So just out of curiosity what are some of the fastest wildcats developed that were safe to use? I was thinking someone here made reference to one rolling 5k+.
So just out of curiosity what are some of the fastest wildcats developed that were safe to use? I was thinking someone here made reference to one rolling 5k+.
Scalloped -
Howdy !
There was an article in a shooting-related magazine a couple months back, that talked about cartridges and loads some shooters used to achieve one-mile-a-second Mv.
While I do not recall barrel length used or bullet wt selected, I do remember that one rifle was chambered in .220 Weatherby Rocket,,,, and the propellant load was 44gr IMR4064.
That would make for high pressure/high temperature load.
Recently published reloading data for shooting 55gr bullets in .22-250, shows Mv's of just under 3,900 fps can be reached using safe charges of " 6.5 StaBal " powder. I believe the barrel length used was 26".
It's up to the individual to decide how much barrel life they are willing to forego in their quest for hyper velocities, not to mention the level of accuracy they can work with.
Besides calibre chosen, bullet wt, style, construction, and even rifling twist utilized; also contribute to terminal effects realized @ the target. It's not always a matter of velocity for velocity's sake.
Pic below shows my ".22-35 Remington " wildcat w/ a Hornady .224" calibre 55SX seated.
From a 24" barrel, 41.2gr WW760 and FED Large Magnum Rifle Match produced 3,690fps. Not the highest vel load possible, but accuracy was superb, as was lethality when this load was applied to " Soybeanus Digestus ". Barrel went 3,400+ rnd before keyholing, a bullet, despite some poor choices I made... like using an uncoated cleaning rod early on; and a too late in life cryo' performed on the barrel.
For an updated version of this part of an energy delivery system, I'd go w/ a longer barrel to boost rifle " expansion ratio "; and would be keen to try 6.5 StaBal in this application.
With regards,
357Mag