moor ( http://dictionary.cambridge.or...ciation/english/moor )
and from Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary: n. 1. a tract of open peaty, wasteland, often overgrown with heath,
common in high latitudes and altitudes where drainage is poor; heath. 2. a tract of land preserved for game. [bef. 900;
ME more, OE mor; c. D moer, G Moor marsh] -- moor'y, adj., i.e.,
before 900 AD (CE); Middle English more, Old English mōr; cognate with Dutch moer, German Moor marsh, moor·y, adjective

Thankfully I have dawdled long enough on this one to dream up a third name for this wildcat, the .408/.338 Lapua Magnum,
before my Gunsmith stamped the barrel.
It's final now: 10.4 Spiridon Moor.

I have also dreamed up a place name and assigned it to the map of Kodiak Island, Alaska.
My spot on the map, the map that I was carrying in my pocket when my Kodiak deer hunt ended there 30 years ago today, Spiridon Moor:



There is a Spiridon Peninsula on the northwest side of Kodiak Island. It is the closest point of the island to mainland Alaska,
the Alaska Peninsula.
That point , I believe, is called Cape Ugat, very near the latitude of Becharof Lake and Shotsky Creek
where I did a solo Barren Ground Caribou hunt in November of same year, 1986.
Well, yesterday I could not even spell "cartographer" and now I are one!



This is a most appropriate christening for what I hope is my last wildcat.
Through extensive self-psychoanalysis I have realized that my wildcatting disease was caused by my trip to that patch of ground I now call Spiridon Moor.
It lies near the northwest end of Spiridon Lake which dumps southeasterly into Spiridon Bay near the stalk of the polypoid-shaped land mass called Spiridon Peninsula.
That polyp turned into the mental cancer of wildcatomania!
But there is hope for me, and it will be through an exorcism by Saint Spiridon!

You see, the devil who made me do it had already possessed my hunting buddy on that trip, unbeknownst to me!
Let's call that buddy "George" to protect the innocent or not so innocent.

His rifle was a wildcat 7mm/300 Winchester Magnum, and here he sits at about 2000 feet above sea level, with his back turned to Spiridon Moor below.
Poor George was oblivious, but he was having fun!




And this is me, 30 years ago, at Spiridon Moor with a pedestrian factory 340 Weatherby, playing Death in the Long Grass
(thank you Peter Hathaway Capstick) and wondering what the heck is a wildcat?



The little stogie was never lit, so as not to scare the deer off. Tobacco smoke is a better deer repellant than mosquito repellant.
It is a trick I learned from a guy called "Boondocker" in Eagle River, Alaska.
He was another ambivalent influence on me, sold me that 340 Weatherby ... the first factory production of a rifle with a fiberglass stock.
It was a McMillan with black wrinkle paint, Weatherby Fibermark of 1985, I still have it ... Saint Spiridon deliver me!

Swing a dead cat over my head, one revolution for each wildcat cartridge I am guilty of,
then bury the specified wildcat cartridge dummies, along with the dead cat,
in an unmarked grave, on a moonless night, at Spiridon Moor ... I gotta go back ...




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That'sa nicea. roger

bartsche,
Trying to keep me from talking to myself, eh? Thanks, I know your intentions are good. It comforts me as I struggle with this. Am I insane or just wrestling with the wildcatting demon that won't release its grip?

Where it all got started is seen vividly in my hallucinations, better than in the old "Kodiak-Kodak Moments." I have been pouring over old photo albums trying to maintain a grip on reality.
My first trip to Kodiak ...

Southeast-by-south end of Spiridon Lake is to the left in these two photos, where it dumps into Spiridon Bay at Telrod Cove and Stream Point:





Middle part of "Loch Spiridon" with southerly end of lake to the right in this photo, a view from the hillside,
and the second view below is from the other side of the lake, we did a wee bit of hiking about:



Middle part of "Loch Spiridon" with the other end to the right side of photo in the northwest where Spiridon Moor lies at the heart of Spiridon Peninsula,
where we camped for a week:



Lake Spiridon is just over 6 miles long by my topo map scale. The northwest end of Spiridon Lake is to the right in this photo, and Spiridon Moor lies, beyond, to the right:



1986 Kodak Instamatic plus Scotch Tape equals panorama.
Here is a look south along the stalk of the polyp that is Spiridon Peninsula, toward the end of Spiridon Bay and into the Heart of Kodiak Island in the distance:



Spiridon Moor is about four miles long and one mile wide, according to my cartography.
It lies to the east side of Saddle Mountain's low peak and to the west of Little River Lake.
About smack dab between the two landmarks.
It needs to have its name added to all the maps that are now obsolete without it.
Four square miles of heaven on earth ... or HELL if that is where you go to get introduced to wildcat rifle cartridges!
Here is my last torment, I'll never have another rifle built for a wildcat cartridge, after this one, I swear, after this one.







