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Best wildcat of all time?

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BEAR View Drop Down
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    Posted: 13 April 2018 at 09:52
Just thought what was the best wildcat catridge of All-Time?

Most wildcat cartridges are losers, and are not even as good as the cartridge they are based upon.  The only look good when operated with over pressure loads.  Since there are no SAMMI specs; people just keep increasin loads and pressures till the wildcat looks good.

But, with that in mind, what would be you thought of the best wildcat of all times?


My choice is the 22-250.  this was just a 25-3000 Savage necked down to 22 caliber.  It was designed in the 1937  era, and called the .22 Varminter.  It was adopted   in 1965  by  Remington Arms, they added "Remington" to the name and chambered their Model 700and 40 XB match rifles.

Still the best high velocity varmint catridge around, only the Swift comes close, but it is known as a barrel burner. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lizard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 April 2018 at 10:37

   Right on Bear.  A great all around varmint cartridge. My Remington 700 BDL   in 22-250 was purchased in 1968 and is waiting for a new barrel to be installed.  After 4 months of waiting from Shilen, the stainless select match heavy barrel is at the gunsmith.  I was hoping to have the rifle for MYGAWDS, but doesn't look like that is going to happen. 
  I still have some brand new, in the box, Herter's brass labeled 250 Savage, necked down to 22 by Herters for 22-250.  Box says made in Finland.
The purchase price was $1.00 per box of 20 at a Herters outlet store in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.  That was in 1969.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEAR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 April 2018 at 10:46
Probably Sako brass.  I have some from the 1968 olympic games production.

I have a 22-250 in a 700 Rem,,aka the laser.  Someone on here acused me of using it to 

Annihilate one whole PD town in a single afternoon.  could be true.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jsgbearpaws1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 April 2018 at 14:14
Way too many to choose from Bear. Coulda simplified and went with most heavily modified parent cartridges. Then we could get into the .404 Jeffreys, .375 H&H, 06', .308, .300 Weatherby..though that is an H&H modified too.....even the old 30-30 and so on...you even left out the 22-250 improved!
...oh yeah! thats gonna hurt!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote d4570 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 April 2018 at 14:58
Been looking at the 244 H&H MagnumBig smileBig smileBig smileBig smileBig smileBig smile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wing master Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 April 2018 at 15:04
I had to think about this one for a while. 

I agree that the 22-250 is one of the greatest wildcats of all time. 

Their is so many good ones that I am having trouble picking any one as the best. If I had to I think I would say the .243 Winchester would be my pick. It's better suited for deer sized game and I know several people that successfully use it for elk. I have shot everything from prairie dogs to Mule deer with a .243. It's a pretty good long range cartridge too. 

My second choice would be the .257 Roberts. I think it will do everything that the .243 will do and some things even better. I had one built for my daughter for her first big game rifle. She has shot several deer and two elk with it and none of them went more than a few yards before they dropped. I also think that if a better selection of bullets was available for it the .243 wouldn't have got more popular. 

Speaking of bullet selection, My third choice would have to be the .270 Winchester. The .270 speaks for itself. Theirs nothing more that I can say except that it needs a heavier bullet to show it's long range potential. But with a 130 grain bullet, it's hard to beat near perfection. 

Then I would say the 22-250 would be my pick for 4th place. Only a couple of years ago the Wyoming game and fish approved the .223 caliber bullet for big game but it has to be something like 60 grain bullets or bigger. The only down side to the 222-250 that I see is that wind affects it more than other heavier bullets. 

Bear, about that prairie dog town, I have no other explanation. we were there one day and their was prairie dogs everywhere and we left you alone with them and returned a little later and their wasn't a prairie dog anywhere to be found. I wondered it they might have just been down in their holes so I went back and looked the next spring and their still weren't any prairie dogs. 

I put 2 and 2 together. 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 788Fan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 April 2018 at 21:21
As much fun as I have with the 7TCU, my vote is the 7-08 Rem. I got into this one after David Tubbs started using it at Perry. I have an old R788 that has been my go to gun for years. I can put anything, factory or handload, into it in the 139-140 grain class and hit what I'm aiming at out to 200 yards.

best, 788
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jsgbearpaws1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 April 2018 at 23:41
Wow! Kinda shocked the 25-06, Whelen's and Ackleys haven't been mentioned. 6.5 Grendels and PPC's, JD Jones and his various selections, 458 Lott...so many that hit main stream. Even more that haven't 35 remmy didn't even get a nod!
...oh yeah! thats gonna hurt!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Irish Bird Dog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 April 2018 at 08:51
Can't speak to a favorite wildcat round, however, many years ago I had a barrel made & chambered for the then wildcat 7mm-08 (B4 Remington adopted it) & then installed on a rifle that was originally in 22-250 caliber. Was simple to make brass by necking down the standard .308 brass. Then years later I added another rifle chambered in the 7mm-08 caliber. Both used primarily for deer hunting....one a bolt action the other a lever action.

