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.14 Cal Project ?

I bought a .14 cal 1-9 twist barrel from Van Horn on the premise of building a .14 cal rifle chambered in .14-.222 before my wife's health issues brought everything to a halt.
Wife is on the healing path now and on another sight a post about a .14 caliber rifle rekindled the .14 caliber itch.
I'm looking for some help in finding .14 caliber build components.
I found everything but reamers available in the .14-.222 , but would be open to other .14 chamberings if reamers are available, except the very small chamberings like the .14 Dart, as I don't want to lose fingers trying to reload such small cartridge's with my big mitts.
Thanks,
SJC
 
3.5mm brush and a 1/8" or 3.5mm carbon fiber rod.
Let the ammonia cleaner work on the copper, Kroil on the rest and viola, clean bore.
That's if I can find a reamer.
SJC
 
I bought a .14 cal 1-9 twist barrel from Van Horn on the premise of building a .14 cal rifle chambered in .14-.222 before my wife's health issues brought everything to a halt.
Wife is on the healing path now and on another sight a post about a .14 caliber rifle rekindled the .14 caliber itch.
I'm looking for some help in finding .14 caliber build components.
I found everything but reamers available in the .14-.222 , but would be open to other .14 chamberings if reamers are available, except the very small chamberings like the .14 Dart, as I don't want to lose fingers trying to reload such small cartridge's with my big mitts.
Thanks,
SJC
Well, FWIW, with 14 cal experience I would opine that is a major overbore to the point of problematic.
I shoot a 14 Walker hornet which IMO ideal for that bore….14-15 gr slugs.
 
Well, FWIW, with 14 cal experience I would opine that is a major overbore to the point of problematic.
I shoot a 14 Walker hornet which IMO ideal for that bore….14-15 gr slugs.
I'm not looking for a P dog rifle, just a woodchuck rifle that'll be used on the farm when needed and another rifle to add to the wildcat build list.
I was looking into the .14/.222 cartridge as I have .222 brass, but I also have .22 hornet brass too, so I'm willing to try another .14 cartridge if a reamer becomes available.
The project was delayed for awhile, so if it happens it happens.
SJC
 
Shoots100, I would never try to tell anyone not to build whatever they really want. Having said that (and I know you didn’t ask and I apologize in advance if this is advice you do not want but) If you do decide to build a 14 caliber I HIGHLY recommend a chambering smaller than the 14-222.

I find with shooting the eight to ten 14 caliber rifles that we utilize here for testing, depredation hunts and target shooting the 14-222 chambering is overbore for the 14 caliber.


I run four (14/221 Walkers and 14/221 Fireballs) here and even they are somewhat overbore for the majority of the shooting and testing we do, To each is his own on what he wants but if you start small you can always re-chamber to the overbore 14's later without the need to cut the chamber off in the future.


I do love my 14 Hornets as well but finding good actions for the rimmed Hornet brass is getting harder and you can't really full throttle them to peak speeds in my opinion. (I have a couple 14 Hornet Extremes cartridges that do really well but you will lose a fair amount of brass fire forming to the 30 degree shoulder on them with the thin Hornet brass.)

I do have a couple new 14 cartridges that I have designed ( 14 TCM Extreme and the 14 TCM Extreme +) that are going through testing now. I personally think they will be better matched to the sweet spot of case capacity for the 14 caliber but only time and testing will say for sure. It definitely would not be the first time the 14 calibers have baffled me or proven me wrong....

I’d love to hear more about the 1 in 9 twist barrel you have. I originally ordered six of them to get the barrel manufacturer to make them for us. Do you mind sharing with me the land groove configuration and blank material of your barrel? Would you happen to be open to doing bullet testing for us on specialty runs of bullets in your rifle when completed? Finding 1 in 9 twist rate 14 caliber barrel shooters is challenging.


I still have several new 14 caliber PTG reamers for sale if any of them fit your interest. (14 Jet Junior finish reamer, 14-218 Bee Finish reamer, 14-221 Fireball finish reamer, 14-221 Fireball re-sizer reamer.


I wish you the very best of luck on your project if you decide to pursue it.
As always stay on target,

Carl C.

Extreme Accuracy
www.14caliber.com
 
After I logged off I reread my post and must've had a brain fart, as I don't have a rifle available to chamber the 14 walker hornet cartridge.
Carl,
I sent a message to you earlier after doing research on my 14 build and am thankful you replied.
I'm open to any 14 cal cartridge, but since you have reamers in 14/221 fireball, it looks like my cartridge choice was just made.
Looks like my wallet is going to be crying sooner than expected.
I'm sending you a PM and appreciate you replying.
SJC
 
Shoots100, I sent a PM as well and have set aside a set of Pacific Tool and Gauge 14-221 F.B reamers (finish reamer and Resizer reamer) if you're still in the market for them. I can easily place them back into inventory if you're on a different route, but I wanted you to have first chance at them since I posted to you earlier.

Wish you the very best of luck on your 14 caliber project what ever path you take.

Carl C.
Extreme Accuracy
www.14caliber.com
 
IF you need blanks we have 1:8 and 1:7 blanks on the shelf. We have a bunch of Contender barrels ready to go. I'm too grouchy to loan out my reamers though. PTG, Manson, and JGS all make fine reamers. For cleaning I've gone to all chemical and just pulling patches through on piano wire. It works wonderfully.
 
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Shoots100, I know you didn’t ask and I probably should just mind my own business but I’m very concerned you’re going to get a lot of bad advice on your 14 caliber project. There is WAY, WAY more misinformation on the 14 calibers out there then there is good information. I can count on 1 hand the people that I would trust to give you good guidance on the 14 calibers and half of them have passed on now.