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Elegant ... a he-mans 7.62 NATO.

quote:

Originally posted by DOPPELGANGSTER:
Elegant ... a he-mans 7.62 NATO ...

... a .408 WCF doppelganger?

Never say never rip
The first thing I thought on looks was it did remind me of a 308.
I can see this having advantages as a .410" as well going from Whelen power to a bit more oomph!

Boomstick,
Your advice is noted as from the blind leading the blind. I like the .408-caliber bullet.
I swear not to budge down any other wildcatting paths but the one leading to Spiridon Moor, like this one,
I call it "Spoor on the Moor":



Above are some Kodiak tracks pressed into the moor over the ages.
Many bears have walked in those tracks permanently sunken into the tundra as they lumbered along,
putting down paws in the same old tracks.
The bear went over the mountain ... to see what he could see!

That is George's 7mm/300WinMag wildcat (on a Remington M700, IIRC).
Lying on the tracks for size reference, the rifle is about 2 tracks long.
Two Kodiak feet in length.
A Kodiak foot is longer than 12 inches!
The 7mm/300 WinMag is great for deer, but the 10.4 Spiridon Moor would make a better Kodiak deer rifle!

A .408-caliber monometal copper bullet of 335 grains at +2800 fps MV ought to work just fine for deer or bear.
GSC HV.



Or consider sizing down the .411 and .416-caliber Barnes TSX and TTSX bullets. Use an arbor press,
a cheater bar (elbow grease), and Lee bullet sizing dies and lube.
FUN!

Hmmm. Is this a true .408 or is it gonna be an off the rack .409, .411, .412, yada, etc., yada. So many different barrels out there. I'm easily confoosed.

Don't let boomstick confuse you, it is a true .400-bore with .400" diameter between the lands and .408" groove diameter, 1:13" twist.
.408" = 10.36mm, thus called a "Ten Four" which is a "slant rhyme" or "inexact rhyme" with "Spiridon Moor."
I'm a poet, and I know it.

Another one that got away:





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What is that, a Tapir?

So, it's a .408 Moor, understood. No longer confused, at least not about this project.

Doppelgangster,

Are you pulling my leg? There are no tapirs anywhere on Kodiak Island, unless they have a zoo in the town of Kodiak that I am unaware of.
You only find those pesky tapirs on the Kenai Peninsula of mainland Alaska.
Especially common is to find them road-killed when driving the Sterling and Seward Highways south of Anchorage.
Here is a cow found lying on the shoulder as we were on the way to catch the ferry at Seward, on the way to Kodiak:



Funny thing about Alaska-Yukon tapirs is that the bulls have huge palmated antlers that can get to be 7 feet across.

quote:

Funny thing about Alaska-Yukon tapirs is that the bulls have huge palmated antlers that can get to be 7 feet across.

Holy Horn Toads, er ... Horn Tapirs, that's large. Are they good eatin'?

Say, isn't there already a .416/.338 Law-poo-wah? That's purdy close to a .408. I was thinkin' (a rarity) that a .440 Lapwah would be nifty.

quote:

Say, isn't there already a .416/.338 Law-poo-wah?

Yes, it's called the 416 Rigby. But RIP doesn't like it's weak Ackleyesque shoulder and is happy to show what could be done in its place.

quote:

Originally posted by 416Tanzan:

quote:

Say, isn't there already a .416/.338 Law-poo-wah?

Yes, it's called the 416 Rigby. But RIP doesn't like it's weak Ackleyesque shoulder and is happy to show what could be done in its place.

