Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats New wildcat design, my first!

My dive into the world of wildcats is about to become complete with the finalization of my first reamer and cartridge design =) Been working with PT&G on getting something put together and we've finally got the prints all wrapped up! Gonna be a based off the 7mm WSM case with improved shoulder and minimal taper and an h2o capacity in the high 80s! Hammer Bullets is in the process of designing a 220gr hunting bullet that should work perfectly for my intended uses! Can't wait to get this party rocking!

Was there much taper to take out? I didn't play with the WSM's at all so I don't know.

Sounds like a .300 WSM or .325 WSM improved.

Improved on the WSM is minimal increase in powder volume.

Advantages:
A small increase in powder capacity

Disadvantages:
Fireforming cases
Custom dies
Hard to sell at a later date. Can't see any positive doing this.

That bullet is going to go all the way (almost)back to the primer when seated.

Why?

I'm scratching my head as to why someone would go through all that effort but as long as it makes your socks go up and down, have at it!!!

I can't even imagine the bolt thrust that will generate and will most likely feed like crap to boot

SHHHHH!

I am trying to get more info out of the OP. He left a lot out of his post.

Gotcha!

Yep...that long neck, sloping shoulder and heavy body taper are serious design flaws in the 7WSM, and that's why they don't make them anymore.

But I'm just very grateful that someone finally stepped up to fix it...maybe now it can be popular again.

I personally prefer the 7 SAUM.

The 7 SAUM turned out to be more gay than the 270...that's why they don't make them anymore.

I have plenty brass.

Yeah but George Gardner necked the suck out of it. No gayness to the 6.5 GAP...

Well maybe just a touch of gay.

Completely parallel sides to cases don't help initial extraction, which is started as the bolt handle is lifted and the case "breaks" away from chamber walls and moves slightly to the rear. A tapered case does this more easily than a straight case,which drags against chamber walls.

The Brits and Germans figured this out a long time ago with the Mauser bolt system (and likely doubles and single shots as well). But they built rifles and cartridges for hunting dangerous game and wartime,where reliable function was paramount.

Americans, OTOH,don't have much game to kill so concentrate on extraneous stuff like squeezing velocity from little cases,efficiency, and other trivial distractions. Some wildcats are good examples. The 280 AI is a perfect example of this approach; the WSM's the same thing.

Sounds like the OP is trying to squeeze 7 STW performance from a short action. I hope he has fun working on it.

That's un-American.

Yikes! Tough crowd on here.

My apologies for not adding specifics.

Here's my reasoning, since it would appear I'm required to defend myself with more than the simple wildcat standby, "I just thought it'd be cool and wanted to try it out." ;P *Should've added emojis to convey this wasn't intended to be an intense comment. Just reread and realize it could've come across slightly hostile and not joking*

It's a 35 caliber that should have better ballistics than the 35 Norma. The case taper was taken out to increase capacity as much as possible, without hampering extraction.

I don't need the long neck for the shorter 220gr bullet I'll be pushing, so that's why I kept it to .250''.

As for the steeper shoulder, I just think it looks good, and it increases capacity slightly. It's truthfully, mostly cosmetic though =)

This will be an "under-bore" cartridge and barrel life should last my hunting lifetime.

Wilkup we aren't really that tough...

But you never made it clear that it was a 35 caliber...that makes more sense.From your post I thought you had some new special 220 gr 7mm bullet.....nothings impossible these days.

If I missed that it was a 35 somehow apologies....

I'd still like the taper and longer neck but that's just me.

Good luck and have fun.

I know....

Well, I think you missed the real reason the WSMs were developed. Looking at who developed them, it seems the reason behind them was to create something"new" and sell more rifles.

And it worked pretty well. Having said that, they're good cartridges, as is the .280 AI.

I would rather have a 280AI myself.

I'm gonna copy that quote and save it for later.....

I've got a 7mm based wildcat right now that might be able to run a 220gr 7mm, but it wouldn't be going too fast. It's based on the SAUM with a shoulder that's been pushed back, blown out case and 40 degree shoulder. A gentleman named Rich Sherman designed it. I can push the Berger 180 Hybrid at 3050', the 195 EOL at 2950' and the 140 Accubond at 3350' =)

Those are good speeds.

I had a .358 WSM, based on the .300. I had it built for the same reasons you cited, still have the barrel. IIRC I was getting around 2900 with 225's. Recoil was "quick." It'll put down whatever you aim it at, that's for sure.

What length barrel were you running?
Why'd you stop using it?

I'm gonna be running a switch barrel setup between the 7mm and 9mm Have all my bases covered for anything I'd like to hit with them.

I'm gonna try some 140gr VLDs in the next week or so. I've been able to get the Accubonds to group into 0.48" at 107 yards and am hoping the Bergers will help me tighten things up a bit and maintain the same speeds =)

Found out I'm just over 90 grains of h20, beating the 358 Norma's case capacity, and with a more efficient powder column. Should see some pretty serious velocities from this round! Hoping to get that 220gr bullet moving along to at least 3000fps in my 24" barrel.

24". I switched back to the original barrel, a 7 WSM because I have a .375 that I'd use for anything requiring a .358, and to tell the truth, I don't regularly hunt anything requiring either one.

When I said the recoil was "quick," I should've said "sharp" too.

I was scratching my head on a 220 grain in .284 diameter as well....

I came within a gnathair of doing the same with my 7WSM, except in 9.3.

Then I saw the add for CDNN's Ruger Alaskan in .375 Ruger, lefthand, stainless. In a rare brush with common sense, I said "What the hell am I doing here?".

Then I kept shooting .5 inch groups with a factory rifle pushing the 180g VLD at and above 3000 fps.

I'm glad I held back. However, I offer no advice to do same.

Makin' a cat out if ordinary brass is fun. Absolute riot when it works as planned.

I tried PT&G but decided they were retarded when they decided to substantially redesign the case. Dave Manson is my guru in that department.

I'm all the way up to 1050 fps with a 183 gr bullet. Zoom-zoom

What round Dan?

You have no idea how many times I've heard the same thing abut PT&G. Dave is my go to guy for wildcats. He even named one for me.

Dear Mr. Facetious,
I do believe Mr. Nosler would agree with that. As do I.

The .30 Sneezer. You can probably find some chatter here with a search. 357 case choked down with a long neck.

Manson named it....

How'd you like the 375? I'm planning on keeping my 7mm, just getting a second barrel made and running a switch barrel setup. Between the 7mm and 35, there's nothing, big or small, I won't be able to hunt. =)