Wildcats vs Traditional Cartridges

[Rich Coyle]

I finally have a 6.5 RPM. On the left is my wildcat 6.5. An unfired case holds 80.3 grains of water. On the right is the Weatherby 6.5 RPM. The unfired case holds 80.0 grains of water. I can't fire it because it's at the 'smiths. He ask if he could work up a load for it. I am looking forward to seeing if he matches my wildcat. I wouldn't be surprised if he excedes my load since I run them fairly conservitively.

 

[Deleted member 107796]

Isn't that the Weatherby on the L, with its radiused shoulders?

As to the OP, two things... it's like food or music where if we had fewer choices, life would be less rich. The other thing is, it's rather easy to improve any new design as did the wildcatters. It's much harder to develop an original new design that works well.

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

A good true factory action with a good custom match grade barrel in a nice bedded stock and a tuned trigger is what I like and think serves 90% of shooters well.

Guess thats what I am "traditional"...... I knew the above quote was talking about me the moment I read it. I'm an accuracy addict to the max, but a very boring cartridge selector. I use what I know will work for the job and never consider a walk on the wildcat side. It makes my gunsmith buddy crazy, he has tried to sell me on wildcats for almost 20 years now. Wow, reading the five pages of this thread has shown me that while I seem to be in the minority, I wouldn't change it for the world.

I do see myself in a new light........I like traditional cartridges - ratty bugholes in targets - and vanilla ice cream.........however I do draw the line at fat girls

 

[Rich Coyle]

Isn't that the Weatherby on the L, with its radiused shoulders?

As to the OP, two things... it's like food or music where if we had fewer choices, life would be less rich. The other thing is, it's rather easy to improve any new design as did the wildcatters. It's much harder to develop an original new design that works well.

I had to pay extra to get the original Weatherby look on the reamer. Weatherby grossly departed from their tradition when they made the new RPM.

 

[25WSM]

As long as fat girls stay off skateboards I'm ok. In the 1700 to 1800 fat girls were all the rage. That new rpm case is sweetness. It will make the ultimate 7mm. Say goodbye to my 280ai this reamer will completely remove the 280ai chamber and poof all that work and money and it will be 100 fps faster.
Shep

 

[Buck Fever]

I'm mixed on this.

My next project is a 338 RUM even though the wildcat 338 Edge has more brass available. I'm going to save money by making 338 RUM brass from 300 RUM brass even though it takes more steps than forming 338 Edge. It just fits my action better but Remington has mostly abandoned the round.

A previous project is a 284 Winchester. It's a great round that is accurate and efficient but I have to form brass from Lapua 6.5x284 brass because they don't make straight 284 brass.

I actually have a few real Wildcats that I have to form brass for. They are similar to my 338, I'm using the chamberings because they are good fits in the actions and maximize performance.

It seems like nothing is easy and optimized for me except my 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[JMW67]

I'm mixed on this.

My next project is a 338 RUM even though the wildcat 338 Edge has more brass available. I'm going to save money by making 338 RUM brass from 300 RUM brass even though it takes more steps than forming 338 Edge. It just fits my action better but Remington has mostly abandoned the round.

A previous project is a 284 Winchester. It's a great round that is accurate and efficient but I have to form brass from Lapua 6.5x284 brass because they don't make straight 284 brass.

I actually have a few real Wildcats that I have to form brass for. They are similar to my 338, I'm using the chamberings because they are good fits in the actions and maximize performance.

It seems like nothing is easy and optimized for me except my 6.5 Creedmoor.

Peterson is making 284 win brass

 

[Buck Fever]

Yes and Norma made brass too but when I had to buy brass the Peterson was brand new. I didn't want to take a chance when I knew plenty of people has success with Lapua.

 

[25WSM]

6.5 Creed. What a sweetheart. That's one to take home to meet momma.
Shep

 

[Rich Coyle]

I'm mixed on this.

My next project is a 338 RUM even though the wildcat 338 Edge has more brass available. I'm going to save money by making 338 RUM brass from 300 RUM brass even though it takes more steps than forming 338 Edge. It just fits my action better but Remington has mostly abandoned the round.

One of my wildcats is a 6.5-.338 RUM. But I use .300 RUM brass without trimming so it has a longer neck. Ben at Hornady named it 6.5RUMLN. I asked him what that stands for. He said, "6.5 RUM with a Long Neck." After the 'smith ran the 6.5-.338 RUM reamer in then he ran a 6.5mm neck reamer in to extend the neck. The bullet doesn't need to protrude into the powder room as much with this setup. The 28" barrel gets 3,419 fps with 140 grain bullets.

I now have a 7-.338RUMLN reamer from Manson I have not used yet. I may rebarrel my .375 wildcat with a 7mm and use this reamer.

 

[Buck Fever]

I like 284 better than 6.5x284 so 6.5x338 RUM is way too overbore for me.

Actually the true wildcat I load for is less overbore than a very similar factory cartridge but out performs it to 900+ yards where they are both only good for punching paper.

I'm continually amazed by people creating small bore Wildcats with huge cases. I guess they do it for varmint hunting? Burning out a barrel for varmints seems kind of wasteful to me.

 

[GLTaylor]

Rich,
You never said what your cartridge on the left is? It looks swelvte! Like the radiused shoulder!

 

[Rich Coyle]

Rich,
You never said what your cartridge on the left is? It looks swelvte! Like the radiused shoulder!

The case in the photo is a Jamison 9.3X64. It is about the same as a .338 Win Mag with a larger bullet. When I could no longer get those cases I turned the belts off of Norma 7 Rem Mag brass and turned the rim to match them. The Jamison is .005" larger diameter than the RPM.

Buck Fever,
The 6.5 RUMLN was made for moose and down hunting. For big bears I would use the above case necked up to 8mm. It should be back in my grubby fingers about May 1. I am really excided to see how it does with 200 grain Hammer Hunters.