wildcat based on 303 Brit

woodchopper

woodchopper

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So looking for opinions

based on a 1905R Ross sporter, I don't want to do any altercations to the bolt face so that leaves me with magnum sized rims or a wildcat based on the 303Brit other options are 444Marlin.

I don't know if the 1905 can handle magnums, although a 27WSM might be interesting and I already own a few magnum rifles 7mm 300WM 338WM 325WSM 458WM so I don't need another one in that range.

I'm leaning towards something between 6mm and 7mm and more specifically 6.5/264 or 6.8/277 but I'm flexible, and based on a 303 case.

so any strong opinions or suggestion, or even slightly rude comments :)
 
Member Sharps45-70 has been working on a Ross in 6.5/.303.
The Australians developed a variety of .303 based wildcats.

As far as .45-70 goes, its rim diameter is .608; a .303 is .540. That is going to be a problem.
 
When I worked at CIL we made a 25-303 for Australia. I assumed it was roo medicine.

I have fantasized about a 303 wildcat, other than the 308brit, that I a couple of.

I think a 6.5 or 7mm would work well. Or, if you could find a reamer, something like a 35 Ackley version. Epps probably has a caliber like that.
 
Too bad you want to stay small, or .35 WCF, .375 Flanged 2 1/2" and .405 WCF become options.

I think there is a 6.5mm-303 and a 6.5mm-303 Epps Improved (maybe Epps still have a reamer?)

I know it's smaller than you asked about, but how about a 303/243 (243/303?), essentially a 243 Flanged (Rimmed), using .303 brass necked & formed in a .243 Winchester forming die, then sized using a set of .243 Winchester dies. You could probably even get away with using a .243 Winchester reamer (not sure if the 1905 has a rim recess in the barrel or if the rim sits proud of the chamber. (Think the same could be done for a .260 Remington if you want to stay with 6.5mm)

I'm not sure why you would have concerns as regards pressures, other than the fact that steel, unlike fine wine or cheese, does not improve or strengthen with age, as I believe M1905's were available in .280 Ross, which carried the highest proof of any cartridges at the time, IIRC, 28 Long Tons per sq. ".

In any event, being a wildcat, you determine pressures.

What's the worst that can happen? If you don't like the cartridge, you'll simply have to re-barrel the rifle for something else that catches your eye.
 
A few years back, my grandson and I bought a ".303 Short". It was a Savage 24, originally a 20/.22mag. Some one sleeved the shotgun barrel to this Short cartridge. It came with a set of altered dies and a few empty cases. I did fire a couple of made up rounds, but have never actually played much with it. Not sure what it would be good for, other than something to fiddle with. I guess it would be okay for whitetail in bushy country where a body might want to toast a skunk or a bush partridge.
 
I have a P14 that has a 303/25 Epps improved barrel with Timney trigger, put together in 1974 with custom stock and a 3x9 Scope Chief if anybody is interested, in excellent shape. just never got around to using it @ the time, to busy working. Dies and lots of brass, 50 some loaded rds.
 
A friend have a 338-03 he likes it he said! I think he goes by KlondikeBob on here !
 
Tim your 303 brass down to 1.900 inches, chamfer and deburr, then run them into a 35 remington full length sizing die......35 remington rimmed, no issue getting load data because it's all right there, it's vanilla, but it's simple as hell and no special chamber reamers are really needed to chamber the barrel, and no expensive hard to find die sets to keep you from shooting your new wildcat.......thank me later
 
seems like there is a theme of go big, although 25-303 seems to have a bit of a following

I have a 25-06 so that would simplify reloading component buying.

really going to need to do some more measuring and thinking.
 
woodchopper said:
seems like there is a theme of go big, although 25-303 seems to have a bit of a following

I have a 25-06 so that would simplify reloading component buying.

really going to need to do some more measuring and thinking.
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I hunted with a friend of my step dad who had a 25-303 improved, hmm, late 60s early 70's i think. Built on a P14. Not much recoil (heavy rifle), and my first dip into the wildcat pool. - dan
 
Webley No.5 said:
Isn’t 280 Ross quite similar to 7mm rem mag? Probably want to hand load on the low side for a good safety margin but that would be cool. Or maybe a 7x57R. Can you tell I like 7mm?
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Ballistically, they are reasonably close. I have seen Ross rifles rebarreled in all sorts of mags, up to and including a 458 Win Mag. It is a strong action. - dan
 
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