The Accurate Reloading Forums
.45-70 based wildcats for single shot
25 April 2006, 22:08
jsrieck.45-70 based wildcats for single shot
With the current short mag craze I was thinking of developing a rimmed short mag for single shots. Since .45-70 brass is easy to get I was thinking of basing it on that case. Have there been any cartridges that use that case and neck it down to .243/.257/.277/.284/.308? This would be a deer-sized game rifle.
Thanks!
25 April 2006, 23:34
jeffeosso416 -barnes
375- barnes
348 (not 348 win)
then you get into the fact you've got about the same casse capacity as a 30-06, so the others would be done
jeffe
I haven't read of any at .308 and below. The .33 WCF is as close as I know of. (There is also a .35 Greevy, to add to jeffeosso's list.)
26 April 2006, 03:52
nordrsetaI half recall reading that Bullberry or VVG did some work with a .338 and maybe a .308 on the 45/70 case for an Encore a while back. Might check with Fred or Steve.
26 April 2006, 09:37
boom stickthe 375 would make the most sense in your parameters...shoot the flat nose and the reg rifle bullets too. the 375 flat nose would be better for the lower velocity. you coild try stepping up to my idea of the wildcats on the 50-110 case for lower preasure or more reach. a 375/50-110 would be a hoot! starline is pumping out brass in good supply about a buck a case. buy 200 and that should suffice. if that is too much, the 50 alaskan case can be the middle ground. keep us posted...
11 December 2006, 09:33
GabrielGuitarsI have started making up wildcats based on the .45-70 case for a break-open gun I am building. So far, the first one to come to fruition is the 6.5 Stalker. This chambering is extremely simple, just use a 6.5-284 Win. reamer, and run it in about .005" too deep, to make sure that the shoulder doesn't stop the cartridge from headspacing on the rim on first firing. Use 6.5-284 Win. dies to reload, and presto! Forming the cases the first time prior to fireforming is fun, but I could explain that to you pretty easily. Anyway, any of the .284 Win.-based wildcats could be done exactly the same way (6mm, .25, .30, original 7mm, etc.)
11 December 2006, 09:51
boom stickinteresting...
so you could realy have some fun with reamers with the same shoulder angle...there are tons of a.i. reamers with identicle shoulder angles...use a larger case or bore as long as there is shoulder overlap in the reamer

11 December 2006, 21:10
Idaho SharpshooterGG,
WOW!!! What a concept....WOW!!!
I never realized the two cartridges were that close. A person could do three series of cartridges using a rimless reamer and just running it in.
1. 6.5x284 run in 2.1 = 6.5mmx45-70 Express
2. 6.5x284 run in 2.4 = 6.5mmx45-90 Magnum
3. " " 2 7/8" = 6.5mmx45-100 Ultra Magnum
We'll just stay away from the 45-120 (3.25" case) for today.
Wow!!!
Rich
DRSS
NRA Life Member
11 December 2006, 21:13
boom sticki think the 35-284 will be cooler

there are reamers out there... a 35-284-45-90 will be neeto!
12 December 2006, 03:40
Wildcat CrazyAll the unfired .284 Win. brass I have measures between .4938"-.494",ufired 45/70 brass measures .500",there being a difference of .006".
The 376 Steyr mics out at .501"while 45/90 Win. brass measures .500 and is 2.4" long.I believe the .376 Steyr case is 2.376 long.Use a counter bore for the rim, chamber with .376 Steyr reamer ,use .376 Steyr dies.
The .376 Steyr case has been wildcatted to several different calibers.
WC
12 December 2006, 04:02
boom sticksooooo put in the 376 steyer to 2.1" and add a rim and you have a 375 alaskan...
12 December 2006, 05:56
GabrielGuitarsI had a .45-120 case in my hand one day . . . but I decided it might qualify as "silly," at least in the 6.5 incarnation. However, if you were to look at 9.3 . . .
12 December 2006, 06:36
Paul HAnother option is using 348 win brass, then you can use short mag reamers and loading dies, and just have to get the rim recess machined into the barrel.
I'm a big fan of rims for single shots

