Any other wildcatters?

83cj-7

WKR
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Always curious about the unusual and obscure rifle cartridges. Does anyone else share my interest?

Here are two of mine:
First one is a 6x45(6mm-223) next to a 6 TCU(6x45 Improved) It was my first wildcat and I have built 4 to date.
Second one is .22-6mm. Just finished the rifle and mostly done with load development. Still have a bit of tweaking to do. 75 ELD-M at 3500.
 

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nhyrum

Lil-Rokslider
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I don't have any wildcat rifles, but I've got an old wildcat pistol, 9x25 Dillon that I shoot in uspsa open. I've got a 300 rum that once the barrel gets shot it in chambering in 338 edge, which is still kind of a wildcat.

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Treerat-sniper

Lil-Rokslider
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I've done a few over the years & many have turned commercial. I played with a .17 mach IV on a 700 action years before the .17 fireball was a thing. Also played with most of the TCU cases on Contenders (& one or two JDJs). Still have my old .300 Whisper barrel too (long before anyone ever heard of AAC or blackouts).
 
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Yup I have a 6mmspc.. (6.8spce necked down to 6mm). It's my go to coyote rifle. I'd like to get a 20prac. But finding anything right now is hard.
 
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83cj-7

83cj-7

WKR
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Nice. I have looked into that wildcat once or twice but brass was really hard to come by when I was looking. What bullets weights do you primarily shoot, powder charges and speeds? I love an efficient little 6mm cartridge.
 

Phil j

Lil-Rokslider
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I have a .284 HESAM it is a 7 short mag I had years before winchester came out with one.
 

rayporter

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arkansas or ohio
when i started loading the 6.5-284 all you had was 284 brass. now everybody makes brass for it.

i had a 22-243 middlestead once but a bud wanted it more than i.

i still load a 243 AI and the 6ppc.
 
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Nice. I have looked into that wildcat once or twice but brass was really hard to come by when I was looking. What bullets weights do you primarily shoot, powder charges and speeds? I love an efficient little 6mm cartridge.
So I was running a 70grNBT's. I loaded a bunch a few ago so I'm not sure the exact charge but it was somewhere around 28.5gr of H4895. But then I switched over to a 55gr varmageddon's 30gr of h4895.

I don't own a crono so not sure the velocity. I used to have ot of data saved on my phone but lost it.
 
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Smallest to largest: Cooper Montana Varmint in .17 Mach IV, Cooper Varmint in .22 BR, Remington 700 in .22-6MM AI and finally a Sako in 6.5-280 AI.

They work and are fun but not real practical unless you have time to mess around making brass and loading ammo!
 

B23

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Technically speaking I've got more wildcats than standard cartridges but many of my "wildcats" are just straight neck downs from their parent case like 20-222, 20-250, 6-284, 6.5-284 so I guess their still considered wildcat cartridges but they're so easy peasy and relatively popular I don't really see them as wildcats.

I have a few "improved" Ackley or otherwise cartridges and those I consider wildcats. I'll be honest though, anymore, unless I can buy formed brass from the smith doing the build I don't think I want anymore guns I have to fireform for.
 
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83cj-7

83cj-7

WKR
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I agree with B23. I don’t like fireforming. I just feel like I’m wasting a bunch of time and barrel life on fireforming. I recently built a 22-6mm and my smith told me he had never chambered a straight 22-6mm. Most people do the AI version, but he and I agreed that it wasn’t smart because of the amount of barrel life used by just by forming. I am happy with the standard cartridge and how it turned out.
 

Rocket99

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Dec 23, 2020
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I’ve been loading ammo for my buddy’s 25 Super, which is basically a necked up .243. Really accurate gun. 700 S/A with a Douglas barrel


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83cj-7

83cj-7

WKR
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I will have to look up 25 Souper. I like .25 caliber but I find brass hard to find for most. I have tons of .243 brass. Might be a nice project.
 

minengr

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IL
Recently parted with my 6 - 06. Still have my 22 CHeetah. While my 7x61 S&H isn't, it is close. Really wanting a 6.5x61.
 

wyosam

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Aug 5, 2019
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I will have to look up 25 Souper. I like .25 caliber but I find brass hard to find for most. I have tons of .243 brass. Might be a nice project.

Ive been pondering a quarter bore. 25 super AI maybe.


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tonechaser88

Lil-Rokslider
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Feb 2, 2019
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Pretty fun thread really. Wildcats are really neat and to see the different ideas based off cartridges. I always thought running off the 6.5 Grendel in a 25 cal would be fun. Most the stuff I’ve messed with is just necking up and down the WSMs. I ran a 6.5-300 wsm that was incredibly accurate and speedy. Right now I’m running a 338 wsm barrel on a savage action built by mike at HCA. 300 wsm on the left , 338 wsm on the right .
 

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