Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Well I've been quiet in LR circles but I'm still around. 
Just other things keep taking my attention away. My latest build is one I'm rather excited about, a 7mm WSSM 30º shoulder wildcat. This cartridge is almost literally a scaled up 6mm BR, and was put together earlier this year, to my knowledge the first in Canada. Fortunately, except for the longer length, 7mm WSSM is almost a twin to the 7mm SAUM except roughly half an inch shorter, so modified 7mm SAUM dies can be used, and in my case those are Redding micrometer BR dies. This rifle was practically designed around the 7mm Berger 180gr VLD, with its almost frightening BC of .684, so it sports a 1:8" twist, and a first for me in LR rigs, polygonal rifling. To those unfamiliar with polygonal rifling, picture a stop sign type pattern in the bore, rather than lands and grooves. Supposedly, less bullet deformation results in a higher retained BC, we shall see. The LR world isn't flocking to it in droves so don't drop your single point cut rifled barrels yet but it was interesting enough to warrant my attention.
The barrel is 27 1/2" long, #8 contour, Pac Nor Super Match Polygonal. I'm hoping to drive the 180gr Bergers to 2700fps and a hair more ideally, for some serious reach, with VERY light throat/barrel wear characteristics, case capacity is similar to a 7mm-08AI, hoping the fat stubby case and 27 1/2" tube will ring a little extra out of the powder charge. One things for sure, it will be efficient, the basal hydraulics of the 7mm/.284" bullet are good, and the stubby case is as well, then add the .684 claimed BC and she should fly, polygonal rifling notwithstanding. That barrel in the background's it, and it's wearing a Leupold Mk4 M1 16x40mm (roughly 160 mins of elevation) sitting in Mk4 rings atop a 20MOA base. Stock is going to be an aluminum chassis system of my own design, eventually, though for now it's been test fitted in my AICS stage II, Lone Wolf Palma, and now an HS that's coming will likely be the first form until my chassis is done (could be a year). I'm also adding a titanium muzzle brake of my design, not that it needs it but it's more a proof of concept, and fluting the barrel to aid in cooling, but those are also down the road projects. Will be an exciting project, they sure do take awhile to get together though.
Here's my wildcat, center, flanked by a couple of my previous long range 7mm interests, the 7mm-08 on the left and the 7mm STW on the right, all sporting 180gr Berger VLD's.
Just other things keep taking my attention away. My latest build is one I'm rather excited about, a 7mm WSSM 30º shoulder wildcat. This cartridge is almost literally a scaled up 6mm BR, and was put together earlier this year, to my knowledge the first in Canada. Fortunately, except for the longer length, 7mm WSSM is almost a twin to the 7mm SAUM except roughly half an inch shorter, so modified 7mm SAUM dies can be used, and in my case those are Redding micrometer BR dies. This rifle was practically designed around the 7mm Berger 180gr VLD, with its almost frightening BC of .684, so it sports a 1:8" twist, and a first for me in LR rigs, polygonal rifling. To those unfamiliar with polygonal rifling, picture a stop sign type pattern in the bore, rather than lands and grooves. Supposedly, less bullet deformation results in a higher retained BC, we shall see. The LR world isn't flocking to it in droves so don't drop your single point cut rifled barrels yet but it was interesting enough to warrant my attention.The barrel is 27 1/2" long, #8 contour, Pac Nor Super Match Polygonal. I'm hoping to drive the 180gr Bergers to 2700fps and a hair more ideally, for some serious reach, with VERY light throat/barrel wear characteristics, case capacity is similar to a 7mm-08AI, hoping the fat stubby case and 27 1/2" tube will ring a little extra out of the powder charge. One things for sure, it will be efficient, the basal hydraulics of the 7mm/.284" bullet are good, and the stubby case is as well, then add the .684 claimed BC and she should fly, polygonal rifling notwithstanding. That barrel in the background's it, and it's wearing a Leupold Mk4 M1 16x40mm (roughly 160 mins of elevation) sitting in Mk4 rings atop a 20MOA base. Stock is going to be an aluminum chassis system of my own design, eventually, though for now it's been test fitted in my AICS stage II, Lone Wolf Palma, and now an HS that's coming will likely be the first form until my chassis is done (could be a year). I'm also adding a titanium muzzle brake of my design, not that it needs it but it's more a proof of concept, and fluting the barrel to aid in cooling, but those are also down the road projects. Will be an exciting project, they sure do take awhile to get together though.
Here's my wildcat, center, flanked by a couple of my previous long range 7mm interests, the 7mm-08 on the left and the 7mm STW on the right, all sporting 180gr Berger VLD's.
