As one of a number of candidates as a cartridge choice for a forthcoming heavy rifle project, i'm soliciting any comments and feedback concerning the .470 Capstick.Let me know what ya'all think; the good, the bad, the ugly.Thanks, guys
I now have 2 rifles in 470 capstick, both mauser 98's.
To do it right, you need to buy an extra deep magazine box from either Sunny Hill (brownells) or Ted Blackburn ($300 to $400). This applies to either a mauser 98 or a model 70 conversion.
I have been very pleased with the performance of the capstick round and am tempted to build another. If you want an inexpensive route, rebarreling a cz550 gets you there cheap and gives you 5 down in the magazine box plus 1 in the chamber.
There are only two downsides. The first used to be brass, but you can now buy properly headstamped brass. The second is that you seldom find .474 500 grain bullets on sale. But you can shoot the speer gold dot .474 400 grain pistol bullet in the capstick for practice or for varmints.
Favorite load: 86.0 grains IMR 4064, F215 primer, HDS basic brass, 500 grain bullet (such as Woodleigh, Bridger, etc.).
The other positive side is that you can get Redding dies in 470 cap if you like Redding.
Posts: 18352 | Location: Salt Lake City, Utah USA | Registered: 20 April 2002
It's the most one can get in killing power from this great casing. A very fine blend of firepower, killing power and overall rifle weight. It makes a lot of sense. Bullet selection does not compare with .458.
If the Capstick will do what you want 500g @2300 fps?), it makes a lot more sense in a standard-size magnum action. Those Rigby cases are huge, and most actions will only hold two down without $$$ custom drop boxes. If you're starting with a CZ 550 then I would definitely choose the Mbogo (and hope to someday) because those actions get four or five down! But they also get seven Capsticks down, as if you'd ever need 48,000 ft/lb at once - but you never know. [note: (8) 500g going 2300 = (6) 600g at 2400 in energy.]
Posts: 2000 | Location: Beaverton OR | Registered: 19 December 2002
The Capstick does ssem to make a certain amount of practical sense....'moderate' recoil and a large number of available shots.....what kind of job is Wichester doing with their M70 rifle in .470? Any body with exprience/seen it/shot it? 'Tanks
I donno... The cartridge raises an issue with me in that it has little body taper. I have never seen a Capstck reamer, current or otherwise. To sway away from the lack of body taper, a "ghost shoulder" (which is not a shoulder at all) was introduced in this case, I suspect from evolution this is no longer a feature though. The "470 trollbane", has my vote, though I would grab a 495A2 at that point, if I wanted a 2.85~" fatty. Otherwise I will stick to whats familiar with me, 458lott/watts.
Posts: 2045 | Location: West most midwestern town. | Registered: 13 June 2001
quote:Originally posted by smallfry: I donno... The cartridge raises an issue with me in that it has little body taper. I have never seen a Capstck reamer, current or otherwise. To sway away from the lack of body taper, a "ghost shoulder" (which is not a shoulder at all) was introduced in this case, I suspect from evolution this is no longer a feature though. The "470 trollbane", has my vote, though I would grab a 495A2 at that point, if I wanted a 2.85~" fatty. Otherwise I will stick to whats familiar with me, 458lott/watts.
Actually the ghost shoulder is a step up in design from the 458 lott's continuous taper. It is difficult to reload lott cartridges without getting a slight case bulge at the bullet base, but I never get that when I reload capsticks. And they extract perfecty, even with hot loads (unless I use A-Square's old too-soft brass).
Posts: 18352 | Location: Salt Lake City, Utah USA | Registered: 20 April 2002
Yes... the ghost shoulder is always a good idea, when you have little body taper. The bulge on the base exists and has never been problem for me, I use a homemade die that has sleeve, this provides a crimp over the length of the bullet in short. Is your 470 a A-sq built rifle? Does it maintain the g-shoulder? Sometimes, minute features like this, seem to disappear in cartridge design.
Posts: 2045 | Location: West most midwestern town. | Registered: 13 June 2001
My rifles are not A2 built. They are custom mausers. My reamer is from Dave Manson who also made the reamers for A-Square. I cannot visually identify the ghost shoulder on my cases, but I do note the absence of the bullet base bulge that I get on my 458 lott reloads.
