7.62×40mm Wilson Tactical | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Type | Rifle | |||||||||||||||||||
Place of origin | United States | |||||||||||||||||||
Production history | ||||||||||||||||||||
Designer | Wilson Combat | |||||||||||||||||||
Designed | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||
Specifications | ||||||||||||||||||||
Parent cartridge | 5.56×45mm NATO | |||||||||||||||||||
Case type | Rimless, bottleneck | |||||||||||||||||||
Bullet diameter | .308 in (7.8 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
Base diameter | .377 in (9.6 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
Rim diameter | .378 in (9.6 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
Rim thickness | .045 in (1.1 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
Case length | 1.565 in (39.8 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
Rifling twist | 1-12" | |||||||||||||||||||
Primer type | Small rifle | |||||||||||||||||||
Ballistic performance
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Test barrel length: 20" for the 110gr Sierra HP, 16" for all others Source(s): http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Wilson-Combat-Custom-Ammunition/products/414/ |
The 7.62×40mm Wilson Tactical (7.62×40mm WT) is a centerfire rifle cartridge introduced in 2011 by Wilson Combat. The goal was to produce an accurate, low-recoil .30-caliber cartridge that could be used in AR-15/M4 rifles using as many standard components as possible.
Design[]
The 7.62×40mm WT is based off the 7.62x40mm wildcat cartridge, the shoulder of the WT was moved .003" forward and the throat was made .001" larger to accommodate mass-production tolerances but stay within the tolerance of the original reloading die tooling of the 7.62x40mm. The parent case (5.56×45mm NATO) is trimmed down to 1.560" and is re-sized with a 7.62×40mm WT sizing die. The overall case length after the shortening and re-sizing is 1.565". The cartridge is designed to use .308" diameter bullets in weights of 110 to 150 grains, with a standard twist rate of 1-12". Wilson Combat states that heavier bullets can be used in a barrel with a 1-8" twist rate for subsonic loads.
Cartridge use[]
The 7.62×40mm WT is designed for both tactical/defense rifles and for hunting medium-sized game. In tactical applications, the 110gr Barnes TTSX bullet can be used to penetrate tough barriers, while the soft-point and hollow-point bullets provide reliable terminal performance on soft tissue.[1] In hunting applications, the 7.62×40mm WT delivers slightly more energy than the 7.62×39mm and is similar to the 6.8 SPC[2] and .30-30 Winchester, making it useful for game such as deer and feral hogs.
Firearms chambered for 7.62×40mm WT[]
Since the 7.62×40mm WT is based upon the 5.56mm NATO, the only required modification to AR-15/M4 rifles currently chambered for 5.56mm NATO or .223 Remington is a new barrel. Wilson Combat offers barrels and complete upper receiver sets, with barrel lengths offered in 11.3", 16", 18", and 20".[3]
Cartridge availability[]
Wilson Combat currently (2011) offers custom loaded 7.62×40mm WT ammunition with bullet weights of 110gr and 125gr, but the cartridge can also be hand-loaded using new brass available from Wilson Combat, or by using 5.56mm NATO or .223 Remington brass and the appropriate sizing/forming dies, also available from Wilson Combat.
See also[]
References[]
The original article can be found at 7.62×40mm Wilson Tactical and the edit history here.