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Wildcat 12GA From Hell.--

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412 comments

  • hubel458
    Here is picture of one of RIP's NEFs 12GA FH, with
    a Vias brake installed. He had smith ream out a
    50cal one to let 12ga slugs pass through...Ed

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  • hubel458
    The Vias brake bored out in above picture will help
    RIP with recoil as he wants to shoot all heavy slugs
    in the NEF Ultra. Guys like the Vias brakes.They
    can be bored out and fitted to anything.
    I just like ported internal brakes and more gun weight.

    Here are some results( had 1 nice day) with 8 gauge and
    10ga light slug loads of my testing. I call them my real
    big bore varmint loads. A 770 gr slug in 8ga fired in
    Enfield at 2400 all 3 shots nearly touching at 20 yds.
    A 515 gr Lyman, NEF 10ga at 2400, same tight group
    at 20yds. Lyman is originally for 12ga, but is fit in
    10ga thickwall BPI shotcup cut off and slug glued in so
    it is like a impact discarding sabot. Both smoothbores.

    Smaller varmint load. NEF rifled 12ga with RG's 385gr
    aluminum cored jacketed HP slug at 2700, 2 overlapping
    and one half inch away using RMC 3.5" case. Ed
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  • hubel458
    The three slug loads tested above are real
    light recoiling, easy to shoot. I call
    them my big bore, varmint slugs as they are
    light for the bore size. Here is picture of
    the 3 slugs for comparison. 1st is 770gr in 8ga wadcup,
    second is 515 Lyman in 10ga wadcup, third is the
    12ga 385gr HP with aluminum core. The 8ga wadcup
    loses its petals going out the barrel, but
    hollowbase 770gr slug stays straight.The 515gr Lyman
    in the 10ga thickwall wadcup is also as a unit
    nose heavy and runs straight. Ed

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  • hubel458
    Here is what a 600gr super hardened Dixie slug
    at 29-3000 plus does to two mild steel plates with
    2" wood between them. Fired from our long case
    in the Savage.Two plates are soft mild steel.
    In hole nice and round. Out, in back plate jagged.
    Anyone interested in the 12ga Encore
    with 3.5" chambers, that I tested loads in,
    it is on Gunbroker..Ed

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  • hubel458
    Shot the NEF 8GA FH. That is the heavy barrel NEF
    that was a 10ga.. I bored it out to 8ga and chambered
    it for the heavy duty 8ga case. 770gr at 2200 out of
    29" barrel. End of barrel has internal brake with 24
    porting holes and with weighted thumbhole stock,
    it handles recoil easy.Will have picture soon.Ed
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  • hubel458
    Here is my 12GA FH Savage 210 with thumbhole
    stock, I put on in place of first one that cracked.
    First one didn't break as such, just got crack
    on the side where there was couple knots.
    Along with weight and heavy barrel, handles recoil
    great. It is a Boyd and came inleted for Savage
    112, and I re-did inleting to fit 210 and
    heavy barrel,and got rid of monte carlo
    outline, and added full height thick pad.Ed

    sav12th.jpg
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  • hubel458
    Here is picture of RIP's two 12GA FH NEFs.
    Both are the 12ga Ultra Slug Guns.
    One has Vias brake, other expansion chamber.
    He calls it his golf ball launcher. Ed


