I know that wasn't the original title, but it won't fit!!

I went to the range today with my "light" 458WM and 5 rounds loaded with Swift 450gr Spitzer soft points and 5 rounds loaded with 480gr Hornady solids. Both were powered by 70grains of X-terminator and FC 215Match primer.

This powder meters very nicely, and I felt the loads were very precise. This was born out by the SD on both sets of cartridges.

450gr 2300fps +/- 1" to 125yds with 4000ftlbs & 2000fps @ 125yds. Holds +/-3" to 150yds with 3800ftlbs & 2000fps at 150yds. However, I felt this was slightly hot, and will drop this load by .5grain, loading 69.5gr of X-terminator.

480gr 2200fps +/- 1" to 125yds with 3700ftlbs & 1850fps @ 125yds. About 4400ftlbs and 2150fps @ 75yds. This load did not evidence any pressure indications. I will leave it has is.

My iron sights are set too high and I could not get a good sight picture at 50yds with the 450gr load; however, I moved my set up to 25yds and was able to get a point to aim at. This let me put four of five in the 10 ring and one in the 9 ring.

Thanks very much to those of you who gave me suggested loads. This looks like a wonderful combination and the recoil, though stout, was manageable. Kudude

kickin', you coming to Houston?

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

I don't understand where these data came from. Are these pretend or measured velocities? Measured at the muzzle and predicted by something at a hundred yards?


This one really has me lost:

"My iron sights are set too high and I could not get a good sight picture at 50yds with the 450gr load; however, I moved my set up to 25yds and was able to get a point to aim at. This let me put four of five in the 10 ring and one in the 9 ring."

Anyway, that is plenty of velocity, eh?

I'm miffed? off at 50 and on at 25????? very unusual and thats really speedy.

I think hr means that his sight picture was not conducive to shooting good groups.

If at 50yds. he had to hold 3" below the target on blank background to hit it, as opposed to a 6 o'clock hold on the bullseye at 25yds., he'd have a tougher time acquiring the same point of aim for each shot.

FWIW, when I have to shoot with sights that are that far off, I put an orange sticker on the paper and use it for the aiming point instead of the center of the bullseye/diamond.

George

Idaho,
I can't get away, although I'd love to. My son rotates back out of Iraq with the Texas Army Guard very shortly, and it would be an opportunity to see him.

Will,
I am not certain what data you are referring to. Any time I report a velocity it is chronographed 10 feet from muzzle. The down range info is from the ballistic program with my old RCBS Bullet Program.

I did not explain my problem well, but George got the drift right on. I hate to report this, but some how I'd flipped up the 300yd leaf on my rifle. Anyhow, I did not have a discernible aim point which put rounds on the target at 50yds. I had such a point at 50yds.

George,
I'd have used such a sticker if there had been target backing to stick it to!

I had pretty good penetration with a 400gr .425" bullet @ 2350fps and .416" bullet at the same velocity. Should 2300fps be enough for a 450gr 458 bullet for penetration on buffalo or elephant (if one were using a soft point on elephant.) Same question for the 480gr solid at 2200fps? I figure that for dangerous game one would not be over 75 yds away, maybe on lion 100yds. BC on both bullets is roughly .300. Kudude

Kudude,

From my 458wm, the 450gr North Fork flat nose solids leave the muzzle at 2200fps, which is the speed that they shoot to regulation in my rifle. This velocity provides excellent penetration. No problems at all for elephants and actually "too much" penetration for buff.

I shot a downed buff, which was facing away down a hill, in the spine about a foot forward and above his tail. The bullet entered the spine, traveled the length of the body, exited the neck, re-entered the back of the head and exited the boss. Obviously, penetration, even at 2200fps, is not an issue.

I'm betting you will prefer the 500gr Hornaday bullet over the 480 when it is available. At any rate, I found that the 500gr Woodleighs were better suited than the 480gr Woodleighs, due to placement of the cannelure.

JPK

JPK,
I get a double cannelure on the 480gr solid, and it has the flat maplat on it. It looks like a very nice bullet. I think Ray Atkinson posted that he had good success with it in his 450/400. Kudude

JPK,
I get a double cannelure on the 480gr solid, and it has the flat maplat on it. It looks like a very nice bullet. I think Ray Atkinson posted that he had good success with it in his 450/400. Kudude

quote:

Originally posted by kudude:
JPK,
I get a double cannelure on the 480gr solid, and it has the flat maplat on it. It looks like a very nice bullet. I think Ray Atkinson posted that he had good success with it in his 450/400. Kudude

Kudude,

So it comes with a pair of cannelures, one forward for the 450NE and one rearward for the 458wm?

If so, that is fantastic. Good on Hornaday!

Have you considered the 450gr GS Custom flat nose solid?

If your going with the 480gr Hornaday's your velocity is plenty sufficient. Nominal velocity for the 450NE's ranged from 2150 to 2175 with the 480. Field performance for the 450NE's were closer than most NE rifles and 2100-2150 was more like it.

Your load outperforms the nominal let alone field performance numbers of the benchmark stopping round for the last 112 years. And you've got a flat nose too! Whats not to like about that!?

JPK

JPK

OK where did you get those Hornady solids, as I have been looking for them , have had no luck in any of the Cabelas, Basspros or Gander mountains.

Would love too take some back for the 450 Rigby

Kwan,

You might try:
Huntington's
MidwayUSA
Hornaday directly
Custom Brass and Bullet
MidSouth Shooters' Supply

Anyone with other suggestions for Kwan?

JPK

Grafs & Son
Natchez

Midway has the 480 gr. bullets. The 500 gr. bullets are out there. It is irrelevant to the post but the 480's are for the NE cases that originally used 480 gr. bullets. Not sure what the point is in a 458 WM. Or the 450 Swifts either. Whatever.

Kwan,
Midway was the source. They are pretty prompt in their delivery.

JPK,
I'll PM you about this, but because of the interest in the 480's, I check them and they DO NOT have a double cannelure. I mis-spoke myself. I was also reloading for my 9.3 and the Privi Partisan has a double cannelure. Please accept my apology for the bad info. Kudude



Kudude

No problem Kudude. For the benefit of those reading, and me too, does the 480 Hornaday have the cannelure more forward or more rearward?

What is overall length of your rounds?

JPK

quote:

"How fast does your 458WM go?"

I usually stow it behind the truck seat; it almost always is going the same speed as the rest of the truck.

Sorry, couldn't resist........

Kudude,
The 480's,could you possibly measure the length
from the bullet base to the cannalure?
Thankyou