Alf,

I think this "high pressure-old ammo" thing MAY be fairly common. It sure proved to be so in some 6 or 7 year-old .375 handloads, that were zinging at 200 to 300 fps faster than they were originally, and very eratic. The powder was clumped badly in most of the cases from which I pulled the bullets.

I am trying to make it a habit to pull bullets on any handloads over a couple years old.

Shooting old ammo may be the source of pressure problems that Ganyana was talking about. But who will ever know for sure?

Will,

I seem to recall our resident Chemist, aka Roger Rothchild, flattly stating that your comments about old powder causing high pressure are completely bogus. He stated that the active ingredients in the powder actually breakdown over time; therefore, old powder burns with less energy NOT more!

ASS_CLOWN

Will,

Were your loads compressed to begin with?

Perhaps the powder companies would have some input on this.

George

I like the .375 and the .416 calibers very much.

Due to a scope problem with a .338 and a .375 just before I left two weeks ago (a scope started to act erratic leaving me with no spare), I took a 9.3x62 and a .416 Rigby.

The PH was pleased to see the 9.3x62 ... he commented that he didn't like "pip squeek" cartrides. BUT he was VERY skeptical of the .416. He indicated that his experience was that few of his clients that brought them could shoot them well. He said he'd seen more wounded game with the .416 Rigby than any caliber his clients brought.

If you have little experience with more energetic rifles, the .375 is a fine choice and can be used on many species because of the extraordinary range of bullets available. Recoil is relatively mild and the rifles are relatively light and handy.

That being said, if you are not sensitive to recoil and can practice enough to be sure of that ... either .416 cartridge will work just fine. The Rigby does have the nostalgia and is slightly more flexible in loadings ... and kills like the hammer of Thor!

(I don't seem to be very sensitive to recoil, and didn't even notice it when a gemsbock was under the cross hairs. The PH agreed that he'd be happy to hunt buff with me if I brought it again.)

I will tell you what is not boggus, and that is old ammo that has been bouncing around in a Safari truck or ranch truck for several years and the slow burning powder breaks down into the equivelent of 3031 or even bullseye..then things will come apart and this has been proven by the factories many times...That is usually the case in many of these occurances....

Normally compression and cakeing cause dud loads that shoot with very little velocity, it also causes misfires...This has been the nemisis of the 458 Win. for years.

I believe that.

Wild Bill used to shoot the full cylinder of .36s from his Navy Colts at the end of each day and load them afresh for the next one.

Not a bad policy when your life could depend on your gun's going "bang" every time.