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  • hubel458
    I found a shotgun primer that will ignite rifle powders,
    like RL15-19, IMR 4064,4198, etc. With regular shotgun
    primers I had to use Blue Dot starter.
    But not with these.....They are the industrial
    shotgun primers used in the 8ga kiln gun cases. I use
    these cases with basecup reduced in my 8 gauges.
    When I set up first 8ga I fired the primers only to test
    firing function(cases came with primer), then I put
    regular 209 primers in to test loads, with 4759 powder.
    Found box of WIN paper case kiln 3oz loads and took one
    apart and noticed it had 94gr of some ball powder.
    I wondered what powder is and how a regular shotgun primer
    could ignite that, based on our need for starter powder
    using regular rifle powders. So I fired that industrial
    primer and flame and sparks came out of 8ga NEF barrel
    2-3 feet. Put a regular primer in same case and flame
    just a few inches. So I took REM kiln case with original
    REM industrial primer and 2-3 feet of flame,and put regular
    primer in and just few inches of flame. If anyone got
    info on th powder used and how to get these primers,
    let us know. I took some out of 8ga and put in 12ga plastic.
    Using these hairy industrial primers today fired 180gr
    of RL-15, in 12GA FH NEF, in 3.5" plastic cases with
    437gr Brenekke KO slug. Got perfect ignition, no starter.
    140gr with 600gr dixie, perfect ignition.
    Also I have the 12ga Encore that we tested loads
    in, on Gunbroker, in shotgun singleshot section.Ed
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  • hubel458
    I always felt that if some company would make powders like 7383
    available it would be great. 7383 ignites fine with regular
    shotgun primers in 12ga, but it is surplus and only a few of
    us have it.It is a powder that has a lot of the deterrent inside
    the of the material, not all near the outside like 99% of
    all other powders whether spherical, tubular, or flake.
    This allows easier ignition, but yet the deterrent still can
    control the speed. Well the new RE-17 just out for 2 days
    is setup like that. The surface of the RE-17 grains is
    more porous than RE15, so that fact allows better ignition
    even though a slower powder, and along with fact that company
    got most deterent inside it still regulates speed.
    Today I fired with regular REM and WIN primers in
    plastic and RMC cases, a whole bunch of loads of RE-17,
    with no hesitation or squibs or misfires. Loads ranged from
    437 gr slugs to 750gr slugs today. All loads burnt clean
    and I got in RMC case one of RG's 715gr jkt slugs to 2300
    with 160 gr of RE-17. Using plastic you must have a strong
    roll crimp with slug and wads tight.....Whoopee....Ed
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  • hubel458
    I shot couple loads with regular primer with RE-17
    and 1040 gr slug in 12GA FH NEF, and it does great.
    tested loads that were cooled outside a while.Perfect ignition.
    I fired loads RE-17 8ga plastic,in my 8GA FH on new NEF long
    heavy barrel that was a 10 ga and RE-17 is great. No hesitation,
    it fires off as good in 8ga as the 4759. Remember
    I couldn't get good ignition in 8g with 4227, but so far
    RE-17 is magic. In 8 ga all it would hold under the 8ga REM
    wadcup with 770 gr slug is 200 gr of RE-!7, with the
    wadcup pressed down, compressed real hard,good crimp,
    and it really bellers.2400 plus.Going by case
    expansion about 20k pressure. Which don't bother
    those one piece compression molded super strong
    8ga REM cases. You must have real tight proper
    roll crimp in plastic cases and good tight
    taper crimp or rolled in crimp in groove
    in the brass cases. In RMC brass I size it so slugs
    have to be shoved in with press.

    And this RE-17 doesn't break up the kernels when powder
    gets to a certain point, like the 7383 does, causing burning
    rate to speed up more than what it was designed for.
    I tested 7383 in my 700HE, and when up to 35-40k it's
    pressure went up fast, much more than linear progression.
    I still like 7383 at shotgun pressures, but I really like
    RE-17.Just pour case full and shoot with lighter slugs.

    Ok- for those who want to get into the 12GA FH and get
    the long strong 3.85 inch cases Rob on AR got some made,
    you can email him to get some- garnickrob@aol.com
    He can also tell you where to get reamer.Ed.
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  • hubel458
    Here is picture of another fellas work on AR forum,
    of NEF 12GA FH, factory thumbhole stock
    and a brake he built, with wide slots in top and round
    ports on the sides. He is testing heavy slugs.Ed




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  • hubel458
    Here's picture of solid turned 12ga slugs that Rob makes.
    They are flat on one end and hollowpoint on other.
    They can be shot either direction. Aluminum ones
    are 346gr, brass 1080gr........If you need any
    contact him. He, RIP, and others on AR are testing
    them with different powders. I have gotten similiar brass
    ones to 1900 in NEF with RMC case, with
    140 gr the new RL-17. Ed

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  • hubel458
    Heavy brass slug testing
    RIP'S components in first picture-
    15gr Blue Dot starter, thin plastic separator,
    230gr HBMG, thin plastic under slug,
    and 1087gr brass slug; in a RMC 3.5"
    brass case, fired in his great looking,
    braked NEF 12ga FH Ultra, got him
    1812 fps average. Barrel and brake
    are 27" total length. Great work. Ed

    100_1883.jpg

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  • hubel458
    One of our testers, Bret in MN, got the BPI Sabot with
    500gr Hornady .500 slug up to the good speed listed
    on BPI"s loading sheet, using shotgun powders. I could
    get them there with my loads using much larger amounts
    of rifle powders. He tested 3.5" Federal plastic cases in
    his Savage 210 with 3.5" chamber and the 28" heavy barrel
    he put on. With 50gr of Longshot(max load for all modern
    guns) he got 2550 fps, with 500gr in sabot. He use two
    BPGS gas seals fitted together over the powder, then
    a FS12 Flexseal wad, then a 1/4" cork wad, then the sabot.

    Then a good strong roll crimp with drill/drillpress crimper.
    This load is at mag shotgun pressures by case expansion
    measurements and BPI's 46gr load tested at 12,500 psi.
    He also did one with one BPGS and two Flexseals and had
    200 fps less.He had tried other combinations seals/wads
    and with same amount of powder and got lower yet.
    He also went up with the powder, with seal/wads that worked
    the best and got about 3000 fps, but the plastic cases
    stuck and wouldn't eject easy. I will be testing same
    seal and wad column in a few days, in my NEF with long
    barrel to compare results.I thank Bret, he is a real
    good experimenter and idea man. Everybody is trying
    like crazy to get that 500gr saboted slug up to big
    game gun velocities with shotgun powder and thanks to
    BPI"s supply of the right components it has happened.Ed
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  • hubel458
    Rob on AR is building a 12GA FH double on a Zabala Double
    10 gauge frame. It has the Greener crossbolt. He cut off
    barrels to make a 4" long monoblock double to screw a
    pair of heavy 12ga rifled Pacnor barrels into. He reamed out
    monoblock section and threaded it. His barrels are
    1.116" at the breach, .97" at muzzle and 22" total length.
    Barrels threaded into monoblock with a 15/16" x 32 thread.
    In the pics it is partly done and he will put in the ribs
    and integral sight rib and regulate for accuracy.
    It will be about 14.5 lbs when done he says.Ed

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  • hubel458
    Some more BPI seal and sabot testing.
    First of all both Bret and I have heavy tight fit barrels
    and his barrel on the Savage is faster twist so it took
    him 50 gr of Longshot to get what BPI got with
    looser barrels and slow twist at 46 gr of Longshot.
    For non heavy barreled guns only go to 46 gr.
    I did a bunch of tests in my NEF long barrel with long
    chamber. My store didn't have any 500gr .500" XTP slugs
    so I used some 420gr .512" dia lead Great plains in the
    BPI sabot. Using 2 BPGS powder seals, a BPI Flexseal, a
    cork wad in 3.5" new Federal cases, roll crimped, I got
    2800 fps with 420gr slug. I tried 4 other powder seals,
    2 cards, a Remington, a Win, and a odd one, all with the
    Flexseal and lost velocity. I fixed up my crimper so it would
    roll the plastic down and over inside edge of sabot, as before
    it would turn plastiC in too sharp and get some of the crimp
    outside the sabot top. If sabot was too low so that the plastic
    crimp went clear down to the slug I got high pressure signs.
    I also did same loads in used 3.5" REM cases ok.
    Now, I thought I should have more velocity, so I swaged the
    .512" 420GR slug down to .500" like they say the sabot is for,
    AND I GOT OVER A 120 FPS MORE. Everytime. I also used
    Alliant Steel powder and got all the same results, using
    60gr. It is easier on cases. I also substituted the doubled up
    BPGS powder seals and the Flexseal with 520gr Lyman in
    place of the seal and cushion on the WW12 wadcup the Lyman
    fits in, with some RL-17 loads, of 150gr, and got over 200fps more
    that the original WW12 wadcup gave with the Lyman.

    Velocity secret is to have the perfect sealing setup with
    slug/sabot combo that is NOT too tight. Only tight enough
    to get accuracy. The cork seems to protect the sabot
    base ok on the shotgun powder loads, and not needed
    on the RL-17 loads, which is a easier accelerating powder
    and without cork helps make room for the RE-17. I think I
    will get increases in the brass RMC cases, with RE-17, with
    the BPGS doubled and a Flexseal in place of cards and wads.
    We will know soon.Ed
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  • hubel458
    Here is picture of the breach of 8ga FH NEF with
    case in it, to show that the gun is strong enough
    for 8ga. I was a 10ga NEF. Has 29" effective barrel
    length, and the internal expansion step at muzzle
    for the ports that stops muzzle climb and reduces
    recoil. Which along with thick pad and thumbhole
    stock makes for easy shooting.Ed

