Don Hinton
AH veteran
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2016
- Messages
- 189
- Reaction score
- 226
- Location
- Spartanburg, SC
- Media
- 4
- Member of
- SCI
- Hunted
- Cape buffalo plains game
@rookhawk I want to make sure I understand exactly what you're saying here. Are you saying that (in this example) 77gr of IMR3031 will push a 500gr .474 bullet at 2150fps, the same as 106gr of IMR4831, with associated reduction of recoil? Or are you saying that the 77gr IMR3031 load will be at a lower velocity, along with reduced recoil? In other words, is the 77gr IMR3031 just a low-recoil practice load, or is it a functional hunting load? Sorry if my question is a dumb one, I am here to learn from those who know more than I do and are willing to share their wisdom.It’s not easy to do with 470NE.
Generally speaking, to get this to work you need reasonable accuracy (broadside of a barn). What people usually do is try to mimic the same velocity you had with the full load, but with a lighter bullet, thus your gun has relatively similar regulation properties.
470NE is a 500gr bullet, so you’d find a .471” to .474” bullet that was perhaps 380-400gr for your reduced load. You’d then select the fastest burning powder safe for that load and would try to regulate using as close to a starting load as possible.
Expensive, time consuming, specialty work for you to do this. You’ll need to be a proficient handloader as well.
For me, I’d just shoot off sticks to reduce my perceived recoil and I’d develop a load that has less recoil. An IMR3031 “full load” with 77gr of powder and 500gr bullet produces 58lbs of recoil, a full load with IMR4831 106gr of powder produces 89lbs of felt recoil. RL15 also is a low perceived recoil full load.
What you’ve asked is much easier to do with a magazine rifle because regulation isn’t a factor. It’s doubly hard with a 470NE because there are fewer light bullet options than say a 500NE that has a standard 570gr bullet but also an obtainable 440gr alternative.
@rookhawk I want to make sure I understand exactly what you're saying here. Are you saying that (in this example) 77gr of IMR3031 will push a 500gr .474 bullet at 2150fps, the same as 106gr of IMR4831, with associated reduction of recoil? Or are you saying that the 77gr IMR3031 load will be at a lower velocity, along with reduced recoil? In other words, is the 77gr IMR3031 just a low-recoil practice load, or is it a functional hunting load? Sorry if my question is a dumb one, I am here to learn from those who know more than I do and are willing to share their wisdom.
Thank you! I just used 2150fps since I've seen that figure published as a "typical" 470NE velocity. I do understand that published velocities from test barrels and real-world velocities from hunting rifles are not the same.Correct. Recoil is just math.
"All things being equal, the powder that achieves a given velocity with a given bullet using the fewest grains will have the least recoil."
Regarding the 2150fps comment, neither load is 2150, both are going to be around 2080-2115 depending on barrel length real-world.
To further illustrate @rookhawk ’s point-Thank you! I just used 2150fps since I've seen that figure published as a "typical" 470NE velocity. I do understand that published velocities from test barrels and real-world velocities from hunting rifles are not the same.
It sounds like IMR3031 is definitely the way to go then!