When is Widcatting Worth It?

[LTH181818]

I've been messing with wildcat cartridges since 2014. I know many of you have been doing it much longer. I also have at least 12 different wildcat chamber reamers in my reloading room. I know that many of you probably have hundreds.

Lately though I've started to wonder, when is it worth it to wildcat a cartridge? Especially when you consider what we get from the standard SAAMI cartridges, and the extras in costs (You need custom dies), time, case prep efforts, (I like tighter neck tolerances) load testing and development, risks to body from mistakes, and limited availability availability of this cartridge (since we are often the only source of this special cartridge).

Is it when you get 3 or more extra grs of powder from a case. Is the gain of 50 to 60 fps in velocity per grain of powder? What level of improved stability and accuracy is needed to make it worth? Or, when does it just become just an exercise in burning more powder and creating more recoil.

I have 4 different custom chamber reamers for my current project. I've settled on one that increases both the case length and lead/freebore. The new wildcat will give at least 3.5 grs of extra powder space and resulting velocity simply due to a longer case. There is lot more velocity potential from the increase powder space from lengthening the freebore so the bullets can be seated well out of the powder space.

So rather than discuss a particular wildcat cartridge, my question is for all of them. When is wildcatting worth it?

By the way, the last 7 or 8 years have been a ton of fun!!

No, but were not 90% of our current SAAMI cartridge wildcats. 40 years ago I had a 25-284 made, than 2 re-barrels. GoTo mule deer rifle. Last rifle I had built was a 6.5 PRC. Often we want to be smarter than others.
Now I look for the best bullet, does someone make great brass, next what is the closest SAMMI cartridge for the velocity I want. ( 25-284 was one of many )

 

[memtb]

If you love to be different, or "will not" be hunting abroad where factory ammo can't be fired in the rifle "if" something were to happen to your ammo....then yes!

If your cartridge is simply "improved" and the end use will be hunting, while doing it for a gain (perhaps relatively small) with a readily available factory cartridge.....then a resounding "yes"!

So, I guess the answer is yes.....with qualifications! memtb

 

[Swamplord]

I just do whatever the heyell I want ...



6.5 Skuldryl 150 gr Bullets @ 3550 fps
my max improved style of wildcat, 6.5-300 Norma Mag Improved, for drilling animal skulls from the grassy knoll far, far away, this ain't your mamas creedhoor !

6.5 Prometheus 143 gr bullets @ 3500 fps
my 2010 wildcat, 6.5-300 Norma Mag Imp with long neck
the original Bringer of Fire

6.5 Mighty Mouse 140 gr bullets at 3300 fps in a short action
300 Norma Mag case cut down to 1.9" and necked to 6.5 mm, smokes & kills every single 6.5 sa cartridge on the planet with ease

6.5 Wolfkiller 140 gr bullets at 3150 fps
6.5x55 Swede Improved, maxed out case my style
built on a 6.5 lb Tikka T3 Lite with 26" Bartlein bbl, my wolf killing rifle

...

 

[Swamplord]

When I go to bed every night without a bolt in my head and all ten digits intact !

I wasn't kidding, sometimes there are days where I ratchet strap the rifle to the bench & tie a long string to the trigger & duck behind the truck, when working with wildcats that there is zero to start from other than Quick Load data,

Like with this thing years ago ....

....

 

[redneckdan]

I enjoy the process. My first is a 14" contender in .30 herret.

I make 6 creedmoor out of LC brass. Harder than woodpecker lips, primer pockets last longer. Necks come out real thick, gives plenty of material to true up thickness and fit to chamber dimensions with neck turning.

 

[WYOHTF]

I enjoy the process. My first is a 14" contender in .30 herret.

I make 6 creedmoor out of LC brass. Harder than woodpecker lips, primer pockets last longer. Necks come out real thick, gives plenty of material to true up thickness and fit to chamber dimensions with neck turning.

Do you turn your necks, going that far down from .308

 

[redneckdan]

Do you turn your necks, going that far down from .308

Yeah. Off the top of my head I want to say the last batch I took 12 thou off to get 3 thou clearance in the chamber. I size down to 6mm and get the shoulder close to where I want it. Then I expand and rough cut at 5 though depth of cut. I reanneal, bump the shoulders to spec, trim to length then finish cut the necks.

 

[skipglo]

If it's worth it to you....it's worth it! Individual choice.

 

[PartsJr.]

If it trips you trigger… go for it. It's a hobby. If you're looking for practicality "wildcatting" might not be the thing.
By the way ….. correct me if I'm wrong….
an Ackley Improved cartridge isn't "technically " a wildcat because you can drop in a factory round and safely shoot it.

 

[WYOHTF]

If it trips you trigger… go for it. It's a hobby. If you're looking for practicality "wildcatting" might not be the thing.
By the way ….. correct me if I'm wrong….
an Ackley Improved cartridge isn't "technically " a wildcat because you can drop in a factory round and safely shoot it.

I think there are different levels of wildcat cartridges- levels meaning difficulty of forming said new cases
And also, different levels of "Wildcatters".
I'm just a novice having fun

Wildcat cartridge - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[memtb]

Please forgive the photos, quite old and faded.....much like myself!

Some of my very early work! None worked as hoped.....got discouraged and quit the wildcats! memtb

 

[WYOHTF]

Please forgive the photos, quite old and faded.....much like myself!

Some of my very early work! None worked as hoped.....got discouraged and quit the wildcats! memtb

.177 on the 20mm

 

[memtb]

Yes, worked with different case lengths and shoulder angle for optimum burn! Always wanted a lot of shoulder for accurate and consistent head-spacing!i

I may have had the first mono bullets.....the jacketed bullets never reached the target! memtb

 

[memtb]

Hey guys, in case anyone my have been offended with my warped sense of humor.....I apologize for my transgression! To clarify.....those aren't my wildcats! Those are just kittens.....I take my wildcats deadly serious! memtb