I'm looking for reloading information for the .450 No. 2 Nitro Express. If anyone knows of a good source or has some of their own I would greatly appreciate the assistance. Thanks.

FROM THE A-SQUARE RELOADING MANUAL:

450 #2 N.E.

Bore: .450
Groove: .458
case length: 3.5"
465 grain bullet

113.5 g. H4831 = 2037 fps
118.5 g. H4831 = 2178 fps
107.0 g. IMR4831 = 2158 fps
110.0 g. IMR4831 = 2201 fps
112.0 g. RL22 = 1970 fps
117.0 g. RL22 = 2200 fps

Be cautioned that other writes strongly suggest use of RL 15 as the powder for old NE cartridges, with a dab of Dacron filler to take up the extra space in the case.

I have not used the above loads and I do not know how they will perform.

Homebrew I have been shooting a 450 No2 for about four years. I'll try to keep a long story short. My rifle is regulated for 75 gr. of cordite 480 gr bullet. When I first got the rifle I was told to use IMR 3031. My best loads were as follows:
350 gr. Hornady Round nose 81 gr. of 3031 vel. 2330 fps.
480 Woodleigh soft 81 gr. 3031
500 Hornady soft 81 gr. 3031 vel 2053
500 Hornady solid [old style] 80 gr. 3031 vel 2065
Then after reading about IMR 4831 in doubles I tried it:
With the 480 Woodleigh soft. the 500 gr. Hornady soft and solid I found 100 gr of IMR 4831 to shoot the best. All the above loads use 5 gr. of poly as a filler on top of the powder charge.
I just recently tried Reloader 15 [RL15]. this powder has given me my best overall groups so far.
89 gr of RL15 with the Woodleigh soft or solid,
or the 500 gr. Hornady soft or solid shoots right to the sights at 50 yds and the groups are good. I only have one range session with RL15 so far but it shoot so good that I Used the load with 500 gr. Hornady's for Rusty's double rifle shoot. I used foam as a filler with the RL15 loads. The foam was cut with a 50 BMG case chamfered. The foam forms a slight compression between the powder and the bullet base. I find foam easier and quicker to use.
All loads were in Bertram cases all primers Federal 215. I have some rounds loaded with 350 Hornady and RL 15 but have not tried them yet.

Homebrew get a copy of "Shooting the British Double Rifle" by Graeme Wright, avialable from Huntingtons. I have also done some "Nitro for Black" style loads for my 450 No2. I am looking for a load for close range wild pig and deer hunting, and fun shooting/plinking with reduced recoil.Best load so far has been the Remington 405 gr. with 60gr. of IMR 4198 with 15gr. of poly filler. The same load with a 400gr cast bullet shoots almost as good. I have killed quite a few pigs and deer with the Hornady 350 RN, my longest shot was 85yds. on a deer. I would not hesitate to use that load on any game up to Elk size Including Black Bear. I would probably carry a 350 in the right bbl and a 480 woodleigh or 500 Hornady soft in the left on the Elk Or Bear. That is one of the advantages of a double, immediate selection of two different loads. Reloader 15 may be the powder you should try first, but you MUST,REPEAT MUST use some type of filler with any powder in the 450 No2 or hangfires will result. I like foam the best, it is a lot easier to cut out foam plugs than to weigh poly. [besides my wife was becomming suspicious as all of her couch pillows were disapearing ] All the above loads shoot to the sights and regulate good. The Nitro for Black are not as fast so they shoot lower at 100 yds., but they are OK to 50yds. The trajectory of a 350 Hornady at 2300fps. is almost identical to the trajectory of a 500 gr. at 2100fps., so my folding leaves are good for both loads. I have shot quite a bit at 200yds.[rocks]and some at 300yds and my leaves are right on. I do not know if I am the first one to stumble upon this phenomenon, but in both of my big bore doubles once you find a good load for the 'full" weight bullet the same powder charge seems to shoot a bullet at 75% weight to the same point of aim and regulates as good or better as the original full weight load. Neither 300 or 400 gr. bullets shoot near as good as the 350gr. In my 450/400 3 1/4 300gr. bullets shoot as good as the 400gr. By as good I mean to the sights and regulate perfect.
I hope this helps. Tell us more about your 450 No2. I think it is the best of the big bore doubles for someone who shoots a lot and hunts stuff in the good old USA, as well as Africa.

sorry my computer doubled

[ 08-26-2002, 21:09: Message edited by: N E 450 No2 ]

[ 08-26-2002, 21:10: Message edited by: N E 450 No2 ]