Handgun · Wildcat
7mm TCU
The .223 Remington necked up to 7mm, the most popular of the TCU wildcats for the Contender..
- Caliber
- 0.284″ · 7.214 mm
- Introduced
- 1980
- Case
- Rimless
- Parent
- .223 Remington
- Primary use
- Hunting
- Status
- Wildcat
- Introduced
- 1980
- Type
- Handgun
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Wes Ugalde
- Manufacturer
- Handloaded only (wildcat; no factory ammunition)
- Standard
- Wildcat
- Status
- Wildcat
- Availability
- Rare
- Case capacity
- 33.5 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:10
- Primer
- Small Rifle
- Case type
- Rimless
- Max pressure
- 55,000 psi, SAAMI transducer
- Eff. range
- 200 yd
- Max range
- 4000 yd
- Recoil
- 4.2–4.6 ft·lb
Ballistics
Velocity only, no drag model: no published ballistic coefficient is on file for 7mm TCU, 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
- .223 Remington
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.
reloading data · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 7.21 | 0.284 | · |
| Neck ⌀ | 7.87 | 0.310 | · |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 9.37 | 0.369 | · |
| Shoulder angle | 40° | — | ~ |
| Base ⌀ | 9.55 | 0.376 | · |
| Rim ⌀ | 9.60 | 0.378 | · |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.14 | 0.045 | · |
| Neck length | 6.43 | 0.253 | ≈ |
| Case length | 44.70 | 1.760 | · |
| Overall length | 67.95 | 2.675 | ~ |
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. 7mm TCU is highlighted below.
Suitable powders
5 reloading powders listed for 7mm TCU, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →
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
The 7mm TCU was introduced in 1980 by Wes Ugalde, based on the .223 Remington case.
FAQs
- What twist rate does 7mm TCU use?
- 7mm TCU typically uses a 1:10 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is 7mm TCU?
- 7mm TCU uses a 0.284″ (7.214 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is 7mm TCU still in production?
- 7mm TCU is wildcat; typical availability is rare.
- What is 7mm TCU used for?
- 7mm TCU is primarily used for hunting.
- What is 7mm TCU based on?
- 7mm TCU is derived from the .223 Remington case.
- What are the best powders for 7mm TCU?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for 7mm TCU include N120, N130, Vihtavuori N133, N135, among 5 suitable options.
Sources & provenance
- Manufacturer Hornady Handbook obsolete cartridge data — 7mm TCU · parent_cartridge
- Reference Gun Digest Books (Krause) — Cartridges of the World · grain weights, bullet ⌀, velocity
- Secondary Wikipedia (pointer) — Thompson/Center Ugalde · bullet ⌀, parent_cartridge archived
- Secondary Handloader Magazine (Wolfe Publishing) — 7mm TCU · grain weights, bullet ⌀, parent_cartridge, velocity archived
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →
