I'll start off sharing my bad examples in hopes that a support group can be established to help others suffering from this affliction.

Hi, my name is Rip.

It all started with boredom on a cold and dark Alaskan night, so I began planning an innocent vist to the gunsmith the next day. I now know that the gunsmith was THE PUSHERMAN!!!

That first trip to the gunsmith in 1986 was a groovy trip man, not only did I have a .375 Weatherby Whitworth MkX rechamber job on the way, but he had shown me the reamers for a .416 and .450 Barnes Supreme, and the reloading dies to go with them, ready made from RCBS, and 200 pieces of Barnes basic brass stamped only "Barnes Ammo" on the head!!!

What? It was like drugs. These obscure/obsolete proprietary rounds were ready to pound primers if I would only have him build the rifles for them, and yes he did have the barrels and actions on hand already for the .416 and the .458, two more MkX actions ... Like MJ leads to acid ... first one toke ... then two more tokes ... then if you are not insane already you are hooked and eventually you will become insane!!!

21 years later I have finally decided I have to get clean and stay clean. So I have to lay it all out to see not so much where I have been, but where I am right now, and show by example how crazy it can get if you persist in seeking the services of THE PUSHERMAN.

Let's skip over the past more well known wildcats thought up by others that I have been "tripping" with in the intervening years and go right to my latest follies, all since Y2K. I must admit that I always started off thinking I was doing something original, but always found that someone else had beat me to it or to something like it:

1) .458/.338 Lapua Magnum: My first Lapua cat was similar to RSA's .458 Majoor and such!!!

2) .423/.338 Lapua Magnum: Dakota had a shorter version of this one done by the time mine was done!!!

3) .395/.338 Lapua Magnum: My only hope at originality was the odd-ball bullet diameter from the 1880's!!!

4) .375/.338 Lapua Magnum: Listed as early as 2001 as the 9.5mm Tornado, though mine was started before I knew that!!!

5) .300 Lapua Magnum: I even found this one to be a CIP standardized cartridge, and to have a 25-degree instead of 20-degree shoulder so that the neck would not be as short as the one I was planning (surprise)!!!

6) 500 Mbogo: Dave Estergaard necked up his 470 Mbogo long before. Apparently he only made dummy cartridges, and this fact made me into a dummy. I would have to make the case 3.000" long and give it a full caliber length neck to show any originality at all!!!

I was not totally busted because of the .395, which I would have to call the .398 Lapua Mag. for headstamp alteration purposes. One of 5 Lapua cats was obscure enough to be original.

AH AH!!! Instant originality for a wildcat by using the .395-caliber

I had catted one case by 5 different bullet diameters.

Now I was going to cat 5 different cases on one .395-caliber bullet diameter!!!

But here is the twist: My latest is none other than a recreation of the 400 Nitro For Blackpowder (3") using the original .395 caliber bullet diameter.

Yes, it is true, my only claim at originality turns out to be based on an obsolete 230-grain/.395 Caliber cast lead bullet used in old black powder Martini single shots, and some old antique double rifles.

I have come full circle of unoriginality from formerly obsolete .375 Wby (which was since reborn with a new factory throat spec) to .395 caliber "400 Nitro for Blackpowder (3")" which is to become the "400 Nitro Express" that never was.

By merely loading the old BPE level cartridge to full NE bullet weight and powder charge: Originality in UNoriginality!!!!!

Of course I had a little help from my "friends."

I GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS.

Who are my friends here? The enablers and the co-dependents???

Please join in and tell your tales, my fellow WILDCATTERS ANONYMOUS.

We may find support in resisting future impulses to wildcat by sharing our tribulations.

I am an addict but I dont want the cure

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
I am an addict but I dont want the cure

boom stick,
You are no help with getting clean. You are the chief co-conspirator of accuratereloading.com.
Keep up the good work.

Get thee behind me satan!

Boomie,
I talked to my lawyer about all the money you are costing me. He said an addict (me) doesn't have a chance in court. I took the idea, spent my money on it, AND used it legally! No redress. DARN!!
I had sworn off wildcats after my foray with the 7STW back when it first came out. Had one within a month of the original magazine article. Now I have two wildcats (.395) planned with barrels purchased, actions ready, and reamers and dies coming. As was said, "Satan, get thee behind me."

