I have been using IMR 4320 in my Lott with Hornady 500g softs and have gone as high as 80 grains. I was wondering where other posters have gotten thier accuracy at? I am conflicted about loading heavier even though I have seen no pressure signs.
My loading manuals show the following:
Hornady #7 64.2 min and 73.6 at max 2250 fps.
Barnes #3 76.0 min and 81.0 at max 2323 fps.
And then Steve's pages show 64.2 min to 85.0 max.

This seems like a large range to me. Iwas just curious what others have loaded this powder to.

And yes I do understand that all rifles are different and any load given should be worked up to.

Just curious, and thanks.

500gr, 84.0gr 4320, 2280fps

Keith

Hey Keith, glad to see you posting. I had been wondering where you went.

I use IMR4320 85grs in my 458 Lott for all 500gr bullets.

Thanks!

I sure was curious, I will keep working up carefully. I think I had already made uo my mind to anyway.

83.0 grains of IMR-4320 with Fed-215 using Barnes 450 TSX and Banded Solids at 2420 fps. They did everything I wanted.

Bull1

That is the only powder that I could get 2350 FPS with a 500 gr. bullet and still be in the safe zone.

As far as I'm concerned its the only powder for the Lott...My load was 83 grs. of IMR-4320 for just a bit over 2300 FPS. It gave me .0003 head expansion, superb accuracy, and more than enough velocity in the 26" tube. I loaded up to a good bit beyond the max of 85 grs. in my testing and got a little over 2500 FPS and pressures were very high with extractor marks and flat primers and case head expansion was right up there, I reloaded one of these cases 4 times and it was showing signs of fatigue, but I knew where the max was for sure with that rifle.

Recoil is right up there with my 83 gr. load and got horrendous as I went up..

Most Lotts work well with 82 grs. of IMR-4320 and a 500 gr. bullet..Its a sure killer.

BTW I always turn the expander ball down .003 or .004 on my Lott dies and use a powder that pretty well fills the case and a good crimp and never have had a bullet set back.


Rifle magazine no. 135, May-June 1991 has a great article on loading the 458 Lott by G. Sitton.