Wildey Guns, makers of the gas operated Wildly pistol, appear to have gone out of business sometime within the past year. Their phone has a message saying that they have "suspended operations", emails sent to them are bouncing and their last website was lasted update in August of last year.
It is always sad to see a gun company closing.
[ Many thanks to Michael for the tip. ]
Does anyone know what GRADE of stainless that was used for the SLIDE? ,mine needs a little welding done ,and from my understanding you can only weld a few grades of steel
0 
0im interested in obtaining the operation as i have designed a high capacity version the the frame three years ago and will market the high capacity frame in 9mm and 10 mm magnum frames, let me know if anyone has info on getting the operations of the companiy and how i can get in touch with the owners of the business.
0 0I am in desperate need of a barrel extension for a Wildey 45 win mag. I really like the gun but can’t find parts anywhere.
0 0I will take 650.00 plus cost of shipping.
0 0I believe it is DT304. It all can be welded it just has a certain way it has to be done. Heated before welding and retreated after machining to keep it from cracking.
0 0I have an 8″ 475 that I am likely going to sell off. I have dies (lyman) and brass for it as well.
Been thinking of getting the 10″ barrel instead, as I hear they are more reliable for the gas action… but, those are in VERY short supply these days.
Time will tell.
0 0would like to have someone send me specs or let me buy a 475 off of them to get specs of parts to fit my high capacity frame version to thier 475 wildey slide and top half , i have redesigned the fram with beavertail style grip frame and integrated a mag well in the lower frame design along with a lot bttr grade cpm steel that was cold hammerd forged bar sock using edm and cnc machining, frame loks better than original , will give new frame design for trial in trade for loan for specs of all parts, also increased grade of steel for all parts using cpm crucible steel.
0 0Dwight is your gun in good working order? No cracks in barrel extension or slide? If so I would be very interested and would like to know what you want for it.
0 0What are looking to get for it?
0 0what are you asking for it?
0 0Roy, drop me a line with what you want for the Wildey
Jim
ddistaso2@comcast dot net
0 0Parts;
Good luck in getting parts as I have tried since June 2009 and no one answers the telephone, responds to e-mails or faxes.
As a gun collector, shooter, reloader and supporter of gun manufacturers it would be courteous and honorable to let owners of Wildey products know the situation.
The message on their answering machine keeps cranking out the same message and no one calls back so I have finally given up and now own a 45 Winchester Magnum Wildey that is worthless.
Thanks Wildey! Glad to see you go.
0 0Jeff what are you asking for the 475? contact me@hezik1@windstream.net
0 0We’ll see.
The devil is in the details.
ed
0 0I would think there would be a market for them. Everyone that looks at my Wildey quickly say they want it. Are you going to start building them?
0 0Bob do want to sell it as parts?
0 0hey does anyone have or know where I can buy a 475 slide? If not I have a 475 wildey that will be a parts gun minus the slide. thanks
0 0Hey I could not find any parts for my wildey .475 (slide broke). So I am going to part it out. it is the ten inch barrel. everything else on it is in great condition. I have tried many times to find parts no other choice.
0 0Roy, I am looking for a barrel extension for my .475. I understand you are parting out your firearm. Would you still have the barrel extension for sale? If so, can you give me the particulars. Thanks.
0 0Let’s hope they’ll get back in business again… I’m in desperate need of a barrel extension, and I’ve tried everything to find this part, no luck 
Maybe if somebody knows an address where to get, please contact me:
wild475@hotmail.com
0 0I’m interested in buying a broken/in need of repair Wildey.
I would like a 475, but not necessary. Ideally I find one with a barrel related issue, but thats not carved in stone either.
If there is any interest in selling or parting one out, send me an email.
Jim
0 0I have some 45 Win Mag ammo ,would like to sell ,or Trade for 475 Wildey Mag.
0 0I have a Wildey 475 Magnum Pin Gun with a 10″ barrell. Excellent condition. First $1400 buys it. NO known issues. NO ammo or casings.
0 0i would like a wildey in 45 but is it 45 automag or winmag? and any idea where one is 315 348 6454
0 0Email sent to purchase Ammo -Just sent the payment ifo to you -thanks Ron
0 0The reply to purchase the 475 ammo from John ,just to clarify.Hopefully
0 0Ron, I’ll buy the 475 ammo if still avail. James Eggen.
0 0sorry James ammo is sold
0 0Well I have to say this has been a very interesting string of comments on the state of Wildey affairs. Hopefully, I can keep this going at least for a little while.
My Issue: I have very recently acquired a .475 Wildey Survivor with 8″ barrel from a friend of mine who passed away. Upon disassembly and inspection, I noticed a through crack in the barrel extension on the right backside cutout for the bolt lock bar. It cracked through a web of metal about 1/8″ by 1/8″. I am rapidly becoming aware that parts support (or any other support from Wildey) will not be forthcoming. So my plan is to either; (a) acquire the necessary barrel extension part via a parts gun, or (b), weld the defect.
I’ve seen that a previous poster mentioned DT304 SS as being the material, and a pre-heat / post-heat treatment will be needed to complete the repair. Would any of the membership on this forum know of a craftsman who could perform this repair? And how viable could / would this repair be to the longevity of this firearm? I’ve also noticed a few posters have mentioned having parts guns for sale. Could any of you gents please email me with what you have that could help at: alevenite@hotmail.com.
0 0I’m sad to hear that Wildey has suspended operation. I’m the proud and happy owner of a matched pair of Survivors (10″ bbl) with consecutive serial numbers below 1000. They’re .45 Win mag. The pistols reside in a walnut presentation case along with the six magazines that go with them.
I was hoping to get the components I need to also shoot the .44 automag, but it now looks like that can’t happen.
Does anyone have a contact for Will and Linda? They were very kind and helpful when my original pair of Survivors was stolen, along with several other firearms, cameras and tools.
The Wildeys fit my hands perfectly. I’m blessed (or cursed, depending on your view) with large hands. Even my H&K SOCOM fits comfortably.
