What caliber would you bring back from the dead?

[450 Fuller]

The .348 Ackley Improved, a wildcat in the bush. Relative of the the .450 Alaskan.
The 348 AI is still used in Canada and Alaska and will push a 270 gr Hawk bullet to almost 2400 fps.
Close to a lever action 35 Whelen: very effective on moose or an irate grizzly...

 

[Flbt]

I have seen where Norma does a run of the 9.3x57 ammunition periodically. It can be easily formed from 9.3x62 brass or 8x57 brass.

Does any one make runs of the 9x57?

 

[Huvius]

Does any one make runs of the 9x57?

Norma made the only factory loads I've seen but Buffalo Arms loads the 9.3 with Norma brass but are out of stock right now.

 

[Flbt]

Norma made the only factory loads I've seen but Buffalo Arms loads the 9.3 with Norma brass but are out of stock right now.

My grate nephew in-law work at a small gun shop they had a old 9x57 not the 9.3
He got it at good price with the idea of having it re barrel to 358w
I told him if he could find ammo I would give the 9x57 a try first

 

[Huvius]

Nothing at all wrong with the 9X57!
In the period ammunition catalogs, the 9mm was something like 5grs less bullet and a couple hundred FPS off the 318WR and we all know it killed everything like greased lightning!!

I was told by a well known gunmaker that the 9X57 Mauser was the preferred rifle to build early 35 Whelens on because the barrel grooves were a couple 'thou below .358" so they figured there was a little more velocity using the Mauser barrels!

 

[MS 9x56]

My grate nephew in-law work at a small gun shop they had a old 9x57 not the 9.3
He got it at good price with the idea of having it re barrel to 358w
I told him if he could find ammo I would give the 9x57 a try first

If you reload you can eithecneck down 9.3x57 or neck up 8x57 brass.

 

[Flbt]

If you reload you can eithecneck down 9.3x57 or neck up 8x57 brass.

I don’t reload
Being a dyslexic that’s a bad idea lol

 

[450 Fuller]

Andy Hill at Hawk Bullets will make just about any bullet weight, configuration, and caliber
you can imagine. He has made 400 gr FP 458 bullets,and .348 bullets in 190 gr spizers and 300 gr FP bullets, all for special applications in my .348 Model 71s-- and the .450 Alaskan. If someone wants a 250 gr 30-06 bullet, Hawk will make it. Keep in mind that Hawk annealed jacket bullets with lead cores
operate best at moderate velocities. A 250 gr 30-06 bullet would be similar to a .318 Westley-Richards
as to terminal velocity. In the 30-06, a 230 gr bullet would give you all the penetration needed,
just specify the thickest jacket in your order. They are tough bullets. Be patient, as his special orders take time.

(I have the rare 180 gr Woodleigh RN bonded bullets for the Winchester .270-elk.moose and bear.)

 

[dlmac]

The .348 Ackley Improved, a wildcat in the bush. Relative of the the .450 Alaskan.
The 348 AI is still used in Canada and Alaska and will push a 270 gr Hawk bullet to almost 2400 fps.
Close to a lever action 35 Whelen: very effective on moose or an irate grizzly...

I am a fan of the 400 Fuller and the 416/348 AI

 

[Just a dude in BC]

You guys are making me feel really good about my next project!
A 9.3x64 Brenneke, I will do what I can to keep it alive.
Already have the barrel, and will be putting it on a zg47 action.

 

[PAUL_MAUSER]

.303 Brit. Why no commercial rifles in this caliber? I want one but don't want a damn worn out war rifle.

On that note what base caliber rifle would have a suitable bolt face for a conversion to this caliber anyone know? Also, in something like a Ruger M77 action, would the case rim be an issue also?

 

[Huvius]

.303 Brit. Why no commercial rifles in this caliber? I want one but don't want a damn worn out war rifle.

On that note what base caliber rifle would have a suitable bolt face for a conversion to this caliber anyone know? Also, in something like a Ruger M77 action, would the case rim be an issue also?

If you’re thinking of building a bolt rifle in 303, and in keeping with your handle, you could do worse than starting with a Siamese Mauser.

 

[Daniel Cary]

I love talking about calibers, their pros and cons, the situations to use them in, their history and so forth. Above all that I love collecting them! But one of the worst parts about the history of firearms and calibers, is that some seemingly great calibers die out.
Leaving those of us who want to use them scrambling to find brass and dies and the like.

So if you found a Genie in a bottle, what caliber or two would you get him to bring back into the mainstream?

For me it would be the 450NE (the 3 1/4") for DG, and the 350 Rigby for PG.
-It is criminal that the 450NE never came back to life after the ban.
-I think the 350 Rigby with modern loads and powders would be one of the great all around calibers.

I didn't know there was a ban on the 450.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I didn't know there was a ban on the 450.

Britain banned it in India and Sudan in 1907 due to concerns about uprisings

 

[Huvius]

Britain banned it in India and Sudan in 1907 due to concerns about uprisings

True, sort of.
Sportsmen could still bring in something like 200 rounds for safari.
The gunmakers were the ones that really caught on introducing the myriad “legal” replacements the 470 becoming the industry standard.

 

[Sarg]

If you’re thinking of building a bolt rifle in 303, and in keeping with your handle, you could do worse than starting with a Siamese Mauser.

True this !

But for I think a more common & available action the P14 would do & better still one of the BSA Sporter rifles/actions ?

I kept buying & then selling them over the years, imagining doing something similar but never did, hard to get a nice stock then & I don’t like the safety, bit more work, custom stock & Win type bolt safety would fix that.

I again have two more recently one the lower entry grade & another with a lot more work done by the BSA gunsmiths !

My entry level BSA I got a little while back, can’t find a pic on my phone of the later higher grade on here.

Or even find one of these ?

 

[Flbt]

.303 Brit. Why no commercial rifles in this caliber? I want one but don't want a damn worn out war rifle.

On that note what base caliber rifle would have a suitable bolt face for a conversion to this caliber anyone know? Also, in something like a Ruger M77 action, would the case rim be an issue also?

One of the Italian manufacturers makes a nice little 1895 Winchester copy Selious staking rifle

 

[AHughes]

I'm gonna vote for the 35 remington.... may not be dead but definitely scarce down here and still much loved by myself, got my ass out of a jam or 2 in close calls and I'm glad she's been in close company

 

[Flbt]

If we are also talking handgun rounds
The 356 smith and Wesson a compilation round that could have been a good fighting handgun round
The 10 mm magnum a revolver with moon clips could shot it the 10 mm and 40 s&w
9x23 and 9x 25 Dillon

 

[Beck]

.505 gibbs! And I am doing my best to resuscitate it!