I want to know what other LRH's think about chambering a Wildcat vs. Factory round. Now I am not lost on the fact that most folks hand load their own rounds. Just in the back of my mind "Murphy" tends to show up now and then. It would be a shame to set out on the hunt of a life time to arrive only with a rifle and some TSA guy thinking he stopped the crime of century by chunk'in my Wildcat rounds. Here you are stuck having to use a guides gun or a buddies. At least with a "more common" round you may be able to some what save your trip. Again I know a factory load will not be the same a my hand loads. Any thoughts or past event that you all have would help me choose for my first build.
Wildcat vs. Factory round?
- Thread starter LopezLad
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webs
Well-Known Member
There's always that possibility that someone makes a bone head decision and forgets the ammunition or brings the wrong ammo.
Long Time Long Ranger
Well-Known Member
Up until the 1990's you had to wildcat cartridges to get top performance. From about the mid 90's on there have been so many top factory cartridges brought on the market there is no need to wildcat anything today for top performance.
With the 338-378 wby, 338 Lapua and 338 RUM all coming out during that time there is no need to wildcat a 338. With the 300 RUM and 30-378 wby there is no need to wildcat a 30. With the 7mm Dakota, 7mm STW and 7mm RUM there is no need to wildcat a 7mm. The 270 wby is still all you need there and then the 270 wsm comes in between it and the 270 winchester. In 264 I still like the 264 STW wildcat but the 264 winchester still is hard to beat. The 257 wby is all that is needed in 257. The 6mm's and 22's are where I still like my wildcats but those I consider mostly varmint rounds. So as far as long range hunting of big game is concerned factory offerings will do whatever you need. Then under all the top performers I listed there is all kind of stuff now to fill the void. The only thing I could imagine is shortenning some cases to seat long high bc bullets. But the performance is there with factory rounds.
With the 338-378 wby, 338 Lapua and 338 RUM all coming out during that time there is no need to wildcat a 338. With the 300 RUM and 30-378 wby there is no need to wildcat a 30. With the 7mm Dakota, 7mm STW and 7mm RUM there is no need to wildcat a 7mm. The 270 wby is still all you need there and then the 270 wsm comes in between it and the 270 winchester. In 264 I still like the 264 STW wildcat but the 264 winchester still is hard to beat. The 257 wby is all that is needed in 257. The 6mm's and 22's are where I still like my wildcats but those I consider mostly varmint rounds. So as far as long range hunting of big game is concerned factory offerings will do whatever you need. Then under all the top performers I listed there is all kind of stuff now to fill the void. The only thing I could imagine is shortenning some cases to seat long high bc bullets. But the performance is there with factory rounds.
As sp6x6 noted, ammo is separate from the rifle on air travel, likewise, the possibility of a no show for both rifle and ammo is always there.
Since your concern is the ammo, why not just send extra ammo days ahead to a designated pick up point (friend, family, outfitter, etc ...).
In the mid 1990s while stationed at Davis-Monthan AFB, my friends and I hunted elk in the Hannagan Meadow area in AZ. One of my hunting buddy only had 6 140gr .270 rounds due to last minute sight in adjustment and ran out of time to pick an ammo before our travel. He was hoping to pick up ammo at the Hannagan Meadow area. Plenty of places to purchase but all sold out. Luckily, he didn't need it.
We all have back up rifles with plenty of ammo except him.
Since your concern is the ammo, why not just send extra ammo days ahead to a designated pick up point (friend, family, outfitter, etc ...).
In the mid 1990s while stationed at Davis-Monthan AFB, my friends and I hunted elk in the Hannagan Meadow area in AZ. One of my hunting buddy only had 6 140gr .270 rounds due to last minute sight in adjustment and ran out of time to pick an ammo before our travel. He was hoping to pick up ammo at the Hannagan Meadow area. Plenty of places to purchase but all sold out. Luckily, he didn't need it.
We all have back up rifles with plenty of ammo except him.
midwesthunter
Well-Known Member
One thing to consider is some of the wildcats you can get correct head stamping.
Losing ammo and guns does happen! South African Airways, "misplaced" my bag with ammunition. Fortunately, I was shooting two of the most popular rounds in the world 30-06 and 375 H&H, I picked up some 375 and never missed a beat and this was in a small town in Southern South Africa. I will give SA Airways props for delivering my bags to a ranch close to nothing 3 days later.
On another bear trip my dumb *** forgot ammo for a 300 Wby. This was not easy to find in a small town and I wound up with some ridiculous 220 grain something or another but it worked, dead bear.
In both cases I was jonesing for my meticulous hand loads but was able to make do. I do consider the caliber if I am traveling far from home. You may not find your perfect LR load but at least you can find an every improving factory round. Another option is to ship the ammo ahead of time, I have though about this but no done it to date. I hunt a ranch in Mexico and tend to "forget" a stash there over the years.
On another bear trip my dumb *** forgot ammo for a 300 Wby. This was not easy to find in a small town and I wound up with some ridiculous 220 grain something or another but it worked, dead bear.
In both cases I was jonesing for my meticulous hand loads but was able to make do. I do consider the caliber if I am traveling far from home. You may not find your perfect LR load but at least you can find an every improving factory round. Another option is to ship the ammo ahead of time, I have though about this but no done it to date. I hunt a ranch in Mexico and tend to "forget" a stash there over the years.
Thank you for stating the now painfully obvious. I decided to make this post after spending an embarrassing amount of time over analyzing my own question. It had never occurred to me to send ammo ahead of time. Thanks for setting me straight there. I will now go hang my head in shame….
L
L! Sometimes the most obvious are overlooked ... as you can see we all locked into different trigger words ... but it's all good.Ed
Ha, we came up with something . In the U.S. shipping is not a problem but if you are hunting Mexico not an Option, Africa not an option, I'm not sure about Canada but I doubt it. So still some merit to your conundrum. I agree with other posts other than some of the small stuff like 6mm no need for wildcats unless you enjoy the tinkering. I love Weatherby becuase someone will usually carry it (especially 3oo Wby) even if it costs as much as your airfair!
Just about all of my builds are on wildcat rounds. I have a box full of reamers that are used to make the dies as well. One thing to consider when building a wildcat is resale---depending on who build the rifle you can have over 20k tied up in something that 90% of the people who would be likely to buy that rifle at some point would pass just because of the wildcat chambering. Ralf Martini is building one for me now that will be a 300 win just because it is a factory round.
Chit man , that is how much I have in EXTRAS ON my JEEP