I kind of have this fantasy about contacting Wildey and seeing what can be done to resurrect the operation
0 0New Prices on Factory 45 Win Mag ammo $85 per 100 * Free Shipping * Have Hollowpoints & FMC
0 0370 rounds 230 gr hardball , 150 rds 250gr HP ,4 Boxes of 25 per bx Winchester Super X 260 gr Jacketed HP , 3 Bx of 25 per bx Win Partition Gold 260 gr HP ,13 bx of 50 per bx Win super X 230 gr Fmc ,All this factory ammo is .75 per bullet plus ship. Also have a few hundred rds 230 gr jacketed and hardball reloads very sweet shooting .55 each.Leave me an email or contact number if you want to buy any ,
0 0@ Ron “have some 45 Win Mag ammo ,would like to sell ,or Trade for 475 Wildey Mag.”
i might be interested in some 45 win mag ammo. price and details?
0 0I too am looking to buy a small amount of ammo For my .475 Wildey Magnum. I would like to shoot it a couple times before letting it go. jjeggen63@hotmail.com
0 0I was going to load some ammo soon , for my 475 10 inch . Anyone have better functioning & reliability using either 230 gr full metal jacket or 265 gr hollowpoint bullets and favorite powder / load data. Still wanting to trade some 45 Win Mag ammo for 475 if anyone is interested.
0 0Anyone have some 475 Brass , bullets ,or loaded ammo for sale please let me know
0 0I found 1 box (50rds.) of loaded 475 Wildey Mag 265gr. JSP ammo in the back of my safe. Mfg. by Perfect Circle. I had sold my gun many years ago and thought all the ammo & brass went with it. I will take $50 + shipping for it.
Anyone interested drop me a line. m4scout@gmail.com
0 0Money is on the way – thanks John ,I really appreciate the help – Ron
0 0Anyone interested in My wildey .475 Pin Gun. Measures 14″ overall, in great condition can email me for pics and more info $1400. jjeggen63@hotmail.com
0 0Brian, My Wildey 475 pin gun was Made in Cheshire conn. It measures a full 14″ long including the Muzzle Brake. S/N 09-1707 send me your email addy for pictures.
0 0James Eggen Where was your gun made? And do you have any pics.
I have some ammo, but I also have 2 wildeys 475, so Im not too interested in selling any ammo since its so rare to come by.
0 0Do you folks think that there is much of a market for these things? Suppose they were made in some more easily available calibers?
0 0I have a 475 wildey mag 12″. I am looking for a barrel extension or a parts gun.
0 0The Wildy company has been an on again/off again operation almost since it first went into business. It got a lot of attention from the shooting press at first but the problems described by TodC have persisted over the years. A friend bought one of the first produced and his was plagued by a series of functioning problems and broken minor parts. The idea of a semi auto handgun firing powerful rounds has a lot of appeal, but it is a concept hard to turn into a practical user friendly product.
0 0Odd calibers and lets face it, if it doesnt have rails or could be used in old west style shooting, you just took the majority of the market share and made them disinterested.
0 0Tod C, the grip size isn’t really so much a product of the gas system as the large cartridges, right?
Needing to adjust the system between different ammunitions and after cleaning is clearly a disadvantage.
If we ask the question like this then: If these problems are real, why don’t rifles suffer from them?
Putting your thumb on the slide is wrong. Don’t do that. 
The HK P7 uses gas-delayed blowback, not locked breech gas operation.
I suppose the issue with the heated trigger finger could happen with gas operation as well though.
Of course you should never keep your finger inside the trigger guard continously. Only when discharging a bullet. I haven’t shot the P7 so I wouldn’t know how much of an issue this is.
0 0I have a Wildey in .475 Wildey mag, it’s great.
I like it better than my buddy’s Desert Eagles (.44mag and .50ae), it’s much more smooth and the action doesn’t “clang bang” the way a Desert Eagle does. I like large calibers, I love my .500 S&W, but the Desert Eagle’s action gives me a headache when I shoot it.
I admit, I got it because of Death Wish III, for years I thought it was a made up gun. When I found out it was real, I had one about 6 months later.
It shows up in Firefly too, when they get in a fight in a loyalist bar on Victory over the Independents Day and a guy pulls a gun “Them ain’t kosher rules”, the gun is a Wildey.
0 0@Burst – “Why is the Desert Eagle still around? Because it used ammo that was already popular.”
No, because it’s been used in movies that are currently more popular.
0 0@Clodboy: Hahahahaa!! Don’t forget, the purpose-built .454 Casull rounds will have to be made from smelted silver holy crosses or something!
Sad to see Wildey going out of business. There goes another iconic movie gun, riding off into the sunset. Goodbye Automag, goodbye Wildey.. Probably Wildey went bust because there hasn’t been enough Death Wish reruns.
0 0The magnum pistol design that really should have succeeded was Jon Power’s Magmatic, which looked like a giant Colt Woodsman. Prototypes were chambered for the .44 Magnum and .45 Colt.
0 0Wildey’s decision to include a double-action mechanism was truly odd given the fat frame.
The Wildey’s grip size issue is partially due to the fact that it was designed to accept a double-stack magazine for the 9mm Winchester Magnum. The latter and the .45 Winchester Magnum were the original planned chamberings for the Wildey pistol. The cartridges and pistol were effectively created for each other. Wildey’s failure to start production on schedule left Winchester with a lot of ammunition (supposedly a million rounds each) for which there were no firearms to use them. Thompson/Center soon introduced Contender barrels for these, but that did not really fire up a mass demand for the ammunition.
While the 9mm Win Mag variant was never released, the legacy magazine well was large enough to allow for the later introduction of the .475 Wildey Magnum. This was created by cutting down a .284 Winchester cartridge case. While fatter than the .45 Win Mag, the .475 Wildey Magnum could use the same breechface dimensions due to the rebated rim of the parent cartridge case.
0 0I guess my friend isn’t coming.
0 0Lol at the Alucard and Hellsing reference Clodboy. I used to read those in highschool. And yes, I think they would have done a lot better had they chambered it in .44 Mag. As for form, I actually kind of like how the Wildey looks. If I am going to kill a big ugly bear, I want a big ugly gun, just sayin’.
