Wildcat?

[my7pointmonster]

I'm reading through my reloading manual and it keeps using the word wildcat to describe some calibers, What in the world is a wildcat? Just something a gunsmith made to try out? Or?

[Jake]

A wild cat was a Cal. that Just didn't  Stay on the Market that long, wasn't a big seller, a better cal came along. and was hard to buy rounds for... I think some of the Wild Cats could have made it, But it was up to the Public eyes on the Market to decide.

[screamn in the nite]

7pointmonster. You  are right. There are countless wildcat cartidges. Basically a wildcat round is a round that has been modified for performance enhancement. Rounds can be necked back and the shoulder angle changed. Of  course  this leads to modification of the barrel and so on. Pretty much custom work. Hope this helps some.

[Team Howler]

The 22-250 started out as a wildcat then took off and stayed. There are calibers we use today that were started as wildcat rounds. Some stay some go!

[BedfordQDM]

Another way to describe "wildcat", is a cartridge that has not been adopted as a "factory" round and loaded commercially.

[Papa1]

Jake.  A wildcat is a cartridge that someone modified from another cartridge.  Read case modified.  Wildcats were never on the market.  257 Roberts was one before factory loadinf.  So was 25-06 , 35 Whelen and a whole bunch more.

[Papa1]

Screaminginthenight.  When you take a factory round and change the shoulder angle or the case taper then you call that an "Improved Cartridge"  Some are better and some ar worse.  P.O. Ackley was the gunsmith that did the most experimenting and was the most honest author that I have ever read.  His books are dated but are great reading.  If you read him like I have you will un derstand why I have so little faith in the new wave of gun writers.  Dick