What is your favorite wildcat caliber?

30Gibbs

30Gibbs

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Hey fellas, I am new to this forum and have found some interesting topics here. I don't see any talk about wildcats and was curious if they are popular with you fellas? I shoot a 30 Gibbs and have used it for coyotes thru bears. I am working on a 8mm Gibbs now and just picked up my 25-06 which is going in to be reamed to 25 Gibbs. The next one will be 270 Gibbs.

Great forum
 
I don't own any wildcats, but I've long hankered for a .30-30 Ackley. Maybe next year. Lots of donor rifles to choose from, and apparently accurate, good long case life, and gives a bit of performance boost to a cartridge which is already one of my favourites.
 
I came real close to rechambering my "old" BRNO from 7x57 to 280 Ackley.
After chatting with a couple fellow gun nutz here I came to the conclusion a classic gun like this one shouldn't be violated so it will stay as is.

Had a 338-06 for awhile but it was just too heavy to pack all day.
Was going to build it into a 416 Taylor at one point too.
It's great to pack something different than the masses.

BTW, there are quite a few wildcatters over in the reloading forum, they'd love to hear from you too!

Welcome to CGN!!!!

Noel
 
dan belisle said:
What do you want to know? I shoot one I built on a Win 70 action, fluted, stainless, 26", Ron Smith gain twist barrel, HS Precision stock, B&L 6-24 scope, thing shoots very well. - dan
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Well i have had a hard time learning much about it but the 240 Gibbs sounds like it is tough to fireform casings for? What did you start with for a caliber?
I am sure It won't be much different than the 25 Gibbs for fps and balistics but my goal is to do one of each or Rocky's calibers. I love my 30 Gibbs I would'nt trade it for the world. My buddies used to rib me a bit about it and now they all have one!!!! LOL
 
I started with new 25-06 brass, necked down just enough to allow it to enter the chamber under pressure from the bolt. Fireform brass with 10gr of Unique and a tissue wad. It is fussy to form cases, fireforming with mild loads doesn't work that well. I get 3700 fps with 75 gr bullets, and good accuracy. I've used it out to 700 meters with good results, and have just started experimenting with 105 gr Amax and 107 gr Sierra MK's for the longer ranges at 3300 fps. - dan
 
I have a 338-06 that has been out a lot! LoL

I personally think it is the single best choice for hunting in BC. Lots of nuts up close and personal if you happen to surprise a grizz while sheep hunting yet enough of a reach - 400m + - for aforementioned sheep or clear-cut mulies.

Happiness is 225 gr Accubond with a BC of .507 @ 2700 fps MV :D It is even better when it is housed in a 6 1/2 pound rifle!
 
I have a 6-284 that really hums,Just sent out my 222 to have it rechambered to a 223 AI and also sent out my Ruger 7x57 to get that rechambered to a
7x57 AI.Of the 3 I like the 7x57 AI,i think that's a fine cartrige.
 
I have a 348-35 Improved.
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What's that one?

I've heard of the 35-348Win improved which seems like it would be an awesome powerhouse. My gunsmith put a dummy round of that one into hands about a year ago. He was cobbling up a custom shooter around it.

Is that what U have or is it another one?
 
By definition a wildcat is a chamber that you can not fire a factory round in, so that lets out a lot of simple Ackley Improved chamberings.

My first wildcat was a .17-222 I built in 1967. Since then I have had many "improved" cartridges but not that many wildcats.

I really liked the 6mm - 280 Improved but it gives the same performance as a .240 Weatherby. The same can be said of the 6mm AI or 6mm-284.

The 6.5 - 280 Improved is nice.... kind of in a niche by itself. Almost the same performance as a .264 Win. but with about 10 grains less powder and a shorter barrel.

I would have to say the .17-222 was the most practical wildcat for me, until Remington came out with the .17 Rem. The 6.5-280 Improved is still my best hunting wildcat.
 
Gotta be the .17BMG :D.
17bmg4gt.jpg


-Rohann
 
I have 3 wildcats, but have no favorite among them. 30-338, been around a long time, but still no factory loadings, and that bothers me not a bit!! The 30 Gibbs is a good one for us who play, but is not a magnum in any sense of the word. The 6.5-284 is not truly a wildcat anymore, but factory ammo is not at all plentiful, only brass is easy to get. The 30-338 is a sporter weight rifle, but is a true ½ MOA shooter if you feed it what it likes, and is flat [and potent] enough to take a poke at a moose out to 500+ if one has the expertise. I use the 6.5-284 for long range targets. Regards, Eagleye.
 
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