The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Big Bores Rigby 416 loadsGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| One of Us |
I have found that 114gn AR2209 (H4350) behind the 300gn Barnes TSX gives 3000fps and is a deadly accurate and flat shooting round out to 300yards. Beyond 300 it drops away a bit, but I very rarley shoot at anything beyond 300 yards. It is a maximum load in my rifle, so work up carefully from around 100grains until you find a load that suits your rifle. That load is also a barrel burner. I only got 2400 rounds out of my first barrel on my 416 Rigby, and I shot a lot of those bullets. More reasonable loads are 95gn AR2209 (H4350) behind the 410gn Woodleigh for around 2400fps, and 90gn of the same powder behind the 450gn Woodleigh for 2350fps. I personally think that AR2209 (H4350) is very well suited to the 416 Rigby for the full range of bullet weights. | |||
|
One of Us |
I would support H4350 as a reasonable all around powder for the 416 Rigby. (I happen to use Rel-17 these days.) A 300 grain bullet at 3000 fps produces approximately 6000 ftlbs and is a reasonable, heavy hunting load for the Rigby. The cartridge is capable of more in modern rifles but not a lot more. A 300 grain bullet at 3000 fps will have about 5% less recoil than a 350 grain bullet at 2800 fps, though both will have similar muzzle energy. However, the bullet with a significantly higher BC will resist wind drift and shoot straighter at 300 yards in equally accurate rifles. The 350TTSX is probably a better buffalo bullet than the 300 TSX, too. +-+-+-+-+-+-+ "A well-rounded hunting battery might include: 500 AccRel Nyati, 416 Rigby or 416 Ruger, 375Ruger or 338WM, 308 or 270, 243, 223" -- Conserving creation, hunting the harvest. | |||
|
| One of Us |
I would agree with that. If you want one bullet to do everything then the 350gn TTSX would probably be the best choice. I use the 300gn Barnes for plains game and the 450gn Woodleigh for hunting bigger game, and I use 2 scopes a 2.5 - 8X for plains game and a 1.5 - 5X for bigger game. Both are fitted with Smithson QD mounts, so it is very easy to change over, and I don't need to re-zero. This works great for me. | |||
|
One of Us |
CAUTION That load of 105 gr with a 410 gr Woodleigh is WAY OVER THE TOP with current lots H 4350 / AR2209. A year ago my load of 96gr of AR2209 with 410 gr Woodleighs gave me around 2380 fps.
"When the wind stops....start rowing. When the wind starts, get the sail up quick." | |||
|
| One of Us |
Hi Nakihunter, Thanks for picking that up. Should have been 95gn I have edited the original post. and will check more thoroughly next time I post to make sure typos like that don't creep in. | |||
|
| one of us |
My QuickLOAD shows 410-grain Woodleigh WeldCore SN does this in a 25"-barreled .416 Rigby, 3.750" COaL: 105.0 grains of ADI AR 2209 >>> 2630 fps <<< 62,127 psi (Brisk!) 95.0 grains of ADI AR 2209 >>> 2386 fps <<< 45,482 psi (Cheerio!) 105.0 grains of H4350 >>> 2720 fps <<< 71,429 psi (More than brisk!)  95.0 grains of H4350 >>> 2488 fps <<< 51,979 psi (Pip pip cheerio!)
