Your advice please

[Shootist43]

Our good friend CAustin wants to start reloading. His wife will be buying him "everything" that he needs to reload his 470 NE Double Rifle, a 416 Ruger, a 375 H&H Mag and a 300 Win. Mag. as a Christmas present. Since I reload and see Charlie when I visit my son in Kansas City, he asked me to help his wife in this endeavor. Most presses have too short a stroke for the 470 NE so I have chosen to recommend the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme, Redding Dies, a Forster trimmer and a host of Dillon case preparation paraphernalia. My primary question is about what powder(s) to recommend. To keep things at a minimum and avoid any possible confusion I was hoping to find one powder that covered all of the calibers well, but not necessarily optimally. From my own experience and doing a little checking online I was thinking about recommending H4350. From my research no filler is necessary for the 470 NE when H4350 is used. Is that in fact correct? I'll be helping Charlie set up his "reloading bench" and get him started. I'd like to hear from all the reloaders out there if I'm in the ball park or do I need to recommend multiple powders? My hope is that Charlie will eventually branch out a little and use optimal powders once he becomes "comfortable" with the reloading process.

 

[sgt_zim]

Between Swift and Woodleigh, looks like there's an H4350 recipe for all of them.

 

[BRICKBURN]

My only question is about matching your powder to your bullet selection (weight and manufacturer)

(Two options answered.)

 

[1dirthawker]

sgt zim is correct, 4350 is a top choice. 4831 (either flavor imr or H) is a good choice as well for most, except 375 h & h. as brick burn also noted, bullet weight as well manufacturer is a critical
piece of the puzzle. VERY unlikely that only ONE powder will be used for everything.

 

[sgt_zim]

Addendum: there's an H4350 recipe for all of them in the "standard" bullet weights for those calibers - 180/200 gr, 300 gr., 400 gr., and 500 gr.

 

[Hogpatrol]

From my research no filler is necessary for the 470 NE when H4350 is used. Is that in fact correct?

What do you mean "filler"? As far as the same powder for everything? Highly doubtful you will get acceptable accuracy with one powder in any TWO of those bullet/cartridge combinations. One other caveat, what works in one rifle won't necessarily work in another rifle even if it's the same make and model. As far as advice? Pick one cartridge, work it until it suits and then start on another cartridge. Going helter skelter starting out is a recipe for frustration and failure.

 

[sgt_zim]

What do you mean "filler"? As far as the same powder for everything? Highly doubtful you will get acceptable accuracy with one powder in any TWO of those bullet/cartridge combinations. One other caveat, what works in one rifle won't necessarily work in another rifle even if it's the same make and model. As far as advice? Pick one cartridge, work it until it suits and then start on another cartridge. Going helter skelter starting out is a recipe for frustration and failure.

I'd agree on the accuracy part except for one thing (assuming the targets don't look like they've been blasted with buckshot): the only one of those cartridges where sub-MOA accuracy may be important is the 300 WM, and *possibly* the 375 (assumes a 2 gun battery of 300 + 416 or 375 + 470 NE). I think neither the 416 nor the 470 need to be tack-drivers.

 

[Lbarr265]

If I may suggest H4831SC? It seems to meter better, but if your setting him up with a digital scale with a trickler attached that may not be an issue. Also I seem to find it more readily than the H4350 in the store.

 

[Hogpatrol]

If I may suggest H4831SC? It seems to meter better, but if your setting him up with a digital scale with a trickler attached that may not be an issue. Also I seem to find it more readily than the H4350 in the store.

Good point. Don't get hung up on a powder that frequently in the unobtanium category. H4350 is one of them.

 

[Bullthrower338]

IMR 7977 is an excellent powder for the 470.
My Rock Chucker doesn’t have enough throat to load the 470 without unscrewing the die about 6 turns to get the loaded round out. Maybe the supreme has more but a standard RC does not. A Lee, RCBS Summit or something similar is a good option. I use a 50 BMG press. Also a good reason to get a 50, if you have the press already, why not?

 

[Dewald]

I think trying to use one powder is going to frustrate you more than it will do good. Keep a good manual such as Woodleigh, Nosler etc handy, stick to the old practice of never having more than one powder on the bench, and the rest on the shelf, keep good notes per calibre and you are good to go.

H4350 is a safe option, but a 400gr .416 bullet is going to leave that 20” Ruger barrel at a pathetic velocity after allready compressing the load.

