243 wildcat questions

memphis605 · February 7, 2011, 09:37 PM

Hello im new to the forum and am looking for your help. I have been working on developing a wildcat taking a 243 win down to a .224. After much debating and designing i have finally been able to get my casing just as i want it... now the problem. the case i have made has a radius shoulder and i am having difficulties getting reamers for dies and chamber... any advice is appreciated. thanks

Kiwi Hunter · February 8, 2011, 01:21 AM

That would be a .22/243 middlestead or several slight variations?
http://www.accuratereloading.com/22-243.html
http://www.reloadbench.com/cartridges/w22243m.html

Dies and reamers are available off the shelf for a "straight" .22-243

Someone was doing something similar with a elliptical shoulder - maybe another poster will remember who?

Pacific should be able to grind you a reamer to spec and Hornady will do your dies from a reamer print.

Somebody will remember about the elliptical shoulder thing - ME! http://www.superiorballistics.com/

F. Guffey · February 8, 2011, 06:11 PM

There is a 22-243 Winchester and 25-243 Winchester and Ackley Improved versions. If you have the case send it to Climer or another reamer maker.

The 308 W is a short case with a large diameter case at the shoulder, being short and large in diameter make it difficult to use the r dies for forming. In the old days when smiths make their own reamer they cut the chamber first then reduced the dimensions to cut the die, most could keep up with the length of the chamber when reaming but the neck had to be cut smaller in the die than the chamber.

For some smiths a set of dies went with the rifle.

I formed cases for a smith that was working on a 22-6mm Improved, I started with 25/06 cases with out intentions of loading them, seems he had too many cases with incipient case head separation, I did not intend he use the cases for loading, I formed the cases with different lengths from the head of the case to the shoulder in hopes he understood the cases were formed in different lengths, the neck were too thick and the forming process caused a ring internal looking donut at the shoulder/neck juncture, then I decided helping him could damage my reputation, like most, in a few months after helping him he could forget where the information came from and now he no longer has a problem with case head incipient separation, in the beginning he thought forming cases was expensive and time consuming.

I received my shot gun news today and there it was, a smith saying "check often before going too far" and I always ask "Why don't they know where they are when they start when they start reaming a chamber, there are at least 2 ways to measure progresses without removing the reamer while, in thousands.

F. Guffey

memphis605 · February 11, 2011, 05:38 AM

Thanks for the info. I have contacted clymer amongst others and so far nobody is willing to do a reamer for a radius shoulder. i have found places willing to do the dies but if i can't cut the chamber the dies wont do me much good.Maybe its time to tweak the design....

FrankenMauser · February 11, 2011, 02:05 PM

Have you contacted Hornady, Redding, and RCBS?

They cut reamers, too (though it's a bit more expensive than the go-to companies). They may also turn you down for the radius shoulder, but it can't hurt to ask.

memphis605 · February 11, 2011, 04:40 PM

I was aware of their die work but did not know they did reamers i will have to contact them. Thanks

F. Guffey · February 12, 2011, 09:07 AM

The Special Order Catalog from RCBS indicates they no longer do custom dies etc.,

Order a catalog: 1 800 533 5000

F. Guffey

Scorch · February 12, 2011, 12:32 PM

Pacific Tool and Gauge will make a reamer. Call them and ask.
http://www.pacifictoolandgauge.com/
4D will make a reamer. Again, call and ask.
www.4-dproducts.com

memphis605 · February 13, 2011, 06:53 PM

Thank you all the project can move forward.

farmerboy78 · April 14, 2011, 01:18 PM

you can buy the reamer and go and no gauges through midway usa

okie2 · December 23, 2011, 12:36 PM

I have a 22-243 savage rifle. I bought the barrel used the ordered ackley dies for it.
here is what I ended up with.
The chamber has a .460 shoulder and my dies has .450.
now I learned that ackley shoulders are .455 and 22-243 winchester improved has .460.

