Wichita 1375

[Mfitz717]

I have a Wichita 1375, with a jewel trigger chambered in 7mm rem mag. I’m wondering what my options would be to rechamber it.
Would I have to stick with the magnum bolt face or would I need a new bolt (which from what research I’ve done is going to be pretty tough). I would like to rechamber it in something with less recoil.
Thanks.

 

[swd]

There's not really anything smaller with a magnum bolt face in 7mm other than 6.5x7PRC wildcat. The best option would be to just down load the 7 Mag. If you wanted to re barrel the 6.5 PRC is pretty mild to shoot.

You could put up a wanted add in the classified section for a standard bolt face bolt. You never know who something laying around..

 

[joshb]

How’s about the 300 WSM? I just built one and recoil isn’t that bad. I’m 68.

 

[10XSHOOTER]

Call LRI, inc. Talk to Chad and see if he can sleeve the bolt face?

 

[AlNyhus]

The WSSM cases would open up options.

 

[DaveTooley]

Does it have a flat face or coned bolt?

 

[Will Henry]

On one of my actions with a magnum boltface, I didn't want to make a magnum so I barreled it in 30/40 Krag. I turned an extension on the barrel so I could headspace on the rim. The extension is .530 in diameter and notched for the extractor.
If I had your Wichita, I would bush the bolt face to .480 and chamber for one of the many standard sized cartridges. WH

 

[jackieschmidt]

You could go back in time and chamber it for the 6.5 Remington Magnum.
If you could get some decent brass, there is nothing wrong with the performance if you hand load.

I read an article some time ago about making the cases from cut down 7mm magnum cases. If less recoil is your goal, this would even result in thicker case wall, further lowering the capacity while retaining the standard magnum bot face.

 

[Mfitz717]

Does it have a flat face or coned bolt?

Flat bolt face

 

[Mfitz717]

The WSSM cases would open up options.

I have not thought of this. That may be a neat idea. I was hoping to maybe rechamber to a BR or PPC bolt face.

 

[DaveTooley]

Being flat faced it could probably have a bushing installed but would require making a new extractor.

 

[Mfitz717]

Being flat faced it could probably have a bushing installed but would require making a new extractor.

I was trying to avoid costly ideas, as someone commented a wssm would be pretty neat.

 

[3Ackleys]

I was trying to avoid costly ideas, as someone commented a wssm would be pretty neat.

They are neat, but brass options are not good.
I have a 6-7PRC that my 12 year old son shoots very well. I'm shooting 115 Dtacs at 3300 fps, but you can certainly load lighter bullets for even less recoil. I use Hornady 7 PRC bushing dies and neck down ADG brass.

 

[Ggmac]

Go with a rimmed cartridge and trim to fit your bolt . Plenty of rimmed small cases . I like the ones based on the 30-30 .

 

[dhagerty40]

I have not called them but these guys now have all the Wichita parts and machining. hopefully they will answer the phone ( I am looking for a gunsmith to re-barrel a WSP)

Wichita Arms – ..and it's right here in… Texas!

 

[AlNyhus]

Concerning the WSSM brass, here's something that may or may not be of interest.

A local pal had a Model 70 Coyote in 243WSSM that I used to help him with. At best, it shot about 3/4" five shot groups with the best hand loads I could come up with. The necks on the Winchester brass were fairly uniform (.001) but really thick (.017). I took five cases and turned the necks to about .012 thickness and then annealed them.

With the previous 3/4" group loads, the first five shot group from the neck turned cases was in the mid .4's! Reloaded those five cases and it repeated that group size. Further groups started to open up as the necks got worked very hard in the factory chamber. By my notes, the neck clearance in the factory chamber with the neck turned cases was .016!!! After about 5 reloads, the necks started to split.

I'm convinced that with a well dimensioned reamer and neck turned cases, a WSSM would shoot very well.

If I had the OP's 'problem' , I know what direction I'd go.

"Hello, this is Jasmine at JGS. How can we help you?"

Just a few thunks for what it's worth...

 

[Kiwishooter]

Try Bob White, he may have a bolt for a Wichita 1375, (may not too it was a while ago I saw he had a bolt for sale)

Apart from that do what Dave suggested and bush the bolt face and have a new extractor made.

BTW on the early Wichta 1375 with a flat bolt face a Sako finnwolf extractor fits and works for a PPC, but there were different width sliding plate extractors, if I can find it I had a new narrow extractor for a flat face bolt in PPC, finding it would be the problem.