0 0“.44 Mag, .454 Casull, .480 Ruger, .50 AE — all much more common”
Unfortunately, the market for people with hands large enough to use a .454 Casull semi-auto would be even smaller, being essentially limited to shapeshifting British vampires that need that kind of firepower against a bataillon of Nazi vampires and the Vatican’s secret Iscariot division. 
0 0If memory serves, I think the bad guy “the Party Crasher” from “The Hard Way”, with Michael J. Fox and James Woods had one of these.
I don’t see why it would be “dumb looking”. If form follows function, and the function is sound, then it looks good.
I wouldn’t know about the function though.
For those in the know: Why aren’t more handguns gas operated? What is the problem?
0 0This is sad. Hopefully, someone will acquire their operations and continue the line. They filled a small but interesting niche.
0 0Who will supply the guns for Death Wish 57?
0 0This news is less likely to be greeted with “Wildey is out of business?” than it is with “Wait, Wildey was still in business?”
0 0It saddens me when gun makers go out of business, especially the good ones.
0 0True enough, ED.
I think the 21st century will be much more conservative in it’s caliber adoption. we know what works, and what doesn’t, and their reigning calibers in each class.
Why is the Desert Eagle still around? Because it used ammo that was already popular.
0 0Carl asked about problems with gas guns… Of the three gas operated handguns I know of and owned, here are the issues with them:
Wildey
1. Huge grip — I have big hands but other people had trouble holding it.
2. Have to dial-in gas system — Operation was reliable, but first you had to dial in the gas system, which would change based on load, bullet weight and outside temperature. You had to repeat the dial-in process after cleaning. (See the problem?)
Desert Eagle
1. Huge grip — I have big hands but other people had trouble holding it.
2. Limited ammo choices — You have to shoot ammo powerful enough to operate the action.
3. Possibly Unreliable — If you shoot thumb-high, where your thumb rides the slide, this will often keep the Desert Eagle from functioning properly.
HK P7/P13
1. HOT Frame — The section of the frame that handles the gas gets incredibly hot, incredibly fast.
2. Dirty Ammo Issues — Dirty ammo can quickly clog the gas piston tube.
3. Squeeze Safety (for some) — Some people see this as undesirable.
0 0Neat pistols — wonder why they never made one in a common caliber? I mean, .44 Auto Mag, .45 Win Mag, .45 Wildey, and .475 Wildey? That’s what killed the company IMHO. .44 Mag, .454 Casull, .480 Ruger, .50 AE — all much more common (well ‘cept for .480 Ruger).
0 0A few months ago I FINALLY had the money to get a Wildey 8″ barrel in .44 Automag. I wanted a pistol that was cartridge compatible with my custom AR. Couldn’t afford a used Automag even though it’s what I would have preferred. Of course I call Wildey for a lead time and lo and behold got the original message which was they were closed for inventory. And now they say that manufacturing has been “temporarily suspended”. And yeah, I tried every e-mail to no avail.
This bites. So currently the only magnum semi-auto pistols are the Desert Eagle and the new Coonan which should be back on shelves again soon. Problem is they aren’t a .44 Automag. Or even a .45 Win mag.
I understand it’s not a popular round but the bottom line is semi-auto pistols should use semi-auto cartridges. I know why the magnums don’t is because of ammo availability. People can buy the rimmed revolver rounds but even finding .45 Win mag is a pain nevermind the others.
Heck, I’ve been hoping for years that someone would start making L.A.R. Grizzly pistols again. At least if they were currently manufactured I could get a .45 Winmag and convert it to .44 Automag.
*heavy sigh*
0 0El Duderino, you probably have a point but know that it’s not the easiest thing in the world to make a semi-auto pistol feed revolver cartridges.
Shoot a magazine through a DE .44 mag while resting the butt a sandbag and let me know how that goes.
Todd C had it right about reliability.
These obscure cartridges are/WERE reliable in semi-auto handguns
9mm Win mag (.357 mag)
.44 Automag (.44 mag)
10 mm magnum (.41 mag)
The .45 Win mag wasn’t really emulating anything. Perhaps it was trying to be what the .44 Automag was not. That is, popular. But the .45 Win mag is a fine performer on it’s own.
But in the end you are correct. I’m sure that Wildey would have sold more pistols if they offered a model that shot the revolver magnums. Even though it’s not something I would have purchased. But then again, I’m weird.
0 0The deal fell thru on the one I was looking at getting, the gent died about 2 mos.ago. Sad really, as I wanted the pistol for my collection. Still am going to teach his son to shoot (I’m an NRA pistol & rifle instructor) and the boy wants to learn how, his late dad was a good guy, so it’s gonna happen.
Rumor has it that another company is going to re-release the AutoMag if anybody’s interested, they are almost ready to start up, building new tooling, but everything WILL be compatable with the originals, good for me, as I’d really like to have a few more magazines.
When I get a confirmed web address for them, I’ll post it.
uncle albert
0 0Or if anyone knows of anybody looking for a wildey 475 for parts I might be willing to ssell it for parts because frustrated man should have bought the desert eagle 50ae at least can get it new and can get parts and ammo for it.
Albert
0 0Dose anyone know of a compendent weapon smith whi can repair 475 wildey magmums ? I bought one was supposed to be new in box what a joke. First time I fired it the spring piston rod stripped. So I thought I had found someone to repair it I was wrong. Its the 475 wtih 10 inch barrel.
well the gun smith chaarges me 400 to fix it the gun comes back not fixed send it back. had not even fired a round through it after supposed fixed shelve fell out so just got it back. and put the gun together and a piece falls out of it and the gun will no longer even pick up a round. So unless ssomone knows of a compient weapon smith gues I got a very expensive papper wieght. Please if any one can help please email me at tasea@frontiernet,net
thanks
Albert
0 0I am also looking for replacement parts. I have a 45win mag. Anyone have a source for parts?
Thanks
Andrew
aneyman [at] cox [dot] net
0 0I am looking for ammo for a .475 wildey. Would any of you guys that have owned one still have any ammo for sale? Where can I also find factory ammo for this gun?
0 0Hi albert do you still want to part out the wildey. I am looking for a new slide. My slide cracked. If anyone knows where I can get parts, please let me know.
