Show us your wildcats!

[Johnw...ski]

This is a .466 Whelin I have been working on. Needs a little more engineering though.




John

[Mntngoat]

heres a few I designed and own.









ML

[skimmerhead]

Robert,

I pretty much never shoot full house loads with any caliber. A nice accurate reduced cast load for the task is good for me.

hi pat, friend of mine, or so i thought! talked me into shooting his 300 ultra mag. that was two years ago and i still feel it, knocked the hat off my head! now iv'e never been kicked by a mule, but if its anything like that i'll keep my distance. i got with rocky rabb to do a .41spl. but have not had time to mess with it yet, got lee to make me a case trimmer and die insert for shorter cases, also have a forster case trimmer to trim cases to lenth. i guess i'll get around to it one day, too busy playing with new toy. will post results of .41 spl. when i get er done!

snoop's friend

[Charlie Sometimes]

The 22/32 designed for small game hunting at ranges out to 100 yards or so, specifically with cast boolits. Made by necking .32 S&W long brass down to .22 caliber.

I like that! Maybe that would make a nice revolver round, too? Rework a Single-Six for it? What kind of load and velocity does that get? (Went to read other thread you mentioned- sorry for rehashing the question! )

Have you tried to put the 50 gr. 225415 in a 32 H&R Mag, or 327 Mag case? I'll bet that would make for a nice round in a little falling block single shot! Or better yet- maybe use the 357 Maximum case!

I thought about a 22 in a 30 carbine case, but that is a 5.7mm Johnson, IIRC.

I think some cartridges need the longer neck like on a 222 Rem on a case the size of the 32 mag or better for a cast boolit, IMHO. I think you can get too small and cartridges get hard to handle/lost easily! Case capacity should be around the 22 Hornet.

[tommygirlMT]

Here is one Ive been working on off and on over the last couple years --- I call it the 8mm carbine --- will actually do everything for real that the 30-carbine was suppost to do and they lied to the men they sent into battle saying it would do --- combat range nock things over in a small physical size cartridge so you can carry plenty of rounds in your pack --- also to be a very cast boolit friendly round

Parent cartridge is the 223 Remington and the brass is made from the same --- I ultimatly plan on building a AR-15/M-16 carbine to use it in but so far just have a test gun built from an old mauser --- reason I chose 8mm is because that is the largest caliber that you can neck the 223 up to keeping the original case taper profile and still have enough shoulder to head space on --- basically just cut the original 223 brass off at the base of the shoulder and form the new neck and trim

[.357]

I just have ideas now but I am enjoying this thread.

[Charlie Sometimes]

Here is one Ive been working on off and on over the last couple years --- I call it the 8mm carbine ............
Parent cartridge is the 223 Remington and the brass is made from the same -- reason I chose 8mm is because that is the largest caliber that you can neck the 223 up to keeping the original case taper profile and still have enough shoulder to head space on --- basically just cut the original 223 brass off at the base of the shoulder and form the new neck and trim

221 Fireball was nearly the original design for the 222 Rem. The 221 Fireball is about the same cutoff point as your design. I am forming 221 from 223 Rem. to save $$$ on lost cases when hunting, etc. Can form 222 Rem from the 223 also. Or could you call yours an 8mm Whisper?

[firefly1957]

I have a 357-44 Brain & Davis in a ten inch contender does that count?

[roysha]

Im000968.jpg (85.0 kb)
1. 17 Mach IV. REM has more or less legitimized this one but when I built the XP to shoot it, the cartridge was still very much a wildcat.

2. This is a 22-308 with the radiused shoulders of the Weatherby style. Actually for you younger guys, this was originally designed, the radiused shoulders, by Powell and Miller in the early 1940s and promoted under the name of PMVF, for Powell Miller Venturi Freebore. Weatherby, more or less, took the idea and used it to his advantage as far a marketing. From a practical value point, the radius shoulders are a PITA and really serve no useful purpose that I can tell except to look kinda cool and make a distinct appearing cartridge.
I had these reamers made in the mid 80s when Sierra released their 69 gr. .224 cal. SPBT. There were few 9" twist or faster barrels available, unlike today, so I HAD to build a rifle to shoot this bullet. Used a Shilen Select Match blank, sleeved a REM 700 action and installed a Green Electronic Trigger. I had quite a bit of success with the round on prairie dogs out here in NOCO. It competed very well with the 6mms in regard to wind bucking ability, if there is such a thing.