Indeed!
You gain 0.3 grains water capacity by simply increasing the 45-degree shoulder angle of the .416 Rigby to 20 degrees:



There may be some controversy over whether Bill Ruger's .416 Ruger of 1991 had double radiused, Weatherbyesque shoulder
versus my estimate of a simple 30-degrees from eye-balling a photo.
Any historical clarification by documentation is welcome.
Anyway, it shows someone else did not like that 45-degree shoulder.

Neck, schmeck, make it 15 degrees.

Yep, 15, 20, 30 or even double-radiused Weatherbyesque shoulder that looks a lot like 30 or 35 degrees between the curves,
any of them would be an improvement over the 45-degree shoulder!

Highjacking my own thread? No not really, just trying to justify my misguided past of wildcatting.
Even the great ones have played with wildcats, or at least accepted them as gifts.




From www.ammo-one.com/416Ruger.html

I have to wonder if Bill Ruger, or someone else, simply fired .416 Rigby cartridges in the .416 Ruger of 1991?
Surely they did not let his .416 Ruger of 1991 lie fallow until 1997 when the properly headstamped brass was finally made for it by Jim Bell!

THE RAVIN' (of a Lunatic)

Once upon a midnight dreary, when we boarded Seward ferry,
Dismounting from loaded Jimmy, Yukon of yore,
Climbing from the cargo strappings, headed for our needed nappings,
But first to survey hunting trappings, trappings checked while ship's at moor.
" 'Tis strange, this wildcat," I muttered, "resting on our cabin floor --
Only this and nothing more." ...

THE BOAT TO PERDITION:





George with his wildcat beside his bunk:



I got the top bunk and snoozed nicely through the night trip from Seward to Kodiak.
There were no complaints of snoring from either of us:





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The original 416 Ruger appears to have been diminutized by the accounting department, for to mo betta fit in a baby cheapo action and the balance sheet.

One may convert any .416 Rigby to a .416 RIP by simply applying the .395 Tatanka finish reamer with a pilot that fits the bore of the .416-grooved barrel.
Use the .395 Tatanka's go and no-go gages to check that new 20-degree shoulder.
The zero-parallel-sided-free-bore, leade-only throat of the .416 Rigby could be lengthened with a separate throat-only reamer ...
wondering if a .416 Dakota reamer could be used for that ...
Just trivia.
I am resisting the devil's urgings that I do that to any .416 Rigby I come in contact with.
But after this 10.4 Spiridon Moor is done,
if wildcatting withdrawal syndrome gets unbearable,
I will taper off with a .416 RIP instead of going completely cold turkey.



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I thought you said you were giving up big-bore wildcatting?

Karl,
I am trying, trying to write poetry now, instead of wildcatting.

This one tells of the descent into madness, as a warning of the folly. Continuing with addition of the second stanza:

THE RAVIN' (of a Lunatic)

Once upon a midnight dreary, when we boarded Seward ferry,
Dismounting from loaded Jimmy, Yukon of yore,
Climbing from the cargo strappings, headed for our needed nappings,
But first to survey hunting trappings, trappings checked while ship's at moor.
" 'Tis strange, this wildcat," I muttered, "resting on our cabin floor --
Only this and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was one week to September;
When alighting spry and limber from the floatplane to the shore.
No need wait until the morrow; -- Alaska laws gave no sorrow
Allowing us surcease to follow -- follow now upon the spoor --
Over wild and windswept gamefield where the bears trod Spiridon Moor --
So named here for evermore.















August 22 - 30, 1986: It rained the first two days of that period as we arrived, got sunny with frost in the mornings for six days (incredible)
then rained again as we were packing up to fly out.
Supernatural Kodiak weather for my corruption!

LOL you have never once been less than the amazing person you are!

The Ten-Four Spiridon Moor, born on 9-16-16, birthed by "The Anonymous Gunsmith Who Wears Funny-smelling Perfume" (that is an inside joke):



This one is another great African Sheep Rifle, i.e., same thing as a Kodiak Deer Rifle.
For lighter weight, one could use a Winchester M70 with Sunnyhill bottom metal and McMillan stock to match,
plus a No.4 Sporter contour barrel of shorter length.
This BRNO has a McGowen No. 6 heavy target contour (straight taper), 25" long.
If the devil ever makes me want another wildcat rifle, I might do the lighter Winchester 10.4 SM, and add a muzzle brake.