0 0Hello, My name is Jeff and I have a like new (in the original box) Wildey .475 Mag with an 8 inch barrel. I am wanting to sell this very nice pistol. Ploease let me know if anyone is interested. I can provide photos and answer any questions. Jeff
0 0Hi I posted earlier to find a slide for my wildey .475. I checked with a gunsmith it cost around 125.00 to fix it is miner and the gun still shoots and works. I paid 2100 for this gun and I would like to sell it as is first 950.00 takes it. I can send photos of this gun. it is has only fired around 20 rounds. I had the gas adjusment closed to tight and the slide hit the block thus a hair line crack around 1/8 inch. If anyone knows of someone interested let me know thanks.
0 0Todd: Starline makes the brass, and Barnes made the bullets.
0 0I need someone’s help- I’ve had a Wildey 475 with a 12″ barrel for about 10 years but have also experienced ejector problems like Nathan says. Looking to sell it but would like to get it repaired first. Took it apart many years ago but couldn’t get the cam pin removed which I suspect is damaged. Is there anyone who works on these guns and would have parts? I think the gun has only fired about 30 rounds total and it has all necessary reloading dies and comes with plenty of rounds (haven’t counted exactly but 100-200 from what I remember). Have original box and paperwork. Please email brier65 [at] gmail [dot] com if you can help or interested.
0 0Anyone konw where to get replacment parts? My 45 Win Mag has a cracked barrel, liked the gun though.
0 0The grip length on the Griz & the Wildey are about the same, but the thickness of the Wildey grip (double stack for 9mm Mag remember) makes it uncomfortable for all but the largest hands.
Custom grip panels that are thinner would help, if I get the one I’m looking at, that WILL happen.
0 0.454 Casull OAL = 1.77″
.475 Wildey OAL = 1.59″
Less than 2/10ths of an inch will make this thing unshootable? I mean, the Wildey wasn’t exactly built for those folks at or less than the 50th percentile in hand size if ya know what I mean. I always thought they were “cool,” held one at a gun show, and thought “not for me.” And I like my friend’s LAR Grizzly in .357, so maybe it was more than the grip size.
With any firearm, unpopular ammo = unpopular gun (reverse not necessarily true of course). Yes things can change, and the once-unpopular can come back into vogue (.380 ACP anyone?), but I’m not sure these calibers are gonna come back. I wish .44 Automag would come into vogue but we’ll see…
0 0I have an AutoMag, series 180 Pasadena & am currently working on buying a Wildey in .475, which for me is easy on ammo, as I have a rifle in 6.5-284 & suitable dies.
The last version of the Wildey WAS avaliable in .44 AutoMag, & brass is avaliable from Starline, but the physical size of the grip IS a problem for a lot of folks…..I have small hands & I will learn to shoot it if the deal goes thru, but it’s not really as practical a handgun as is the AutoMag.
There WERE 9mm Mag pistols made, but I’ve only seen ONE, & I’ve worked in gunshops for about 12 years.
As far as a practical, high powered semi-auto handgun, the 10MM seems to be the top in a NORMAL sized pistol that can be holster carried.
Also, some states do not permit a semi-auto pistol for hunting, this limited the popularity.
As far as a Desert Eagle, they are a very accurate firearm if it fits your hand, I’d have one even with the large grip except they are ATROCIOUS in the amount of damage they do to the brass……not the most “reloader friendly” pistol out therre !
0 0“Less than 2/10ths of an inch will make this thing unshootable?”
Not unshootable as just plain too long of a grip.
Normal magnum rounds are already a stretch for most people. Why would someone make a grip even longer and be able to sell it to even fewer folks?
Magnum autopistols have been around for a very long time. The length is one of the reasons why you’ve never seen one chambered in .454
I’d say the atomic power of one is the other reason. 
0 0“I wish .44 Automag would come into vogue but we’ll see…”
You and I both. Then I won’t be forced to reload for “Black Sunshine” my .44 AMP AR. (which is ALMOST finished!)
Well, I’ll still reload but to be able to buy ammo would be nice. Waiting for Cor Bon is like waiting for democracy in China.
I’m always hoping that a .44 Automag fan would win Powerball or Mega-millions and decide to produce the pistol again.
I know that’s what I’d do. And it could be a money loser and I wouldn’t care!
0 0I had a 475 and a 45 Wildey and it was the worse gun I’ve ever owned. The gas adjustment wasn’t the problem, it was the feed ramp and the ejection system that didn’t function properly. Most people assume that when their gun fails to function that it was a gas adjustment problem which the story line that the factory pushed. The gas system only controlled the speed of the slide. The gun that I had damaged case rims and it sent nearly every case back at your face with some velocity. The gun would jam at least once every 1-2 clips with the problem usually being related to a failed ejection. Also the last shell case would flip backwards and stay inside the gun. Sometimes if you needed another click on the gas adjustment knob the slide would fail to lock and push the backwards case into the chamber and without a cleaning rod to get it out your day of shooting was over. The magazine follower was too low to provide enough support to get that last case ejected properly. I attempted to fix the gun by machining the ejection port to make it wider and I relaxed the ejector spring. When that failed the last step was to begin machining ejector. I never got to that point because I became fed up when they sold me an 8 inch barrel with a scope base install that broke the vent rib after two shots. The barrel to frame fit of the gun had about 1/8″ of an inch in total up and down place which created 4 inch groups at 25 yards from a rest. Also when I first received the gun the they hadn’t finished the frame totally leaving a rough metal area with the original cast mold finish in place. I gun was a total waste of money. I not all that sad that Wildey went out of business. I hope that someone picks up the 475 Wildey caliber because that was the best thing about the gun.
0 0That’s weird. I spent last summer working in a powdered metal injection moulding factory in Solon Ohio. In addition to making 90% of the internals for the Ruger LCR, we produced a whole bunch of “pre-production” parts for Wildey’s JAWS Viper.
Seriously, if you go look up pictures of that gun, I made slide releases, and a few other parts for it. We didn’t do a whole bunch of production for Wildey, but I recognize a few parts from pictures of the gun.
