Wildcat appreciation thread

[makka]

I'm also chasing buying a 303-22 complete rifle that comes with brass, dies and the chamber reamer that it was cut with

That's an interesting wildcat

I also have 303-25 dies and could make a chamber reamer based on the brass they form
That's a pretty useful wildcat

With the amount of 6.5mm projectiles available these days, a 303-6.5 could be a nice rimmed cartridge

[Moa Hunter]

Have a 2506 AI 110AB's at 3400 lighter softer pills at 3800
250 3000 Savage AI would be a very efficient light recoiling round.

[akaroa1]

With the amount of 6.5mm projectiles available these days, a 303-6.5 could be a nice rimmed cartridge

The great benefit of the 6.5 is accuracy.
I'm guessing a 303-6.5 in a bolt action LE is not really a great platform to get the best out of that wildcat

The 303-25 was very popular in Australia and there were plenty of 303-27s as well going by the various factory rounds listed on the cartridge collector forums

[chainsaw]

Have two Ackleys 65.06ai built on Sako75, started life as 2506, and a 280ai built on REM700. Now days the 280ai probably no longer a wildcat as available in some factory oferrings & factory ammo.

[Micky Duck]

still have a hankering for a .224 faster twist 22hp savage...... best of the old and the new....

[makka]

The great benefit of the 6.5 is accuracy.
I'm guessing a 303-6.5 in a bolt action LE is not really a great platform to get the best out of that wildcat

The 303-25 was very popular in Australia and there were plenty of 303-27s as well going by the various factory rounds listed on the cartridge collector forums

The only reason I would do something like that would be to get the rimmed cartridge for a single shot. As the extractor would be much easier to make than the one I'm making for my 243, as I'm sure you'll understand!

[akaroa1]

The only reason I would do something like that would be to get the rimmed cartridge for a single shot. As the extractor would be much easier to make than the one I'm making for my 243, as I'm sure you'll understand!

I sure do understand

I could make a rimless extractor for the 307 I have just build and run it with standard 308 brass
But I like single shot rifle and have stayed true to the rimmed cases

Stick a 303-6.5 in a decent single shot action and you would have a very fine and potentially accurate round

[Grantn]

Purchased a 375WSM. 300WSM necked up to 375. Working up a load. Should end up with 250gn going about 2500fps out of a 17inch barrel.

[blip]

I sure do understand

I could make a rimless extractor for the 307 I have just build and run it with standard 308 brass
But I like single shot rifle and have stayed true to the rimmed cases

Stick a 303-6.5 in a decent single shot action and you would have a very fine and potentially accurate round

or base it on a 30 30 case?

[akaroa1]

or base it on a 30 30 case?

@blip I do like the 30-30 case and have two single shot 30-30s and four other 30-30 family single shots.
But it is pretty limited in case capacity and that is where the 303 and 30-40 case really come into play.
I've just finished a new build 30-40 because it's a perfect vintage 30 cal. But brass I very hard to get so it's not a great option for wildcatting.
Whereas 303 brass supply is ok and that increases it's appeal as a parent case for wild cats.

[blip]

do you still get separation problems or is that more the action causing it

[akaroa1]

do you still get separation problems or is that more the action causing it

Never had separation problems
30-30 just lacks boiler room
I just wanted a little more horsepower

[Basenjiboy]

I have a 25-08 (or 25 Souper as it was called in some reloading books)

In all honesty, it performs just the same as 243/257 Rob/260/6.5 creed when the latter are loading light - but I just wanted to be different

[Friwi]

I have a reamer in 6.5-7mm weatherby aka 264 brooks. ( I might part with it if someone is interested. )
I also have a 7-30-30 AI, a 30 ppc, and a 458 socom among others…

There is a 7-307 AI reamer ,cheap, on pacific tool and gauge web site at the moment.

[Von Gruff Knives]

Seeing the 6.5's mentioned lets me include my own 6.5Grendel-max.
I Had a very real interest in the 6.5 Grendel but because it was developed for the AR platform had to be kept to pressure and length parrameters that worked for the AR but I felt there was enough left on the table with the cartridge to gain from a re design so got the reamer specs and drew up a case with the shoulder pushed .05 further forward and tightened up the chamber neck to BR clearances, lengthened the freebore for my desired cartridge OA length for the 123gn A Max and later the SST. I sent the print off to mansons and when it arrived I had a match barrel chambered for it. To do the loading I wanted to be able to use the standard Grendel dies and to do so all I had to do was epoxy a .05 spacer on the shell holder bump faces so it would hold the case that same .05 from full engagement with the sizing die. I expanded the necks of the grendel brass to 30 cal then added a .006 tempory spacer to the permanent .05 spacer to give me a crush value when chambering for the first fire-forming loads after which I neck sized only and loaded in a Wilson BR die using an Arbor press but my pest shooter friend who eventually bought the reamer and has chambered 3 barrels for it so far is simply using the Forster FLS die and load dies for very good results. My Grendel-Max gains over the standard Grendel with 2700fps for the 123gn bullet and 2950fps for the 100gn TTSX. I bought a mini mauser action and removed the mag holding screw so I could add length to get the 2.470 internal length to hold the2.405 OAL cartridge with the 123gn bullet seated out to that length. Changed the bolt handle to give a decent length to it and made a stock to hold it all and in testing with CFE223 giving me excellent accuracy I have used this little rifle that weighs in at 6 1/2 lb with sling, scope and ready for the hill where it has taken a great number of animals mostly goats but with the last one a big red at 235m early this year.
My reamer print.


This is the standard Grendel on the left with my Grendel-Max


New bolt handle and tempory mag extension to make sure it all worked before doing the final extension.


Rifle with a barrel weight to replace the much longer suppressor but I found I didn't need the suppressor or the weight so now the barrel is bare with thread protector only.


Testing loads and settled on the 32.6gn CFE223