The right side of the barrel has a ".408/.338 LM" stamping.
This should make it "legal" to use .338 Lapua Magnum brass if that ever matters:



On the left side of the barrel, the "rising zero" in the "10.4 SPIRIDON MOOR" barrel stamping is endearing:



Oddly, the Alumina scope caps fit one of these scopes but not the other.
Both scopes are 2.5-8x36mm, but the threading on the bells is different.
The one with Alumina lens covers installed has a standard duplex reticle.
The other one shown with no covers has a mildot reticle, and will use the plastic Butler Creek or Storm Queen covers:



With no open sights on the barrel, a backup scope is a great idea for either Kodiak or Alaska.
Easy to do with standard CZ rings.
There is nothing better.



Uh-oh, a little bit of epoxy crumbs to be cleaned off of the Brockman stud:



Another beautiful muzzle crown by "The Anonymous Gunsmith Who Wears Funny-smelling Perfume" (that is an inside joke):





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There are now four once-fired 10.4 SM cases, standing here beside an unfired load:





That fire-forming/starting load was 94.2 grains of H4350 with a GSC HV, .408-cal/335-grain bullet, and a GM215M primer.
Brass length was 2.700".
COaL was 3.609".
Barrel length 25".

Previous guesstimations suggest 2725 fps MV and 54,466 psi.

Primers were indeed low-pressure-looking, and the case necks had a little soot on them, suggesting low pressure.

I will measure the water capacity of once-fired brass and use that in another QuickLOAD estimate for MV and chamber pressure.
Gotta give the devil his due.





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Sorting .338 Lapua Magnum brass, I measured weight and length of ten pieces of four brands, all brass new, unprimed.
I discovered two different lots of Lapua brand in my pile according to an observed bimodal distribution of case weights!
Just the means and the extreme spreads here, no standard deviations:

Old lot of Lapua brand (MOST UNIFORM OF ALL):
Case weight, grains: 342.6 +/- 0.85
Case length, inches: 2.720 +/- 0.0015

Newer Lot of Lapua (lot # P00595503, all from a single 100-round box):
Case weight, grains: 330.0 +/- 2.6
Case length, inches: 2.718 +/- 0.0010

Hornady brand:
Case weight, grains: 311.7 +/- 1.7
Case length, inches: 2.718 +/- 0.0020

Captech International brand:
Case weight, grains: 311.7 +/- 1.5
Case length, inches: 2.718 +/- 0.0045

Partizan PRVI brand:
Case weight, grains: 334.6 +/- 3.3
Case length, inches: 2.718 +/- 0.0035

These 10.4 Spiridon Moor (.408/.338 Lapua Magnum) once-fired case capacities are hereby "estimated" to be:

Heavier (older) lot of Lapua brand: 118.6 grains water

Partizan PRVI brand: 119.4 grains water

Lighter (newer) lot of Lapua brand: 120.0 grains water

Hornady brand: 121.6 grains water

Captech brand: 121.6 grains water

I'll just go with the 120.0-grain water capacity for a nice round number to do some QuickLOAD estimations, again.
So, for now, I will just stick with that 100-round lot of brass that came from Scheel's in Fargo North Dakota, last time I passed through there.
You know they had a ferris wheel inside that sporting goods store, and a bunch of POTUS wax dummies all over the store to gawk at!
Now that was a far go in Fargo!
But I gotta come up with a cheaper bullet for fire-forming-plinking:
I bought a bunch of the old Speer .416-cal/350-gr Mag Tip bullets years ago, dirt cheap close-out at the local emporium.
I will resize those to .408"-.409" so as to make a nice barrel plug.
Who know's, might make a nice plinking load ...



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There are plenty of bullets to use in a sporting .408-caliber rifle,
everything from plinkers to the best of all possible bullets.
And then there are all those other bullets for the .408 Chey-Tac too.





Or was that a .411/300-grain TSX re-sized to .408? Oh well, you get the idea, bullet weight range can be expanded to full 300-400 grain range.





And a review, for COaL reference:

My next adventure is trying RL-17 versus H4350 to see how reality compares to QuickLOAD.
Powder lots do vary.
RL-17 and H4350 are the only two powders I am considering for 335-grain to 400-grain bullets.

I am estimating I will avoid any loads that exceed certain limits.

350-grainers must stay below 2800 fps.