For some reason, the engineers were always super stoked about the fact that we were making parts for Wildey. Personally, I was more interested in the vast quantities of LCR and LCP internals that we churned out every day.
0 0Crabula, cool!
0 0Didn’t Wildey at one point state that their business was essentially kept alive by re-runs of Death Wish 3?
Somewhat sad to see them follow Bronson into the great beyond… the Wildey was probably the most well thought-out of the oversized semi-autos, but unfortunately also the dumbest-looking.
0 0
I’m sad to hear that Wildey has suspended operation. I’m the proud and happy owner of a matched pair of Survivors (10″ bbl) with consecutive serial numbers below 1000. They’re .45 Win mag. The pistols reside in a walnut presentation case along with the six magazines that go with them.
I was hoping to get the components I need to also shoot the .44 automag, but it now looks like that can’t happen.
Does anyone have a contact for Will and Linda? They were very kind and helpful when my original pair of Survivors was stolen, along with several other firearms, cameras and tools.
The Wildeys fit my hands perfectly. I’m blessed (or cursed, depending on your view) with large hands. Even my H&K SOCOM fits comfortably.
I kind of have this fantasy about contacting Wildey and seeing what can be done to resurrect the operation
Email sent to purchase Ammo -Just sent the payment ifo to you -thanks Ron
The reply to purchase the 475 ammo from John ,just to clarify.Hopefully
Ron, I’ll buy the 475 ammo if still avail. James Eggen.
sorry James ammo is sold
Well I have to say this has been a very interesting string of comments on the state of Wildey affairs. Hopefully, I can keep this going at least for a little while.
My Issue: I have very recently acquired a .475 Wildey Survivor with 8″ barrel from a friend of mine who passed away. Upon disassembly and inspection, I noticed a through crack in the barrel extension on the right backside cutout for the bolt lock bar. It cracked through a web of metal about 1/8″ by 1/8″. I am rapidly becoming aware that parts support (or any other support from Wildey) will not be forthcoming. So my plan is to either; (a) acquire the necessary barrel extension part via a parts gun, or (b), weld the defect.
I’ve seen that a previous poster mentioned DT304 SS as being the material, and a pre-heat / post-heat treatment will be needed to complete the repair. Would any of the membership on this forum know of a craftsman who could perform this repair? And how viable could / would this repair be to the longevity of this firearm? I’ve also noticed a few posters have mentioned having parts guns for sale. Could any of you gents please email me with what you have that could help at: alevenite@hotmail.com.
New Prices on Factory 45 Win Mag ammo $85 per 100 * Free Shipping * Have Hollowpoints & FMC
Anyone interested in My wildey .475 Pin Gun. Measures 14″ overall, in great condition can email me for pics and more info $1400. jjeggen63@hotmail.com
Brian, My Wildey 475 pin gun was Made in Cheshire conn. It measures a full 14″ long including the Muzzle Brake. S/N 09-1707 send me your email addy for pictures.
James Eggen Where was your gun made? And do you have any pics.
I have some ammo, but I also have 2 wildeys 475, so Im not too interested in selling any ammo since its so rare to come by.
Anyone have some 475 Brass , bullets ,or loaded ammo for sale please let me know
I found 1 box (50rds.) of loaded 475 Wildey Mag 265gr. JSP ammo in the back of my safe. Mfg. by Perfect Circle. I had sold my gun many years ago and thought all the ammo & brass went with it. I will take $50 + shipping for it.
Anyone interested drop me a line. m4scout@gmail.com
Money is on the way – thanks John ,I really appreciate the help – Ron
I was going to load some ammo soon , for my 475 10 inch . Anyone have better functioning & reliability using either 230 gr full metal jacket or 265 gr hollowpoint bullets and favorite powder / load data. Still wanting to trade some 45 Win Mag ammo for 475 if anyone is interested.
370 rounds 230 gr hardball , 150 rds 250gr HP ,4 Boxes of 25 per bx Winchester Super X 260 gr Jacketed HP , 3 Bx of 25 per bx Win Partition Gold 260 gr HP ,13 bx of 50 per bx Win super X 230 gr Fmc ,All this factory ammo is .75 per bullet plus ship. Also have a few hundred rds 230 gr jacketed and hardball reloads very sweet shooting .55 each.Leave me an email or contact number if you want to buy any ,
@ Ron “have some 45 Win Mag ammo ,would like to sell ,or Trade for 475 Wildey Mag.”
i might be interested in some 45 win mag ammo. price and details?
I too am looking to buy a small amount of ammo For my .475 Wildey Magnum. I would like to shoot it a couple times before letting it go. jjeggen63@hotmail.com
I have a Wildey 475 Magnum Pin Gun with a 10″ barrell. Excellent condition. First $1400 buys it. NO known issues. NO ammo or casings.
i would like a wildey in 45 but is it 45 automag or winmag? and any idea where one is 315 348 6454
I have some 45 Win Mag ammo ,would like to sell ,or Trade for 475 Wildey Mag.
would like to have someone send me specs or let me buy a 475 off of them to get specs of parts to fit my high capacity frame version to thier 475 wildey slide and top half , i have redesigned the fram with beavertail style grip frame and integrated a mag well in the lower frame design along with a lot bttr grade cpm steel that was cold hammerd forged bar sock using edm and cnc machining, frame loks better than original , will give new frame design for trial in trade for loan for specs of all parts, also increased grade of steel for all parts using cpm crucible steel.
Dwight is your gun in good working order? No cracks in barrel extension or slide? If so I would be very interested and would like to know what you want for it.
What are looking to get for it?
I have an 8″ 475 that I am likely going to sell off. I have dies (lyman) and brass for it as well.
Been thinking of getting the 10″ barrel instead, as I hear they are more reliable for the gas action… but, those are in VERY short supply these days.
Time will tell.
I believe it is DT304. It all can be welded it just has a certain way it has to be done. Heated before welding and retreated after machining to keep it from cracking.
Does anyone know what GRADE of stainless that was used for the SLIDE? ,mine needs a little welding done ,and from my understanding you can only weld a few grades of steel
im interested in obtaining the operation as i have designed a high capacity version the the frame three years ago and will market the high capacity frame in 9mm and 10 mm magnum frames, let me know if anyone has info on getting the operations of the companiy and how i can get in touch with the owners of the business.
