I just picked up some factory 400gr. Federal Trophy Bonded Bearclaw's and some Sledgehammer's pretty cheap to shoot in my new .416 Rem Mag (thanks Dirk). The ammo is new and overall in good shape but the federal boxes are the older style gold colored boxes. The bear claws seem to have a very slight form of corrosion on them. The nickel coated brass is not real shiny and the copper is a little dark in color and the lead tip seems a little wore/ faded.
The sledgehammers seem a little better looking the only thing I noticed on them which might be normal it that I can slide my fingernail between a groove on the bullet and the case, it that how sledgehammer ammo is supposed to be?
Just want to make sure there are no known problems with this ammo or something I should be aware of. I am sure its fine but I figured I'd get some better opinions.
Thanks for any help.

It should be fine. The ammo can't be more than twenty years old or so.

If you're truly worried, call Federal and ask if the lot has been recalled.

George

It could not be too old to shoot well, the .416 Remington has only been with us for less than 20 years, announced November 1988.

Minor oxidation and scuffing, surface blemishes only. The cannelure exposed at the crimp is just where it was crimped. All consistent and still tight, I'll bet.

The bullets are likely the original Jack Carter make. They have not gotten any better since taken over by the bigger corporation, Speer IIRC, and gilding metal was substituted for the original pure copper of the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, bonded to pure lead, IIRC.

The only .416 Remington ammo to be leary of, that I know of, was some early Remington make that was loaded too hot with Swift A-Frames.

Not cricket to take ammo possibly approaching 20-years old on safari, but it would probably be fine.

You could pull the bullets and load some cheaper ones into the cases with the same powder and primers if it is the old Hornady 400-grain RNSP or the Speer 350-grainer for plinking.

It would be a shame to waste those Jack Carter bullets, softs or solids. Nothing wrong with them at all.

Thanks very much guys.

The sledgehammers are all uniformed and tight.

I had heard of some early loads being too hot, but if it was the remingtons that answers that question too.

I am not worried about it, just wanted to get some expert advice to be sure.

/

I have never had any pressure problems with the .416 Rem..I always turn about .003 to .004 off the expander ball with any big bore and I try to use a powder that pretty well fills the case, mostly RL-15...

I have only shot 5 boxes of the Swift bullets in Remington factory rounds that I bought in a local pawn shop many years ago, and they all worked well, but I didn't leave them in the magazine more than a clip full before I shot them..I never do that, so perhaps that is the reason I never had any problems as some have had. I have been told Remington changed that load, I don't know.