.40/240 weatherby barrel what to do with it?

[rvtrav]

  Hello to all,
 
  I've had a .411 caliber barrel for quite some time. Originally it was on a FN 98 action, the gun came with about 50 rounds of brass and a few loaded cartridges, no dies. I bought the rifle for the action and stock, took off the barrel and bought an Adams and Bennett .220 swift barrel that I had installed for the gun.
 
  Recently I was going through some of my "leftovers" and came across the .411 barrel, now the question is what would I do with it if I keep it?
 
 can I get dies for such a thing?
 has anyone heard of this wildcat before?
 are there any other .411 caliber wildcats (or standard calibers) that this could be chambered into that would easily adapt into a 98 action?
 
 I'll post some pics of the cartridge when I can get into my photobucket account and ready some pictures, it's roughly like a belted straightwalled .405 winchester, using the same .473 case head as any standard 8x57 or 30/06 case, but using the belt to headspace for the straight walled shape.
 
 If anybody's got any ideas or information, I'm all ears
 
 Rvtrav

[jedman]

  Never heard of that wildcat ?  someone must have blown out a 240 WB to a strait walled case and tried to make something like a 405 Win maybe ?
  If you are wanting to sell it, send me a Email or PM on it.  Thanks
    Jedman

[rvtrav]

 
 
 I hope that I posted the pic link right, if you don't do it often the procedure gets forgotten pretty quick. especially when your as "computer savvy" as me.
 
 this is one of the cartridges with a .270 WCF below it for comparison
 
 I'll keep your offer in mind Jedman, I may want to let it go rather than play with it, although I do have a comlete 98 action in the drawer too. Keep an eye out for a PM.
 
 Thanks Rvtrav

[rvtrav]

 
  this pic worked in the test forum, I'll try it here

[swifty22]

RV- If it is on a full length 240 case you could simply have it rechambered to 400 Whelen which would take care of the die situation. Also looking at the photo, I would think you might be able to partially neck size the cases in some sort of an 8mm, 06 or 308 derivation using a 411 size expander ball, simply run the case in short of the shoulder in the die. I/m cheap and have never sold a set of dies cause you never know what you might want to do someday! How fast would that thing run anyway 2000 fps?, make a hell of a cast bullet hunting rifle -Muddy

[Catfish]

You could chamber it in 411 Hawk. It`s based on the 06 case and will push a 300 gr. bullet to abt the same velocity as the 375 H&H. Go to www.z-hat.com and check it out. Down side of this round is that you only have abt. .009 of shoulder to head space on so the shoulders are very easy to bump back to far.

[rvtrav]

 Thanks Swifty and Catfish,
 
 Yes Swifty I think this would make an excellent cast bullet cartridge, and based on the information from the website link that Catfish provided it would be a very capable one as well.
 
 Thanks for the link Catfish, that really helps with what the preformance would be like, and some options to look at if I want to persue them. I'm a little leary of the slim shoulders of the .411 Hawk and the .400 Whelen, but evidently the do work.
 
 I'd have to totally speculate on the barrel's rifling twist, and what bullet weights it was designed to stabilize. the loads that came with the gun had 300 gr bullets of unknown manufacter, so I'll have to think whomever started this project had it rifled with similar weights in mind.
 
  Swifty, wouldn't I have to ream out a die to accomodate the full length of the cartridge without necking it down? Could this be done with the usual garage tools? or would I need a lathe/machinist to get that done? Have you done anything like that?
 
 I'm gonna checkout that link again and do some more reading on the .400 whelen and the .411 hawk
 
 Thanks again, I knew if anyone had information it would be form this forum!
    Rvtrav   

[swifty22]

RV, What I said was that to hold the bullets in the case was to run the fired cases up into the indicated dies (whichever one brings it down enough) to hold the bullets and w/the 411 ball it should hold the bullet tight enough. For the 400 Whelen you don't have to worry about the skinny shoulder as you can headspace on the belt. For the 411/240 yes you would have to have a proper FL die to FL the case. To get it going all you have to do is get the first 1/2" of the case small enough to hold the bullet tight enough so it won't move under recoil in the magazine and chamber easily (heavy crimp?) or use it as a single shot and don't worry about it, as long as you are using the original cases or new 240 cases expanded and fire formed. Hope that all sound right!-Muddy

[rvtrav]

  Muddy,
 I see what you mean, I just shoulda worded my reply questions better,
 
 
  Rvtrav

[Catfish]

Just some new thoughts. If you built this gun or are still going to, I have pushed Lead Head hard cast gas checked bullets to about 2,700 fps with no leading. While the 240 Weatherby case is abt the same volume as the 06 case, you head space on the bealt of the 240 case where you only have abt .014 of shoulder to head space on with the 06 case.