    8inef.jpg
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  • hubel458
    Here is picture of a 12ga size drawn brass case that was
    made back in the 80s. Case is for the CAWS weapon system.
    Case is belted, and it and the gun operated at 25,000 psi.
    Its bore size is between 12 and 10 ga size, but the od of
    the drawn case would let it start in 12ga chambers, so
    they added belt so it couldn't go all the way in
    to regular shotguns. Notice the thick sides and corner
    near the base.Heavy enough for 25,000 psi. They loaded
    it with big buckshot and test other projectiles also.
    They had a plastic card over shot and filler and rolled
    over brass mouth for crimp. Ed

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  • hubel458
    Here is picture of a NEF breach barrel section that I threaded
    monoblock style for a .585" cal barrel, to make a NEF 585HE.
    It goes on a SB2 10-12ga alloy, super strong frame. Its
    OD is 1.210" and the barrel that screws into it will be tapered
    to match contour and it will be 1.00" at muzzle, at 32" long.
    I know these are strong enough as my 8GA FH testing shows..
    Later will do couple more with heavy barrels for 28GA FH, etc,
    as all the break action 28 gauges I've looked at have too
    thin of muzzles for our slower, powder loads.I'll have 3 of these
    that fit one SB2 frame I have here.This makes switch barrels
    big power fun.Ed.

    nefmono.jpg
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  • hubel458
    I fired mono-blocked NEF this week with a 585HE 32"
    barrel and the gun is weighted to 15 lbs. Thick pad.
    I have cone breech as this case is belted with thick base.
    I'll have a pic of gun later. Gun is still tight after testing.
    I can take out cases with my fingers as they don't stick.
    First 650gr, with no extractor. The HBMG, WC-860,AA8700,
    Retumbo, Magpro, RE25, W-780 loads come out of the chamber,
    with my fingers.If I tip gun up they fall out.
    Top speed with RE25 and W-780 is over 2400. Now I knew what
    to load them at because I have tested this case in 3 other guns.
    I have all the different powders and bullets tested.
    This is example of a case extracting easy,
    due to proper side taper that my 585 has....Ed
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  • hubel458
    Here is a picture of the Zabala that was a 10ga double,
    that Rob has monoblocked in heavy rifled barrels, showing
    the quarter sight rib he has made, fitted to the gun.
    He has it chambered for 12GA FH long case.
    Really beautiful work and gun.Ed

    DSC_0362.JPG
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  • hubel458
    I found odd steel block with a square cornered
    1.0" by 1.5" hole through it. It solves a big
    machining problem for me in doing a 4bore.
    And I happen to have some 1" by 1.5" steel.
    The rest of machining I can do, and I have
    the levers, hammer, trigger, etc. But the parts
    and layout are not going to copy the Wickcliff.
    To many problems with all the parts riding on the
    breachblock and the crowded stubby extractor.
    Will be my own design with hammer and
    trigger behind breachblock. An extractor similiar
    to Ruger and its shape a cross between WIN 1885
    and a Farquarson.In pic you can see drawn outline
    on the block of the shape it will have.ED

    stblb.jpg
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  • hubel458
    Here is the finished NEF mono-blocked gun with
    the 585 barrel, 32" long, 1 to 22 twist.
    Chambered for my 585HE belted case.
    I used a SB2 10ga action which is same as the 12ga
    Ultra actions.I cut it off to make a 4" long monoblock.
    and threaded it 1 inch by 14tpi. I'm going to do extra
    ones 28GA FH,others.. My 585 is best 585,as the info will
    show. I have a 45-70 extractor coming to rework for it.
    I am firing first bunchs of test loads without
    an extractor, and loads with 650 gr bullets at 2450 and
    750 gr bullets at 2250 didn't need the extractor. They
    come out with my fingers. Over 8000 ft lbs.I got thumbhole
    stock now, because those with higher velocities of 2-400fps more,
    were harder to hold on to grip. Trigger guard banged the fingers.
    And higher velocity cases come out with a pry from my thumbnail.
    Here is picture of rear of gun and the fixins(bullets/cases).
    You see a fired case in the chamber, and I have cone breach
    setup so that case is in same relationship to chamber as it
    is in my three 585HE bolt guns. And is why I can get cases
    out with my fingers.OR tip gun up. The hairier loads of
    650 at 2650, 750 at 2450 is 10,000 ft lbs. Ed

