Ok, I have my 458 built. I have the new plush recoil pad installed. It is finished except for making it look nice,instead of a Frankenstein rifle. I have a specific question about reloading.
I was looking at my manuals. There seems to be a velocity window between the 45-70 and the .458 win mag. This is the area I would like to work in until I get used to the recoil of the big gun. My reloading manual says loading below the minimums will cause ignition delays.
I have read that in the old days they used to do things like pack corn meal on top of the powder for a reason I am not exactly familiar with.
So, is there something like that I could do with this gun? Or am I going completely up the wrong tree here? It seems like the idea would be to drop in the reduced load of Reloader 7, fill in the empty space with the filler(cornmeal?), then seat the bullet. Get a 400gr in the 1850fps area.

You should not have hangfires with starting loads of Re7. There isn't that much air space in the case.

George

I would like to go below the .458 minimums. It will take me closer to 45-70 territory.

I just realised I may be over complicating this. If anybody has loads that put the 400gr in 1800 to 1900 fps range that is what I am looking for.
Thanks.

These loads are from Ken Waters.

With a 400gr bullet:
All with IMR 3031
56gr = 1564fps
60gr= 1766fps

A max load will be around 70 or 71 grains for @2100fps.

I have shot these loads in a couple of 458s I used to have.

I loaded up some blooper loads with RL7 and Rem 405s without any troubles. Can't remember the exact powder charge but my cousin insisted he could see the bullet in the air.

Here is what I do when I want a light load for a big magnum such as a 375 or 45.
I figure out how deep the bullet will seat in the case and then just fill the case to this mark using H4831 or a slower powder.
Great way to use up that excess old slow powder.

Perfect. Thanks! I over complicate everything.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
These loads are from Ken Waters.

With a 400gr bullet:
All with IMR 3031
56gr = 1564fps
60gr= 1766fps

A max load will be around 70 or 71 grains for @2100fps.

I have shot these loads in a couple of 458s I used to have.

Or you could just fill them full of Pyrodex for practice loads.

H4895 is a powder which can be loaded well, well below max. You can find the % below max that you can take this powder to on their website. I don't recall the % or the load, but I was getting 1500fps with ~500gr cast lead bullets.

And you can walk that bullet and powder all the way from mild to pretty wild with H4895.

JPk

If you will do a search here on bug bores, you will find a good bit of data.

Including my practice load W/405gr Remmys,@2100fps.

Keith

I've been using 35gr of SR4759 with 400gr. Speer FN for ~1500fps in my 458 Lott.

There is reduced 458WM load data in the Speer #13 manual.

Accurate 5744 is great for reduced loads in the big guns as well. I load 416 Rigby with 350gr. Speers to a touch over 2000fps for a plinking/whitetail load. Recoil similar to a light '06. I can get well below that, like 1700fps, but it nose dives pretty quickly.

David

Frank:

x2mosg has a good suggestion. Drop an e-mail to Accurate powder. I'll bet Jouhan Loubser will respond within 24 hours. He can give you a load using Accurate 5744 and you won't need to use a filler of any kind with that powder.

Dave

Jouhan at Accurate Powders is an excellent source...I "talked" to him because I needed a good load for a 400 gr bullet around 42 KCUP for my SMLE 2a conversion...he came up with 2460 as having the best pressure/velocity...I had worked up loads with several powders and was down to between AA2230 and AA2460 and the AA2460 won. AA2460 at 2270fs at 40-42 KCUP, 2450 fs at <45 KCUP...not too bad for a low pressure rifle and case longevity to boot.

Luck on your quest

Look in the Hornady manual for the 458WM & the Hornady 350Grain bullet and start load of IMR-3031 = 64.5 grains start load...
very good start load and easy to shoot...you will love it!

quote:

Ok, I have my 458 built. I have the new plush recoil pad installed. It is finished except for making it look nice,instead of a Frankenstein rifle. I have a specific question about reloading.
I was looking at my manuals. There seems to be a velocity window between the 45-70 and the .458 win mag. This is the area I would like to work in until I get used to the recoil of the big gun.

See the Sierra Reloading book for data on 300 grain loaded in the 458 Win Mag.
The bullet is a 45/70 bullet, but the speed suggested starts at 45/70 and goes up. Both RE 7 and IMR 3031 work very well in most guns.
I have shot wild turkey with the Sierra 300 grain with the Sierra suggested load of IMR-3031 in the 458 Win. This works just fine as a turkey gun. No follow up shot needed.
Sincerely,