Recommendation for a wildcat?

[LowBudget]

Hello All!
I have been lurking here for a while and have gained a interest in wildcats. I want to build a little rifle that shoots tiny center-fire cartridges. I don't know what base rifle to buy though, I want the rifle to be cheaper, not another $800+ dollar gun, that's what my deer gun is. I have been looking at cartridges and would like one that is small, and .22 or smaller. I have found a site that has Reloading Dies and Chamber reamers for sale.
Here Is the link:
http://www.custombrassandbullets.com/standard1.html

Here are my goals for this rifle:
1 M.O.A accuracy to 100 yards. ( not a long distance rifle build)
enough knockdown power to shoot prairie dogs
use less than 25 grains of powder for each case ( the .22-303 is a exception)
and be backpack-able.

The calibers that I have in mind are .14 flea ( isn't there multiple variations of this caliber also?), .22 Remington jet, .22 super jet, .22-303 British, .22/32 ( Is there a actual name for this cartridge? a .32 acp necked down to .22) and .17 hornet and I will take recommendations.

Onto the Rifle:
I have access to a No4 Mk1 Lee Enfield that was my fathers that he bought in the late 70's. Has a lot of sentimental value and is in fair condition and never gets shot. And if I bought it off dad he would want me to give him 300 bucks, which is good for the rifle, but just would put this project out of my hands in price range.

Would love to buy a single shot .22 and open the face up for the .17 hornet shell and convert the bolt to centerfire (would be done by a good gunsmith) and put on a decent barrel that could withstand those pressures and had a bore of .224".

other cheap recommendation's as a base rifle?
I know that with the .303 I would have to get a new bolt face made up to use .22 jets or .22/32 .and the.22 would not be able to be machined to accept the .32acp base or the .357 magnum base no matter what, at least I do not think it could be.

what do you guys think?
Thanks,
LowBudget

[Stephen Cohen]

What about a Handy Rifle in 300 Blackout, re chambered to 300 Maximum,or you could use 256 Win mag dies to load and form shells for A 25 Maximum after running shells through a Blackout shell sizer to start shoulder. If you really wanted a 17 or 22 call you can use same Handy Rifle and wildcats in both 17 and 22 have been made on 357 mag shells and probably Maximum as well.

[Hard_Cast]

Anybody chambered 22 TCM in a rifle? Seems like that would be neat. But I'd probably make a "22 Practical" and take 9 necked down to 22 for brass availability...

[flounderman]

Don't spend a lot of money and create more work reinventing the wheel. A .22 hornet or 218 bee will do anything you want to do and dies, brass, and rifles are available. Any of the hot rimfires will do what you are talking about but they aren't reloadable.

[Artful]

Why specifically do you want a wildcat?
There a huge number of commercial cartridges available.
I would say look at .223 based cartridge - 222, 221, etc.
22 caliber is much easier to find components, molds etc.
Check out the used gun racks - I'd look for a Reminton 700/722/788 or Savage bolt gun.

[badgeredd]

Since you are on this forum, I'll assume you will be hand loading. Wildcats are fun and addictive, BUT I'd suggest building a .221 Fireball rifle. Reasonable prices all the way around. Easy on powder, lead, dies, and all other things to build a cheap, accurate, fun rifle. I have several wildcat rifles that meet your criteria including 22 Hornet, 221 Fireball, 22 SuperJet, 218 Mashburn Bee and others. If you go for a wildcat, there is the additional cost of a reamer, special dies for most, and hunting for load data.

Keeping things LowBudget requires building something readilly avaiable like the 221 Fireball or 22 Hornet. Since a repeater isn't necessary, a simple H&R SB2 receiver and a subbed barrel will get you there the cheapest in all likelihood.

Edd

[Nobade]

My 2 cents - a Remington 580 converted to centerfire, using either 22 Squirrel or 5.7x28 FN. I know the 5.7 isn't a wildcat but brass and ammo is easy to get and pretty cheap as are dies to reload it. Basically a rimless hornet. You might want a custom reamer though, the standard chamber for it isn't very cast friendly. The Squirrel is strictly a custom job, but Todd Kindler used to have dies and reamer prints for it.

-Nobade

[texassako]

I am not sure wildcat and cheap can be used in the same discussion. I would love to make my own wildcat someday. For now I will use someone elses they got tired of. If you are trying to hold the price down, I would look for something that uses a common bolt head, the reamer can be rented, and the loading supplies are not to hard to get. I would probably go with something like the H&R mentioned above in one of the small caliber rimmed cartridges. If you really want to use the Enfield, don't ignore the .25 caliber wildcats like the .25 Krag or .25/303. I need to get a full length sizer soon for my .30-40 Improved since brass is starting to get tough to push into my Martini, and it is going to set me back a good chunk of change compared to a standard caliber.