Either H or IMR4350 should feed the .470 and .300 well, and something between 4895 and 4064 will do the same for the .375 and the .416.

Obviously all of them will be happy to have a Fed215 as the bang button...

 

[Dewald]

And more importantly. Get a chrony as the first and most important piece of kit. You are loading completely blind without it

 

[Bullthrower338]

At 50 or so rounds per pound, the 470 eats a healthy diet and 8# jugs don’t last long. I reworked all my varmint loads up with Varget and then it became non existent during the Obama years. I had to reevaluate my idea of one powder for a bunch of rifles. I use whatever works best in any given rifle and don’t worry about having to much of a good thing(powder, bullets and primers).

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

IMR 7977 is an excellent powder for the 470.
My Rock Chucker doesn’t have enough throat to load the 470 without unscrewing the die about 6 turns to get the loaded round out. Maybe the supreme has more but a standard RC does not. A Lee, RCBS Summit or something similar is a good option. I use a 50 BMG press. Also a good reason to get a 50, if you have the press already, why not?

The Supreme does have enough room for the 470. I have to feed the bullet up into the seater die a bit to get it set in the brass, but that's the only trick I have to play.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Our good friend CAustin wants to start reloading. His wife will be buying him "everything" that he needs to reload his 470 NE Double Rifle, a 416 Ruger, a 375 H&H Mag and a 300 Win. Mag. as a Christmas present. Since I reload and see Charlie when I visit my son in Kansas City, he asked me to help his wife in this endeavor. Most presses have too short a stroke for the 470 NE so I have chosen to recommend the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme, Redding Dies, a Forster trimmer and a host of Dillon case preparation paraphernalia. My primary question is about what powder(s) to recommend. To keep things at a minimum and avoid any possible confusion I was hoping to find one powder that covered all of the calibers well, but not necessarily optimally. From my own experience and doing a little checking online I was thinking about recommending H4350. From my research no filler is necessary for the 470 NE when H4350 is used. Is that in fact correct? I'll be helping Charlie set up his "reloading bench" and get him started. I'd like to hear from all the reloaders out there if I'm in the ball park or do I need to recommend multiple powders? My hope is that Charlie will eventually branch out a little and use optimal powders once he becomes "comfortable" with the reloading process.

Keeping it simple is certainly a good thing to do especially when starting out. If only speaking of the .470NE, .375HH and .300WM, I'd still like to have both H4831 and IMR4350. I've no experience with the .416 Ruger. With H4831 you'll not need filler for the .470.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "a host of Dillon case preparation paraphernalia". You've mentioned the trimmer. Beyond that a chamfer/deburring tool, primer pocket cleaning brush and a neck brush or two is about all that's needed. I've gone down the path of making my brass "better" with other tools and mostly found it to be a pain in the butt and not worthwhile. But I'd keep this simple too.

 

[Bullthrower338]

The Supreme does have enough room for the 470. I have to feed the bullet up into the seater die a bit to get it set in the brass, but that's the only trick I have to play.

Well there goes Charlie’s reason to buy a 50!

 

[CAustin]

Thanks Art for getting this thread going. Guys I am the son of an engineer but not one myself. So you might imagine that reloading seems very difficult to me.....coming from a place of knowing very little about it. Keeping things simple to start out with will be smart to do!
I operate under the theory of “ tell” “show” “do” “review” “make adjustments then proceed”

And I learned something just now from reading the thread......”only have one powder on the bench at one time” makes good operating sense to me!

 

[Hogpatrol]

And I learned something just now from reading the thread......”only have one powder on the bench at one time” makes good operating sense to me!

Use a good sturdy bench, not a rickety card or kitchen type table. Mine is bolted to the wall, 3/4 plywood top, 2x4s underneath and for legs.

I got the "filler". Just not a shooter of arm cannons.

 

[sgt_zim]

Thanks Art for getting this thread going. Guys I am the son of an engineer but not one myself. So you might imagine that reloading seems very difficult to me.....coming from a place of knowing very little about it. Keeping things simple to start out with will be smart to do!
I operate under the theory of “ tell” “show” “do” “review” “make adjustments then proceed”

And I learned something just now from reading the thread......”only have one powder on the bench at one time” makes good operating sense to me!

And the follow-on to that is "keep your loading bench utterly free of clutter."

 

[Hogpatrol]

@sgt_zim I'm at the other end of the spectrum, a neat bench is a cry for help. Mine is uncluttered for about one day.
On the other hand, probably a good thing for a newbie.