Welcome to the forum!! You may get additional responses if you post this in the Big Bores forum, too. What you're proposing is an excellent idea, since many on the African forum complain about the 416's high pressure loads causing extraction problems in the African heat. I've only been to Africa in my dreams (probably as close as I'll ever get ), so, have no firsthand knowledge of the problem, but, your approach is what I'd do IF I ever DO get there.



I don't have my Hodgdon book here, but, I see Accurate Arms lists a starting load of 78.3 of their 4350 producing 2155 FPS and a load of 87.0 as producing 2449 FPS at 43,900 CUP with the 400 Hdy RN in a 24" barrel. Somewhere between those two you should be able to hit the numbers you're after, I'd think.



Hmmmm. Sounds like an interesting project, IF we can ever get winter to go away and make my range accessible again.



R-WEST

I looked in the last addition of the Hornady book (my buddy has the newest addition) and I believe, I'm back at work , it lists 81.4 gr max of RL15 with 400 bullets. I like 78gr because it still gives me plenty of velocity and is very accurate. Hope this helps.
Jason

I am looking to put together a 400 grain .416 Remington load for my Ruger Number 1 that duplicates the factory .416 Rigby in velocity and pressure. While I dont think I can get it(the pressure) exactly, I want to try and be as close as I can.

If I remember right, the .416 Rigby factory load was a 400 grain going out at 2370fps or so at about 40,000cup.

The two powders that seem close are H4350 and R19, both of which will (according to Hodgdons)send a 400 grain out at 2350-2400 at about 44,000-46,000cup when loaded at maximum.

Has anyone else here done something like this and if so, how did it turn out?

JFR

I will have to post the velocities tonight when I get home but I tried Ray's load of 78gr of RL15 and it shoots great. The velocities are around 2350 I think. I use the same load with the 350s as well.
Jason