3. 270-221. This little cartridge was inspired by the 300 Whisper. Since I am a huge fan of the .270 caliber, I built this round on an XP with a Shilen SS Match barrel, the acquisition of which is another story for another time. Chronographed at 1840 fps with 130 gr. Sierra SPT and shot under an inch consistently at 100 yds.

4. 270-223. My Grandson decided he needed the above 270-221 a few years ago when he was around 9 or 10 years old. Last summer he decided he wanted more power so we rechambered to the 221s big brother. Gained about 400 fps and didn't lose a bit of accuracy. VERY mild recoil even with the 130gr. bullet. As you can see, the throats are very long so the bullets , in both cases, can be seated out to maximize the powder capacity. Since the XP is a single shot the seating depth is of little consequence except to be enough to hold the bullet during chambering.

5. Surprise! 270-308 Ackley Imp. I built this rifle on a REM 700 short action for my wife about 35 years ago when she and I hunted together. This little bugger pushes a 130 Sierra SPBT at very nearly the same velocity as my 270 WIN with less powder. With heavier bullets it falls on it's face because of lack of powder capacity. She killed several antelope with it.

6. 308-1 3/4". I built this rifle when I had delusions of grandeur in Bench Rest competition. The Hunter class competition is a score shoot rather than a group size shoot. Touching the next ring gave one the higher score value so using a larger caliber gave one the edge. HA!! What one gained with caliber, was lost via shooting comfort. The cartridge, to be legal, had to be at least 6mm and a case capacity of a certain number of grains, which momentarily escapes my memory. Anyway, the 1 3/4" 308 case allowed this capacity and helped reduce recoil. Although it isn't apparent in the photo, this case has the PMVF shoulder also.
If you are wondering about my success in the BR comp. let me put it this way, anyone can buy/build a winning rifle but not everyone can shoot to the capability of the rifle. That's me. Oh well. It was fun for a while, but got to be a lot more fun when I quit beating my head against a rock wall, if you get my drift.

During my BR phase I also had the the usual assortment of PPCs , IMP 222s, 6x47, etc. which I have long since sold.

At one time I was also shooting (attempting to shoot) long range match and had a REM 40X chambered in 30-338. It too, is long gone.

[Doc_Stihl]

This is a .466 Whelin I have been working on. Needs a little more engineering though.




John

I like that....I might have to make up some of those fancy rounds to leave on the bench.

[82nd airborne]

I think it would work if you pushed the boolit all the way to the bottom of the case and put the powder on top of it. Im just brainstorming here, but I think it should work.

[Mk42gunner]

I think it would work if you pushed the boolit all the way to the bottom of the case and put the powder on top of it. Im just brainstorming here, but I think it should work.

I was thinking that it loaded from the front, kind of like the Thuer conversions of Colt's 1860 Army.

[NoZombies]

Awesome guys! Some creative guys and gals we've got here.

Anybody else wanna share?

Jeff in NZ, tell me about the stubby cartridge you have there, it looks neat, and I love the idea of the 303/375

Charlie sometimes, I'm planning to have the reamer cut in such a way that I can have it recut to do deeper chambers like the 32 mag or 327 if I feel like the little guy needs more oomph. For now I want to stick with the small capacity and see what I can make it do/

[tommygirlMT]

221 Fireball was nearly the original design for the 222 Rem. The 221 Fireball is about the same cutoff point as your design. I am forming 221 from 223 Rem. to save $$$ on lost cases when hunting, etc. Can form 222 Rem from the 223 also. Or could you call yours an 8mm Whisper?