I am in desperate need of a barrel extension for a Wildey 45 win mag. I really like the gun but can’t find parts anywhere.
I will take 650.00 plus cost of shipping.
what are you asking for it?
Roy, drop me a line with what you want for the Wildey
Jim
ddistaso2@comcast dot net
Hey I could not find any parts for my wildey .475 (slide broke). So I am going to part it out. it is the ten inch barrel. everything else on it is in great condition. I have tried many times to find parts no other choice.
Roy, I am looking for a barrel extension for my .475. I understand you are parting out your firearm. Would you still have the barrel extension for sale? If so, can you give me the particulars. Thanks.
Let’s hope they’ll get back in business again… I’m in desperate need of a barrel extension, and I’ve tried everything to find this part, no luck
Maybe if somebody knows an address where to get, please contact me:
wild475@hotmail.com
I’m interested in buying a broken/in need of repair Wildey.
I would like a 475, but not necessary. Ideally I find one with a barrel related issue, but thats not carved in stone either.
If there is any interest in selling or parting one out, send me an email.
Jim
hey does anyone have or know where I can buy a 475 slide? If not I have a 475 wildey that will be a parts gun minus the slide. thanks
Bob do want to sell it as parts?
Parts;
Good luck in getting parts as I have tried since June 2009 and no one answers the telephone, responds to e-mails or faxes.
As a gun collector, shooter, reloader and supporter of gun manufacturers it would be courteous and honorable to let owners of Wildey products know the situation.
The message on their answering machine keeps cranking out the same message and no one calls back so I have finally given up and now own a 45 Winchester Magnum Wildey that is worthless.
Thanks Wildey! Glad to see you go.
Jeff what are you asking for the 475? contact me@hezik1@windstream.net
We’ll see.
The devil is in the details.
ed
I would think there would be a market for them. Everyone that looks at my Wildey quickly say they want it. Are you going to start building them?
Do you folks think that there is much of a market for these things? Suppose they were made in some more easily available calibers?
I have a 475 wildey mag 12″. I am looking for a barrel extension or a parts gun.
Hello, My name is Jeff and I have a like new (in the original box) Wildey .475 Mag with an 8 inch barrel. I am wanting to sell this very nice pistol. Ploease let me know if anyone is interested. I can provide photos and answer any questions. Jeff
Hi I posted earlier to find a slide for my wildey .475. I checked with a gunsmith it cost around 125.00 to fix it is miner and the gun still shoots and works. I paid 2100 for this gun and I would like to sell it as is first 950.00 takes it. I can send photos of this gun. it is has only fired around 20 rounds. I had the gas adjusment closed to tight and the slide hit the block thus a hair line crack around 1/8 inch. If anyone knows of someone interested let me know thanks.
Todd: Starline makes the brass, and Barnes made the bullets.
Hi albert do you still want to part out the wildey. I am looking for a new slide. My slide cracked. If anyone knows where I can get parts, please let me know.
I am looking for ammo for a .475 wildey. Would any of you guys that have owned one still have any ammo for sale? Where can I also find factory ammo for this gun?
The deal fell thru on the one I was looking at getting, the gent died about 2 mos.ago. Sad really, as I wanted the pistol for my collection. Still am going to teach his son to shoot (I’m an NRA pistol & rifle instructor) and the boy wants to learn how, his late dad was a good guy, so it’s gonna happen.
Rumor has it that another company is going to re-release the AutoMag if anybody’s interested, they are almost ready to start up, building new tooling, but everything WILL be compatable with the originals, good for me, as I’d really like to have a few more magazines.
When I get a confirmed web address for them, I’ll post it.
uncle albert
Or if anyone knows of anybody looking for a wildey 475 for parts I might be willing to ssell it for parts because frustrated man should have bought the desert eagle 50ae at least can get it new and can get parts and ammo for it.
Albert
Dose anyone know of a compendent weapon smith whi can repair 475 wildey magmums ? I bought one was supposed to be new in box what a joke. First time I fired it the spring piston rod stripped. So I thought I had found someone to repair it I was wrong. Its the 475 wtih 10 inch barrel.
well the gun smith chaarges me 400 to fix it the gun comes back not fixed send it back. had not even fired a round through it after supposed fixed shelve fell out so just got it back. and put the gun together and a piece falls out of it and the gun will no longer even pick up a round. So unless ssomone knows of a compient weapon smith gues I got a very expensive papper wieght. Please if any one can help please email me at tasea@frontiernet,net
thanks
Albert
I am also looking for replacement parts. I have a 45win mag. Anyone have a source for parts?
Thanks
Andrew
aneyman [at] cox [dot] net
I need someone’s help- I’ve had a Wildey 475 with a 12″ barrel for about 10 years but have also experienced ejector problems like Nathan says. Looking to sell it but would like to get it repaired first. Took it apart many years ago but couldn’t get the cam pin removed which I suspect is damaged. Is there anyone who works on these guns and would have parts? I think the gun has only fired about 30 rounds total and it has all necessary reloading dies and comes with plenty of rounds (haven’t counted exactly but 100-200 from what I remember). Have original box and paperwork. Please email brier65 [at] gmail [dot] com if you can help or interested.
Anyone konw where to get replacment parts? My 45 Win Mag has a cracked barrel, liked the gun though.
I had a 475 and a 45 Wildey and it was the worse gun I’ve ever owned. The gas adjustment wasn’t the problem, it was the feed ramp and the ejection system that didn’t function properly. Most people assume that when their gun fails to function that it was a gas adjustment problem which the story line that the factory pushed. The gas system only controlled the speed of the slide. The gun that I had damaged case rims and it sent nearly every case back at your face with some velocity. The gun would jam at least once every 1-2 clips with the problem usually being related to a failed ejection. Also the last shell case would flip backwards and stay inside the gun. Sometimes if you needed another click on the gas adjustment knob the slide would fail to lock and push the backwards case into the chamber and without a cleaning rod to get it out your day of shooting was over. The magazine follower was too low to provide enough support to get that last case ejected properly. I attempted to fix the gun by machining the ejection port to make it wider and I relaxed the ejector spring. When that failed the last step was to begin machining ejector. I never got to that point because I became fed up when they sold me an 8 inch barrel with a scope base install that broke the vent rib after two shots. The barrel to frame fit of the gun had about 1/8″ of an inch in total up and down place which created 4 inch groups at 25 yards from a rest. Also when I first received the gun the they hadn’t finished the frame totally leaving a rough metal area with the original cast mold finish in place. I gun was a total waste of money. I not all that sad that Wildey went out of business. I hope that someone picks up the 475 Wildey caliber because that was the best thing about the gun.
That’s weird. I spent last summer working in a powdered metal injection moulding factory in Solon Ohio. In addition to making 90% of the internals for the Ruger LCR, we produced a whole bunch of “pre-production” parts for Wildey’s JAWS Viper.
Seriously, if you go look up pictures of that gun, I made slide releases, and a few other parts for it. We didn’t do a whole bunch of production for Wildey, but I recognize a few parts from pictures of the gun.
For some reason, the engineers were always super stoked about the fact that we were making parts for Wildey. Personally, I was more interested in the vast quantities of LCR and LCP internals that we churned out every day.
Crabula, cool!
“I wish .44 Automag would come into vogue but we’ll see…”
You and I both. Then I won’t be forced to reload for “Black Sunshine” my .44 AMP AR. (which is ALMOST finished!)
Well, I’ll still reload but to be able to buy ammo would be nice. Waiting for Cor Bon is like waiting for democracy in China.
I’m always hoping that a .44 Automag fan would win Powerball or Mega-millions and decide to produce the pistol again.
I know that’s what I’d do. And it could be a money loser and I wouldn’t care!
“Less than 2/10ths of an inch will make this thing unshootable?”
Not unshootable as just plain too long of a grip.
Normal magnum rounds are already a stretch for most people. Why would someone make a grip even longer and be able to sell it to even fewer folks?
Magnum autopistols have been around for a very long time. The length is one of the reasons why you’ve never seen one chambered in .454
I’d say the atomic power of one is the other reason.
The grip length on the Griz & the Wildey are about the same, but the thickness of the Wildey grip (double stack for 9mm Mag remember) makes it uncomfortable for all but the largest hands.
Custom grip panels that are thinner would help, if I get the one I’m looking at, that WILL happen.
.454 Casull OAL = 1.77″
.475 Wildey OAL = 1.59″
Less than 2/10ths of an inch will make this thing unshootable? I mean, the Wildey wasn’t exactly built for those folks at or less than the 50th percentile in hand size if ya know what I mean. I always thought they were “cool,” held one at a gun show, and thought “not for me.” And I like my friend’s LAR Grizzly in .357, so maybe it was more than the grip size.
With any firearm, unpopular ammo = unpopular gun (reverse not necessarily true of course). Yes things can change, and the once-unpopular can come back into vogue (.380 ACP anyone?), but I’m not sure these calibers are gonna come back. I wish .44 Automag would come into vogue but we’ll see…
I have an AutoMag, series 180 Pasadena & am currently working on buying a Wildey in .475, which for me is easy on ammo, as I have a rifle in 6.5-284 & suitable dies.
The last version of the Wildey WAS avaliable in .44 AutoMag, & brass is avaliable from Starline, but the physical size of the grip IS a problem for a lot of folks…..I have small hands & I will learn to shoot it if the deal goes thru, but it’s not really as practical a handgun as is the AutoMag.
There WERE 9mm Mag pistols made, but I’ve only seen ONE, & I’ve worked in gunshops for about 12 years.
As far as a practical, high powered semi-auto handgun, the 10MM seems to be the top in a NORMAL sized pistol that can be holster carried.
Also, some states do not permit a semi-auto pistol for hunting, this limited the popularity.
As far as a Desert Eagle, they are a very accurate firearm if it fits your hand, I’d have one even with the large grip except they are ATROCIOUS in the amount of damage they do to the brass……not the most “reloader friendly” pistol out therre !
El Duderino, you probably have a point but know that it’s not the easiest thing in the world to make a semi-auto pistol feed revolver cartridges.
Shoot a magazine through a DE .44 mag while resting the butt a sandbag and let me know how that goes.
Todd C had it right about reliability.
These obscure cartridges are/WERE reliable in semi-auto handguns
9mm Win mag (.357 mag)
.44 Automag (.44 mag)
10 mm magnum (.41 mag)
The .45 Win mag wasn’t really emulating anything. Perhaps it was trying to be what the .44 Automag was not. That is, popular. But the .45 Win mag is a fine performer on it’s own.
But in the end you are correct. I’m sure that Wildey would have sold more pistols if they offered a model that shot the revolver magnums. Even though it’s not something I would have purchased. But then again, I’m weird.
A few months ago I FINALLY had the money to get a Wildey 8″ barrel in .44 Automag. I wanted a pistol that was cartridge compatible with my custom AR. Couldn’t afford a used Automag even though it’s what I would have preferred. Of course I call Wildey for a lead time and lo and behold got the original message which was they were closed for inventory. And now they say that manufacturing has been “temporarily suspended”. And yeah, I tried every e-mail to no avail.
This bites. So currently the only magnum semi-auto pistols are the Desert Eagle and the new Coonan which should be back on shelves again soon. Problem is they aren’t a .44 Automag. Or even a .45 Win mag.
I understand it’s not a popular round but the bottom line is semi-auto pistols should use semi-auto cartridges. I know why the magnums don’t is because of ammo availability. People can buy the rimmed revolver rounds but even finding .45 Win mag is a pain nevermind the others.
Heck, I’ve been hoping for years that someone would start making L.A.R. Grizzly pistols again. At least if they were currently manufactured I could get a .45 Winmag and convert it to .44 Automag.
*heavy sigh*
The magnum pistol design that really should have succeeded was Jon Power’s Magmatic, which looked like a giant Colt Woodsman. Prototypes were chambered for the .44 Magnum and .45 Colt.
Wildey’s decision to include a double-action mechanism was truly odd given the fat frame.
The Wildey’s grip size issue is partially due to the fact that it was designed to accept a double-stack magazine for the 9mm Winchester Magnum. The latter and the .45 Winchester Magnum were the original planned chamberings for the Wildey pistol. The cartridges and pistol were effectively created for each other. Wildey’s failure to start production on schedule left Winchester with a lot of ammunition (supposedly a million rounds each) for which there were no firearms to use them. Thompson/Center soon introduced Contender barrels for these, but that did not really fire up a mass demand for the ammunition.
While the 9mm Win Mag variant was never released, the legacy magazine well was large enough to allow for the later introduction of the .475 Wildey Magnum. This was created by cutting down a .284 Winchester cartridge case. While fatter than the .45 Win Mag, the .475 Wildey Magnum could use the same breechface dimensions due to the rebated rim of the parent cartridge case.
I guess my friend isn’t coming.
@Clodboy: Hahahahaa!! Don’t forget, the purpose-built .454 Casull rounds will have to be made from smelted silver holy crosses or something!
Sad to see Wildey going out of business. There goes another iconic movie gun, riding off into the sunset. Goodbye Automag, goodbye Wildey.. Probably Wildey went bust because there hasn’t been enough Death Wish reruns.
@Burst – “Why is the Desert Eagle still around? Because it used ammo that was already popular.”
No, because it’s been used in movies that are currently more popular.
The Wildy company has been an on again/off again operation almost since it first went into business. It got a lot of attention from the shooting press at first but the problems described by TodC have persisted over the years. A friend bought one of the first produced and his was plagued by a series of functioning problems and broken minor parts. The idea of a semi auto handgun firing powerful rounds has a lot of appeal, but it is a concept hard to turn into a practical user friendly product.
Odd calibers and lets face it, if it doesnt have rails or could be used in old west style shooting, you just took the majority of the market share and made them disinterested.
Tod C, the grip size isn’t really so much a product of the gas system as the large cartridges, right?
Needing to adjust the system between different ammunitions and after cleaning is clearly a disadvantage.
If we ask the question like this then: If these problems are real, why don’t rifles suffer from them?
Putting your thumb on the slide is wrong. Don’t do that.
The HK P7 uses gas-delayed blowback, not locked breech gas operation.
I suppose the issue with the heated trigger finger could happen with gas operation as well though.
Of course you should never keep your finger inside the trigger guard continously. Only when discharging a bullet. I haven’t shot the P7 so I wouldn’t know how much of an issue this is.
I have a Wildey in .475 Wildey mag, it’s great.
I like it better than my buddy’s Desert Eagles (.44mag and .50ae), it’s much more smooth and the action doesn’t “clang bang” the way a Desert Eagle does. I like large calibers, I love my .500 S&W, but the Desert Eagle’s action gives me a headache when I shoot it.
I admit, I got it because of Death Wish III, for years I thought it was a made up gun. When I found out it was real, I had one about 6 months later.
It shows up in Firefly too, when they get in a fight in a loyalist bar on Victory over the Independents Day and a guy pulls a gun “Them ain’t kosher rules”, the gun is a Wildey.
Lol at the Alucard and Hellsing reference Clodboy. I used to read those in highschool. And yes, I think they would have done a lot better had they chambered it in .44 Mag. As for form, I actually kind of like how the Wildey looks. If I am going to kill a big ugly bear, I want a big ugly gun, just sayin’.
“.44 Mag, .454 Casull, .480 Ruger, .50 AE — all much more common”
Unfortunately, the market for people with hands large enough to use a .454 Casull semi-auto would be even smaller, being essentially limited to shapeshifting British vampires that need that kind of firepower against a bataillon of Nazi vampires and the Vatican’s secret Iscariot division.
True enough, ED.
I think the 21st century will be much more conservative in it’s caliber adoption. we know what works, and what doesn’t, and their reigning calibers in each class.
Why is the Desert Eagle still around? Because it used ammo that was already popular.
Carl asked about problems with gas guns… Of the three gas operated handguns I know of and owned, here are the issues with them:
Wildey
1. Huge grip — I have big hands but other people had trouble holding it.
2. Have to dial-in gas system — Operation was reliable, but first you had to dial in the gas system, which would change based on load, bullet weight and outside temperature. You had to repeat the dial-in process after cleaning. (See the problem?)
Desert Eagle
1. Huge grip — I have big hands but other people had trouble holding it.
2. Limited ammo choices — You have to shoot ammo powerful enough to operate the action.
3. Possibly Unreliable — If you shoot thumb-high, where your thumb rides the slide, this will often keep the Desert Eagle from functioning properly.
HK P7/P13
1. HOT Frame — The section of the frame that handles the gas gets incredibly hot, incredibly fast.
2. Dirty Ammo Issues — Dirty ammo can quickly clog the gas piston tube.
3. Squeeze Safety (for some) — Some people see this as undesirable.
Neat pistols — wonder why they never made one in a common caliber? I mean, .44 Auto Mag, .45 Win Mag, .45 Wildey, and .475 Wildey? That’s what killed the company IMHO. .44 Mag, .454 Casull, .480 Ruger, .50 AE — all much more common (well ‘cept for .480 Ruger).
It saddens me when gun makers go out of business, especially the good ones.
This news is less likely to be greeted with “Wildey is out of business?” than it is with “Wait, Wildey was still in business?”
If memory serves, I think the bad guy “the Party Crasher” from “The Hard Way”, with Michael J. Fox and James Woods had one of these.
I don’t see why it would be “dumb looking”. If form follows function, and the function is sound, then it looks good.
I wouldn’t know about the function though.
For those in the know: Why aren’t more handguns gas operated? What is the problem?
This is sad. Hopefully, someone will acquire their operations and continue the line. They filled a small but interesting niche.
Who will supply the guns for Death Wish 57?
Didn’t Wildey at one point state that their business was essentially kept alive by re-runs of Death Wish 3?
Somewhat sad to see them follow Bronson into the great beyond… the Wildey was probably the most well thought-out of the oversized semi-autos, but unfortunately also the dumbest-looking.