I would appreciate it if the .450 Rigby shooters out there would share their favorite hotter than factory loads.

The factory fodder is loaded to a maximum pressure of approximately 58,000 psi, which equates to velocities in the 2,400 fps range with 480 grain bullets.

I am interested in getting 2,500 fps with 500 grain bullets. This should be readily achievable at higher than standard but still safe pressures.

But there is a dearth of data out there.

I would appreciate this kind of loading data from anybody else who may have gone down that road.

Thanks.

I don't have a 450 Rigby, my buddy did have a 460 Weatherby which is in a round about way the same case loaded to 65,000 psi, so I'm thinking starting loads for the 460 would get what you want or a place to start ?

Not sure why you would need that, just adds more recoil & muzzle blast but I don't believe it would add to death dealing ability ?

Maybe a 600gr might ?

Yes, Been down that road and initially used .460 Weatherby data as a general reference point to develop loads. I don't have all my load development notes available as I'm away from home. In the end my go to load was 98grains of H4895. This chronoed at 2450 FPS with North Fork cupped solids and did not display excessive pressure. It shot well in both an AHR with a 22 inch barrel and a Dakota 76 24 inch barrel. I did go to 2550 fps but for me things got a little wild at that point and I didn't feel the price of admission was worth the performance regarding recoil and handling, of course that's just my take. Great cartridge, as one PH said "buffalo hate that cartridge".

quote:

Originally posted by Sarg:
I don't have a 450 Rigby, my buddy did have a 460 Weatherby which is in a round about way the same case loaded to 65,000 psi, so I'm thinking starting loads for the 460 would get what you want or a place to start ?

Not sure why you would need that, just adds more recoil & muzzle blast but I don't believe it would add to death dealing ability ?

Maybe a 600gr might ?

MIGHT RUN INTO A WOUNDED, CHARGING DINOSAUR??

Hell, a well-placed .22LR bullet will kill a Cape buffalo.

Just not sure or fast enough to suit me!

quote:

Originally posted by 4-5-0:
Yes, Been down that road and initially used .460 Weatherby data as a general reference point to develop loads.

Thanks.

I have thought of extrapolating from .460 Weatherby Mag. data, but have not tried it yet.

I did some quick research and found that the .450 Rigby's case capacity (in water) is about 5 grains less than that of the .460 Wby.

I'll have to try experimenting with the .460 Wby. data by starting lower than low and slowly working up.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
But there is a dearth of data out there.

oddly, when they introduced the hyper big bores, i had a drawn out conversation with CZ that the 450 rigby was basically a woldcat with NO historical significance ... because that's what it is, a 450x416 ribgy, invented in the 90s, as i recall, with zero data behind it...

don't get me wrong, it's a GREAT cart, but it's not the 416 rigby, 404, or 505...

No question that it's not a classic of the golden era, but that doesn't bother me at all. I like its sheer power.

My primary rifle for heavy DG is a .500 A-Square - likewise not a classic, but IMHO better than all of the classic big fifties.

I have found that Norma and Hornady publish loads for the .450 Rigby, but only using the bullets they use in their factory loads. Also, they only list loads at the unnecessarily low factory pressures.

I don't see any need for a 550 grain (Norma) or 480 grain (Hornady) lead cored bullet in this caliber.

I want to use Barnes monolithic 500 grain TSX bullets.

But Barnes does not list loads for the .450, as far as I can tell.

I'll just have to experiment.

Mike. As I m sure you fully know some load the Lott .458 to higher pressures but perhaps the best parallel would be the Dakota .450 -gets 2500-2550 with the 500g bullets. I have two Lotts but have thought of getting a Rigby. Would be interesting to see what you get.

Mike, you might call Darcy echols. I know he built a 450 Rigby not too long ago on an FZH (hubba hubba) and his client may have some data he'd be willing to share.

Great ideas, guys. Many thanks.

I will be sure to post my results, along with several paragraphs of fine print disclaimers, of course.