Here is the test to see what seems closer to reality, compared to what QuickLOAD predicts:

350-grain Speer Mag Tip re-sized to .408

RL-17 93.0 grains (a 91 % volumetric load) >>> 2687 fps <<< 56,573 psi (predicted)

H4350 95.0 grains (a 98 % volumetric load) >>> 2680 fps <<< 55,380 psi (predicted)



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quote:

RL-17 and H4350 are the only two powders I am considering for 335-grain to 400-grain bullets.

IMR 4451, the new Enduron temp insensitive powder is "4350"-type and available.

And 2800 is probably doable in R-17, maybe 4451 and 4350, too.

Thanks for that reminder 416Tanzan,
I have an 8 pound jug of Enduron 4451 too, better add that powder to the trials...
I am going to have to update my QuickLOAD now for sure! I see that the 2012 version ain't cutting the mustard anymore, if it would let me forget about the Endurons,
which I really have been meaning to try.

2800 fps with 350-grainer in this little .408 will be harder to do than it is in the .416 Rigby, which has bigger bore and bigger case.
My pressures would be higher by "Bore Law."
I have to fall back on slightly higher SD and BC for a given weight of bullet, bigger bores rule outside of that.

Thinking about IMR 4451 of the "Enduron" line, which is ThermoBallistically Independent, reduces copper fouling, and is environmentally friendly:

I thought to check out the Hodgdon Annual Manuals for 2015 and 2016, for lab tested velocity and pressure with IMR 4451.
Been meaning to read those articles for a while ...

Then another thought intruded. Which cartridge, in the Hodgdon reloading manual would be most comparable to the 10.4 SM to get the flavor of comparison of H4350 to IMR 4451?

DOPPELGANGSTER's thought of the 10.4 SM as a "he-man 7.62 NATO" (or .308 WCF) is very good on appearances:



But appearances can be deceiving on the bore ratio.
I got comparative (calculated, i.e., relative) case capacities from RCBS Cartridge Designer (grains of water), and a rifled bore area (square inches) from QuickLOAD:





Calculated case capacities used: "CC"
26 Ripmoor: 93.6 gr
.308 WCF: 56.6 gr
.375 Ruger: 99.4
10.4 Spiridon Moor: 122.9 gr
.416 Rigby: 132.4 gr

Rifled bore areas: "BA"
.264: 0.05361 sq. in.
.308: 0.07364 sq. in.
.375: 0.10875 sq. in.
.408: 0.12819 sq. in.
.416: 0.13425 sq. in.

Bore ratios calculated for this purpose = "CC/BA"
26 Ripmoor = 1,746
.308 WCF = 769
.375 Ruger = 914
10.4 Spiridon Moor = 959
.416 Rigby = 986

So the 10.4 SM lies between the .375 Ruger and the .416 Rigby, closer to the latter.
Maybe the 26 Ripmoor is an "over-bore cartridge" and a "barrel burner?" Well, I like it anyway.

The load data fromm Hodgdon showing a comparison of both powders:

.416 Rigby:






The .375 Ruger loads where the comparison was shown:
Case: Hornady
barrel: 24"
Twist: 1:12"
Trim: 2.580"
Primer: WLRM




And the .408-caliber bullet sectional densities used to compare H4350 to IMR 4451:

300 gr = .257
335 gr = .287 (G1 BC for HV = .434)
350 gr = .300
370 gr = .318 (G1 BC for HV = .650)
385 gr = .330
400 gr = .343





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QuickLOAD is pointing me in the direction of approximately 6000 ft-lb loads:

300-grainer: 3000 fps >>> 5994 ft-lbs
335-grainer: 2850 fps >>> 6042 ft-lbs
350-grainer: 2800 fps >>> 6091 ft-lbs
370-grainer: 2700 fps >>> 5988 ft-lbs
385-grainer: 2650 fps >>> 6002 ft-lbs
400-grainer: 2600 fps >>> 6003 ft-lbs

These are my DO-NOT-EXCEED-BY-MUCH velocities for H4350.

I am sticking with H4350 for KISS purposes, to get going on this.
Good ol' H4350 will do plenty.
I am betting it is the single best powder for this cartridge.
And it is going to take a drop tube and a lot of compression to get into pressure trouble with H4350 Extreme.

Any complications with other powders will come later. I'll see what kind of trouble I can get into with pushing the envelope later.

