I wanted to do a little shooting yesterday so I pulled my 450 Dakota out of the safe and headed out to the range. I hadn't shot this gun in some time and I had forgotten what a magnificent firearm it is. It is a full custom built by AHR with fleur-de-lis checkering and wood that was hand selected by Wayne. With a 2.5 Leupold and Talley QD bases and rings it weighs in at 10.7 pounds. I have not hunted with this gun yet but I have worked up a hand load that pushes 450 grain TSXs to 2400 fps. However, at the range, I usually just shoot plain old 500 grain Hornady Interlocks. Fantastic gun. Wonderful case design. Perfect, effortless feeding. Low pressures so cases last forever. Superb selection of .458 bullets. Why do you suppose the 450 Dakota or the Rigby version didn't become more popular?

I just had a 450 Rigby show up at my door last night. Haven't had a chance to fire it yet, but will this weekend.

It weighs 10-3/4 pounds without the scope.

quote:

Originally posted by MHC_TX:
I just had a 450 Rigby show up at my door last night. Haven't had a chance to fire it yet, but will this weekend.

It weighs 10-3/4 pounds without the scope.

Range trip?

I hope we are going to see pictures of these rifles!

MHC did Duane build you .450 Rigby?

Best,
Dave

I don't know why they aren't more popular but if I were going to get a 45 bore it would be the rigby.

Well, For starters..

Every time I shot my Dakota 450 Dakota I had to go to the chiropractor.. Having a couple surgeries involving neck fusions most likely didn't help either. Plus Dakota's stock was just wrong for me.. I made that gun weigh 12lbs w/3 reducers & could only shoot with reduced loads @ about 2200-2300fps. Figured I might as well just dump the big-ole-Dakota & have Roger Farrell set me up a CZ 550 458Lott.. Ya-know with the Old School Rigby style stock with drop set for Irons. I shoot that Lott 500grn bullet 21" barrel 2210fps. Rifle weighs about 9lbs empty and points like a dream..

Btw.. I have a like new set of Redding custom dies & shell holder if anybody needs them..

quote:

Originally posted by DavidC:
I hope we are going to see pictures of these rifles!

MHC did Duane build you .450 Rigby?

Best,
Dave

Yes, he did....it is built on a Satterlee double square bridge action, etc.

I think the 450 Dakota is a great round but you can get a 460 Weatherby much cheaper and that has probably held it back. It has happened with other cartridges that are very similar. The 243 Winchester hurt the 6mm Remington. The main thing is that you are happy with your gun and it sounds like you are so no problems there. Enjoy it.

quote:

Originally posted by MopaneMike:
Btw.. I have a like new set of Redding custom dies & shell holder if anybody needs them..

And the price shipped is?

Duane Wiebe - 450 Rigby

MHC,

That is one great looking rifle.....Congratulations!

The barrel & lines of the stock are particularly eye catching.

I love checking out Duane's latest work...

Best,
Dave

My next project will be to have my AHR/CZ 550 rifle, originally chambered in .458 Lott, rechambered and reworked to .450 Rigby.

I have learned that more velocity, as in 2,400-2,500 fps, is better, given good bullets.

quote:

Originally posted by WoodHunter:

quote:

Originally posted by MopaneMike:
Btw.. I have a like new set of Redding custom dies & shell holder if anybody needs them..

And the price shipped is?

My Bad..

I must have looked at one of the 450 Rigby postings here and transposed "Rigby"

I actually had a 450 "Dakota"

I have corrected my post & apologize for any confusion I caused you..

I bought some 500 grain solids and softs from Superior Ammunition for regulating the iron sights. Superior told me they loaded the 450 Rigby to 2350fps with the 500 grain bullet - as this was the preferred MV by most of their customers......apparently the recoil complaints increased with "more" velocity.

I plan to push my reloads up to 2400fps for the 500gr bullet, but if "recoil" becomes a issue I will drop the velocity down.

I haven't found a 400gr bullet at 2400fps from a 416 Rigby lacking for much in the killing department on anything smaller than a elephant (no data here yet).

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
My next project will be to have my AHR/CZ 550 rifle, originally chambered in .458 Lott, rechambered and reworked to .450 Rigby.

I have learned that more velocity, as in 2,400-2,500 fps, is better, given good bullets.

Michael:

Recoil does get to be pretty significant if you start driving 500 grain bullets much above 2350. The solution I came up with is to drop down a bit in bullet weight. My pet load for the 450 Dakota uses 94 grains of Reloder 15 and a 450 grain TSX. That load runs right at 2400 fps out of the 24 inch barrel of my rifle. Here is the load data that I got from Johan Loubser at Accurate Powder for the 450 Dakota. I am thinking that the Dakota has only slightly more case capacity than the Rigby version so this will give you someplace to start.


