Levergun Wildcats

[AJMD429]

I've always found 'wildcats' interesting, and sometimes the wheel keeps getting re-invented over and over again.

There's the .44 Mag necked to .357 (the ".357-44 Bain & Davis"), which always seemed like a nice way to get a bit more velocity from a .357 bullet (or maybe use heavier ones), but stay within say a Marlin 1894-sized platform.

Then I stumble across this one - a .357 Mag case necked to .308 caliber - the ".30-357 Paxton".

http://ammoguide.com/cgi-bin/ai.cgi?sn= ... &catid=682

Those of us with a modern gun that needs rebarreled, or who just like to mess with stuff, might be able to get an interesting levergun by making such a conversion. Kind of like Winchester's .256 Winchester Magnum, which was sort of a 'short-magnum' version of the .25-35.

[adirondakjack]

It'd be kinda creepy with the pointy bullets in the short cases in a mag tube.... Unlike a .30-30, the noses will line up with the primers when the spring pressure stacks em. I tried it with a couple of .357-45s, using a Dillon clear plastic case feeder tube and a spring to be able to see it....

But I still thought about a .357-45 using my rimmed .45 cases, talk about a screamer......

[Mescalero]

I remember reading an article about Paco having a Rossi .357 rebarreled to .256Win Mag.
Even shot a bear with it across (a small, I hope; canyon down Tucson way ), in the mountains.
I have searched for that article recently, but come up empty, has anyone else read it?
Marlin 336 in .25 Bullberry would be a nice ticket.

[earlmck]

When you get to thinking about it, there are lots of very interesting possibilities for our leverguns. If I live long enough and don't continue to get my attention diverted, I may yet come up with my "ideal running bunny shooter" which is a 6mm/454 Casull . Rossi action, of course; Lyman receiver sight, fiber-optic front...

[AJMD429]

Yep, the pointy bullets would have to be in a low-recoil gun and/or rotary magazine gun.

If I live long enough and don't continue to get my attention diverted, I may yet come up with my "ideal running bunny shooter" which is a 6mm/454 Casull . Rossi action, of course; Lyman receiver sight, fiber-optic front...

The ".243R Short" is a .44 Mag necked to .243, and pushes an 80 grain bullet at 2500 fps. Be pretty fun in a Contender, if nothing else.

[Remington40x]

I've always thought that a 6.5/.30-30 Ackley Improved would be the bees knees for deer and, with the old 160 grain roundnose bullet, might make a decent short-range elk and black bear cartridge. Duplicate the original 6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schoenauer ballistics, a cartridge that always seems to have been way more effective than its paper ballistics would suggest.

[Mescalero]

Ah,
A fellow travelor.

[Ji in Hawaii]

I always thought a 35/30 (30/30 necked up to 35) would be great for bringing life back to an old shot out barrel levergun.

[Catshooter]

Pointy bullets in a lever to me means you just load two, chamber, magazine.

Doc, I think you'd enjoy Paco's book on Leveractions. He discusses quite a few wildcats from small to pretty big.


Cat

[Mike D.]

I have always been longing to bore a worn out .33 W.C.F. barrel to .416 Barnes. The problem is, though, the lack of appropriate bullets in that diameter.

[6pt-sika]

I've always thought that a 6.5/.30-30 Ackley Improved would be the bees knees for deer and, with the old 160 grain roundnose bullet, might make a decent short-range elk and black bear cartridge. Duplicate the original 6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schoenauer ballistics, a cartridge that always seems to have been way more effective than its paper ballistics would suggest.

I had thoughts of a similar thing but rather go with the 7-30 Waters case necked down to 6.5mm !
But I was gonna use 120 and 140 grain bullets with the nose's snipped .

[kaschi]

I'll bet the 444 Marlin has been necked down into something. What has it been turned to? Might be a good idea for Turnbull's new 1886 lever.

[awp101]

I'll bet the 444 Marlin has been necked down into something.

I want to say the .375JDJ is based on the .444.

[Marlin32]

After this fall and some things settle down, I will investigate the wildcats with a bit more earnest.

I am thinking on 444 down to 356, 338, or 8mm
356 down to .321 or .323
307 opened up to .321 or .323

Also thinking on a 32 Special "improved"

I also like Clements 348DC, more bullet availability there, I think three or four from Hawk.

I also like the idea of the 416 barnes

How about a 3200Hawk in a BLR?

I am open to the GNR 8mm as well.

[6pt-sika]

I am thinking on 444 down to 338, or 8mm

I know the 444 has been necked down to 338 and called the 338 JDJ #2 and if I'm not mistaken he made a 8mm JDJ off the 444 case as well !

The 338 JDJ #2 would be cool in a Contender barrel to go with my 444 barrel I think !

[Ben_Rumson]

Not so much of a wildcat idea... but I"d like to whump up a Savage 99 20 inch carbine in 35 Remington... That would be just so cool...Leave all kinds of handloading options... or just purchase good old Kore Lokts

[Griff]

As possibly the sole dissenter... I have enough to learn about the factory chamberings to go galavanting around trying to learn something entirely new!

[bj94]

I always thought a 35/30 (30/30 necked up to 35) would be great for bringing life back to an old shot out barrel levergun.

This has already been done, but I don't remember its proper name. I don't know if it has any advantages over .35 Remington, except if you already have a levergun with a bad bore, then you could have the barrel rebored.

Necked down .444's- from .30 to .375 these are JDJ cartridges. IIRC JDJ uses the .225 Winchester case for 7mm JDJ and below. The .225Win is basically the same dimensions as the .30-30 case, with a thinner rim, and maybe a bit thicker brass.

[Ironwood]

Would the pressure of some of these rounds that have been suggested be dangerous in most lever guns? Just wondering.

[6pt-sika]

Would the pressure of some of these rounds that have been suggested be dangerous in most lever guns? Just wondering.

The chamber pressure may not be to bad on the "JDJ" cases , however the overall cartridge length of the 338 and 375 JDJ are gonna be an issue in a Marlin 1895/444/336 action .

[olyinaz]

I've always thought that a 6.5/.30-30 Ackley Improved would be the bees knees for deer and, with the old 160 grain roundnose bullet, might make a decent short-range elk and black bear cartridge. Duplicate the original 6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schoenauer ballistics, a cartridge that always seems to have been way more effective than its paper ballistics would suggest.

I had thoughts of a similar thing but rather go with the 7-30 Waters case necked down to 6.5mm !
But I was gonna use 120 and 140 grain bullets with the nose's snipped .

Exactly! I'd love to see Hornady introduce this round in conjunction with Mossberg or Marlin.

Oly