Mike: I have a Dakota 76 African chambered for .450 Rigby. Try 102.5 grns of H 4350 w/ a 500 grn BTSX for a MV of 2,305 fps. It shoots 1/2" groups. It will do everything 2,500 fps will do except beat you up, and follow up shots will be faster!

Thanks, Tommy. Sounds like a good starting load!

450 Rigby
500gr Cutting Edge Solid and Northfork Soft
This combination regulates together in my rifle.
98grs RL-17
Fed#215
Velocity = 2400fps
My rifle has a 24" barrel.

Used the Solid to take 2 elephants....frontal brain and high shoulder/heart shot.....both elephants dropped where they stood. I think a MV of 2100 - 2400fps is the sweet spot for a dangerous game big bore rifle.

Thanks, Mike.

I just did an inventory.

I have no RL-17, and it seems that nobody else does, either. In fact, nobody seems to have any smokeless powder for sale anywhere.

I also have less than half a pound of H-4350 left. Not enough for load development at 100+ grains per shot.

I am going to have to use one of the following powders:

RL-15
IMR-7828 SSC
RL-33
H-1000
H-4831
Norma-204

I'm thinking that IMR-7828 SSC and RL-33 will be good candidates. But if I had to, I think I could make any of these work.

I'm saving the RL-15 for my .500 A-Square.

With a good bullet, such as the Barnes TSX, I like 2,500 fps in a big bore, if I can get it.

FWIW....450 Rigby 24"bbl Rigby cases, Fed 215 primers, Speer AGS solids. Chrono at 15' Five shots each load for the averages below. Elevation 8100' temp 85F. Year: 2005.

IMR 3031 95gr = 2423fps
IMR 4895 105gr = 2425fps
IMR 4831 110gr = 2420fps

In my rifle 2425fps was the most accurate.
I had several pages of load data, but I sold the rifle and all data went with it. The above figures happened to be scribbled on the back cover of one of my old load manuals.

Data for the .450 Dakota and the Rigby are quite similar.

Good luck with your mission...

quote:

Originally posted by tsibindi:
FWIW....450 Rigby 24"bbl Rigby cases, Fed 215 primers, Speer AGS solids. Chrono at 15' Five shots each load for the averages below. Elevation 8100' temp 85F. Year: 2005.

IMR 3031 95gr = 2423fps
IMR 4895 105gr = 2425fps
IMR 4831 110gr = 2420fps

In my rifle 2425fps was the most accurate.
I had several pages of load data, but I sold the rifle and all data went with it. The above figures happened to be scribbled on the back cover of one of my old load manuals.

Data for the .450 Dakota and the Rigby are quite similar.

Good luck with your mission...

Great data. Thanks!

I have run some loads, some unknown, and some tried and proven by me, through the QuickLoad software.

I have found that it is completely wrong with some powders and loads.

I was getting squirrely results with loads recommended by good sources for the .450 Rigby. Very high pressures were predicted.

So, I plugged in a tried and proven load (by me) that I have used for years in my .500 A-Square. It showed similar squirrely results. Pressures over 75,000 psi.

These are loads from the A-Square pressure tested manual, Any Shot You Want, and used by me for many years.

Bizarre.

I have found QuickLoad to be reliable for loads in my .270 WSM, .300 RUM and other calibers.

Does it go off the rails for big bores?

Tuned it with some actual, measured data on case capacity, seating depth, bullet length and cartridge OAL, and things are starting to make sense. The QL default data were way off.

Mike,
No Rigby here but I have a 450 Dakota. I've actually just used reduced loads around 2150-2200 with 500gr & filler, and 550gr at 2050.

Have shot my 458 Lott up to 500gr @ 2300. Manageable for 1-3 quick shots. Even on game, 4th shot starts really getting my attention at that velocity.

Your thread has definitely interested me to 'step it up' with the 450, just to see.

