.458 Win Mag chronograph results

[Nhoro]

Hey Bob,

Yeah, I'm thinking of buying a several reams of paper and then soaking them overnight.
I'd use newspaper but I don't buy them anymore!

Yep, I reckon I'll need a bit of media as a 450gn Hydro at 2300fps will probably take a bit of stopping.
I might have to put the test media in front of a tree I reckon!

If you google shakari connection, you will find some articles by Charlie Haylie (sp). He puts up wet newspaper and an elephant leg bone and shoots through it with a win mag and several bullets. I think about 4-5 feet of penetration with old school solids. Charlie was a forensic scientist that ran the ballistics lab in Zimbabwe and helped out National Parks on occassion. Active member of the local shooting club

 

[Badboymelvin]

Hey guys,

I finally got a chance yesterday to chronograph the Woodleigh Hydro's again.

Originally I was after a velocity of around 2200fps so I started with 75gn of BENCHMARK (BM2) and got a velocity of 2318fps.
There was no excessive pressure signs but then out of curiosity I then dropped to 74gn and got the same velocity.
I then lowered the charge to 73gn and finally got a chance to chronograph them. With 73gn I got a velocity of 2287fps for a healthy 5227 ft/lb of energy.

l will leave it at this powder charge as velocity is nearly the same as the 75gn charge - and as a bonus it is the same powder charge as I use with the 550gn Woodleigh, my other load I use in this rifle.

I'm very happy with how this experiment has panned out - an easy 2280fps with a 450gn projectile has made this a successful venture.

NOTE: The rifle used was a Zastava M70 with 24" barrel.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hey guys,

I finally got a chance yesterday to chronograph the Woodleigh Hydro's again.

Originally I was after a velocity of around 2200fps so I started with 75gn of BENCHMARK (BM2) and got a velocity of 2318fps.
There was no excessive pressure signs but then out of curiosity I then dropped to 74gn and got the same velocity.
I then lowered the charge to 73gn and finally got a chance to chronograph them. With 73gn I got a velocity of 2287fps for a healthy 5227 ft/lb of energy.

l will leave it at this powder charge as velocity is nearly the same as the 75gn charge - and as a bonus it is the same powder charge as I use with the 550gn Woodleigh, my other load I use in this rifle.

I'm very happy with how this experiment has panned out - an easy 2280fps with a 450gn projectile has made this a successful venture.

NOTE: The rifle used was a Zastava M70 with 24" barrel.

View attachment 431468

@Badboymelvin
Russ seems to me that you have hit the magic duo load as long as they impact close together out to 100 100 yards. That would be perfect then.
Those hydros should be great for penetration up to around 48".
No rabbit in Victoria will be safe hiding behind a tree again.
Bob

 

[machinistbutler]

Hey guys,

I finally got a chance yesterday to chronograph the Woodleigh Hydro's again.

Originally I was after a velocity of around 2200fps so I started with 75gn of BENCHMARK (BM2) and got a velocity of 2318fps.
There was no excessive pressure signs but then out of curiosity I then dropped to 74gn and got the same velocity.
I then lowered the charge to 73gn and finally got a chance to chronograph them. With 73gn I got a velocity of 2287fps for a healthy 5227 ft/lb of energy.

l will leave it at this powder charge as velocity is nearly the same as the 75gn charge - and as a bonus it is the same powder charge as I use with the 550gn Woodleigh, my other load I use in this rifle.

I'm very happy with how this experiment has panned out - an easy 2280fps with a 450gn projectile has made this a successful venture.

NOTE: The rifle used was a Zastava M70 with 24" barrel.

View attachment 431468

Is your barrel aftermarket or did it come with the 24"? I think my zastava 458 has a 22".

 

[Badboymelvin]

Is your barrel aftermarket or did it come with the 24"? I think my zastava 458 has a 22".

Factory barrel mate.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Is your barrel aftermarket or did it come with the 24"? I think my zastava 458 has a 22".

My Whitworths (Zastava, Mark X) in .375 H&H and .458WM both have factory 24” barrels.

 

[machinistbutler]

I will have to check mine again, haven't used it since last spring. Was sure it was 22 but maybe it is a 24 as well. I was pleased with the velocities I was getting out of it .

Too many rifles not enough time.

 

[machinistbutler]

22", took a pic of it next to a Belgium Browning safari in 375 with a 24 inch barrel. Both rifles handle quite good.

 

[Forrest Halley]

@machinistbutler you sure do have a variety of cleaning solutions available for your firearm care.

 

[machinistbutler]

@machinistbutler you sure do have a variety of cleaning solutions available for your firearm care.

The black label tasted like shit, but it works good for powder removal. Double black and the lagavulin is reserved for me.

My loading bench looks similar, a few.more.varieties of scotch on it though.

Scotch , rifles , shotguns and leather . Love that place

 

[Forrest Halley]

The black label tasted like shit, but it works good for powder removal. Double black and the lagavulin is reserved for me.

