First trip planned for Sept-Zim w/CM for buff, kudu, zebra, etc. Taking a Rifles, Inc 416 Rem. Rifle shoots close to 1 MOA no matter what I feed it. Have been a handloader for years-want to kill the buff with my load, if possible. Have shot Swifts, Barnes, Northfork, Hornady, Nosler Partitions. Rifle likes the Barnes, NF, and Swifts the best. PH likes the Swifts. Want to work up a good load-last round shot yesterday avg 2250-2300 fps. Would like to push it a little-would really prefer the buff to drop and die with the first shot if at all possible. Want to stick with RL15-have noticed most of the manuals max out at 79 gr.-Barnes says 77gr. I think my rifle likes them hot-last loads shot the best at the upper end. I am inclined to load all three bullets close to max @ 1/2 gr increments and see what shoots the best. Rifle is surprisingly almost fun to shoot off bench as long as I use sissy bag w/25 lbs. shot. I know my rifle has a tight chamber. Don't want to load hot here and not have the bolt open for a second shot in Zim w/o using a hammer. Advice from this extremely knowledgeable group would be greatly appreciated. TIA.

quote:

Originally posted by drj:
Advice from this extremely knowledgeable group would be greatly appreciated. TIA.

I don't know that I fall into that group, but I have killed a couple of buffalo....

My advice would be to take whatever load uses the bullet you have most confidence in(as you said all loads are very accurate in your rifle). The 2250-2300 that you are getting now is perfectly adequate.

Adding 50 of 100 FPS is not going to make any real difference.

On the other hand, shot placement will make a real difference. Get off the bench and start practicing offhand and from the sticks. Also, study buffalo shot placement charts and hunting videos.

Even a small bore like the 375 will kill a buffalo very quickly if the bullet is properly placed. As has been proven in the past, a poorly placed 600 will barely slow a buffalo down.

Getting the bullet where it needs to go(placement and penetration) is the most important part of killing a buffalo. Bore size and velocity are a very, very distant second and third.

My 416 Rem shoots best with 81gr or Re15 with the 400gr Swift. It will shoot that same load with the Barnes X bullet and the Barnes round nose solid. I have loaded up to 82gr of Re15 with easy extraction. At 81gr it chronographs at 2400fps with the Swifts. Re15 varies from lot to lot so you will want to see what velocity the rifle likes and check it when you change lots of powder.

I agree with JB, I would worry more about having high pressure that the last 100
feet per second.

I do know that a 40cal, 400gr bullet at 2150 to 2200fps will kill lion, cape buff, and elephant no problem...

I have loaded for and shot four 416 Remingtons over the years and the two with Winchester factory chambers took 81 grains of Reloader 15 to hit 2400fps with 400 grain Swifts. The other two, that had aftermarket barrels, took 79 grains to get to 2400.

They all shot most accurately at 2400 fps, by the way. I am sure it was coincedence, as they were separated by years, and different lots of powder.

I have never had any pressure problems either here or in africa, even when it was well over 100 degrees F.

IMHO, dropping too far below 2400 robs the 416 of its versatility.

I have shot a lot of buffalo with the .416 Rem.
78 to 82 grs. of RL-15 is the way to go..My std load is 79 grs. for near 2400 FPS..

The bullets that have worked best for me are the 450 gr. Woodleighs, North Fork Cup Points and the 400 gr. Noslers. The Nosler in that caliber has had the partition set forward and its an outstanding bullet.

Don't expect "instant kills" on buffalo, not even with a 600 N.E., it just does not happen very often.

72 grains of Varget and a 400gr A-frame bullet equals 2200fps in my 24" barreled Blaser R93. Three easy kills, two by a friend with my loads in his Blaser on charging Buffalo at almost contact distances.

Both guns shoot sub .6moa with this load and it's a soft shooter in an 11 pound rifle.

drj,

I too am working on a load for the 416 Rem mag. Shooting a Win 70. I have tried the varget w/large space between holes. So far my best group has been w/ 80gr RL-15 w/ 400 gr Nolser Part and 3.76" OAL. Should be (not measured) around 2475fps. I plan on trying different OAL to get my best group. Using the varget I was getting very wide variations. When I find whats best for my 416, I'll let you know.
Good luck w/Buzz and the gang. Hunted w/them in July/Aug 2010. Absolute blast!!!!!!!!!!!

win 760, hornady starting loads

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
I do know that a 40cal, 400gr bullet at 2150 to 2200fps will kill lion, cape buff, and elephant no problem...

+1 - No need for that extra speed in the 416 Rem Mag.

Easier on the shoulder/neck, faster off the recoil and generally won't induce severe flinching.

Plus, more fun to shoot and kills DRT!

On my third .416 Rem. 80 Grs. Rel. 15 with 400 grainers is allways my big bullet load.

My 416 likes 81-82gr Re 15 the best with North Forks, Swifts, GS Customs, and X bullets. All are at 2400-2450 fps and show no problems in 100 degree heat.Your most accurate load that is at least 2200fps is the one you want for Mr. M'Bogo.

That is where I am loading mine as well. Seems to me if the highly touted NE rounds worked at 2100-2200 fps the 416 should as well.

I shoot the 450-400 at 2200 FPS and the 416 at 2400 to 2450 FPS and have shot the .416 at 2250 FPS early on..I definatly get much better penetration at 2400 FPS. Because of that I use a soft and a solid in the 450-400.

I prefer the 2400 FPS mostly because at the first shot the buff turns and takes off and a good hard soft at 2400 will come to rest in the neck or front of the shoulder even if it breaks the bit hip bone or pelvis, the lower velocity sometimes will not do that was my experience anyway.

If I were to use my .416 Rem or 404 at 2200 FPS I would use a North Fork cup point and that should get me by..but I like the extra horse power you get with 2400 FPS..

Another problem with the 2200 FPS is I have seen bullets skid sideways on buff and go between the inside of the shoulder and outside of the rib cage when they should have gone to the heart and broke the spine perhaps. I think this is due to the lower velocity of the 450-400. The solution to this problem in the smaller 40 calibers and the .375 H&H is a solid or North Fork cup point, but the extra 200 or so FPS seem to me to be a better solution.