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Cheapest 416 bullets for practice??
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Picture of Nakihunter
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I have a CZ 416 Rigby for the last 15 months.

I have been shooting Hornady Interlocked 400gr mostly as I got them for $80 per packet of 50. All others are a lot dearer but I still need to get familiar with the rifle.

I still practice with Woodleigh 410 gr & 340gr as well as some TSX 350 gr & one packet of Speer 350 gr.

The question I have is this - Is it worth casting Wheel weights to say 0.410 and having it plated to a final size of 0.416?

Will this work adequately as a practice bullet? Will the cost be worth it?

I have plenty of wheel weight that I got free.

I would appreciate any suggestions.


"When the wind stops....start rowing. When the wind starts, get the sail up quick."
 
Posts: 11006 | Location: New Zealand | Registered: 02 July 2008Reply With Quote
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Whats wrong with casting a slug of the proper diameter?
RCBS .416" 350grain is a mighty fine slug and cast hard will do over 2k fps with no issues.
 
Posts: 1102 | Location: Denmark | Registered: 15 October 2001Reply With Quote
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My 416 Taylor loves 335g hard cast gas checked.
1800fps w/ 3 shots touching at 100 yds.
 
Posts: 1991 | Location: Sinton, TX | Registered: 16 June 2013Reply With Quote
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Picture of Nakihunter
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I have never cast lead bullets before. I thought that the velocity is a limitation & that cleaning the barrel of the rifle can be a PITA.

Hence the idea of plating the slug to get a sort of jacketed bullet meant only for practice. I have been told that this is not a new idea and is one of the various long established options.


"When the wind stops....start rowing. When the wind starts, get the sail up quick."
 
Posts: 11006 | Location: New Zealand | Registered: 02 July 2008Reply With Quote
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Have a look at www.powdervalleyinc.com or 3rdgss.com under bullets and you will find they have 400 gr much cheaper than 80$
 
Posts: 4214 | Location: Southern Colorado | Registered: 09 October 2011Reply With Quote
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Yes if I was only in the US! Here in NZ, they cost a lot more.

I did import CEBs through Reloading International at a reasonable price, but they are premium bullets to start with.

If I had added 300 or 400 or the cheaper Hornady or Speer bullets to my order, the shipping & customs duty would still have taken the final cost to double the US prices.


"When the wind stops....start rowing. When the wind starts, get the sail up quick."
 
Posts: 11006 | Location: New Zealand | Registered: 02 July 2008Reply With Quote
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Ashok,

How are your import costs from Australia? If not to steep can any of the folks there help you with factory 2nds.


Jim coffee
"Life's hard; it's harder if you're stupid"
John Wayne
 
Posts: 4954 | Location: Central Texas | Registered: 15 September 2007Reply With Quote
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Hi Jim

I have now found Reloading International to be very good - they charge 10% extra for the paper work & license, plus the shipping cost which is a flat rate for each size.

I do not want any friends to get into trouble when trying to help me.

I really appreciate your offer my friend!

By the way - we are in New Zealand (like Canada! rotflmo)


Edited: Sorry I misread your post. Getting bullets out of Oz is a bigger PITA than out of the US. The NZ agents mark up big time.

The only option is for someone who is visiting to bring some bullets. But the Oz rules are also a PITA!


"When the wind stops....start rowing. When the wind starts, get the sail up quick."
 
Posts: 11006 | Location: New Zealand | Registered: 02 July 2008Reply With Quote
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I understand. Oz is out. Are costs from Europe any better?

Regarding bullet casting.
I see copper washed bullets being sold for handguns but don't recollect seeing any for rifles. Not sure why it wouldn't work for rifle bullets; no idea the cost for doing so. If copper washing is to expensive and you can settle for less than maximum velocities then gas checks would work fine.

Good luck!


Jim coffee
"Life's hard; it's harder if you're stupid"
John Wayne
 
Posts: 4954 | Location: Central Texas | Registered: 15 September 2007Reply With Quote
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Naki

I use 350 grain hard cast bullets out of my 405 Winchester at what would be factory velocities if they sold 350 grain jacketed bullets.
My winchester 95 has never had a jacketed bullet fired down the barrel since it left the factory.
To shoot my Winchester 92 at the local indoor range I have to shoot jacketed or copper plated bullets. The copper plated bullets work fine with above factory velocities. I'm using a case full of H110, it's rather fun to see the muzzle flash.

Jim


"Whensoever the General Government assumes undelegated powers, its acts are unauthoritative, void, and of no force." --Thomas Jefferson

 
Posts: 6173 | Location: Richmond, Virginia | Registered: 17 September 2000Reply With Quote
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O.K. Basically, what do you plan to shoot?

Quick check and the .416 Rig goes up to about 2400 fps with 400 grain bullets.