Have a 22-250 that replaced that original gun by the way. Too good a cartridge to not have rifle chambered for it.


Edited by Irish Bird Dog - 14 April 2018 at 08:52
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEAR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 April 2018 at 08:59
No question the 7-08 is a great wildcat that went commerical, and is now pushing the veneraable 7x57 out of europe.

Most niches in cartridges have been filled ; interestting that this good wildcat came was only made commerical in 1980.  what new cartridge since 1980 is still abound and popular?   307, 357,WSM, WSSM, RSAUM, RUMs????
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jsgbearpaws1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 April 2018 at 09:40
Top of my head I can think of five for starters. 300 WSM, 7mmWSM, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.8PPC, 338-378. That's just in rifles. To go down the pistol cartridge path the list gets long. 10mm is making a strong comeback and the Bowen and Freedom arms revolver cartridges all brought on the rage of monster big-bores....all from necking and stretching out 45 Colts, 44 mags and then chopping apart rifle cases to fit even bigger rounds. Hell, they even make short barreled snubbies in 45-70 and 410 shotshell! In 1980 nobody was thinking about that kinda power short of Dirty Harry Callahan.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEAR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 April 2018 at 12:11
You got some real obsolete and collectable ones there.  should add maybe the 5mm Remington RF...its making a comeback.

"300 WSM, 7mmWSM, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.8PPC, 338-378"  really except for the Creedmore none of those are close to being popular, I doubt anyone is chambering a factory rifle for any of them.  The Creedmore has been out 10 years, it has a 50-50 chance of being around another 10.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jsgbearpaws1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 April 2018 at 13:18
6.8 is a mil-spec round so it’s not going anywhere especially considering it mimics the 270 for ballistics and fits the AR platforms. Winchester Ruger and Rem offer the 300 ask but not the 7. Weatherby of course offers the 338-378. I kinda doubt anyone else will ever pick it up as well as most of the other Weatherby offerings. The Grendel’s and PPC’s are benchrest favorites and are never going to be mainstream, yet not obsolete. The Creedmoor has a following so time will tell.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Irish Bird Dog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 April 2018 at 15:23
One wildcat that has intrigued me somewhat is the .338-06 which of course is not quite a wildcat nor a real factory round either. And if will function in a standard 30-06 length action too. 

Seems A-Square sent it to SAMMI to legitimize it & they did & it is crowned by SAMMI as the .338-06 A-Square. BUT now I heard A-Square who once offered factory ammo for it went under about 2011. So it is kind of an orphan now. 

Now my reasoning is only cuz I don't have a CF in a modern rifle over .30 caliber. I do have a spare 30-06 in the mix and it could easily be re-barreled to .338-06 A-Square (don't know if there is any difference it that from the original wildcat version) or .338-06 Ackley & no other work needed. Don't see the need to do the Ackley version. Then you'll get the guy who says make the leap and do the .35 Whelan & get a really Big Bore thumper. 

I don't know that the 5mm Remington Rimfire is making a comeback but occasionally some ammo plants do make a run of it now and again. Maybe Aguilla or some such.


Edited by Irish Bird Dog - 14 April 2018 at 15:25
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wing master Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 April 2018 at 17:14
I socialize with a lot of long range guys. It seems like the 6.5 Creedmoor has quite a following with them. I'm thinking that one is here to stay. 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEAR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 April 2018 at 18:57
The 338-06 is great.  so with the 338-08 (aka 338 federal).

Would have thought the 35-06 aka 35 Whelen would have been mentioned.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Irish Bird Dog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 April 2018 at 19:16
Originally posted by BEAR BEAR wrote:

The 338-06 is great.  so with the 338-08 (aka 338 federal).

Would have thought the 35-06 aka 35 Whelen would have been mentioned.


If you re-read my previous note and you will see that the 35 Whelan was mentioned, albeit briefly.

The 338 Federal is rated pretty good and of course can be used in a .308 length action. however it is not now a wildcat.


Edited by Irish Bird Dog - 14 April 2018 at 19:18
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEAR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 April 2018 at 19:34
great wildcats get picked of by win, rem, fed.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote garou_22 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 April 2018 at 20:39
Best Wildcat? 7mm Practical Magnum.

Bear, the 220 is no longer the barrel burner it once was, thanks to modern powder. Unfortunately, the reputation continues to preceed it.

Any long range shooter that is a Creed fanboy hasn't played with a 6.5 Swede. Basically they're identical off a modern action. The Swede reigns supreme in being able to fit the heavy long secant ojive and hybrid bullets within an internal magazine and still make it to the lands. This is important because those bullets are incredibly sensitive to seat depth for best accuracy.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEAR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 April 2018 at 06:22
Right on Garu.  Hunted with CB's Ruger 1 in swift, extremely accurate in PDs.

The Creed started with the AR platform; but has gone viral into turn bolts.  15 years ago when i wanted a 6.5 few sweds were made, so I got the 260 (aka 6.5-308).  No regrets EXCEPT as you say short action limits bullet seating, bad.
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