Here me out

[wvfarrier]

I have been kicking around different wildcat options for a new levergun and wanted to get some opinions.

454 Casull- Trimmed to 45 colt and necked to 308 (Specifically.or the 135gr FTX), should come close too 338 Marlin Express.

Or, this same idea but necked to .358 to run 357 mag projectiles (I like this idea for a beast of a 200 yard and in thumper).

My other idea and I am sure someone has done this at some point: Is 30-30 necked up to .358, there is such a wide variety of 357 mag/357 max projectiles that are levergun safe, I think this would be super functional and efficient. The numbers I ran show it potentionally reaching 2750fps with the (levergun safe) 178gr Hammer Bullets "Power Hammer" and.....get this 2520 with the 215 grain "Power Hammer"! These both have a G1 BC of .312

[mickbr]

I like both ideas. The35-30 has been done yes. Id guess its a pretty good thumper.

[Ray]

Perhaps we'll "h e a r" you out. Any wildcats based of the .44 & .45 (rimless) mags. , .454 & .460 s&w are intriguing.

As for the .35-30, even using new starline .375 brass as a starting point, those bullet weights you cite at even 400 fps. slower than your goals will only give you 3 to 4 loadings before failure. 1850 fps. with a 200 gr. you can get many loadings.

[samsi]

Ed Harris did a 35-30, no barn-burner loads here though:

https://www.hensleygibbs.com/edharris/a ... ster94.htm

[4t5]

Looks like he stayed below 1400 fps only to prevent leading , wonder if he upped the BHN to 15 or 18 where it would take him ?

[Twodot]

Looks like he stayed below 1400 fps only to prevent leading , wonder if he upped the BHN to 15 or 18 where it would take him ?

no where near 2700
..

[ywaltzucanrknrl]

I like the idea of a 35-30 and would like to have one. But I'm wondering if there is any real difference between a 35-30 and the 360 Buckhammer, other than by name. Personally I like 35/30-30 better as a name, but just wondering if there is any real difference?

I think feeding would be smoother and easier with a 35-30 than with the other wildcats proposed in a lever gun.

[AJMD429]

.
I really like the short-action leverguns using 'pistol' cartridges. High capacity, fast, short-throw levering, compact actions and efficiency with short barrels, and plenty of punch for normal uses. Up the ante with more velocity and the wide meplats of 35 caliber and up, and you could have a real 'thumper'...!

The 357 Bain and Davis seemed to be an EASY modification, just getting a 44 Magnum levergun and re-barreling it with a barrel chambered for the necked-down 44 Mag. So....I'd assume it might be pretty easy to do the same kind of thing with a 45 Colt, or if you wanted even better performance, attainable with a firearm designed around the higher-pressure 454 Casull, or even 500 S&W, it seems like you could have one heck of a compact and powerful package.

I'm guessing that necking down would not necessarily preserve whatever baseline pressures the action/barrel would tolerate, but it seems logical that starting with a case/action designed for 60,000 PSI versus 45,000 PSI would push out whatever 35 caliber bullet you were going to use FASTER than the 357 Bain and Davis would (and that itself seemed a decent wildcat). PLUS the 454 Casull and 500 S&W brass is designed for high pressures to begin with, so should be more tolerant even than the 44 Mag brass used to form the 357 B&D.

Call it the 357 Casull & Farrier....

I'd think you could duplicate or exceed 35 Remington ballistics, but in a shorter case, if starting with the 454 Casull. You might wind up with a 10-shot 20" or so carbine that could handle a wide range of loads, and probably suffice for anything practical in North America out to 125 yards or so.