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Any Forum Members Into Wildcatting

Coyote33 said:
A couple for ya:

(Another?) New AR15 Round – The .375 Reaper

New Long-Range Wildcat for AR-15: the 6.5 x 40mm


though my interest is in the smaller stuff, like the .17-223, the .20 Practical, or .19 Calhoon, or maybe .17 Hornet.
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The Reaper looks fun for making suppressed rounds. Personally I don't see the point of running rounds like that supersonic unless you go crazy high fps like Dean. The .458 Soc has zero appeal to me. If I wanted something bigger than .308, I'd buy a 50bmg, because frankly it's more common.
 
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Dean, any experience with these?

.17 Ackley Hornet I just got a contender barrel chambered for this cartridge and really enjoy shooting it. I hope to write an article on this little gun in the fall/winter timeframe. This is a classic .17 and for good reason. The brass is cheap, the recoil is nil, the powder used is minimal, and the performance is stellar. I have read many articles on this round, and am impressed that it can be used for so much. Vic (one of the Coyote Gods see links page) uses has used his .17 hornet on coyotes. I have heard of others using this round for coyotes as well and most report the same thing. If the range is reasonable and the shot placement correct, they go down like struck by lightning. Load data is available for this case in both .17 load manuals that I have(Kindlers and Saunders). The .17 Ackley hornet should be intended for prairie dogs, squirrels, foxes, woodchucks, and other small critters out to 200 yards.


.17 Ackley Bee Based on the fine .218 Bee case. The Ackley Bee is a fine cartridge and shows some advantage over the Hornet. Case forming is easy, dies readily available, and load data is available in Dick Saunders manual. My good friend John Delozier is working with an Ackley Bee and he is very pleased with the performance thus far. With the performance being better than the hornet the only advantage that the hornet has is the price of the brass. Bee brass is almost twice the cost of the very economical hornet brass. Availability is not an issue for Bee brass at this time. The Bee brass is thicker and stronger than the hornet brass, and should be able to be reloaded more times. This cartridge is only slightly better than the .17 Ackley Hornet in the velocity department. Thank you Mr. Ackley for another .17.


.17 Hebee This is nothing more than a .17 Ackley Bee improved. Dennis Hrusosky took notice of the longer neck on the Ackley Bee and must have figured that it would be better with more power RRRRRR. Either way, the only difference is the location of the shoulder. The Hebee gains case capacity and that translates to greater potential velocities. Making cases is not difficult, but annealing is a requirement. This round will come very close to the performance of the .17 Mach IV with the 20 grain bullets, but the Mach IV will handle the 25 grain bullets slightly better. I hope to do a side by side comparison of these two in the near future and will report the results then. Out of a 20 inch barrel, I am able to push a 20 grain V-max or Starke to 3900 fps. That is pretty impressive for such a small cartridge. Loading data for this cartridge is available in Todd Kindlers Sensational Seventeens and also in my article posted on this site.


.17 Mach IV This is the most popular of the .17 caliber wildcats and for good reason. It is easy to form the cases, load data is readily available, and it is a very efficient performer. This round is based on the .221 Remington Fireball case, and is simply necked down to .17 and loaded. The case looks perfect once it is necked down and hardly changes at all after firing for the first time. The Mach IV as its name implies should be able to push a 25 grain bullet at 4,000 fps. I am not sure that it can safely do this with a barrel shorter than 26", but have heard reports of some doing it. The one that I am beginning to test only has a 20" barrel, and I hope to compare apples to apples with the Hebee and Mach IV soon. The Mach IV can do just about anything that the .17 Remington can do with the 25 grain bullets, but the .17 Remington gets the nod when using the heavier 27 - 30 grain bullets.
 
That looks like a serious solution to a pdog problem.

Here is one for goats.

50 cal taking on goats!must see: http://youtu.be/pP_KSgmNqRM

I imagine the profit on the far end, for custom ammo is excellent.
 
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I'm a 10/22 nut. I've been thinking about pulling the trigger on a Kidd barreled action.

I've got 3 others. A box stock Canadian Centennial from 1967 that my dad was given by Bill Ruger Jr. A home built hot rod with a laminate stock, Shillen barrel and Rimfire Central DIY trigger job. And finally a stock looking 16" carbine with some work done on it by CT Precision Chamber in Middletown CT. If you don't know about him, his $180 service will absolutely transform your 10/22. Includes 1) trigger job 2) set back barrel and rechamber 3) true bolt face 4) target crown.

I've been hooked on shooting my 10/22s with military style peep sights. I really should put a scope on the Shillen barreled one and see what she will actually do.

Don

p.s. The Velocitor's are amazing rounds. I'm convinced you could humanely take a deer with one of those, if you pick your shot.
 
Dean Crawford said:
...
2nd Case capacity it increases the volume of powder by almost 3gr, which is 10% for a 223.
3rd Speed over 200 fps increase for the 40gr 4000+, and 150 fps for the 80gr I can send them over 3000+fps.
4th Which is the most important "Coolness Factor"
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4000+ puts the .223 into .204 Ruger range. Good stuff for coyote, fox, bobcat.

Sometimes, people DOWNLOAD cartridges. For example, you can make a .223 quieter, like a .22 Hornet, for hunting in more populated areas. Yes, you give up speed, but it is still better than a .22LR.
 
I'd say a bit big for coyote, if you plan on keeping the coat.

Dean, you ever do anything in .14 caliber?

How about .17 Mink? .277 Wolverine?
 
I bet you'd have no problem at the egg shoots Shirley R&G hosts once a month
 
That is awesome, Dean. I put those chrono readings into JBM ballistics and just started laughing. They must be a lot of fun to shoot. How's barrel life on cartridges like this?
 
8 oz is actually on the heavy side for bench guns. Usually down around 1-1/2 oz. The Jewell on my Tube gun (Jewell) is down in the 4 oz area. It's too light for the rapids and I need to add a few. Shot a match last weekend in the cold and it wasn't pretty.
 
Dean Crawford said:
For those interested in the specs.
Savage Precision Target Action timed and trued with an 8oz trigger.
The stock is a Richard micro fit that has been bedded and the channel opened up.
The scope is a Konus 10 X 40 -50 with Burris rings that have 20MOA inserts in them.
The barrel I have three depending on the venue and distance 6BRX, 260AI, 308Match.

Dean
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I like the idea of the left hand loading port for non-sling events.
 
JCV said:
AN 8 OUNCE TRIGGER?!
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8 ounce is kind of heavy for this stuff.

Dean Crawford said:
Most if not all serious benchrest shooters have it down to that even lower.

That is what it is set at 8 oz max is 24oz and min 8oz

Dean

PS: It never slam fires even set at 8oz
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Yup, I've got a bunch of rifles with 2 ounce triggers. They're really 2-8 ounce, but they're all set to 2 ounce.

PatMcD said:
8 oz is actually on the heavy side for bench guns. Usually down around 1-1/2 oz. The Jewell on my Tube gun (Jewell) is down in the 4 oz area. It's too light for the rapids and I need to add a few. Shot a match last weekend in the cold and it wasn't pretty.
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Pat, you beat me to it, for sure.

Dean Crawford said:
For anyone wanting to get into target shooting, and thinks it is to cost prohibitive or just don't know where to begin, here is the cliff notes or the 101 as they say. If you already have a Savage, Stevens, or Axis, or a Remington 700 you are halfway there.
1ST all you need is a barrel swap, I would get a varmint taper and not a bull so you can use it out in the field, and not just on the bench. and I would get that barrel chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, why because you can get quality factory target loads that will give you 1/2" MOA a 100 yards for like $25.00 a box even less if you shop around, and this chambering is not known as a "barrel Burner" so you will be able to shoot several thousands of rounds through it, a decent barrel is $300.00 + -

2nd you will need a stock one that can ride the bags but also can be used out in the fields, this model right here is the best bang for the buck it is very solid and comfortable.
https://www.boydsgunstocks.com/Prod...ll-barrel-channel-stock-wblack-textured-paint

3rd You will need a scope, this is what I have used for many years these also are an excellent value, And with that 32 power you can really zoom in.
http://www.thesportsmonkey.com/swift-premier-rifle-scope-8-32x50mm-cao/

With this combo you could be competitive on the bench, and also have a blast out in the field, and not have to worry about ammo and reloading or breaking the bank,

I just thought this info might be helpful to some and was willing to share it, for those on the fence or not knowing where to begin, and also not have all that money into a single purpose gun. I am always ready and willing to answer any questions anyone might have or help them with there build. And also it can be done in stages not everything has to be done at once, you can start with just a barrel. and upgrade the stock and scope later.

Dean
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That's some pretty sound advice. If you're considering going the benchrest competition route, shoot me a PM, I've been into that since the late 1960's, and would be willing to give you advice. If you're thinking about the F-class route, ask Dean.

Dean Crawford said:
I have been hearing good things about it, but it is also $1200.00 so it better be good. What I was getting at with my approach was being competitive for less than half that, and still being able to hunt with it. I don't even have $1200.00 tied up in that F class rig I just built in post #259 scope and all.

Dean
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$1200?

I paid $1500 for my Remington 700 Police, in 338 Lapua. Considering that caliber brings a serious "surcharge", I'd say $1200 was kind of pricey.

Here's a Gunbroker link for Remington 40X rifles. They're definitely upper end stuff.
 
Dean Crawford said:
I have been hearing good things about it, but it is also $1200.00 so it better be good. What I was getting at with my approach was being competitive for less than half that, and still being able to hunt with it. I don't even have $1200.00 tied up in that F class rig I just built in post #259 scope and all.

Dean
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$900 plus transfer which is comparable to a R700 or Savage FP. Perhaps you could build it for less if you already have an action to work with, idk. With a max range distance of 600m, the availability of factory .308 is attractive. I understand the appeal of 6.5 at the longer distances but what is the cost/benefit at 4-600m?
 
308's do work, out to 700-800 yards reliably, before going trans-sonic.

With the right bullets, like 175 grain Sierra or Berger, they handle the speed transition well enough.

But, the 6.5's or the 243's do have much less wind drift, and can be still above the trans-sonic zone to 1000.

The bottom line is this:

If you're shooting up to, but not past, 1000 yards, 308 is a decent choice, especially if you don't reload. It might not be the best choice, but it's still a good one. If you're shooting competition, like F class (open) or 600-1000 yard benchrest, then you really should start considering use of the best out there.

For shorter benchrest, like 100-300 yards/meters, then there's far better choices, and you should follow the rules, and what's normally used, unless you're an experimenter like I am.
 
But will a 6.5 Creedmore kill a zombie at 1,000 yards? Because that's all I really care about: Zombie head shots at 1/2 mile.

Seriously though, I don't intend to compete so the rifles (we know there will be more than one) will be for recreational use. If I could reliably hit a 10" gong up to 600 that would make my day, probably my year. Yes I know the biggest variable in that equation is me. That is why I started with the White Oak upper first not the 6.5 or .308 bolt gun even though the costs are similar.
 

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