Wildcat Cartridge Series - 285 OKH

[Jay Edward (deceased)]

The information that goes with this cartridge is inaccurate!

I made one of these up on a Sako L-61 action and it performed wonderfully! Too wonderfully, as a matter of fact. A friend (back in the 80s) got it off me to use for serious Antelope and Sheep hunting. I made it up with a Niedner buttplate and grip cap. The stock was 'Classic' and it had some sort of scope on it (I can't remember right now). It would easily shoot small groups at 300 yards and the recoil was not bad... even with a steel buttplate.

The information that is 'wrong' is in regard to the "...these cartridges hold about 2 grains less powder than the 280 Remington...". The chambers for the true .285 OKH are long throated to accept the 165 grain and 175 grain bullet loaded out so that the base of the bullet is even with the base of the neck. The 280 Remington does not have this feature. This may be because the author did not take the trouble to find out how the OKH series was originally designed.

The only difference between my chambering and the original OKH is the interior brass tube and the fact that the original bullets were .288 diameter. I traded Keith out of some of these bullets (for keepsake) but I cannot find them now. I believe I still have the letter from him with regard to these bullets but the story can be found in his book dealing with cartridges.