366 Alaskan and 9.3WSM

[elmerkeithclone]

Kabluewy and AlleninAlaska, I was reading some archived stuff and wondered how these projects turned out?

[AlleninAlaska]

Still haven't purchased a barrel for mine. I have to quit being so busy.

[Kabluewy]

366 Alaskan

The reamer was delivered quickly to Pac-Nor from Pacific Tools. They sent me a drawing with all the specs of the reamer/chamber. The barrel was installed, and my project is on its way to the gunsmith's shop in Kenai - for completion. I want the stock to be bedded if necessary, and the trigger made right before I even fire it. As you probably know, these things always take more time than estimated. Mostly it's getting the gunsmith to make it a prioirity without charging extra for a rush job.

After talking to Chris at Pac-Nor, I decided to leave my reamer with him for a while to see if anyone wanted to have a barrel made in this wildcat. The deal is that I will get a small credit toward my next purchase, in exchange for each chamber they cut with my reamer - no extra charge to Pac-Nor's customer. I think this is fair since the reamer was expensive. I think this is a good deal for someone wanting to have a rifle in the class of the 9.3x64, but with standard 2.5" belted Mag brass and .532 bolt face. I also recommend my regular gunsmith in Kenai for the job, if that's a preferance. I'll just have the reamer shipped to him. That way, the barrel choice is not limited to Pac-Nor. There are several other good barrel makers who offer 9.3mm, but I have been satisfied with Pac-Nor. Take your choice, Douglas, Lilja, Kreiger, Walther, etc. Just remember that it's not fair to bump your project ahead of mine.

I will be testing the rifle as soon as practical, and give some specific info then about the performance. I have to round up a cronograph in the meantime.

Best Regards.

[Murphy]

366 Kabluewy...

I'm still interested in this 366 of yours I just don't have an action yet. I have no problem with Pac-Nor barrels, I'm sure they're good, I would just prefer they put it together with their barrel. Do they do that there? I would like the action trued and lapped if they do that stuff. How much metal work will Pac-Nor do in house? Also. do you know the barrel diameter of their barrels? I have a good chronograph if there's a way we could limk up this summer. Did you say Redding made a set of dies? Are they stamped 366 Alaskan? Thanks and good shootin'.

Murphy

[AlleninAlaska]

http://www.pac-nor.com/


They do good work. Have used several of their barrels.

[Kabluewy]

366 Ak

Murphy,
One of the reasons I like the services of Pac-Nor is because they will install their barrels on my receiver, and they true and lapp. They also provide pre-fitted barrels, barrel blanks, etc. The guys who do the work are very experienced and helpful. They do some other metal work, but you will need to discuss specifics with them. Their barrels are offerd in a variety of contours.

Redding makes the dies. My dies are stamped 9.3/338, but I had Pac-Nor stamp the barrel 366 Alaskan. I didn't care what the dies had stamped on them so long as they worked. It took a while to get them, because they don't keep a supply on the shelf. I suppose Redding will stamp whatever you want on the dies. Ask them.

A little history: I think this got momentum from Craig Boddington, who worked with a gunsmith in Texas named Sisk, who in turn worked with Dave Kiff of Pacific Tools and Guages in Oregon, who collaberated with Redding to make sure the specs were compatible. I think Craig intended to write an article about it, but I don't know if he did. Anyway, I benefitted from all that, because I didn't have to worry about whether the dies and chamber reamer were compatible. Nor did I have to pay for custom tools at Redding. Apparantly Craig already did that. This all may go back further, but I don't know about that, and I'm not absolutely sure about what I said above. It's just an assembly of the bits and pieces of info I heard. Now, it seems odd that this wildcat hasn't been more common. I have heard of others who have thought of it, but I haven't heard of anyone other than Boddington who actually did it. I'm not even sure Boddington did it, but that is what i was told by reliable sources such as Dave.

I decided to give my rifle the name of 366 Alaskan, mostly because it seemed approriate.

Keep us informed, thanks.

[mntmaster]

Question for the experts.

Sorry if this has been asked or mentioned before but I did not see this specified in this thread. What Cartridge is the 366 Alaskan based off of and what type of balistics are you expecting? Thanks

[Kabluewy]

Sorry if this has been asked or mentioned before but I did not see this specified in this thread. What Cartridge is the 366 Alaskan based off of and what type of balistics are you expecting? Thanks

The 366 Alaskan is the 338 Win Mag necked up to 9.3mm, with no other change. I'm thinking it will produce 2600 fps from a 285 gr bullet, but that is yet to be proven. I think it should easily duplicate the performance of the 9.3x64 Brenneke, or exceed the 9.3x62 by 200 - 300 fps. The Nosler manual or web site has info on loading the 9.3x64 cartridge.

Regards.

[Paul H]

John Barness and Charlie Sisk did come out with a 9.3mm wildcat, but based on the 350 Rem mag necked up. They called it the 9.3 BS (Barnes Sisk) and John wrote it up in Handloader last fall as I recall. I read about it on a flight down south.

Don't recall reading about a 9.3X338 colaboration between Boddington and Sisk.

I'd imagine the 9.3X338 will slightly best the 350 Norma mag, so say 232 gr nearing 3000 fps, and 286 gr right around 2600 fps.