My loading bench looks similar, a few.more.varieties of scotch on it though.

Scotch , rifles , shotguns and leather . Love that place

I figured the black label bottle was the receptacle for the quadruple distilled whiskey...

 

[CoElkHunter]

The black label tasted like shit, but it works good for powder removal. Double black and the lagavulin is reserved for me.

My loading bench looks similar, a few.more.varieties of scotch on it though.

Scotch , rifles , shotguns and leather . Love that place

And I'll bet the bottle of Bundy is useful for removing copper in the barrel?

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

And I'll bet the bottle of Bundy is useful for removing copper in the barrel?

@CoElkHunter
You are a silly Vegemite Bundy isn't good for copper or powder fouling.
It is good for the cold weather or hot weather depending on the mixer.
Good for stress and relaxation, and brilliant for sopping a nagging wife.
If you drink enough you won't give a shit and iff you drink a fraction more you will pass out and not hear her anyway .
Bundy is good for a multitude of thing but gun cleaning isn't one of them unless sipped in small quantities to relax while doing said job
Bob

 

[CoElkHunter]

22", took a pic of it next to a Belgium Browning safari in 375 with a 24 inch barrel. Both rifles handle quite good.

View attachment 431410

Here’s my factory Whitworths. .458 on top with a funky stock and no sights yet and .375 below. Both have 24” barrels.

 

[Forrest Halley]

Here’s my factory Whitworths. .458 on top with a funky stock and no sights yet and .375 below. Both have 24” barrels.

View attachment 431566

Ahh you appear to be missing sighting devices on the one rifle. Are you under the impression that the bullet has sufficient frontal area to find the target? Haha

 

[CoElkHunter]

Ahh you appear to be missing sighting devices on the one rifle. Are you under the impression that the bullet has sufficient frontal area to find the target? Haha

Actually, I think a small wad of bubble gum or chewing tobacco (I have both) placed on the front of the barrel at the same height as an actual front bead, would allow me to consistently hit the target at 25 yards, maybe even 50? I'm going to try it.

 

[Foxi]

This was written by my PH and friend in 2016, about an article published in Africa.

View attachment 426547
View attachment 426548
View attachment 426549

"result of cost saving"
yes and ?
This is true for many cartridges that we shoot with pleasure today.
When Kynoch went down, double rifles and other Kynoch caliber were worthless.
The Cordit powder was a big mess and so were the bullets(at almost the end of 20th).
WDM Bell already wrote about the poor quality of English cartridges and nothing has really improved there over the years,but there was nothing else.
Nobody would go to DG with these loads today.
At a time when there were 20 buffaloes on the hunting licence, most people didn't mind if one was not to get.
A cheap short system with heavy bullet weight was a success story in Africa.
If the engineers at Winchsester had come up with the maximum weight of 450-480 g, there wouldn't have been so many discussions.

(Which would be a pity

 

[Forrest Halley]

Actually, I think a small wad of bubble gum or chewing tobacco (I have both) placed on the front of the barrel at the same height as an actual front bead, would allow me to consistently hit the target at 25 yards, maybe even 50? I'm going to try it.

Oh look Bocephus got him a safari rifle! "I'd love to spit some beech nut in that dude's eye and shoot with my old forty-five! Cause a country boy can survive."

 

[Capt_Oscar]

If I'm being honest, I want a .416 Ruger to go with my .375. I also want to build a 9.3 Ruger and .458 Ruger. I would say hardly anyone here, operates on "need" lol

There was a member here that built a .458 Ruger, but he isn't around any longer. I tried contacting him. I believe he stated it ran 50 fps behind the Lott, which makes sense. The .375 Ruger runs with the .375 Weatherby, the .300 PRC runs with the .300 Wby, the .416 Ruger with the .416 Rem.
Here is his picture.

View attachment 426713

There are a few of us with a 404Ruger now too. I'm just saying the wildcat possibilities are endless.

 

[Capt_Oscar]

Hey guys,

I finally got a chance yesterday to chronograph the Woodleigh Hydro's again.

Originally I was after a velocity of around 2200fps so I started with 75gn of BENCHMARK (BM2) and got a velocity of 2318fps.
There was no excessive pressure signs but then out of curiosity I then dropped to 74gn and got the same velocity.
I then lowered the charge to 73gn and finally got a chance to chronograph them. With 73gn I got a velocity of 2287fps for a healthy 5227 ft/lb of energy.

l will leave it at this powder charge as velocity is nearly the same as the 75gn charge - and as a bonus it is the same powder charge as I use with the 550gn Woodleigh, my other load I use in this rifle.

I'm very happy with how this experiment has panned out - an easy 2280fps with a 450gn projectile has made this a successful venture.

NOTE: The rifle used was a Zastava M70 with 24" barrel.

View attachment 431468

Once you correct to muzzle velocity, an honest 2300fps with a 450gr bullet and no animal on earth will know the difference in a 458Win Mag or Lott. That's a serious stopping rifle producing those numbers.