M1 Carbine folklore - the wildcats

[fat tony]

https://looserounds.com/carbine-wildcat/


This is evocative of a simpler nicer time.

M1 Carbine Wildcats – .30 Carbine Wildcats
More Small Arms History from Daniel Watters
Long before surplus M1 Carbines became available for civilian sale in 1963, wildcatters had begun to create new cartridges from the .30 Carbine case. Of these, a series of .224-inch wildcats appear to have been the most popular, with at least 14 major variations known. The list of gunsmiths who offered a .22 Carbine conversion is a “Who’s Who” of the industry, including: Melvin Johnson, P.O. Ackley, Bob Schuetz of SGW, and #### Casull (of .454 fame). In Volume 2 of Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders, Ackley mentions a number of other gunsmiths, loading data, and even sources of conversion kits (complete w/ barrel and loading dies). Larry Ruth’s more recent War Baby! Comes Home also provides an exhaustive list of Carbine manufacturers and modifiers, including a variety of Carbine wildcat conversions.

The popularity of such conversions during the 1960s probably hinged on two factors: 1) Lots of cheap surplus M1 Carbines, parts, and brass, and 2) No real competitors in the .224-inch semi-auto centerfire market. (The semi-auto AR-15 and Ruger Mini-14 were still a few years down the road.) Moreover, most of the gunsmiths marketing such a conversion were pushing it as a varmint rifle, comparing it to the old standbys .22 Hornet and .218 Bee. As evidence of the relationship, Lysle Kilbourn of .22 K-Hornet fame helped Mel Johnson develop the finalized MMJ 5.7mm Spitfire. Some gunsmiths like Schuetz simply ran .30 Carbine cases through sizing dies for the .218 Bee and its wildcats.

 

[zuke]

I have one rebuilt to .45 Winchester Magnum

 

[fat tony]

.45 NAACO? Cool and patriotic. Now I have to find a pic of the Borealis carbine. It is tough to find anything on .45 NAACO.The only reference I found of it was a Jane's paperback reference booklet from the early 1980's. Thank you for helping to keep the Canadian dream alive.

Now I remember. The Borealis carbine was never constructed. The sole prototype in .45 NAACO (Brigadier) was based on the Browning Hi Power but considerably larger and heavier.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/NAACO_Brigadier

"Gunsmith Robert Herman and Designer Russell Sutherland spent a year developing the prototype."

There must be drawings of the Borealis carbine somewhere.

Here is an article on NAACO.The .22 NAACO rifle I examined and shot once, was a quality little rifle, and was very accurate. It is a shame these arms are rarely seen anymore.

https://oodmag.com/the-brief-life-of-naaco/

^ this is a little treasure trove for Canadian nationalists.