Off topic but...
IIRC the 40 Newton was originally a .408" bullet. People are making 35 and 40 Newtons from 375 Ruger brass. Any temptation to have a purist 40 Newton with the original .408 bullet since this is a darling diameter for you? Sorry for the thread hijack.

boomstick,

Thanks for the reply.
Making the smaller Newton case head out of the larger Ruger case head is akin to making Eve from the rib of Adam. Work to be entrusted to God.
Unless you are just using .375 Ruger brass and calling it a Newton, which ain't Kosher.
Horse shoes and hand grenades?
But that is a much nicer thought than making the 404 Jeffery case head out of a .375 RUM case head.
I think I will just stick to making 40-65 Winchester-Ballard brass out of 45-70 Gov brass: Same case head.



That shoots a .408-caliber bullet too:



You are not helping me quit wildcatting ...





But hey!

Maybe I could make some squib loads with the cast lead bullets for use in the 10.4 Spiridon Moor,
just in case squirrels are ever introduced to Kodiak Island?

I will have the perfect Kodiak Squirrel Rifle too!

Meanwhile I will be fire-forming with the Speer Mag Tip 350-grainer, sized down to .406" in a series of CH4D bullet sizers:
.412", .410", .408", and finally .406".
Use RCBS case Lube-2.
They spring back to .4075" after four hours, and I think will stay at .408" after 24 hours, no bigger, thereafter.

I sized some to .407" two years ago, and they eventually grew back to .409" after 2 years.
The .406" squeeze ought to make them stay at .408".
Then add an extra cannelure with the CH4D "Can-Tool" and crimp them at 3.600" COL.
Then try H4350 to 2800 fps.
Then try other bullets and powders.
Elbow grease!

There has been much debate about the Newton case head. I have an original 35 Newton case made by Western and I measured it to be a half a thou smaller than the tiger case. Ruger cases are about .529". You can make Newton cases from Ruger cases. You could have a super cool retro cartridge on the same level of cool as the 400 Whelen but much rarer in your beloved .408 diameter. Sorry for encouraging another addict to not quit. Remember, quitting is for quitters!!!

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
There has been much debate about the Newton case head. I have an original 35 Newton case made by Western and I measured it to be a half a thou smaller than the tiger case. (What is a "tiger case"?) Ruger cases are about .529". You can make Newton cases from Ruger cases. You could have a super cool retro cartridge on the same level of cool as the 400 Whelen but much rarer in your beloved .408 diameter. Sorry for encouraging another addict to not quit. Remember, quitting is for quitters!!!

Let us hope that we all can quit everything earthly, both pleasures and torments, eventually!

Measuring one piece of "as-made-and-subsequently-abused" brass is anecdotal.
So is a single source of max brass spec,





but I have seen the .523" Newton spec for case head in more than one place.
The same spec for the .375 Ruger case is SAAMI Certfied: .532"
I give Newton his ahead-of-his-time-genius due, but the .375 Ruger is more than just a Newton.

One wild thing I note is that they claimed the 40 Newton would do 2800 fps with a .408/350-grainer,
and "3042 fps" with a .408/300-grainer.

For that, you need a 10.4 Spiridon Moor at max pressures, or a .408 Chey-Tac just loafing,
even with all the powders and bullets of today.

There is a member here IIRC who had done some chamber casts of original Newton rifles and found them to be larger than that brass. I think it was some short cutting to make Newton Brass from existing European brass that was "Close enough" that ducked everything up and then became the two camps of larger and smaller tribes.

iPhone made me type Tiger instead of Ruger

A .408-caliber, 350-grain TSX (re-sized from .416), loaded to about 25-thou off the lands is a hand-in-glove fit in the 10.4 Spiridon Moor chamber.
The throat has .403" length of parallel-sided free-bore (.409" diameter) and a 1*-7' leade angle.
The full-diameter neck-grip of bullet is complete,
and the boat tail of bullet is all within the shoulder zone of the cartridge,
and never more deep.
Nevermore, quoth the Ravin' of this lunatic:



And a cheaper 350-grain bullet to get started with, and a 300-grainer too, cannelures added with CH4D tool:



Resized from .416" down to .406" yesterday, and still .408" today, both the monometal copper and the jacketed bullets measured 0.4078" 24 hours later.
I think that will work OK for plinking.

