7mm wildcat

[mustang58]

Have been playing with a 7mm wildcat made on an 8x68s case. Finally got the cartridge design about right(after a couple reamers) and it seems just about right for me. I am shooting 78 gr. RL 33 in front of 180 Berger hybrid, 215 federal primer. Shot 2 5 shot groups yesterday both in the .2s and the velocity averaged 3110. It probably isn't worth the time and money I have put into it but has been fun just the same. I like the RWS brass too. Many good 7s out there and here is another.

 

[Bully]

That's great to hear!!! I'm In the middle of building a 6.5x68rws imp. I really like the 6.5 x 68 , so I'm going to try the improved.

 

[mustang58]

That is about what I have except in a 7mm. I had it throated to shoot VLD bullets too. I think what you are building should be a nice cartridge. Should have more performance than a 6.5x284 but not to the extreme either. GOOD LUCK.

 

[Varberger757]

Good and exciting choice! You will find quite a lot of information about this wildcat, because it's familiar in Europe. Good luck and keep us updated.

 

[mustang58]

Varberger, are there any 7mm wildcats built on this cartridge over there. I would be interested if there are and what they look like.

 

[Varberger757]

Yes, there are.

Here you'll even find an approved version: 7 X 68 Improved | Custom Rifles & Wildcats | 24hourcampfire

Then you find the 7x68 SE vom Hofe. This one is really hot, because it's based on the powerhouse 9,3x70. The 9,3x70 generates the same performance and even more than the 375Wby ...

Here the German or main European databank due to calibres. Kaliber

Photo of one version 7x68S. Scroll down the site, second or third picture.
The Official Cartridge Collector Photo Gallery - Page 18

More: https://www.google.de/search?q=7x68...=univ&ei=5D3aVPfLGNKxacPBgogF&ved=0CFEQsAQ4Cg

Last sentence on this site: StateMaster - Encyclopedia: 6.5 x 68

Very interesting stuff for the driven reloader: http://ammoguide.com/applet/041220134239-8x68S.ctx

 

[Bully]

Is your a ackley improved design??? Should be a great round, 6.5x68 has a case capacity of 86gr in that bottleneck design, you should make a big gain.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

I had briefly looked at the 8x68RWS as a platform for wildcats. I was very interested as it seems the right size. This was before the 26-Nosler came out and I went down that road. The 8x68 and the xx-Nosler are very close in capacity and both will fit standard long actions with bullets seated long.

So far I've found 6.5mm/.264, .277, 7mm/.284, 8mm/.323, 338/8.5mm and 9.5mm/.375 versions. Have I missed any?

I am still interested but what do you do about the non-standard bolt face?

.510/13mm. Most of the "standard" faces are for .473/12.014mm or "magnum" for .534/13.51mm.

Brass is Norma and in stock at Midway.

 

[Varberger757]

The 7x68 uses the 8x68S as parent case not the 6,5x68, and yes it looks like an Ackley Imp. design. The 7x67(68)SE v Hofe is much hotter though ...

 

[Varberger757]

I had briefly looked at the 8x68RWS as a platform for wildcats. I was very interested as it seems the right size. This was before the 26-Nosler came out and I went down that road. The 8x68 and the xx-Nosler are very close in capacity and both will fit standard long actions with bullets seated long.

So far I've found 6.5mm/.264, .277, 7mm/.284, 8mm/.323, 338/8.5mm and 9.5mm/.375 versions. Have I missed any?

I am still interested but what do you do about the non-standard bolt face?

.510/13mm. Most of the "standard" faces are for .473/12.014mm or "magnum" for .534/13.51mm.

Brass is Norma and in stock at Midway.

Yepp, but you missed only one. The 12,7 or .50 x 68

 

[mustang58]

I had the bolt face opened up to accept the cartridge and had a Sako extractor put in. Yes, changes the bolt so it won't work with our standard cartridges but that is just the price to play. I don't plan to try other calibers as you have with the 375 Ruger so the bolt is only good for this chambering. Have enjoyed the build and am really happy with the way it is working. It shoots much better than I had expected.I still have a Rem. trigger in the rifle and with an aftermarket I won't have to work as hard to keep the groups tight. Hopefully.

 

[Varberger757]

@jfseaman: .510/13mm. Most of the "standard" faces are for .473/12.014mm or "magnum" for .534/13.51mm.

Today that might seem to be an issue sometimes, but gunsmiths over here using Rem. 700 actions or clones and these guns are doing fine. It's also the same problem for all cartridges based on the 9,3x64 Brenneke.

Both the 8x68S and the 9,3x64 were constructed to fit the ordinary M 98 action back in the 1930s and they did. Today, all the main European producers offer a so called medium boltface for the 8x68S and few others, because the cartridge stands still very strong over here and we love it.

 

[.358 NM]

DWM made a 7x73 in the 1930`s , a .404 necked down to 7mm. I think a 2.5 inch .404 case necked down to 7mm would do much one too. But there is always the 7x61 S&H out there also with newly made cases from Norma in 7x6| super . Little bit thinner walls to get more powder. Think best idea if one wanted a rimless version of that , trim down .375 Ruger case to same lenght .

Germans also made a series on the 8x68S series.

But there is always this one to make a copy of using the .375 Ruger case as basis ..280 Gipson Newton / MUNICION.ORG

With the pedigree of it is , is difficult to get around .

 

[mustang58]

My first attempt looked very much like the picture in the link you sent. I had the reamer reground and now the cartridge has a little longer neck. The first had a 35 degree shoulder,short neck and a little more case capacity. Now it has a longer neck and a 30 degree shoulder after the regrind. I can get about 88 grains of RL 33 in the present case and that is to the top of the neck with a drop tube. I measure to the top of the neck as it is hard to tell when it is to the base of the neck. The first reamer had a little more case capacity.