Does anyone have any experience with reduced loads of Hodgdon 4895 in 416 Rem. Hodgdon describes this on their website and says you may reduce maximum loads down to 60%. I currently have no trouble with extended range sessions from the bench with my 300WM but the 416 is new to me and would like to start out with reduced loads.

Modern Reloading, 2nd ed (Richard Lee) has some interesting info in its load tables. They include velocity and pressure factors one can use to calculate (read that as "closely estimate") the velocity and presure of reduced loads for certain powders in certain cartridges.

From page 714:
"Multiply the velocity of the NEVER EXCEED load by the Velocity (Veloc) factor and you will know the velocity of a charge one grain less than the NEVER EXCEED load. You can multiply your new velocity again by the Velocity factor to find the velocity of another 1 grain reduction. This can be repeated for a full 1/3 reduction with very close results."

Chapter 9 of the book explains how these values came about and the empirical data behind them. It looks pretty valid to me so far, but I haven't had time to really verify every stage firsthand.

From their data with H4895 (and assuming a 400 gr bullet), the never exceed charge is 76.0 gr for a velocity of 2391 fps. Using the given velocity factor of .9866, you can drop the load to 75.0 gr and should then see a velocity of 2358 fps. You can repeat this process to end up with a load of 51 gr and an estimated velocity of 1707 fps.

I did a quick spreadsheet calculation just for the sake of interest:
charge velocity
76 2391
75 2359
74 2327
73 2296
72 2265
71 2235
70 2205
69 2176
68 2146
67 2118
66 2089
65 2061
64 2034
63 2006
62 1979
61 1953
60 1927
59 1901
58 1876
57 1850
56 1826
55 1801
54 1777
53 1753
52 1730
51 1707

I'd say pick any load in this range that looks good and have at it. I'd be curious to see how your data compares to this. The Hodgdon sources are pretty confident in this method, it seems, but don't make any statements about accuracy. They are more concerned with safety/velocity/pressure when doing this kind of calculation. Best 'o luck!

Thanks Captain for your reply. This is new territory for me, both the 416 and reducing the load of H4895. I know in the past I have read about the dangers of reducing loads in large capacity cases. I do not have any recent loading manuals and have only read about this on the Hodgdon website. THANKS again.

Hey JC,

My reduced load for this rifle is 79.0 grains of H414 with 350 grain Speer Mag Tips. I get 2150 fps with this combo and it is extremely accurate.

........Big Bullet ..That is a good load....It and simular loads make the 416 Rem vary shooter friendly and are great for general hunting ..I likt a 400 gr rn sp or solid at 2150 fps..... Enuf recoil so you know the gun went off but not so much to be bothersome and enough power to keep from getting chewed.......Don,t worry to much about bench rest accuracy as the 416 usually shoots pretty good and off hand accuracy is the most important...

Thanks everyone for your response. If anyone has any more data on the 350g Speer bullet my manual from them is the number 12 just before they developed load data for that bullet.

Thanks again.

I love reloader 15 for all of my 416 rem magf loads.I shoot the 350 gr mag tip bullet at about 2400 fps with 76 grs of Reloader 15.It has alot less recoil than facorty stuff.Its cheap to reload too.I use the reloader 15 bullets for all of my loads 300 gr -410 gr woodleigh bullets .Its accurate in all of my loads.

.........My favorite load is a moly tumbled 300 gr. Barnes X bullet pushed by 86 gr.of H4895..Tho I could increase that I consider it a max load ..

I use 81grs of RL15 that gives me 2420 FPS with a 400gr bullet or I down load it to 80gr of RL15
and that gives me 2380 FPS with the 400 gr bullet. For the 350 gr bullet I load to 81grs and the gives me 2520 FPS. I don't down load to much, Don't see the need to.

Gumboot 458..I'm doing 88grs of the same with the 325 barnes X..I think around 2800...Another "Kicker"! in a 4 3/4pd plus scope= 5 1/2 pd Mountain bear rifle!

quote:

Originally posted by gumboot458:
.........My favorite load is a moly tumbled 300 gr. Barnes X bullet pushed by 86 gr.of H4895..Tho I could increase that I consider it a max load ..

SAFARIKID;;How did you do that ,,,,The 4 3/4 lb 416 REM ......I know I,m going to regret this,,,,,,,I could understand it with a Taylor ,,,,,Is it a Stuart Saterlee action ???...........88 gr would be real hot,,,,I wondered what you were doin with those 325,s...........Have you tried the GS Custom 330 gr HV bullet yet ....Got any pictures ?????? I honestly didn,t think one could be made that light......

Shooting reduced loads in the big bores is a falacy started by someone who had a brain fart that sounded logical, but in fact it doesn't really work, other than perhaps in the mind of some shooters perhaps..

Better to shoot a larger bore, then the 416 feels very soft to you. If you insist on reduced loads then your 300 should do the same thing as a reduced load.

I shoot my .470 off the bench, then shoot my 416 and the .416 feels like a pussycat.

Anyway, its an option you might try, it's the system that taught me to shoot big bores many years ago. Remember a proper fitting big bore, held properly will not hurt you, its all a mind game IMO.

.........Reduced loads work just fine if they are a good load that will do what you want it too....The problem is most people spend all there time shooting a man wounder or something and so even if there large bore is a good accurate rifle they arn,t very good with it ...Hench they get the reputation of being inaccurate.....Tone most 416 rem mags down to 404 Jeff. velocities and you can wander around all day shooting it .....You will really get so that when you see something to kill ,,you don,t need to have a servant set up a tripod before you can take a shot......Shooting sticks are.well and good on a 300 yrd shot across a clearing ...But for the average 50-70 yard shot that needs to be taken, NOW , from off hand......Reduced loads are great instructors....Yes shooting a really heavy recoiling gun will give us a perspective bench mark ......But not every one is in the league of SAFARIKID.........That is how I got so I can do what it shows in my avatar.......

We used a Rem 700 Titanium action,a Light weight Shilen SS barrel turned down and cut to 18" and a One pound Kevlar stock from MPI.Tallay alloy one piece rings and a Leupold 1.5-5 for a total of 5 1/2pds!NOW,I am doing the same thing in a 458Lott,but with a 16" SS barrel and sights...Naming it "Hogzilla" for these Georgia Boys!Didnt chrono the 325s yet.

quote:

Originally posted by gumboot458:
SAFARIKID;;How did you do that ,,,,The 4 3/4 lb 416 REM ......I know I,m going to regret this,,,,,,,I could understand it with a Taylor ,,,,,Is it a Stuart Saterlee action ???...........88 gr would be real hot,,,,I wondered what you were doin with those 325,s...........Have you tried the GS Custom 330 gr HV bullet yet ....Got any pictures ?????? I honestly didn,t think one could be made that light......