My first Wildcat!

taylorce1 · April 9, 2009, 06:44 AM

Got done loading up some rounds to fire form. My cartridge is a .280 GNR which is a wildcat based on the .405 Winchester parent cartridge. I've read plenty on how to neck up/down cartridges and done quite a few based on the .30-06 cartridge but I never did have to really fire form any rounds.

The .280 GNR is a Gary Reeder cartridge designed for use in Encore frames. My barrel is a 17" pistol barrel of course about 2" of that is just muzzle brake. Obviously it is a 7mm cartridge with an "Improved" shoulder. This cartridge is supposed to equal .280 AI performance out of a pistol barrel. The guy I got it from had been getting 2900+ fps with 140 grain bullets.

My steps for getting the .405 parent case necked down to 7mm was this. I first ran the virgin cases through my .35 Whelen die and then my 8mm-06 die with decapping rods removed. I was hoping to keep from work hardening the necks by taking them down in steps. Then to get them down to 7mm I ran them through my .280 Rem die and seated the bullets with my GNR seating die. I did try my GNR sizing die, but was worried that the cartridge might not chamber easily since it didn't resize much of the neck.

I did get some cartridges that were already fire formed so I loaded them up as well with two different 140 grain bullets. I loaded the Nosler BT to where the boat tail was just below the base of the neck. The other bullet is some bulk stuff I bought at a gun show with a cannelure and I loaded to it thus the difference in length. However as long as the Nosler bullets are they still chamber in the barrel without hitting the lands.

Can't wait to see what I can do with this cartridge!

Magnum Wheel Man · April 9, 2009, 09:47 AM

sounds like fun ( a way easier to work on "size wise" cartridge than the 17K Hornets I started with this winter )... personally I'd load the cartridges ( both bullet styles ) to a couple .001's short of bullet contact in the throat... or as you did in the case of the Noslers ( where the boat tail ended up )... I would not worry about the canalure groove in the bullet on a single shot... I'm doing roughly the same with my 6.5 X 284

looking forward to a range report... might be forceing me into an Encore sooner than later, if I could set up for a lot of my other rifle chamberings...

Magnum Wheel Man · April 9, 2009, 09:54 AM

BTW... what is the other cartridge in the pics ???

not a lot of neck on that cartridge... I personally like a bit more neck on a rifle cartridge, but where you can seat the bullet out far enough on a single shot not as much neck is needed ( though in that case, it looks like the neck is not as long as most boat tail portions of bullets in that class )

taylorce1 · April 9, 2009, 10:52 AM

Quote:

BTW... what is the other cartridge in the pics ???

The are all the .280 GNR just two different 140 grain bullets loaded to different COL. They will all be that short necked when I'm done with the fire forming process. I'm not too keen on the short neck as well, but we will see how it works.

Magnum Wheel Man · April 9, 2009, 10:55 AM

OK... fireformed & un-fireformed... I get it...

taylorce1 · April 9, 2009, 11:34 AM

Quote:

I would not worry about the canalure groove in the bullet on a single shot... I'm doing roughly the same with my 6.5 X 284

I wasn't sure where the lands began on this barrel as I didn't have it handy when I was doing my reloading. It was at the shop getting a new scope put on it. So I loaded the rounds to the cannelure to be on the safe side. The NBT bullets I loaded long and figured I'd adjust if they engaged the lands, but wound up not needing too.

taylorce1 · April 10, 2009, 07:27 AM

Here is some pictures of my Encore pistol that I'll be shooting this cartridge from.

April 9, 2009, 06:44 AM	#1
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,242	My first Wildcat! Got done loading up some rounds to fire form. My cartridge is a .280 GNR which is a wildcat based on the .405 Winchester parent cartridge. I've read plenty on how to neck up/down cartridges and done quite a few based on the .30-06 cartridge but I never did have to really fire form any rounds. The .280 GNR is a Gary Reeder cartridge designed for use in Encore frames. My barrel is a 17" pistol barrel of course about 2" of that is just muzzle brake. Obviously it is a 7mm cartridge with an "Improved" shoulder. This cartridge is supposed to equal .280 AI performance out of a pistol barrel. The guy I got it from had been getting 2900+ fps with 140 grain bullets. My steps for getting the .405 parent case necked down to 7mm was this. I first ran the virgin cases through my .35 Whelen die and then my 8mm-06 die with decapping rods removed. I was hoping to keep from work hardening the necks by taking them down in steps. Then to get them down to 7mm I ran them through my .280 Rem die and seated the bullets with my GNR seating die. I did try my GNR sizing die, but was worried that the cartridge might not chamber easily since it didn't resize much of the neck. I did get some cartridges that were already fire formed so I loaded them up as well with two different 140 grain bullets. I loaded the Nosler BT to where the boat tail was just below the base of the neck. The other bullet is some bulk stuff I bought at a gun show with a cannelure and I loaded to it thus the difference in length. However as long as the Nosler bullets are they still chamber in the barrel without hitting the lands. Can't wait to see what I can do with this cartridge!

April 9, 2009, 09:47 AM	#2
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	sounds like fun ( a way easier to work on "size wise" cartridge than the 17K Hornets I started with this winter )... personally I'd load the cartridges ( both bullet styles ) to a couple .001's short of bullet contact in the throat... or as you did in the case of the Noslers ( where the boat tail ended up )... I would not worry about the canalure groove in the bullet on a single shot... I'm doing roughly the same with my 6.5 X 284 looking forward to a range report... might be forceing me into an Encore sooner than later, if I could set up for a lot of my other rifle chamberings... __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

April 9, 2009, 09:54 AM	#3
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	BTW... what is the other cartridge in the pics ??? not a lot of neck on that cartridge... I personally like a bit more neck on a rifle cartridge, but where you can seat the bullet out far enough on a single shot not as much neck is needed ( though in that case, it looks like the neck is not as long as most boat tail portions of bullets in that class ) __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

April 9, 2009, 10:55 AM	#5
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	OK... fireformed & un-fireformed... I get it... __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

April 10, 2009, 07:27 AM	#7
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,242	Here is some pictures of my Encore pistol that I'll be shooting this cartridge from.