Australian wildcats and improved cartridges

[Member-Deleted]

Hi, first post here, and was wondering how many of you out there share my interest in Australian developed and standardised wildcats. I'm slowly (very slowly....) rebuilding my collection of Enfields and 303 based cartridges and reloading gear, so would be interested in hearing about anything different or unusual that you may have sitting in a dusty cupboard, or actively still using.

At present I have One Remington P14 in 303 British, which is a collectors piece that I regularly shoot, a 303-25 based on a No.4 lee Enfield that shoots very well, plus an M17 Enfield in the same calibre with an Aussie sportco barrel that is in pieces. Add to that a 30-22 wasp that is at the gunsmiths, plus another couple of Full wood lee Enfields that are on their way. I also picked up a very nice sporterised Lithgow No1mk3 for a good price that I will use for experimenting with cast bullets and the like.

My main project right now is a Winchester P14 in 303 Epps, which is not strictly Australian, but still comes under the general heading of improved cartridges. Along side the rifles is a growing pile of Super simplex dies plus a turret press from a deceased estate and a few contacts who have old case forming dies tucked away here and there. I have always considered these things a valuable part of our history, so please share your thoughts and experiences if you get the chance

[SamHuntVic]

I took my 303-25 to a range last weekend. What a classic. Hadn't fired it for 5 years, just three shots at 25m then out to 130m and on the mark.
Ammo is becoming more readily available these days so if you have this cal. don't bother buying a .243 because the 303-25 has very similar ballistics.
Grant.

[No1Mk3]

G'day aradour234,
Had a 303/22 P14 sporter, it could compete with any 22 centrefire. Regret selling it now. Also had 303/270 but never thought much of it, certainly your 303/25 could out perform it. Have a packet of Super Cart. Co. 7.7x54 in the cupboard but no rifle any more, some of the chambers on these conversions were loose enough to actually still chamber 303 Brit! So much for NSW regs. There is a new Aussie wildcat called the 358CRG, but I know little of it. Another conversion I didn't get to play with was the 303/35, which gained a good reputation for close range pigs. For Aussie wildcats, look at the late Arthur Langfords rimfire work, 17 Minor Mite, 17 Vixen, .08, .11, .14 and .17 Tini Mite and of course his world known 250MYRA, which I had in a Sako 85, brilliant stuff. If you want a read about Australian firearms ingenuity, check out his work on 22 Extruder barrels, Cheers.

[COLLECTOR 1]

Go Aussie go......

Have got a few mainly 303's necked up and down, on all sorts of military actions, just love them for their history if nothing else.

COLLECTOR 1

[Varmtr]

Seems like everyone one is build a 303 Epps or a version of one of his cartridges.
303 wildcats and versions so many to list.

[lole]

I'd love to have a play with a few wildcats.

If everything was as easy here as it is in the states I'd be all over it.

Too much effort for my shooting as it is now though.

[AusC]

I'll need something to keep be busy during retirement.

Perhaps a few AusC-Improved cartridges

[BBJ]

It's always interesting to see something new, from a practical standpoint there is no point doing it for me. If I need a different cartridge there is something factory suitable enough for whatever my purpose would be.

The fun is in doing it though, so if that's what you're looking for I reckon wildcats are a blast

[gunnnie]

Run a few wildcats - 17Ackley Hornet, 22K-Hornet, 257 Roberts Ackley Improved & a 303-25. I find it a great break from the usual. Whilst the brass can be an exercise in frustration, some such as the 22K-H & 257 are simple. All perform well and have a place in my safe.

[Noisydad]

Ripper collections! Great to see people messing with stuff that's not the usual 3 or 4 cals.

[Releb]

If I need a different cartridge there is something factory suitable enough for whatever my purpose would be.

Ditto.

I sometimes have a hair brained scheme related to some wildcat idea or another pop into my mind but something close enough already exists.

It's not like I'm the first one to the party on this or anything

[on_one_wheel]

I could easily be talked into converting either my .223 or .243 to AI