Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only compact 475 wildcats

any ideas fellas? Not sure of action yet, but I have a lot of 475 bullets sitting around. Was considering something smaller than 470 capstick. Did anyone ever neck up a 458win to 475? I heard reference to the 475 turnbull and even a 475-70 and I assume these need old 348 win lever actions to convert? Any other options? Easy conversions would be preferred, as in a barrel chance with minor feedwork etc.

What kind of rifle?, if single shot, big lever action or double i'd get the plentiful Starline 50-110 WCF brass, neck it down and go as wild as you care to hang onto, a Ruger #1 would be a sweet thumper.

475 B&M or 475 B&M Super Short

Yep, and the Marlin has been converted to 50 Alaskan. Definitely could neck down to 475

I think a 350 RM would open up to 475. It would be pretty close to a straight wall case, but it has a belt.

Thanks fellas, interesting suggestions. Regards that 475 B&M supershort above I am thinking this is mostly just a rebarrel of a wssm factory rifle?

correct on the 475 bm SS. The longer 475 B&M would be the rebarrel of a magnum short action

Just realised have not seen a WSSM rifle around for a while. Did they discontinue them?

Yessir, had some time yesterday and found Doug Turnbull is already on the case with the 475 Turnbull, he has dies and brass in stock, seems 158XTP may be looking for a super short 475, for some reason i thought he may have had a pile of 500gr Woodleigh .475 cal bullets.

I think so, they didn't catch on at all, have heard they're plagued with feeding issues etc.

I have a few gunner500 but a larger qty of 480 ruger bullets, hence looking more at a compact mid power thumper, as opposed to a nitro express level gun.

Uh Oh then, you're going to have to build an AR on necked down 50 Beowulf or possibly necked up 458 Socom, how are those for a high-cap Thumper? ; ]

475 TREMOR anyone?

If building a single shot you could go the Ruger No.1A in 475 Linebaugh using the factory barrel and ream it to the Turnbull cartridge. The 20” No.1s are still around or you could hunt for one of the earlier production 22” bbl versions.
I have a 20” recent production No.1 in 475 Linebaugh and have only popped a few rounds through it. It would be a light rifle for 475 Turnbull, easy to carry but a thumper on both ends with max loads.
I think Turnbull offers rebarreling with heavier contour barrels if you want to increase weight.

Now thinking more along the lines of an available bolt action and an existing wildcat. In Australia also so the AR platforms are out unfortunately. I might take a look at the B&M offerings suggested above if I can get a reamer in.

If you want to build something a little unusual there is a reamer kicking around in Oz for the 458 JCE. It’s a wildcat based on a shortened 300 WSM case. I believe case forming is quite simple involving cutting the WSM case at the shoulder and necking down.

If you could access that reamer and open the neck& throat in a separate operation it might suit your objective. It was designed to fit the super short action M70 and Brownings in the WSSM chamberings.

If you’re keen I’d contact ‘farmboy’ on AHN as he dabbles in building all sorts of big cal wildcats.

Thanks, I'll take look

I don't know how short you want to go, but the 475 Tremor is .223 length and the 475 Bishop Mag is .308 length.

Tony

I am surprised there was never a 475/458 win mag wildcat that was more common.

I started looking a bit at the 470 capstick .Anyone have any experience with one? I know theoretically its a rebarrel on any 375H&H size action, however I did hear something about the gunsmithing being not quite as straightforward as it sounds.... Cant recall what the issue was though, feeding maybe? thanks for any thoughts.

The 45-70 can be opened up to. 475. The original 475 Linebaugh was just a Win 45-70 case cut to 1.4", expanded and fireformed.
So you wouldn't need a 348 sized action to work with. A Marlin 1895 45-70 would be a perfect donor.