I'll join! Right after my next fix. roger

I do have to say that I came up the AR rounds after boomy was complaining that we DIDN'T (then) have any rounds named after AR

after going through the following
257 jls
416 ar
458 ar
470 ar
500 ar
550 express (i did build the first one, though neal invented it)
550 flanged

building the rifles
doing the load dev
testing
dies
reamers
feeding
stocks
barrels
bullets
gages
brass
etc etc etc etc
well, i am HOPING i am "all out" of new, never been done before, rounds..
btw, all my stuff, including the 550 flanged are "inside" existing brass, and just require fireforming and trimming, no other work.. i AM kind of lazy

Hi,

my name is Rich and I have WDS*. I designed my first wildcat back in the spring of 1990, and now have about a dozen, from the 22-284 to the 550 Gibbs Magnum (plus a one-third interest in the 577BME). I can't help myself. I see somebody else's design, and I say to myself "...what if we...", and then things get a little crazy for awhile. I find a neat case with lots of capacity and I think "what if we necked that down and blew most of the taper out, and sharp shouldered it and..." that's when I start hearing THOSE voices in my head again.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...


* Wildcat Design Syndrome

I guess with most wildcats the only thing its "improving" is getting rid of all that not used up cash in our bank accounts.

I see the joy to dollar ratio is pretty high...a good intangible R.O.I.

If wildcatting does not give you a bunch of grins that leave slowly maybe you are ready for the cure.

I am a person who thrives on ideas, dreams and friendships and wildcatting has given me all three.

I have never been to Africa but the dream drives me forward.

Ect, Ect.

What else are you going to do between hunts and the range????????

quote:

I do have to say that I came up the AR rounds after boomy was complaining that we DIDN'T (then) have any rounds named after AR

And you made it happen

This forum is a lot better than guns and ammo so it made sense to have them. Thank you El Jeffe. Cant wait to have my A.R.

P.S. why do people use drugs???? because they work.

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
Hi,

my name is Rich and I have WDS*. I designed my first wildcat back in the spring of 1990, and now have about a dozen, from the 22-284 to the 550 Gibbs Magnum (plus a one-third interest in the 577BME). I can't help myself. I see somebody else's design, and I say to myself "...what if we...", and then things get a little crazy for awhile. I find a neat case with lots of capacity and I think "what if we necked that down and blew most of the taper out, and sharp shouldered it and..." that's when I start hearing THOSE voices in my head again.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...


* Wildcat Design Syndrome

"W D S"........
Yes....and nothing helps...
close your eyes and ya see cases necked up and down...bullets and cases...powders...primers that may work...

W D S or the easiest way to empty you pockets

Best

2RECON

and i have an urge to get the wildcat based on the 404 case , .323 PH done, but since i have enquired with Ken Stewart in RSA about making it for me, why not hop on the plane down there for some days so i can follow the process of the round being completed and bringing it home ? Instead of waiting all along up here for the package to arrive with the goodies in ?

Plus having the design equipment handy of drawing and judign the result of it and changing it if something must be changed there ?

Is this an good resyme of being an wildcatter anonymous ?

323 ph, based off the 404?

how about either the 325wsm or a 338 rum?

same thing, factory rounds

i started out reloading 30+ yrs ago... with a simple .243 winchester... all my friends thought i was crazy, using 30-06 brass, sized, trimmed and reamed to get the 30-06 headstanp on .243 sized cases... i had 7x57, .308, 6mm, 25-06's... all with different loads... it turned into the dangerous disease, no cure... only remedy is to buy or make another rifle... thanks to fred birdwell, an old retired lawnmower repairman, saw sharpener, i saw the light of my ways!!...

I am just a casual user. Got 'er totally under control. Could quit anytime I want to...



Cheers,
Canuck

Hey Canuck!!! There's a new case out by...

Hooked, but newly broke! I'll be back!!!

There is no cure...Wildcat and have fun!

I'M NOT AN ADDICT! I'VE NEVER BUILT OR OWNED A "WILDCAT"!!! I NEVER THINK ABOUT STUFF LIKE THAT!!! I LIKE EASY TO DESIGN PROJECTS THAT ANYONE CAN DO!!! STUFF THAT HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE!!! THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH ME CAUSE I LIKE BIG USELESS GUNS THAT NO ONE CAN SHOOT AND ARE ILLEGAL IN MOST COUNTRIES!!! I'M OK!! REALLY!! IT'S EVERONE ELSE WHO'S CRAAAAAAZY!!