February 7, 2011, 09:37 PM	#1
memphis605 Junior Member Join Date: February 7, 2011 Posts: 10	243 wildcat questions Hello im new to the forum and am looking for your help. I have been working on developing a wildcat taking a 243 win down to a .224. After much debating and designing i have finally been able to get my casing just as i want it... now the problem. the case i have made has a radius shoulder and i am having difficulties getting reamers for dies and chamber... any advice is appreciated. thanks

February 8, 2011, 01:21 AM	#2
Kiwi Hunter Member Join Date: August 13, 2009 Posts: 76	That would be a .22/243 middlestead or several slight variations? http://www.accuratereloading.com/22-243.html http://www.reloadbench.com/cartridges/w22243m.html Dies and reamers are available off the shelf for a "straight" .22-243 Someone was doing something similar with a elliptical shoulder - maybe another poster will remember who? Pacific should be able to grind you a reamer to spec and Hornady will do your dies from a reamer print. Somebody will remember about the elliptical shoulder thing - ME! http://www.superiorballistics.com/ Last edited by Kiwi Hunter; February 8, 2011 at 01:40 AM.

February 11, 2011, 02:05 PM	#5
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,426	Have you contacted Hornady, Redding, and RCBS? They cut reamers, too (though it's a bit more expensive than the go-to companies). They may also turn you down for the radius shoulder, but it can't hurt to ask. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

February 12, 2011, 12:32 PM	#8
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Pacific Tool and Gauge will make a reamer. Call them and ask. http://www.pacifictoolandgauge.com/ 4D will make a reamer. Again, call and ask. www.4-dproducts.com __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

April 14, 2011, 01:18 PM	#10
farmerboy78 Junior Member Join Date: March 23, 2011 Posts: 3	22-243 middlestead you can buy the reamer and go and no gauges through midway usa

February 8, 2011, 06:11 PM	#3
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	There is a 22-243 Winchester and 25-243 Winchester and Ackley Improved versions. If you have the case send it to Climer or another reamer maker. The 308 W is a short case with a large diameter case at the shoulder, being short and large in diameter make it difficult to use the r dies for forming. In the old days when smiths make their own reamer they cut the chamber first then reduced the dimensions to cut the die, most could keep up with the length of the chamber when reaming but the neck had to be cut smaller in the die than the chamber. For some smiths a set of dies went with the rifle. I formed cases for a smith that was working on a 22-6mm Improved, I started with 25/06 cases with out intentions of loading them, seems he had too many cases with incipient case head separation, I did not intend he use the cases for loading, I formed the cases with different lengths from the head of the case to the shoulder in hopes he understood the cases were formed in different lengths, the neck were too thick and the forming process caused a ring internal looking donut at the shoulder/neck juncture, then I decided helping him could damage my reputation, like most, in a few months after helping him he could forget where the information came from and now he no longer has a problem with case head incipient separation, in the beginning he thought forming cases was expensive and time consuming. I received my shot gun news today and there it was, a smith saying "check often before going too far" and I always ask "Why don't they know where they are when they start when they start reaming a chamber, there are at least 2 ways to measure progresses without removing the reamer while, in thousands. F. Guffey

February 11, 2011, 05:38 AM	#4
memphis605 Junior Member Join Date: February 7, 2011 Posts: 10	Thanks for the info. I have contacted clymer amongst others and so far nobody is willing to do a reamer for a radius shoulder. i have found places willing to do the dies but if i can't cut the chamber the dies wont do me much good.Maybe its time to tweak the design....

February 11, 2011, 04:40 PM	#6
memphis605 Junior Member Join Date: February 7, 2011 Posts: 10	I was aware of their die work but did not know they did reamers i will have to contact them. Thanks

February 12, 2011, 09:07 AM	#7
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	The Special Order Catalog from RCBS indicates they no longer do custom dies etc., Order a catalog: 1 800 533 5000 F. Guffey

February 13, 2011, 06:53 PM	#9
memphis605 Junior Member Join Date: February 7, 2011 Posts: 10	Thank you all the project can move forward.

December 23, 2011, 12:36 PM	#11
okie2 Member Join Date: March 8, 2009 Location: terlton, oklahoma Posts: 93	22-243 I have a 22-243 savage rifle. I bought the barrel used the ordered ackley dies for it. here is what I ended up with. The chamber has a .460 shoulder and my dies has .450. now I learned that ackley shoulders are .455 and 22-243 winchester improved has .460.