RAMSHOT POWDERS:
Caliber:      .450 Dakota.                
Barrel length:      24” 
Powder:           Ramshot –- HUNTER®.
Bullet weight: 450 grains.
Start load: 103.0 grains (2275– 2375 ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 114.5 grains (2475 – 2575 Ft/p/sec) Compressed  LD ca 110%

Bullet weight:  500 grains.
Start load: 101.0 grains (2100 - 2200 ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 112.0 grains (2375 – 2475 Ft/p/sec). LD ca 104%
 
ACCURATE POWDERS:
Caliber:      .450 Dakota.
Barrel length:     24”
Reduced loads:
Powder:           Accurate - 5744.
Bullet weight: 500 grains
Low load: 52.0 (1700-1800 fps)
Mid range load: 58.0 grains (1800 -1900 Fps)
Maximum load: 64.0 grains (2075-2175 fps)

Full power loads:              
Powder:           Accurate - 4350.
Bullet weight: 400 grains
Start load: 103.5 grains (2300-2400 Fps)
Maximum load: 116.0 grains (2525-2625 Fps) LD ca 110%

Bullet weight: 500 grains
Start load: 94.0 grains (2100 – 2200Fps)
Maximum load: 105.0 grains (2325-2425 Fps) LD ca 106%

NOTES:
It’ important to note that SAFETY is our prime concern therefore we strongly recommend.
1.        TO ALWAYS BEGIN LOADING AT THE RECOMMENDED MINIMUM “START” LOAD.
2.        If at all possible, measure the velocity and correlate with our data.
 
Regards
Johan Loubser
Ballistician
Ramshot/Accurate Powders
Tel: (406) 234 04 22  email: johan@ramshot.com
Western Powders Inc -- Miles City – Montana.

The first loads that I put together used a 500 grain Hornady bullet and 105 grains of H 4350. That is the load data that I got from Dakota. That load proved to be pretty hot in my rifle and recoil was more than I could handle.

quote:

I haven't found a 400gr bullet at 2400fps from a 416 Rigby lacking for much in the killing department on anything smaller than a elephant (no data here yet).

Works fine for Ele too!

Gentlemen, I must be pretty much recoil-proof.

My thick-skinned dangerous game rifle for my last three safaris has been a .500 A-Square driving 570-600 grain bullets.

Initially, I loaded 600 grain Woodleigh bullets to 2,300 fps.

These worked fine, but were a bit disappointing in terms of instant incapacitation, i.e., knockdown, power.

I then switched to Barnes 570 grain bullets at 2,500 fps. I have found that these are devastatingly effective.

Both loads are far more "instantaneously" effective than the Lott I previously used. The Lott works, of course, but you have to see what a .510 caliber 570 grain TSX bullet at 2,500 fps does to a Cape buffalo to believe it.

So now I am juicing up my .45.

Works for me.

Thanks for the loading data, Dave.

Sounds like a wonderful gun.

IMO,a bigbore magazine rifle should be able to hold three in the magazine besides the one in the chamber without having a mag sticking out or a very large belly.The 458 lott accomplishes this.If it can only hold two in the magazine then a double rifle becomes much more of a attractive alternative.

quote:

Originally posted by WoodHunter:

quote:

Originally posted by MopaneMike:
Btw.. I have a like new set of Redding custom dies & shell holder if anybody needs them..

And the price shipped is?

Sorry WoodHunter..

Beib's beat you to it by a couple of hour's

I suspect the Dakota didn't fly because their are so many good custom rifle builders out there, that actually build a better gun for about the same money...Also the competition is fierce in 45 caliber, and the .450 had to contend with the 458 Lott that was ready and waiting in the stores with much less expensive components..then you have the recoil situation and in fact most folks much prefer to have less recoil than the 45s dish out, and others see no need for all that additional velocity..I fall into that catagory and have found the 416 Rem, Ruger and 404 suits all my needs.

Granted their are two sides to the story as usual and mine is just one side of it, but since you asked!

Dave, dies are on the way, and I have 100 cases. Thanks for the load details.

With all respect to everyone, I think that the moral of the story is that if you see something like rare dies or brass offered, you should just offer to buy without regard to cost. It will undoubtedly be fair, certainly compared to ordering new ones to be made up for you.

The same could be said for rifles, notwithstanding that I have seen some outstanding items that got no bids, then were taken off the market as too pricey for buyers to jump. I can think of a couple last year that in fact were both rare and bargains at the price, but I acted too slowly to my immense regret. [Ginnydog, if you are out there, PM me.] <g>

Norm
____

quote:

Originally posted by MopaneMike:

quote:

Originally posted by WoodHunter:

quote:

Originally posted by MopaneMike:
Btw.. I have a like new set of Redding custom dies & shell holder if anybody needs them..

And the price shipped is?

Sorry WoodHunter..

Beib's beat you to it by a couple of hour's

quote:

Originally posted by Anjin:
With all respect to everyone, I think that the moral of the story is that if you see something like rare dies or brass offered, you should just offer to buy without regard to cost. It will undoubtedly be fair, certainly compared to ordering new ones to be made up for you.

The same could be said for rifles, notwithstanding that I have seen some outstanding items that got no bids, then were taken off the market as too pricey for buyers to jump. I can think of a couple last year that in fact were both rare and bargains at the price, but I acted too slowly to my immense regret. [Ginnydog, if you are out there, PM me.] <g>

Norm

Good advice. I'm still haunted by a Mauser I missed back in late 2005!

I had the first .450 Rigby built on the West Coast. I'm sending it to AHR to have a longer stock put on it but except for occasionally belting me good and hard in the nose I think it's a great cartridge. Mine does indeed hold three down and one in the chamber and as Boddington put it, "These things numb buffalo".