For those who do want to load the .416 Rigby up to 65,000 psi, see below. Note that QuickLOAD either gets their powder data from the manufacturers, or they have a lab for testing it themselves ... But, of course, powder lots do vary. ADI AR 2209 is not the same as H4350 in my version of QuickLOAD. ADI AR 2213 is not the same as H4831 SC either. But, of course, your mileage (powder lot) may vary. Propellant tables below are for the common 25" barrel length for the .416 Rigby. First, the 410-grain Woodleigh WeldCore SP loaded to 3.750" COaL:  Below is for the 350-grain Barnes TTSX loaded to 3.760" COaL:  | |||
|
| Administrator |
This might be true with your rifle. Not necessarily true in other rifles. | |||
|
| one of us |
Studying this a bit tells me that the powder lot variability might make the 1999 data on Saeed's page quite righteous. 105.0 grains of ADI AR 2209 (or H4350 of lot with same properties) >>> 2630 fps <<< 62,127 psi (25"-barrel MV with 410-grain Woodleigh bullet) If his H4350 was indeed like the ADI AR 2209 lot in my QuickLOAD estimation, then in his shorter 24"-barreled Dakota M76 .416 Rigby: 105.0 grains H4350 with a 400-grain Hornady RNSP would be reasonable, and the 2593 fps velocity would be very close to the QuickLOAD prediction. Shorter barrel and lower pressure. Pressure might be lower with his 10-grain lighter bullet and slightly different start pressure.    Rifles In Progress by Riflecrank Internationale Permanente aka Squirrel Killer Pet Wildcat Certifying Authority and Tree Rat Control Specialist NRA Life Benefactor and Beneficiary to the Fourth Degree https://home.nra.org/ | |||
|
| One of Us |
Powder lots do vary, but I was under the impression that H4350 and H4831SC were made by ADI and are simply then same powders as AR2209 and AR2213SC respectively, just resold under the Hodgdon brand outside Australia. Note also that my information is that AR2213 and H4831 are now discontinued, but are different to AR2213SC and H4831SC, so loads with AR2213/H4831 are not interchangeable with AR2213SC/H4831SC. Also Saeed is correct to point out that loads are also specific to rifles. My 416 Rigby loads 114gn AR2209, behind the 300gn Barnes TSX for 3000fps, 95gn AR2209 behind the 410gn Woodleigh RNSN for around 2400fps, and 90gn behind the 450gn Woodleigh RNSN for around 2350 fps, fine in my rifle (although the 300gn load is a maximum), and my give different results in your rifle. So as always work up from 10% below to be safe. So just to repeat myself and make sure I clear up any misconceptions, I apologise for the typo creeping in to my above post, but I have edited it and corrected the number. Also I would not advocate shooting Woodleigh bullets at above the recommended Velocities. They are great bullets, and being well bonded they do hold together well, but Geoff has done a lot of field testing on game, and if you stick to the recommended velocities, (1900 to 2400 fps, for both the 410gn and 450gn RNSN in 416 Rigby), you will get optimum results on game. | |||
|
One of Us |
338User you are correct. the 'H' Hodgdon powders are one and the same as the AR powders. Anyone who doubts this should have a look at the MSDS sheets for the powders published on the Hodgdon website. These confirm the origin of the Hodgdon powders. The loading data on the Hodgdon website is exactly the same as that published in the ADI Reloading manuals for the Aussie made AR/Hodgdon powders. | |||
|
| one of us |
It is unsettling to realize powder lots vary so much and those assumed to be identical (ADI and Hodgdon pairs) may not be, simply by lot-to-lot variation. Of course you have to adhere to velocity windows with bullets. Woodleighs turn into pancakes if you push them too fast. Not as much a problem if you are using the "nonconventional" monometal copper or brass bullets. Ditto such bullets as North Fork makes. With those, the faster the better, as long as it slows down to about 2700 to 2800 fps at impact, range dependent for speed at muzzle. And as long as the rifle, brass and shooter can take it. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Sorry, but, 2213/2213sc are identical in burn rate and loads between the 2 are the same. Load density is the only difference. Also, after extensive testing and talks with Geoff McDonald of Woodleigh, the velocity window is a rough guide. A hundred fps increase is neither here nor there on bullet expansion. I love my 416 Rigby, it is my favourite cartridge. Cheers.  | |||
|
| One of Us |
RIP we owe you a BIG thank you for posting those tables. Huge learning curve. Is it possible to add them to the AR Reloading data section so that anyone searching that would see these as well. The 1999 load data was right at the time it was developed. It is a big risk to use that now. I am only emphasising the point for safety reasons. Let us be safe while we have fun with our hunting and shooting. "When the wind stops....start rowing. When the wind starts, get the sail up quick." | |||
|
| one of us |
Nakihunter, Welcome, I am honored that you appreciated that. Many do not.  It is a good reference that I have filed away in my .416 Rigby "binder" for future reference. Just a rough guide to start low on and work up to with whatever powder lot I have, so as to avoid KABOOM. I cannot attach that to the reloading page, that is above my pay grade. I cannot even see the .375 Wby load data table that I contributed here: http://www.accuratereloading.com/375wby.html The data in the table just vanished some years ago.  Good thing I printed that to save in the .375 Wby "binder."  It was good data, at least for the powder lots I had.  | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata | Page 1 2 |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia