Wildcat · Wildcat
.219 Donaldson Wasp
The .219 Donaldson Wasp is a benchrest wildcat cartridge developed by Harvey Donaldson around 1946, formed by fire-forming the .219 Zipper case to a sharper 45-degree shoulder with minimum body taper.
- Caliber
- 0.224″ · 5.69 mm
- Introduced
- 1946
- Case
- Rimmed
- Parent
- .219 Zipper
- Primary use
- benchrest_competition, varmint_hunting, target_shooting
- Status
- Obsolete
- Introduced
- 1946
- Type
- Wildcat
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Harvey Donaldson
- Manufacturer
- Harvey Donaldson
- Standard
- Wildcat
- Status
- Obsolete
- Availability
- Handload Only
- Case capacity
- 24 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:14
- Primer
- Large Rifle
- Case type
- Rimmed
- Max pressure
- 25,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 300 yd
- Recoil
- 5–8 ft·lb
Ballistics
Velocity only, no drag model: no published ballistic coefficient is on file for .219 Donaldson Wasp, so this is the shape gravity alone gives the advertised velocity. Drag would steepen it. The tool below solves real loads through their published G1 or G7 model.
Open in Ballistic Compare- Parent case
- .219 Zipper
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
Wikipedia · secondary source| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 5.69 | 0.224 | · |
| Neck ⌀ | 6.35 | 0.250 | · |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 10.31 | 0.406 | · |
| Shoulder angle | 30° | — | · |
| Base ⌀ | 10.57 | 0.416 | · |
| Rim ⌀ | 12.85 | 0.506 | · |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.60 | 0.063 | · |
| Neck length | 8.03 | 0.316 | ≈ |
| Case length | 44.45 | 1.750 | · |
| Overall length | 57.15 | 2.250 | · |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .219 Donaldson Wasp is highlighted below.
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Harvey Donaldson was a pioneering benchrest shooter and gun writer who published extensively on accuracy testing methodology in the 1940s and 1950s. His Wasp cartridge was formed by chambering .219 Zipper brass in a tighter chamber and fire-forming to sharpen the shoulder. In accurate single-shot custom rifles, the Wasp consistently produced sub-half-MOA groups — exceptional for the era. The cartridges influence extended to the later PPC family, as short-fat case geometry principles Donaldson explored were refined by later designers.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .219 Donaldson Wasp use?
- .219 Donaldson Wasp typically uses a 1:14 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .219 Donaldson Wasp?
- .219 Donaldson Wasp uses a 0.224″ (5.69 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .219 Donaldson Wasp still in production?
- .219 Donaldson Wasp is obsolete; typical availability is handload only.
- What is .219 Donaldson Wasp used for?
- .219 Donaldson Wasp is primarily used for benchrest_competition, varmint_hunting, target_shooting.
- What is .219 Donaldson Wasp based on?
- .219 Donaldson Wasp is derived from the .219 Zipper case.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →