416/300 wsm

[J E Custom]

Does anyone have any trouble sizing the 300 WSM up to 416 ?

A friend wants me to build him a 416 short mag and there is a wildcat based on the 300 WSM and it just seems a stretch to go from .308 to .416. (That's a large amount of neck expanding)

I suggested 325 WSM brass but it is very hard to find.

The wildcat is called the 416 SM2.

If anyone has done this please let me know if there will be insurmountable problems.

Thanks

J E CUSTOM

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

I didn't make one but played around with wildcatting some brass. I necked up 300 Short RUM brass with the elliptical expander from my Lee 416 Rem mag. Dies screwed into a Lee Universal decapping die. I also necked them up to 458. With an RCBS expander . I didn't have any WSM brass to try. The short rum brass worked great. If I hadn't traded off my Ruger M77 mk2 ss 300 SRUM I would have built an awesome little brown bear rifle from it. I figured I could have got at least 416 Taylor velocities from it. 300 gr TSX @2700 fps from less than a 20" barrel. Or a 350 gr @ 2450 fps.
What is his purpose for the rifle??.

 

[J E Custom]

I didn't make one but played around with wildcatting some brass. I necked up 300 Short RUM brass with the elliptical expander from my Lee 416 Rem mag. Dies screwed into a Lee Universal decapping die. I also necked them up to 458. With an RCBS expander . I didn't have any WSM brass to try. The short rum brass worked great. If I hadn't traded off my Ruger M77 mk2 ss 300 SRUM I would have built an awesome little brown bear rifle from it. I figured I could have got at least 416 Taylor velocities from it. 300 gr TSX @2700 fps from less than a 20" barrel. Or a 350 gr @ 2450 fps.
What is his purpose for the rifle??.

He wants a thumper for bear just like you did, and wants to build it in a short action. also he may be making a trip to Africa and with the ballistics he thinks it will be good for everything there.

The wildcat shows some impressive ballistics/energies. Bur I worry about expanding the case necks
.108 thousandths.

Thanks

J E CUSTOM

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

The other day I found some of those dummy rounds I made up in 2006 I think it was. I've found that with some neck ups the neck will split after they sit for a while. These 416+458/300Srums still look great. I don't think I annealed them either. But I did lube the heck out of them.
Where the WSM has a steeper shoulder it may be a little more of a challenge. First thing I would do is get a box or bag of 325 brass and neck it up. That will teach alot about how well it will work . Is the guy a reloader?
Also, if he's a heavy bullet kinda guy he's going the wrong direction unless he wants a long barrel on it. That kinda negates the short action.

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

I made up over a hundred 416 Remington's from 8 mag brass. Once fired nickel plated. I had to anneal that brass. But I've fired some of them over 6 times and they are still good. And some of those loads were over pressure.
How is he going to modify the headstamp to take it to Africa??

 

[J E Custom]

I made up over a hundred 416 Remington's from 8 mag brass. Once fired nickel plated. I had to anneal that brass. But I've fired some of them over 6 times and they are still good. And some of those loads were over pressure.
How is he going to modify the headstamp to take it to Africa??

I recommended starting with the 325 WSM brass and sizing in steps (Maybe annealing at some point.

As to the head stamp, I was unaware that there was a problem with wildcats as long as the bullets met the requirements of that country (Caliber).

If any one has any information on wild cat requirements Please comment.

Thanks

J E CUSTOM

 

[barnesuser28]

I think the law is that whatever cartridge is marked on the barrel, has to match the head stamp on the brass.

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

Yup. The barrel marking and the ammo have to match. For most African countries.
Some guys on Accurate reloading forum came up with some ingenious ways to add to the headstamp for on wildcat brass.
Quality Cartridges may make brass for the 416 WSM.

 

[IdahoCTD]

I think if you designate it as a .416-.300WSM on the barrel and use .300WSM brass your alright. If you call it a .416WSM then the brass has to say that.

 

[texas]

Do a Google search for 416wsm i know there were a few people doing it, that's how i found out about the 375 wsm. I think Redding has dies for it already, I. Got my dies from this site and at a great price.

 

[J E Custom]

I think the law is that whatever cartridge is marked on the barrel, has to match the head stamp on the brass.

That would be easy because all you would have to do is stamp/engrave the barrel with the parent case and the caliber.(Which should be done anyway for safety).

Just like IdahoCTD said, 416-300WSM.

I will check into the regulations for the countries he will/may be hunting in and go from there.

Thanks

J E CUSTOM

 

[375rifleman]

Has anyone compared the 416/300 wsm with the 416 Taylor, 416 Ruger, 416 Rigby, 416 Remington, or 416 Weatherby ballistically ? Thanks in advance for any and all thoughts, opinions, and answers.

 

[LoneTraveler]

That is a big neck stretch. Would make for a very thin case neck. and loose a lot of cases in the process. How would start big an neck down work. The rim and body are the same or so close between the 300 WSM and the 300 RUM and 338 RUM. Neck down, Trim to length and outside turn the neck to whatever thickness you want. This would not fulfill the case head lettering for Africa, but would allow for a very servicable neck. Just a thought.

 

[HARPERC]

.......I will check into the regulations for the countries he will/may be hunting in and go from there.......

Always the best practice.