Yes, The Cart is in Front of the Horse!

[lwaters]

I will will creep it up half grain at a time and stop if the group's get bigger. I'm already over 2200 so that's good enough for me. The A-Frames did have more velocity with less powder than the DGX.

 

[tarbe]

I noticed you used Federal215 primers. I used CCI 250. Sometimes the federal primers are hard to get around here.

I bought 15,000 of them recently so I would never have to worry about running out!!

 

[lwaters]

Tried 86.5 grains of H4831sc with 400 a-frame. 2220fps about the same as 86. My be because it's a cooler day.

 

[tarbe]

Kind of a crappy week at work, so needed a little therapy.

Loaded up some 84 and 85gr IMR 4831 loads (400gr DGX) for group shooting this weekend (if the weather holds).

Also loaded up 20 practice loads at 2,040 fps with the 400gr DGX...something easy shooting for just general goofing off and gopher shooting.

I did use 4 different magnum primers just for fun - to see if there is any meaningful velocity difference.

CCI 250

WLRM

Fed 215

Tula Mag

That 400gr DGS is a pretty long boolit!

 

[geoff rath]

Tarbe; I too suffer from that disease, and NEVER want to be cured.
As for the Ruger No.1 416Rigby I'm bringing into Australia, the one I once owned had a pet "light" load; the original Barnes X (pre-grooved, moly-coated)I safely loaded to 2950; they penetrated half-inch bisalloy steel, and dented the plate behind that.
The primary set-up will be NECG open sights, and Woodleigh 450s @ around 2150. Close range stopper?

 

[CAustin]

@tarbe I guess we can all excuse your using those darn DGX and DGS bullets for just goofing off. However, some may not be convinced that you should risk your gopher hunt on these inferior bullets. Recovery of the animal may be impossible and or you could forced to shoot the animal several times to achieve the degree of Dead acceptable to the AH community at large.

Hope your day shooting goes well friend!

 

[lwaters]

It will be interesting to see what the different primers do to the velocity. The real guns article used federal 215 and got higher velocity than I did with cci 250.

 

[geoff rath]

Ahhhh, the joys of reloading....

 

[Shootist43]

tarbe & Iwaters, 84 Gr. of H4350 pushing a 400 Gr. bullet does very well in a 404 Jeffery. I was wondering if either of you tried that load in your 450/400s?

 

[lwaters]

I have some 4350 but haven't tried it yet. Also have superformace which has the same burn rate as H4831sc.

 

[tarbe]

@Shootist43 - I don't have any H4350 on my bench (go figure...300 pounds of powder and no H4350).

I did load some up to 88gr of IMR 4831 today, to see if I find the limits. Hope to get out sometime this weekend.

Will report velocities here.

 

[tarbe]

Finally got out to the range today. Only took about a month!

It was about 30 degrees cooler today than the last outing, so velocities are impacted a little by that thermodynamic brake!

400gr DGX, Fed 215, Hornady cases, COAL 3.653", IMR 4831, roll crimp from the Hornady seating die (crimped separately from seating).

DISCLAIMER: These loads were safe in my rifle...........a Ruger No. 1. DO NOT use these loads in any double rifle. If you have a No 1, please start at no more than 78gr of IMR 4831 with the 400gr Hornady, and work up slowly from there. For doubles, consult Graeme Wright's book.

Here are the charges chronographed today:
86gr: 2,271 fps
87gr: 2,299 fps
88gr: 2,319 fps

I shot all these loads off-hand at 25 yards and had no trouble keeping them in a couple inches. The rifle is pretty much a dream to shoot.

I shot some groups today off the Bull Bag with the leftover 84 and 85 grain loads. They were both well under 2moa for 5 shots - so certainly more than adequate for Cape Buffalo.

Extraction at 2,300+ was easy...no signs of high pressure. I was planning to crank it up until extraction started to get a little balky, but I think I will stop at 88gr. There really isn't any point in going higher...science has been satisfied in my mind!

I also had two Henry 45-70 rifles at the range today (an H010 and an H010CC) and put a total of 70 rounds through those two rifle.

Lots of lead downrange today. Might have to go place an order for bullets to replace what I lost today... X2!!


Tim

 

[lwaters]

Looks to me like either of the 4831 will work. Winds been blow ing here haven't shot much as I am deer hunting.

 

[geoff rath]

Does the wind affect 400s and 416s? blows e around a bit but rarely the bullets . . .

 

[CAustin]

Sounds like a good day at the range!

 

[cpr0312]

Sounds like a good day at the range!

+1

 

[Ray B]

A VERY Good day at the range!!

 

[lwaters]

Blows the chronograph over

 

[Ray B]

Blows the chronograph over

In Eastern Washington we don't get winds that compare to the mountain and mid-west states, but I find that a Gitzo Super-Studex tripod and if needed, a sand bag helps keep things upright. I bought the tripod years ago when doing mid-large format photography- then things went digital and film disappeared- who'd a thought when purchasing it that its present use would be to keep the chronograph anchored.

 

[tarbe]

Does the wind affect 400s and 416s? blows e around a bit but rarely the bullets . . .

Haha...Lenny is in Kansas!

Their idea of wind is different than mine.