Ron,

Are you using a dial caliper or a micrometer?

Karl,
Thanks for the reply. You facilitate continuation of my therapy, which is wildcatter syndrome withdrawal therapy.
This is accomplished by messing with bullets and brass and handloading of wildcat cartridges.
I ain't ready for cold turkey yet!

I am using both RCBS micrometer and Frankford Arsenal stainless steel caliper wherever I can fit them in or about,
for any diameter or length I can find to measure.
I have four calipers, one unopened, new in box, in case I need a backup caliper.

At 48 hours, the Barnes TTSX .416/350-grainer (that was passed through a CH4D .406" sizer at zero-hour),
appears to have stabilized at .4078" at maximum diameter on the "bands" and full diameter base of the bullet.
Using the less accurate caliper on the grooves between the "bands" of the TTSX, the diameter there is about .399".

Looking at the GSC .408-caliber bullets,
these are .4085" diameter on the true driving bands, and .4010" diameter between the bands:
335-grain HV (custom made at my request, designed by Gerard Schultz)
370-grain HV
385-grain FN
387-grain SP (meant for single feed in the Chey-Tac, so I can single feed them if they will stabilize at ~2700 fps in my slow-poke 10.4 SM)--
(BC = 0.772 for 3000 fps to 2100 fps)--("If the maximum muzzle speed is exceeded, dynamic stabilty problems may be encountered.")

The GSC web site claims the .408 Chey-Tac has a .408" groove, and a .401" bore:

http://www.gsgroup.co.za/408370HV148.html

http://www.gscustomusa.com/408385SP144.html

My McGowen barrel is supposed to have a .408" groove and a .400" bore.
I will just have to make do.


Also to correct the description of my barrel contour from McGowen:

http://mcgowenbarrel.com/contouring/



It is a McGowen No. 6 "Light Target" contour, but it is not light!
Hence my misspeak in calling it a McGowen No. 6 "Heavy" Target contour.

Contour Name # A B C D Max Length Est.Weight
Ultra Light Sporter 1 1.180″ 2.25″ 2.50″ .570″ 22″ 2 1/2 lbs
Lightweight Sporter 2 1.200″ 2.50″ 2.50″ .600″ 24″ 3 lbs
Regular Sporter 3 1.200″ 2.50″ 2.50″ .625″ 26″ 3 1/2 lbs
Medium Sporter 4 1.200″ 2.62″ 2.50″ .650″ 28″ 4 lbs
Heavy Sporter 5 1.200″ 2.75″ 2.50″ .700″ 28″ 5 lbs
Light Target 6 1.200″ 3.00″ N/A .750″ 32″ 6 lbs ... (this one)
Medium Target 7 1.200″ 3.12″ N/A .875″ 32″ 7 lbs
Heavy Target 8 1.200″ 3.25″ N/A 1.00″ 32″ 8 lbs

Approximate weights above are for .308-cal rifling, so my barrel weighs about 4.75 lbs
with .408-cal rifling and cut down from 32" to 25" length.
Muzzle diameter is 0.780" at 25" crown.

The dry rifle weight is 10 pounds and 10 ounces, 10.625 lbs.

This 10.4 Spiridon Moor will be comfortable to shoot compared to the ".408 Chey-Tac Sporter" that also has a dry weight of 10.625 lbs. (What a coincidence!)
on an MRC PH with Lilja No. 7 Sporter contour, fluted, 1.350" diameter breech, 0.830" at 26" crown.
The Lilja barrel weighed 4.25 pounds after final trim to 26" length.
I could take a half pound off the 10.4 SM by using a barrel like that.

Cross-bolted Walnut stock (fully bedded with allthread grip rod and pillars) plus MRC M1999 PH action weighs 6.375 pounds:



McMillan Magnum-fill stock (fully bedded with steel pillars and allthread crossbolts) plus BRNO ZKK 602 action weighs 5.875 pounds:



Same rings used on both rifles.
Any difference in rifle weight depends on the scope used.
The MRC requires a longer scope tube to bridge the longer ring spacing.
The Zeiss weighs 2 ounces more than the Leupold.

12.000 pounds for the scoped .408 Chey-Tac.
11.875 pounds for the scoped 10-4 Spiridon Moor.
I really ought to get a muzzle brake for that Chey-Tac,
and a weight lifting program for me.