I need some 400 gr. .416 TB solids in the worst way. Who carries them, and are they even available?

AD

I heard the rumor that Speer/Federal may start to release them to the public, but is only a rumor. They are presently "Unavailable" to the reloader.

You could call Speer and ask!

Bearclaws are available but Sledgehammers are not yet. Speer has been reluctant to make the Sledgehammers available - makes obsolete their AFG bullets. Until they are available, I stick with Woodleigh Solids.

Allen,

Not sure what your going to used the load for, but you might look at the new Honady solids. I haven't tried them personally, but D'Arcy was quite impressed with them. He was assiting on a elephant hunt where they were used.

He sent me down to thier booth to talk to them about the solids and their new factory 458 Lott loads. He probably did it more to get me out out of his booth so he and Lisa could work...

-Steve

I went to the Speer website www.speer-bullets.com, and they have a dealer search engine onboard. You might try typing in your address and see what happens.
Good luck and good shooting,
Eterry

If it was me, and had my heart set on TB solids, I would just buy the factory ammo, and use it or yank the bullets.

It's not a sin to use factory ammo.

Try Rhino. I'm not sure if they are available where you are.

http://www.rhinobullets.co.za/specifications.htm

Steve, I'll buy a box of Hornady's new solids to try. I'll be needing solids this season for buffalo, etc. I'd like to get a good softpoint and a good solid load developed that delivers about 2400 fps. and hits in the same place. Then I'll stick with those loads for the life of the rifle.

I have hesitated to try the new Hornady's up to now because there were reports here on AR that these new Hornady Encapsulated solids didn't always stay together. I'm not sure how seriously to take those reports, but I do know that TB Sledgehammer solids have worked extremely well for me out of the .458 Win. Mag., so they're sort of a known quantity to me.

Will, you're right about factory ammo, and sometimes it's even better to go with factory loads over handloads. I bought a box of Federal TB solid ammunition as well as a box of TC Bearclaw softpoint ammo, and this stuff feeds perfectly out of my rifle in any combination. If it hits to the same POI I just might be in business and then skip handloading for this rifle altogether.

AD

allen day ----- You might try the North Forks, they sure did the trick for me with my .416 Rem in the Selous. The solid printed exactly one inch below the soft at the same speed and they are available with no questions. Good luck and good shootig.

phurley, where on the northfork site did you find the solids listed? I find the softs, and have even got some in 35 I am waiting to try out in my whelen. I was looking last night and didn't see solids?

Red

Dago Red ----- I have been shooting North Forks for three years now. I do a lot of shooting with hunting bullets only and when I found North Forks, their accuracy impressed me so much that they are what I shoot 90% of the time in all my rifles. Mike Brady will make solids for his good customers and he made me a batch for my .416 Rem and Rigby and I took the Remington to Africa for Buffalo this past October. I talked to him extensively at Dallas and he said he may be getting into the solid market more and more. His Cup Point design seems to be catching on, I used only flat points in the Selous and they did their job perfectly. Ray Atkinson has used his solids for some time on an experimental basis. ----- Now to your question. He does not list any on his web site at present. In my opinion he will be probably getting more involved in the future. One thing about Mike is he will talk to you when you call just like you were his brother, give him a call and he will tell you the deal. ----- The reason I told Allen Day about the North Forks is he expressed interest in the TBBC bullets that uses the solid rear shank in its softs and the North Forks use the same basic design with several modifications. I have shot the TBBC bullets and while they are tough, they don't come close to the North Forks in accuracy. The North Forks will shoot one holers for me when I do my part and that is saying something for a bullet as tough as it is. Good shooting.

Allen,

I just got through comparing the TB Solids with the TBBC in Federal's load. In my rifle the solids shot app. 2 inches higher. @ 100 yards.
I didn't chrono the solids but the softs were 2,325. Doubt if the buff will know it's not 2,400 fps.

Rich Elliott