Black powder rifles of the buffalo era got up to about 1600 fps with relatively pure lead and the lubricants of the era. [.45/120 WCF. Intrerestingly, the .45/70/500 government cartridge, velocity compares to the .22 Long Rifle... More power with many times the bullet weight, but same, approx., drop.] (Bees wax, animal fats, etc. as lube) .375 to .50 caliber.

Modern lubes and technology have made velocities up to 2200 fps usually doable. Gas check or other insulating wad under lead bullet. Lyman has the books and research well coordinated. And there are sites devoted to "cast bullets" like "cast boolits.com".

One trick I really like, you do a wrap, not unlike the paper patched bullets of yesteryear using Teflon Tape. Now that is "lube."

If you must have a jacket, you can use fired brass. .40 S&W works nice for .44 (.429) and .45 (.452). In a 400 grain .41 slug, more a "half jacket." .223, excuse me 5.56 NATO, is close to .375. Heat very hot (1200 F I am lead to believe) to draw all temper and expand to .40 plus not too hard. Just fill the jacket with molten lead and you have a round nose.

No, these are not the projectiles you want for match competition but paper and cans will not complain too loudly. Game? Your call.

I would guess and each gun is a rule unto itself, your wheelweights cast into a .420 hole and sized to bore size or .001 or .002 oversize and lubed with something... great practice slug. In USA there are many, many mould makers. LEE Precision does customs. Moulds have "lube grooves." No idea about getting it there. customs, etc. LEE tumble lube should take things up to 1500 or 1600 fps.

Another idea, little more work, bullets swaged of pure lead with a zinc ring as a base protector... Great up to 1200 fps. With lube? The scrubbing of the zinc on the clean bore leaves a coat that lead will not stick to. As long as you shoot zinc ring bullets to renew the coating or lubed lead... no cleaning needed either. Andy Hawk, "Swage-it" / "Hawk Bullets" [google it] is currently producing pistol calibers.

You need to do some homework but to get out from under $80/50, I think it would "pay." Best of luck. Happy Trails.
 
Posts: 519 | Registered: 29 August 2007Reply With Quote
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Thanks a tonne for the great help.

AR rocks! tu2


"When the wind stops....start rowing. When the wind starts, get the sail up quick."
 
Posts: 11006 | Location: New Zealand | Registered: 02 July 2008Reply With Quote
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Before I found a very good buy on some 416 bullets here.

I would take 300gr JSP 429 pistol bullets run them through push through lee sizer 416 die that I polished out of a .410 die worked well.

At the time 429 pistol bullets were a lot cheaper the same weight rifle bullet.
 
Posts: 19314 | Location: wis | Registered: 21 April 2001Reply With Quote
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Veral Smith made me a really nice 400 gn 416 cal mould for my 416 Ruger...its the cheapest option ....once you collect enough lead , you have got a life time supply of bullets
it costs me about $70 Aust for a box of 416 proj...swift /barnes/nosler from the U.S ... to buy them in a gun shop here one pays about $110-115 per box ...takes the fun out of an afternoon of shooting the 416
One can get 400 gn 416 proj cup and core here in Australia for about 50-80 cents each if bought in bulk....1000 proj

Daniel
 
Posts: 1475 | Location: AUSTRALIA | Registered: 07 August 2001Reply With Quote
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Picture of Bill/Oregon
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I'll second that RCBS gas-checked bullet in .416s. Very useful, very accurate.


There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.
– John Green, author
 
Posts: 16306 | Location: Sweetwater, TX | Registered: 03 June 2000Reply With Quote
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Get a similar rifle in .22 LR or .223 and shoot a few thousand rounds for the price of a few hundred .416s.


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Posts: 17099 | Location: Texas USA | Registered: 07 May 2001Reply With Quote
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Just get a good .416 mold and cast bullets.
It will not hurt a thing to practice with bullets at 1500 fps instead of full power.
Not only that but your barrel will last forever.
 
Posts: 13978 | Location: http://www.tarawaontheweb.org/tarawa2.jpg | Registered: 03 December 2008Reply With Quote
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You reminded me of an article I think Dave Corbin did for gun Digest years back. Device called a "Pound Die."

Circa 1900 the target crowd used plain lead slugs paper wrapped for best accuracy competition. Black powder velocities. Richard Corbin, Dave's brother, seems to be more interested in this. (Rceco.com)

The die was a simple plate of steel, thick enough, and tempered??? I guess. Hole is drilled correct size. Diameter less thickness of paper wrap. Two plugs made. One has form of base. One has form of nose.

Die is set down with one plug in bottom hole. Lead slug, measured (probably by weight) is dropped in. Second plug is inserted and bullet formed by "pounding" with mallet. Thus the name.

I would think any machine shop could do this for you. If you are handy you might do something simple yourself. $80 for 50 slugs, I can get real creative. Even Kiwi dollars etc.

Again, easiest jacket material is fired cases. Brass has to be heated hot to draw temper to form well, but ... Again, luck, happy trails.
 
Posts: 519 | Registered: 29 August 2007Reply With Quote
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