were to use for the .416 cal.

Dang, that 300 is almost done now, too. Guess I'll just have to build another gun--right after I rob a bank.