by wildcatter » Tue Jun 07, 2011 4:09 pm
Stealthshooter,
Not to throw water on your project, because we need all this kind of thinking we can get.
If you put the wsm cartridge on the bolt face, you'll get your answer. It's just too big in diameter, for the standard Ar15bolt. If you rebate the rim enough, to make it work, then the bolt just travels over the case and jams into the middle/side of the new case, causing a catastrophic failure. As it is, the wolf-com guys report this kind of failure all the time () and in the same breath sing the accolades of their junk pile. The wsm case has an even worst relationship, between the case width and whatever you decide the new rim should be, than what the wolf-com guys have.
Something else, one of the major reasons that the wolf-com guys can only do 35,000 psi-MAP is because they don't have enough metal surrounding the cartridge (a problem we don't have and hence why 55,000 psi loads can work for the 450b, provided you have all your other ducks in a safety-row-Not to be tried at home, I have a lab) and with the wsm case you've got to take .020" more out of the chamber, and this when the pressures are at their most critical. So, unless you've got an iron-clad idea to deal with this and the ton of other issues that will pop up, then a standard AR15 is going to be plenty tough.
Now, having said all that, let's get your dream up and running.
First keep in mind that the AR has been chambered in every cartridge and the 20mm cannon round is the end of that line as far as I know. The only reason we've not seen a 105mm on that frame is because I haven't built it yet, but if you can give me a minute or two, I think I can rectify that problem.
So, you can use your cartridge and it's getting to be a cult favorite these days, you've just got to pick an action large enough to sport a larger bolt, then you'll need a bigger carrier, and on and on..
Good luck and I hope you build it..
..t
Safety First..t