It's a foregone conclusion that it will be a highly effective round!

[.338-06]

I was thinking of building a .375 Taylor, but this sounds much more interesting!

[I Bin Therbefor]

By the By, there is a 9.3-358 Norma called the 366 Barbie and a 9.3-416 Rigby called a 366 DGW. Both come out of Maine! And I'll wager Charlie Sisk has a whole lot more 9.3 wildcats somewhere.

I love it! There can't be too many 9.3s

[Paul H]

I reread the 9.3 BS article, and yes Charlie does have a 9.3 Sisk which is the 8mm rem mag necked up, or 416 rem mag necked down.

[trixie Mississippi]

well I have made a number of wildcats on the 9.3 bullet and they are a 9.3 gibbs a 9.3/338win a 9.3/300win a 9.3/remington long mag and a 9.3 remington ultra magnum.... the 338 should give you about 2700 fps with the 286 and 2800 with the speer 270 grain bullet.. I am sure it will perform as well as the 9.3x64 round and this is a might fine round equal to the 375 H & H in every respect.. My fellow hunter you have a very very powerful rifle.. I would try reloader 19 and probably the reloader 22 in this case.. you know Sweden has the best of powders.. trixie.

Murphy,
One of the reasons I like the services of Pac-Nor is because they will install their barrels on my receiver, and they true and lapp. They also provide pre-fitted barrels, barrel blanks, etc. The guys who do the work are very experienced and helpful. They do some other metal work, but you will need to discuss specifics with them. Their barrels are offerd in a variety of contours.

Redding makes the dies. My dies are stamped 9.3/338, but I had Pac-Nor stamp the barrel 366 Alaskan. I didn't care what the dies had stamped on them so long as they worked. It took a while to get them, because they don't keep a supply on the shelf. I suppose Redding will stamp whatever you want on the dies. Ask them.

A little history: I think this got momentum from Craig Boddington, who worked with a gunsmith in Texas named Sisk, who in turn worked with Dave Kiff of Pacific Tools and Guages in Oregon, who collaberated with Redding to make sure the specs were compatible. I think Craig intended to write an article about it, but I don't know if he did. Anyway, I benefitted from all that, because I didn't have to worry about whether the dies and chamber reamer were compatible. Nor did I have to pay for custom tools at Redding. Apparantly Craig already did that. This all may go back further, but I don't know about that, and I'm not absolutely sure about what I said above. It's just an assembly of the bits and pieces of info I heard. Now, it seems odd that this wildcat hasn't been more common. I have heard of others who have thought of it, but I haven't heard of anyone other than Boddington who actually did it. I'm not even sure Boddington did it, but that is what i was told by reliable sources such as Dave.

I decided to give my rifle the name of 366 Alaskan, mostly because it seemed approriate.

Keep us informed, thanks.

[lester]

I am wondering how you will go about developing loads for your .366 Alaskan? Do you start with the .338 Win Mag loads and try to keep bullet weight the same, or what?

I have a Clymer reamer for a .300 Win Mag necked up to .338 The extra .18 or so which the .338 sacrifices to neck is what I am after. Seems like the same bullet weight in a larger caliber will yield lower pressure due to smaller bearing area.

I guess once I cut the chamber and headspace the rifle, I will tie it to a tire and trigger it with a string. Start with a Max .300 win load for .220 grainer using a .338 225 grain bullet. From there, I guess its load table extrapolation and looking for pressure signs. Use that tire with all new loads.

I contacted Barnes Bullets about work-up-loads. They offered no advice. Must be a liability thing. So, what are you guys doing to get load data for your wildcats?

How will you form your cases? Just run them through your resizing die to neck up and then fireform? Or is fireforming even necessary? Is your cartridge a straight neck up job with no other different dimensions from the .338wm case?

I have a Redding .300 mag comp seating die and a neck bushing sizing die. I have made a custom bushing for the neck sizer and should be able to cut a standard .300wm seating die with the reamer. I did this once before with an Ackley Improved reamer on a .30-06 seating die. Apparently RCBS does not case-harden their seating dies, just the sizers.

I cut the AI chamber myself on an old remington barrel I had. It was a great deal of fun, *if you like doing machine tool work by hand*.


I would sure love to get a better grip on load workups for wildcat cartridges.

[AlleninAlaska]

I guess once I cut the chamber and headspace the rifle, I will tie it to a tire and trigger it with a string. Start with a Max .300 win load for .220 grainer using a .338 225 grain bullet. From there, I guess its load table extrapolation and looking for pressure signs. Use that tire with all new loads.

Why not start at 5% less for a max 220 grain load and work up? Better safe than sorry

So, what are you guys doing to get load data for your wildcats?

The Ackley versions you just start out with close to max loads of the bullet you plan on shooting and than work up. There is a 2 book compilation on the market called Wildcat Cartridges. Lot's of good data. I also am a subscriber to Ammo Guide.

http://ammoguide.com/

You can also do a Google search for load data. Several web sites might show up such as Reloadersnest, load Your Own, Beartooth Bullets and on and on.

How will you form your cases? Just run them through your resizing die to neck up and then fireform? Or is fireforming even necessary?

I like to fireform using Unique powder and a wax plug.