Alright, I'll come out of the closet...
17Ack Hornet, 17K Hornet, 20 Tac, 22-250 Ack, 22-6mm Ack, 7mm Olsen{7STW very improved}, 35 Whelen Ack and the most recent and unfired as of today 6.5 WSSM. In the works is a 358STA.
Other interesting ones I've built for clients are 20PPC, 6-284, 25-300WSM, 25-300WSM imp, 257STW, 280Ack, 338BR, 450 Watts. And at least a handfull I've forgotton about.

The 550 Gibbs Magnum fired today about lunchtime, MST. 125gr of N160 with a 715 grain bullet: readout...2156fps, 112 on the Taylor KO scale, 7,382ft/lbs of ME, 117ft/lbs of recoil.

Yeah, baby...

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

You guys are pathetic. You come to these meetings saying that you want to quit and then you go home, lock the door to your shop, and crack the seal on a fresh can of 4831. And for what? Don't you know that whatever you try, it's been done before, more than once.

So, c'mon. join me in quitting. I've been dry now for. . . let's see . . . 2 days. No withdrawal whatsoever.

Ray

A good friend tried to quit after 50 years! He said the resale was was way too low for all the effort. Sold me all his wildcats, rifles, reamers, dies and all, CHEAP. He lasted about six months. Major relaps. 3 wildcats later....

Was "dry" nearly that whole week....exept friday..i got something...a box of 6,5x63 Messner Mag. Cases...
Now its sunday ( is it ?? ) and some of them are realy short now...some...don´t know how are necked up to 7mm ...and right now, i guess i´ll try to....

Best

2Recon

only reason i have been dry 1/2 the week is that I went camping...

shot the 500 AR with 600gr at 2300fps EASY on wednesday, along with the 458AR 500gr at 2300, no problem... and some experimental copper and then brass (2 sets) of bullets at 2300....

no wait, i ain't dry, just recovering from a bender.

Is it a wildcat when you need to use powder bags?

Keith

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!

Not if it was made by the US Navy! If you made it yourself then you can call it whatever you want as long as I get to shoot it!!

Here you go. My little pea shooter.


On line.


200yd 3 shot group.(smooth bore)


12,250gr TC projectile
1100gr BP
gun wt. 256 lbs
avg recoil on level ground 5 ft

Keith

Very Cool!! What's that about a 3 meter group?!?! Is that your own backyary/personal range or what?

quote:

Originally posted by Macifej:
Very Cool!! What's that about a 3 meter group?!?! Is that your own backyary/personal range or what?

Well, that is a 14" tire rim on that car, so 8-9" c-c???

That place belongs to a friend of mine, he holds an annual MG shoot around the 4th of July.

Keith

Stooopid me! I thought you loaded that cannon with buck shot and were showing me the whole car being killed! So how much beer do I have to bring to be invited to that range for a day?

Hey!!! That looks like my car! It was stolen from me at a 7-11 in Texas. You're not from Texas, are you.

Ray

quote:

Originally posted by Cheechako:
Hey!!! That looks like my car! It was stolen from me at a 7-11 in Texas. You're not from Texas, are you.

Ray

quote:

Walker Co.,Texas

As far as I know, all of the 7-11s closed here decades ago. If that was your car, it died a nobel death.


Keith

Macifej, show us some pictures of your 2 bore rifle/gun. The brass and mono bullet are impressive.

Keith

Can't do it cause it's not finished yet. I've taken some BS here before for not showing it but theres nothing to show yet. When it's done and proofed and the wood is on it I'll put out a big spread.

OK, or you could set it up kind of like mine, but upgraded. Falling breech block, T&E, wheels, scope, and firng cyliniod.

Keith

Too hard to put into checked baggage!

O.K. let's change the name of the new chapter to "Wildcatters Unanimous."

Party on.
I'm looking to score some bullets still.

I have an underweight 2-Bore solid you can use as a paperweight RIP! If you have some pipe and an air tank you could do some penetration tests in your backyard with it!!!

HOGKILLER-

Very cool. I don't have a cannon and I don't have any junkers to shoot at, but several years ago I did decide to plug away at a dead steer with a 12 gauge. Unfortunately, I was a little too close to the cow when it went cablooey, and it had spent a bit too much time baking out in the sun. It popped, blew up in my face, and I didn't smell normal again for two weeks.

What are the cases in the pic?