    nef585.jpg
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  • shootlow
    O.K. i have to ask just how bad does that thing slap the hell out of ya [:D] I have never been recoil shy but damn that thing looks like it would hurt you
    how much does it weigh [?]
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  • hubel458
    It is 15 lbs with thumbhole stock now,
    and a real thick soft pad.Don't kick bad.
    Here's pic of my to be 4bore falling block with
    the block to be the breech setting in the hole.
    Breach needs trough on the top yet, but now
    it is done for exact width and height and the
    bottom recess and link hookup is done, since
    the picture was taken..Ed

    stbl.jpg
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  • hubel458
    The falling block is coming along. I'm not copying my
    first models that were a scale up of the Wickcliff.
    Complete new design, mainly in shape and type of stock
    used, the bridge and reciever setup, and trigger/hammer
    behind the block. Block will have no curved outside
    shapes, front to back. Pics soon with the stock......

    Used wadcutter style 8ga slug made by cutting off part
    of a long nosed one in picture, in my 8ga with RE-17
    powder.. Over 2300 fps. Slug is a zinc slug from kiln
    gun factory load. With nose cut back and hollow I put
    in the base it was 800 gr. It had a .20" wadcutter nose
    on it.Good tribute to Elmer. The other ones in picture,
    just with nose cut off and solid base and is 870 gr.Ed

    8z.jpg
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  • hubel458
    Another couple months maybe 4bore will fire.Just have a
    chunk of shaft on front to simulate barrel to
    get a stock fit.Got to profile barrel, thread barrel,
    fit in hammer,trigger, couple bottom bolts into action,
    design and mount extractor.. some springs, firing pin, etc.
    May change/lengthen fulcrum on lever so it doesn't have to
    move so far. Lever is held closed by little feramic magnet
    in grip. Lever stays open due to weight of breach
    block.Block moves smooth, no rattling around.
    Rob- Guys-,I need some Vulcan V-50 thumbhole laminated stocks.
    If there are any used extra ones around let me know.
    This way of doing a FB in one piece thumbhole stock will work
    for 12GA FH with an action 1/4" narrower.ED

    hufbc.jpg

    hufbt.jpg
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  • hubel458
    Here is picture of 4bore/ga action with lever open and
    breach down.You see bottom of breach block.The action
    and barrel will be held in stock with 2 bolts into bottom
    of action one bolt in barrel ahead of action and a recoil
    barrel ring in front end of stock. Didn't have to add
    any recoil lugs, as the wide back of the action is
    the recoil lug. This is now called the Hubel Falling
    Block Action. Second picture is of the 4bore cases
    and 2000gr slugs, with 20mm case I make 4bore/ga cases
    from and the 30-06 for comparison.Ed

    hufbo.jpg

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  • hubel458
    Here is picture of the 12ga wad column using two
    BPI BPGS seals, Flexseal and sabot. Bret in
    MN has, in a long heavy rifled barreled Savage
    like mine, gotten 28-3000 fps with a 500 gr XTP bullet
    in the sabot with a 3.5" plastic case. And it extracts
    ok with the Savage bolt action extractor.
    He is using slow shotgun powder, Alliant Steel.I can't
    get that high in my NEF 12GA FH and make the
    extractor work with the shot gun powder loads.
    I get 28-2900, max amount much slower RE17 with 420gr
    slug in the sabot.The case shown was fired with
    RE17 load like that....Ed

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  • hubel458
    Here is picture of NEF I've set up with my
    700H 3.25" belted case to show the versatility
    of NEFs and my 700. The 700 cal barrel monoblocked
    like I did the 585HE. I put monblocked barrel on
    the same SB2 frame that I have my 12GA FH on as
    it has the beefed up firing pin for big primers
    use in our 12GA FH case and in my 700H case.

    Other projects coming.I found a heavy 16ga barrel
    to monoblock in one to test the 16GA FH cartridge
    I made. It is the 3.5" brass case mentioned
    earlier in the thread.

    Also a bunch of us are going to take 500 S&W
    NEFs and put my 499 HE case in them, with just a
    chamber job. It is a case that will get the zip
    in 500gr slugs. NEFs are great guns to experiment
    with and along with reasonable costs, we don't
    have to worry about case length. Ed

    nef700h.jpg
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