What do you consider a wildcat cartridge?

[Bottom Fodder]

Back in the early 70’s when I got heavy into shooting we considered any cartridge that you couldn’t buy factory loaded ammo a wildcat.
Now days some of what we consider wildcats you can buy “factory brass” but still not loaded ammo. So what do you consider a wildcat now days

 

[snert]

Non-saami, non-CIP

 

[Fuj]

My wildcats are based on what no one else has or shoots. I do
some research before I commit to forming. There are a lot of
unpublished works out there that I do not want to replicate.
Currently researching a 30 cal for mid range, and have run across
a good 25 or more in this area that never was sent in to SAMMI
or CIP. I like to be unique until it is'nt......

 

[Big Mc]

Back in the early 70’s when I got heavy into shooting we considered any cartridge that you couldn’t buy factory loaded ammo a wildcat.
Now days some of what we consider wildcats you can buy “factory brass” but still not loaded ammo. So what do you consider a wildcat now days

Your first statement pretty much covers it. Tommy Mc

 

[drop_point]

Non-saami, non-CIP

This.

 

[6.5 forever]

Back in the early 70’s when I got heavy into shooting we considered any cartridge that you couldn’t buy factory loaded ammo a wildcat.
Now days some of what we consider wildcats you can buy “factory brass” but still not loaded ammo. So what do you consider a wildcat now days

Same here. Also a cartridge you had to have chambered. No factory offering.

 

[mikecr]

So what do you consider a wildcat

Anything I fill out a reamer print for.
Those cartridges are formed by my chambers (my best dies).

 

[NorCalMikie]

If it NOT sold "over the counter" or never has been, it's a Wildcat.
And before you go to the work to build yourself a wildcat, if you look hard enough, it's probably already been made.

 

[std7mag]

While it's already been made, it's still a wildcat.

 

[ebb]

A wild cat is something like what Fuj is doing, but some have grown in popularity to the point that they are almost not wild cats anymore. Look at the 6PPC and the 6 BR, they are so popular they ought to be mainstream but there are so many different reamers and neck diameters that they are all almost different. I think in the scheme things you could make a case for anything not SAMM or CIP. When I think of true wildcat its something new and all development is on me. That can't be said for the common stuff.

 

[Zero333]

A linx, a Puma, a Leopard, a Cheetah, a Mountain kitty, a Lion, etc...

There is nothing new under the sun/moon.
Only reason why 90% of "wildcats" have not seen the light of day, is because of the powders available way back when smokeless metallic cartridges were born.

 

[kenhwind]

Remember that you have "Wildcat" cartridges, we also have "proprietary" cartridges.

 

[Oso]

I'm not designing my own cases and having reamers designed/cut. That is definitely old school Wildcat. However, I am reloading for a bunch of specialty cartridges that have limited sources of components or commercially available ammo. To average person these are wildcats. These specialty or vintage cartridges are not readily available and having a firearm chambered in such a cartridge is a one-off or custom.

What about forming cases for less popular/available cartridges. Is my vintage 17-222 a Wildcat? There are dies and reamer prints, but no longer in production. I have to form my own cases...

Is a 20 Vartarg still a Wildcat? There are reamers and dies, but no one is producing ammo to speak of. I have to form my own cases...

 

[Fuj]

What about forming cases for less popular/available cartridges. Is my vintage 17-222 a Wildcat? There are dies and reamer prints, but no longer in production. I have to form my own cases...

Is a 20 Vartarg still a Wildcat? There are reamers and dies, but no one is producing ammo to speak of. I have to form my own cases...

They would not be considered wild cats if they were registered at one time,
obsolete at the present or not.....

 

[Oso]

I guess this makes me the a Curator of misfit and forgot cartridges. I can live with that.

 

[NorCalMikie]

If it's NOT sold over the counter as loaded AMMO, it's a Wildcat.
When I build mine, I make up a dummy round, ship it off and have a reamer cut to "those dummy round specs".
Don't want someone else's ideas. I want MINE!!
If the 6.8 SPC and the 30 BR were such hot items, why not a 6.8 BR?
Did that with a 6.8 BR. Was told IT was a first in that caliber.

Ended up shooting BUG HOLES.

 

[3Ackleys]

A lot of it is semantics i guess. Is it a wildcat if rifles are produced for it, but there is no commercially available ammo or brass? One example is the 20 VT- Cooper made them.

 

[Joe Salty]

How about the 308 Baer, 6.5 300 WB. 30-378 WB. some from back in the 70's

Joe Salt