[3leggedturtle]

I have always had a "thing for the .22Carbine aka 5.7mm Johnson Spitfire, and the 22 Jet Improved. 256WM is is extremely accurate with HNDY 75gr HP's. The 221 FB is also a great little cartridge with lots of 223 brass to reform is from.

[helice]

In all forms of shooting there are costs - the price we pay for our fun.
When the word "wildcat" comes up we have to know that there are "aditional costs."
As Edd (Badgeredd) stated Wildcatting is fun, its addictive, and it is expensive. Edd is a master at building his own stuff and wildcatting his own stuff. Most of us can't do what he can do. I never got the training. I sit here, reminded of how jealous I am of his abilities. He has a great collection of wildcats most of which he has built himself and therefore he can keep the costs to a minimum. I have always admired the 30-30/32 Win Spec. wildcatted to .358 called the 35-30/30. I have wanted one for a long time. I don't have one cause I can't part with the $$$$$ and still call myself sane.
There truly are a bunch of factory loads that meet your criteria. I can't help but think that you'd be really happier with one of those. Forgive me if I'm raining on your parade.

[JeffinNZ]

.303 Pygmy.

[dverna]

Do not do it. Typically a waste of time and money to achieve little in the way of "better" performance.

If you are dead set to do it, factor in all the costs. Then add about another 30% - you will go over your budget. Unlike your name. "low budget", this will not be.

And to top it all off, figure you will lose over 50% of your investment when the new wears off, and you decide to sell it - if you can even find a buyer for it.

What will this gun do that a .223 will not do?

BTW, not sure you can get a No IV mark 1 to shoot 1 MOA without a lot of work.

Don Verna

[leftiye]

You might like a 17 Ackley bee. I'm making one on a Handi rifle. Just rechamber a 17 HMR barrel.

[CastingFool]

I always liked the idea of a .308x1-1/2. Basically, a .308 win, with a case 1-1/2" long, instead of 2". Don't know much about the ballistics, but just thought it would be interesting to play with. Making .308 cases from 30-06 is what gave me the idea.

[Doc Highwall]

The 308x1-1/2 is now the 30 BR and cases can be made from the 6mm BR. But you could make a 30 BR with a long neck like the 30-30 Winchester.

[M-Tecs]

The 20 VarTarg is outstanding.

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/...-short-supply/

http://www.6mmbr.com/20caliber.html

[Newtire]

Cheap and wildcat + .22 cal=.22 K-Hornet. Rent the reamer from the guys at Graybeard Outdoors and do it yourself.

Don't believe those who say it's only good for another 100 fps. Up to 250-300 fps more. However, cheap is relative. .223 beats any Hornet wildcat out there. Buy a set of metal stamps and call it what you like. Name it after your girlfriend. K-Hornet uses less powder and lighter bullets. You can load it down to .22 rimfire speeds and use a little Lyman 22415 or 22438 (or both!). With all the money you'll save.......just think!

I forgot! For you of thin skin and a different sense of humor, I won't apologize but to say, been there done that. I have fun doing things like this!

You sound like someone in the beginning stages of Feral-felinitical syndrome. It is only part of a larger ailment that we all suffer from. Welcome to the club and it's OK if you re-invent the .30-06 once in awhile. There are worse ways to waste money!

[Jedman]

What leftiye said. If your trually on a low budget building a repeater is out of your price range.
Rechambering a single shot barrel can be done by hand and produce a MOA shooter.
I believe a used handi rifle is the way to go. Prices have gone up in the past couple years since they quit making them but I still find bargains on them all the time if you keep looking.

There are a lot of choices in 17 and 22 cal. that could be done for a reasonable investment.

Jedman

[NavyVet1959]

Considering the fact that he only made 2 posts on this forum and they were over 3 years ago, it doesn't look like he cared to pursue the topic...

[Sur-shot]

I have built a lot of single shot rifles based on break action guns I have found for cheap. I just look for a dog with a decent action. You can use the chamber end with the locking lugs as a stub, just ream it out and thread the stub then thread a barrel shank and screw them together, chamber, sand blast and refinish with a spray on gun finish or Parkarize it. The Handi is a candidate as is a Contender, Encore or just about any single barrel break action gun. Here is the US you can make a rifle out of a handgun but not the other way round. Of course 90% of the single shots use a rimmed cartridge.

With you talking about and Enfield and a 303, it sounds like you might be from a UK country. If so that might make your choice of a cartridge a UK round like the 222R, which is a great little 224 cartridge and easy to load with 222 Rem Dies and a 38 Spl shell holder. You would just need to find the brass which lasts forever just about. The 22 K Hornet is a fun (.30 inches) cartridge but the 218 Bee right off the shelf is a great little performer, very accurate (.15 inches) with a 35 gr Berger, and is snappy at 3,500 fps, makes it rain turtle for a long time off a log.
Ed