375 Mercenary

[Swamplord]

My 375 Mercenary project is moving along at a very fast pace, got a bunch of cases formed and will start accumulating data shortly, just need to get a mt. goat and blacktail deer hunt out of the way first..

more info to follow in the next few months and will be updated in this thread........

 

[Swamplord]

The "Mercenary" is so intriguing that I feel compelled to add other calibers in the case design........

 

[Deleted member 46119]

Looks good but with 375/416/458/50 cal designs moving so fast, what's a brother to do?

For what I need, because I have a 12 twist barrel, I'm looking at cases in the 140+ usable capacity range. That way I should get to ~3200fps from ~350g projectiles needed to reach the distances I want. I know I'll have a trans-sonic issue at 2 miles but for now...

I can go as big as a 585HE or 505Gibbs based case with my action.

MJOLINR, can't
CheyTac/SnipeTac. barely
Warlord/Lethal, that will do it. I prefer this route as Ed has brass, reamers are coming, dies can be made or maybe purchased.
Mercenary, yup, looks right but I am ready for my build now.
Barret, too big.

 

[deno]

Swamplord
What is the parent case? The 416 version is interesting.

 

[fmajor]

Hey Swampy -

Does your 375 Mercenary have greater, lesser or similar case capacity to your 375 Warlord?

Also, is the case head the same size (would they use the same bolt face?)

I hope your hunts go well and you have a safe, successful and rewarding/relaxing time!

 

[hubel458]

About same capacity as Warlord within couple grains/

375 Mercenary as best I can scale from photos is from

Nyati size case, rim appears Cheytac, Gibbs, Warlord, 585HE size. Ed

 

[Deleted member 46119]

About same capacity as Warlord within couple grains/

375 Mercenary as best I can scale from photos is from

Nyati size case, rim appears Cheytac, Gibbs, Warlord, 585HE size. Ed

I don't want to take away and of Swamplord's secrets until he says so. He's probably off working.

I agree that it appears to be very close in capacity to the Warlord/Lethal. Shorter, fatter which I like. However, the when of reamers, dies, brass.. and I made a commitment to a deal regarding the Warlord.

 

[LC1]

The "Mercenary" is so intriguing that I feel compelled to add other calibers in the case design........

Any plans to neck down for 338 projectiles? gun)

There is a certain brass projectile that has been waiting for just such a case design.


I am in discussions with Unis "Ginex" that Hubel458 mentioned in one of his other post for the larger primers.....I see a trifecta of improvements coming together just as we all had back in 2001 when testing the original 375CT called the 375NoName back then lolol.

Thanks

 

[Lee in Texas]

What is the case capacity?

 

[Swamplord]

Updating

First, I apologize to those who expressed interest in the 375 Mercenary and had questions that went unanswered, I needed to keep some things secure until I had solid ground established .....

and that solid ground is of course brass ....

At this point in time I have secured a deal for factory formed brass with the 375 Mercenary headstamp, this will be brand new tough, high quality brass and not reworked cases from another cartridge ... those who are interested in building a 375 Merc will be given an opportunity to acquire cases and access to a reamer and/or authorization to have JGS make one for them .....

Case capacity is 192.5 gr h20 to top of case with die formed cases and once fully fireformed will be closer to 194 gr ......

Case taper is just over .010" per inch of case body, optimum taper for 100% extraction reliability in high pressure 65k - 68k psi loads, neck length is optimum for the Cutting Edge MTAC, MTH and Lazer bullets coupled with a typical .166" CheyTac freebore throat for use of conventional lead jacketed bullets like the 350 gr Sierra's and 375 gr and 435 gr Chinchaga Steel Tip bullets ....

Case length is considerably shorter than the 375 Warlord and copies, a shorter, fatter case with a slight gain in capacity will be far more efficient and provide higher velocities, a 375 gr MTH bullet seated to the seal tite band the cartridge oal is still shorter than a Warlord case seated with a 350 gr MTH, the case has the same rim diameter as the CheyTac, a bit larger body diameter than the 375 Warlord but without the useless and pointless belt that thins and weakens the brass just forward of the belt, as such the belted 375 Warlord is replaced with the superior 375 Mercenary and all my efforts are in that direction, have a highly qualified and experienced gunsmith and wildcatter to make FL bushing sizer dies and seater dies, case forming dies will not be needed for the factory fresh brass but will also be made for those requesting them in order to make brass from the parent case, I have a set of these bushing dies and have formed 100 cases for myself, a bit time consuming but provides another option for brass that is available from multiple online retailers


Will have more info as project progresses and sometime in Jan, Feb of the New Year we will proceed with manufacture of brass, quantity will be based on how much confirmed interest there is in this initial run .....

Interested parties can contact me at [email protected]

 

[Swamplord]

The 375 Mercenary case has been designed to take max potential case capacity from the parent case and still function for flawless extraction, all attempts to increase body size or shorten neck and steeper shoulder angle did not provide a usable case capacity increase and only created a case that will stick in chamber and has to be run a lower pressures, defeating the purpose intended .....

We are also working on a 338 caliber version at this time in a more efficient and practical design for that bullet diameter ... but that's another story ......

in pic below is the parent case next to the 375 Mercenary case that was used to get the 192.5 gr case h20 capacity ....

 

[Deleted member 46119]

...without the useless and pointless belt that thins and weakens the brass just forward of the belt...

We all understand that you are upset about the deal with Hubel going south but is this portion of your post really necessary?

There are a lot of shooters who love belted designs and this could be viewed as an insult to all of them.

 

[THEIS]

At this point in time I have secured a deal for factory formed brass with the 375 Mercenary headstamp, this will be brand new tough, high quality brass and not reworked cases from another cartridge ...

Hello,

Would that be Petersen or Bertram brass?

THEIS

 

[Swamplord]

Hello,

Would that be Petersen or Bertram brass?

THEIS

I have an agreement with Bruce Bertram and will follow through, there has been a tremendous response and have some important "gun" people on board, brass orders have exceeded double of what was originally anticipated , all good things for the 375 Mercenary project

Have never dealt or considered Petersen Brass for the 375 Merc, no clue on the quality of their stuff as I've never used or seen any of it ...

I've used a lot of Bertram Brass over the years and it has always been top quality brass