__________________________________________________
The AR series of rounds, ridding the world of 7mm rem mags, one gun at a time.
12 December 2006, 23:28
GabrielGuitarsWhile we're at it, I should also mention that you can use 9.3x74R brass to make all the '06-based cartidges rimmed. Just saying . . .
13 December 2006, 21:39
boom stickyes...bent fosdal uses that brass to make his loooong wildcats.
you could make a 68mm version of the 06 family...i like the 358 one....you get an extra round down...
15 December 2006, 17:09
GabrielGuitarsBoomy, I have on my plan list something similar to your 2.1" worth of Steyr trick. I was looking at running the .375 H&H reamer in 2.1" and then hand-cutting the rim recess, and using .45-70 brass with cut-off .375 H&H dies. It seems that the body diameter of the H&H at 2.1" from the case mouth is frighteningly close to that of the .45-70 base. Kind of 4/5's of an H&H . . .
16 December 2006, 03:58
boom stickgood luck with that project...
are there no 375 alaskan reamers though???
16 December 2006, 04:55
GabrielGuitarsNone that I know of, besides, where's the fun if you aren't reinventing the wheel (and giving it your own name!)???

16 December 2006, 20:47
Lar45quote:
Originally posted by boom stick:
sooooo put in the 376 steyer to 2.1" and add a rim and you have a 375 alaskan...
Aren't the Alaskan cartridges based on the 348 Win/50-xx case? instead of the 45-70 case? (sorry quoted the wrong post before)
Someone posted here awhile ago about useing most any reamer from the H&H based case to make 45-70 cats. The good points are available reamers and dies at normal prices.
It looks like the 375 H&H might be too small for a 2.1" case. Boom's thought of the 376 Steyr should be much better with the Steyr base being .501" and the 45-70 base at .500". Then you could just trim the Steyr dies($54) for loading.
The 375 H&H AI or 375 Wby($127) would be about the same, except loading dies would be much more if you were going to chop them down.
You can rent reamers at
www.reamerrentals.com also, instead of buying them.
Lar45
White Label Lube Co.
www.lsstuff.comCarnauba Red high speed cast bullet lube.
16 December 2006, 22:57
boom stickyes the alaskan is on the 348 parent case...i like the extra boom room it offers...
i agree the steyr route is a good one. thanks for the affirmation

cheap all the way around lots of fun to play with...
with the 375 bullet in the 45-70 case it could be a good 200 yard deer gun. with the 348 case it could be a good 300 yard gun. a simple neck up or an improved version i have read it gives 100 fps slower than the 375 h+h that will be good for all north america.
17 December 2006, 10:09
Lar45quote:
Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
A person could do three series of cartridges using a rimless reamer and just running it in.
A thing to watch out for here.
The 325 WSM reamer that I bought from PTG has the case body angle continue to the back of the reamer. So running it in further leaves the chamber with a larger opening.

They said I could send it back with a drawing of what I want and they will recut it for $60.
Are the reamers from the other companies made the same way?
Lar45
White Label Lube Co.
www.lsstuff.comCarnauba Red high speed cast bullet lube.
19 December 2006, 05:38
boom stickhere is an option to explore...
use the rum reamers to either 2.1" or the full length 2.25" of the regular 348 win.
finish with the 348 reamer for the correct casehead and rim.
interesting...
for the 338 down the 348 reamer would need to be cut
maybe use the wsm dies?
7mm 348 improved
30 348 improved
338...
358 (wildcat reamer)
375
ect...
so you could do a hybrid 300rum/300wsm/348 win
7mm rum/7mm wsm/348 win
ect...
19 December 2006, 08:42
ireload2Nothing like making a wildcat/shortcat/aircat for a case you can't get. I guess with an aircait it hurts noting but try to buy .348 brass sometime.