Yes --- you could call it an 8mm-221 or 8mm-Whisper if you so desired. 8x37 would be the most logical --- being a pure metric designation. Since to my knowledge no one else has done this particular combination before (I searched the Wisper official web site and wildcat forum as well as all the other wildcat forums and online refrences I could find) I think that gives me the option to name it --- (a girl can at least try right?) --- "8x37 Carbine" or "8mm Carbine"

I think the "Carbine" designation properly draws attention to its intended purpose and use indicating military roots --- I am a lot more confident in a 200+ grain 8mm bullet's or boolit's ability to nock a bad guy on his butt and make him (or her I suppose) stay down for good then a little light weight 22 caliber bullet assuming equal equivalent energy with the larger bullet traveling at reduced velocity but delivering the same energy --- especially if we are discussing FMJ loads that are ganiva convention complient

As I said I ultimatly intend to build one of those evil black guns for it --- basically compared to the 223 the round sacrifices longer range capabilities for better "knock bad guy on his ass and he dont ever get back up" at more common combat ranges of 200 yards or less and will let me get plenty of practice with gas checked cast boolits (GC mainly to reduce leading of the gas system) that are near full power loads (yes --- you can load cast in 223 but it dont work out very well in the black guns for trying to get an accurate load that cycles a non modified action that is set up to work with full power loads)

Not trying to be contrary at all --- and of course open to imput --- just explaining what Im trying to do --- 338 cal is the biggest that will fit doing this to the 223 parent case but that leaves no shoulder and one has to head space only on the case mouth --- 8mm gives just enough shoulder to head space it on that as well and not have to rely only on the case mouth --- especially problematic with cast boolits that are crimped since the crimp can wreck your head space without a shoulder on a non-rimmed case

Also --- with the short 16 + a smidgin carbine barrel length --- it dont wisper --- its got a pretty good BOOM to it when loaded full up with 100% case fill load at military load 223 pressure levels (me man let me borrow his pressure trace rig for this and attach a sensor to my test gun)

[82nd airborne]

Marty at Teppo Jitsu Has done alot of work with the .338 Specter, whcih was a .223 cut off and stuffed with a .338 bullet. I have heard of guys using cast in it. At what depth do you have to load to get it to work in GI mags, or would you use Pmags, or some such polymer mags, with the ribs filed out? Pretty cool looking round.

[Charlie Sometimes]

Yea, I forgot about the Specter, too.

All these sound to me similar to the 351 Win. Self Loading and those other designed cartridges around that period.
And you are right, tommygirlMT- you have the perogative as designer to name it, AND change you mind at any time!

I think just about everything under the sun has been built- it's just a matter of how many people know about it. But they are still FUN in the making!

I have always liked the thought of the 6mm x 223 Rem cross (6x45, I think?) Put the longer 222 Rem. neck on it and give it the right twist for a 245498 boollit, and I would have the perfect varmint/predator rifle, IMHO.

[camerl2009]

well the only one i made so far is what i call a .17 short
its a .22 blank for nail guns with the crimp cut off
and just by accident a .177 pellet will fit in the necked down part
of the case

[RonE]

What would you guys do with a 300 Win Mag?

It has probably already been done, but what about a .338-300WinMag AI?

[HollowPoint]

I recently received an email from the "Home Gun Smithing forum site" and one of the links contained in that email was to an online site having to do with Wildcating.

Very interesting.

Some of you guys may have seen this already. They had a spoof-wildcat cartridge which was based on the 50 BMG. It was necked down to .17 caliber. It was the first time I'd ever seen it. I thought it was pretty funny.

Should such a cartridge ever come to fruition, I suspect it would shoot lead/copper plasma. I doubt it would achieve much accuracy but, it would burn the bloody-snot out of you if you happen to be in the path of that plasma as it exited the barrel.

HollowPoint

[JeffinNZ]

Jeff in NZ, tell me about the stubby cartridge you have there, it looks neat, and I love the idea of the 303/375

Just search Boolits using "Pygmy" and my posts will surface.