Again, I know you didn’t ask for information, but I’m cringing when I hear people talk about cleaning a 14 caliber barrel. The talk of ammonia and chemically cleaning a 14 caliber barrel sends shiver up my spine. People often think that cleaning very small caliber rifles should be done like you would a big caliber rig. I can assure you it is not and doing so will critically damage them.

You did not ask, but I cannot stress enough the importance of doing a proper initial barrel break in for the type of 14 caliber barrel you have and what you plan to shoot through it. It will be critical in your success from what I know.

From my experience, I would have to assume that if you’re looking at a 14-221 Walker or 14-221 Fireball with a 1 in 9 twist rate barrel your looking to run very light bullets at very high speeds or very heavy bullets at moderate speeds for long range work. I’d really like to know a lot more about your 1 in 9 twist barrel. (Land/Groove configuration and barrel blank material). (Sadly I’m not familiar with the 14 caliber Van Horn barrels.) I’d also like to ask what bullet coatings do you plan to use with it and what finish length barrel do you plan on using?

I apologize greatly for meddling where my opinions and advice were not asked. I would just really like to see you have great success with your 14 caliber project. They are insanely fun to work with when they are set up correctly. It will amaze you, surprise you and really astound you if done correctly.

I wish you a great time and a lot of success with your project,

Carl C.

Extreme Accuracy

www.14caliber.com
 
Shoots100, sorry for the long delay. I don't frequent this site as much as I probably should and I have a terrible time remembering my login ID and password.

The set of reamers I have are a matched set. Meaning they are matched together to make both the chamber and the resizer die and seating die using them. If you are just looking for a chamber reamer it would be cheaper for you to just buy a single chamber reamer, if you’re having someone else make your reloading dies.
(I hate to break up sets of reamers that are matched on the same run as it’s about as good as I can set people up with for precision shooting.)

This may be information you are already aware of but the difference between the 14/221 Walker and the 14 Fireball is pretty identical to the difference between the 17 Mach IV and the 17 Fireball, only in 14 caliber. I have not confirmed but I believe the 14 LRB was set up on the same principle and is matched to the 14 Fireball dimensions, but I'm not sure. It’s tough finding folks that shoot the 14 LRB to verify it.

Jeff (of Lawrence Rifle Barrels) got a hold of me a LONG time back and wanted to make it a standard dimension for the 221 fireball case (the parent case) for those 14 caliber cartridges designed around it. Looking back I think he was right and wish I would have followed up all those years ago.
(The 17 Fireball was in total infancy and just a factory proto type at Remington. Brass for the 17 fireball was not available to the public at that time.)

I would LOVE to hear the specifics of your barrel. (Blank material and land/groove configuration) of your 14 caliber 1 in 9 twist barrel.) The only 1 in 9 twist rate barrels I have seen are the six I originally ordered from Pac/Nor before their facility burned down. I told Chris and Casey I would buy 6 of them to get them to make the button and make a run of them. I wanted the 1 in 9 twist rate to try new bullets in as apposed to the 1 in 7 twist rate barrels that I had been purchasing from them. (I wanted to cover their cost to make the rifling buttons). I cannot heap enough praise on those 2 for their incredible work and help keeping the 14 calibers alive. Their incredible talents and INCREDIBLE barrels are as good as anyone could ever ask for.

I originally meet with them about 25 years ago at the Shot show in Las Vegas. We (Extreme Accuracy) were the first Berger Bullet dealer on the west coast (the other 2 were all on the east coast) and I was meeting Walt Berger down there to touch bases and go over new products. I was trying to get him to make 14 caliber bullets and he was looking at me like I was crazy and said he already had his hands full with the 17’s and 20’s. I walked down to meet Dave Kiff of PTG at their booth and there sat Chris and Casey of Pac-Nor. I told them that I had been trying to get 14 caliber barrels for several years and had been working with Russ Lucas, Blaine Eddy and Frank Brakefield to get the project off the ground. They looked at each other. Asked me what twist rate I wanted and what land groove configuration that I thought would be the best.

I told them I wanted to try a 1 in 7 twist rate 3 wide land/groove configuration. I wanted it in stainless if at all possible. We chatted for about an hour and then I headed off to meet and BS with a friend, Butch from "Butches Bore Shine".

We wrapped up the gun show the next day and headed back home. Low and behold about a month later the UPS truck pulled up and walked me over the very first 14 caliber barrel Pac-Nor ever made. My jaw marks are still on the ground where I opened that package. A 1 in 7 twist 14 caliber Super Match Stainless barrel in a Sendero taper. The note inside said take it for a spin and see what it can do. That very same barrel is still my #1 fourteen caliber rifle. It has piled up a MOUNTAIN of critters. Some WAY, WAY bigger than a 14 caliber should have ever been able to handle, or to be used on to be honest. (I guess nobody told it that it couldn't.)

It’s ran every bullet weight I can through it and in a very wide variety of speeds. (3,800 to well over 5,000 fps on a fairly regular basis.) The thing is still racking up Aces and good groups. It has a very special place in my heart and is a true testament to the pride and quality of the Dichter’s and Pac-Nor barrel company’s ability and name.

Again, I apologize for both rambling on and for giving out advice or information that is not wanted or asked for. The 14 calibers have blessed me with working with some of the most incredible people I could ever ask to meet. I hope that it will do the same for you.

I wish you the very best on your project and hope it is a great success for you,

Carl C.

Extreme Accuracy
www.14caliber.com
 
Last edited:
Carl C.

Thank you very much for sharing the history of the .14.
If you hadn’t written about it might have been forgotten.
Please share more history and any pictures you might have.

Hal
 

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