7mm/6.5 Weatherby RPM

[8x68s]

I know this wildcat may be too new for anyone to have experience with it but I'm going to ask for discussion and experiences anyway. I don't need to hear about what's "better", more efficient, more popular or any other alternatives. I want to know about this wildcat. PTG has drawn up a chamber reamer for it and that looks to be just a simple neck opening of the original brass. Maybe the gunsmiths and developers out there might have some interior and exterior ballistic insights that might inform about this cartridge. Thanks in advance...

 

[elkaholic]

I know this wildcat may be too new for anyone to have experience with it but I'm going to ask for discussion and experiences anyway. I don't need to hear about what's "better", more efficient, more popular or any other alternatives. I want to know about this wildcat. PTG has drawn up a chamber reamer for it and that looks to be just a simple neck opening of the original brass. Maybe the gunsmiths and developers out there might have some interior and exterior ballistic insights that might inform about this cartridge. Thanks in advance...

With 81 gr capacity and '06 bolt face, it should make a pretty potent 7 mm. Pretty much like a 7 RM performance wise, I would think without the belt or magnum bolt. A simple neck up should give it about a . 315" length neck, which would be a nice length for a 7 mm.
Brass would be the only question mark right now.

 

[8x68s]

Yes, brass may be a problem, especially at Weatherby prices. Forming should be easy enough. Assuming they use Norma as the manufacturer of the 6.5, as in the past, that would be a plus for quality.

 

[Andrew Massi]

I know this wildcat may be too new for anyone to have experience with it but I'm going to ask for discussion and experiences anyway. I don't need to hear about what's "better", more efficient, more popular or any other alternatives. I want to know about this wildcat. PTG has drawn up a chamber reamer for it and that looks to be just a simple neck opening of the original brass. Maybe the gunsmiths and developers out there might have some interior and exterior ballistic insights that might inform about this cartridge. Thanks in advance...

I keep looking at that reamer....
I have a newly rekindled affinity for 7mm and happen to have a 6 lug ultralightweight laying around gathering dust.
My local sportsmans warehouse has 6.5 rpm brass, enough to burn up a barrel anyway.

 

[8x68s]

I, too, have an action (80's Japanese Vanguard Deluxe) begging to be rebarreled. I'm intending to have Manson build a reamer as they've always been my "go-to". I will drag my feet for a little while to see if Weatherby will follow up with a 7mm.

 

[Andrew Massi]

I, too, have an action (80's Japanese Vanguard Deluxe) begging to be rebarreled. I'm intending to have Manson build a reamer as they've always been my "go-to". I will drag my feet for a little while to see if Weatherby will follow up with a 7mm.

On their last podcast the weatherby crew stated no further rpm cartridges planned at this time.

 

[8x68s]

Boo Weatherby, LOL... Well, I know what my next project is going to be this Winter. I'll have to check my Sportsman's Warehouse again as Fall rolls around. They have no 6.5 Weatherby or much of anything right now. The local store has always allowed their inventories of firearms and hunting related gear to run down to nearly bare shelves during the off season and I suppose it's worse now with all the hoarding etc. going on.
Let me know if you'd be interested in sharing the costs of a reamer set (chamber and die). I have used Redding to make my wildcat dies in the past and have been very pleased with the results.

 

[Andrew Massi]

Bumping this up
Weatherby is teasing a new cartridge
Fingers crossed for 7mm rpm!

 

[Ross1147]

For those of you smarter than me. If I took a normal long action 06 BDL and mounted a new barrel to run the RPM cartridge would the feed rails on the action need to be opened a bit to run the fatter round?

 

[elkaholic]

For those of you smarter than me. If I took a normal long action 06 BDL and mounted a new barrel to run the RPM cartridge would the feed rails on the action need to be opened a bit to run the fatter round?

very likely

 

[harps]

I know this wildcat may be too new for anyone to have experience with it but I'm going to ask for discussion and experiences anyway. I don't need to hear about what's "better", more efficient, more popular or any other alternatives. I want to know about this wildcat. PTG has drawn up a chamber reamer for it and that looks to be just a simple neck opening of the original brass. Maybe the gunsmiths and developers out there might have some interior and exterior ballistic insights that might inform about this cartridge. Thanks in advance...

Wouldnt this be a 280AI basically?

 

[Andrew Massi]

Wouldnt this be a 280AI basically?

280 ai 68.0 gr water
Rpm 80-82 grain water
So roughly 20% increase case capacity.

 

[harps]

280 ai 68.0 gr water
Rpm 80-82 grain water
So roughly 20% increase case capacity.

Thats quite a jump up

 

[elkaholic]

280 ai 68.0 gr water
Rpm 80-82 grain water
So roughly 20% increase case capacity.

Actually, I think a std 280 Remington has about 68 and the A.I. about 72.
Nevertheless, still a significant capacity increase.