2500 sounds frightening (on my end), but based on game I've taken with 500gr at 2150-2300... No doubt whatsoever that it would hit like the "Hammer of Thor!!!"

quote:

Originally posted by Baker458:
Mike,
No Rigby here but I have a 450 Dakota. I've actually just used reduced loads around 2150-2200 with 500gr & filler, and 550gr at 2050.

Have shot my 458 Lott up to 500gr @ 2300. Manageable for 1-3 quick shots. Even on game, 4th shot starts really getting my attention at that velocity.

Your thread has definitely interested me to 'step it up' with the 450, just to see.

2500 sounds frightening (on my end), but based on game I've taken with 500gr at 2150-2300... No doubt whatsoever that it would hit like the "Hammer of Thor!!!"

7000ft# recoil will rattle on a bench and yes the bullet will hit like Thor's hammer within 300 yards.

As with everything, we also need to keep hunting in perspective. A "load" becomes acceptable when we are confident of squeezing it off like shooting a 270 and the accuracy is tight. We just need to hang on to the rifle.

My .450 and .500 bore rifles are AHR built-from-scratch CZ 550 Magnums. They fit me beautifully and can be managed quite easily with proper technique.

In general experience, and certainly in mine, there is a marked increase in stopping power with a big bore rifle once a proper size-for-caliber Barnes TSX or comparable monolithic expanding bullet is driven to the 2,400 to 2,500 fps velocity level. I am speaking of Cape buffalo here.

I will post my load development results.

Well, I did some digging and struck gold. This will help.

Mike, that R-17 is pretty good powder for bottleneck bigbores.

I used it in a 416 Rigby for running 350gnTTSX at 2820fps (6200ft#). 101.5gn to 102.5 depending on the rifle and bullet (TTSX, TSX, FN-solid).

416Tanzan - Thanks for that info. By all accounts, RL-17 will be very efficient and produce the highest velocities. Norma MRP also ranks high.

I'm going to try to start load development next week.

I have been using a CZ550 in 450 Rigby for 5+ years. Tried different bullets, powders, chronographed. Tops was 102gr H4350, Barnes 500gr TSX which I did not enjoy. Settled on 100gr with 2230 fps muzzle velocity. Taken various game in Africa including cape buffalo (3), zebra, hyena, baboon, and a top five kudu bull. Asked my PH in 2019 if he had any suggestions regarding my ammo. His comment was don't change a thing, keep on shooting my handloads.

I now have loaded ammo and some once-fired brass from Hornady, Norma and Kynoch.

The Norma brass is nickel plated.

I know Norma and Hornady make their own brass, but I can't remember who makes the brass that Kynoch uses. I want to say it's Bertram, but that may have been only for the oddball cartridge cases that can't be found elsewhere.

I truly love the Kynoch packets. Very nostalgic.

I wish Barnes would have the 450 Rigby reloading data
I called them and was told that they had no current plans to add it
Maybe if enough of us called Barnes and ask for them to include the 450 Rigby data, they might do the testing and have it in their next reloading manual
Joe

Some initial data and progress report:

.450 Rigby
Case Weights and Capacities (Averages of five once-fired cases each, including fired primers.)

Norma (Nickel Plated)
Empty Weight - 337 grs
Full Weight (H2O) - 479 grs
Case Capacity - 142 grs

Hornady
Empty Weight - 326.4 grs
Full Weight (H2O) - 470.2 grs
Case Capacity - 143.8 grs

Kynoch
Empty Weight - 377.2 grs
Full Weight (H2O) - 515.3 grs
Case Capacity - 138.1 grs

The Norma and the Hornady are more consistent in weight than the Kynoch. The Kynoch cases are much thicker and heavier in the web of the case.

I am going with RL-17 and working up. It seems that 2,500 fps will be easily achievable at safe pressures with Barnes 500 gr bullets, no matter which brand of case I use.

Please share your result when you are done as I too want to use 500g Barnes between 2450-2500
Joe

I settled on Hornady brass and Alliant Reloder 17 powder for the .450 Rigby.

My load development was pretty straightforward - please use caution in your rifles - start low and work up. None of these loads showed any pressure signs in my rifle.

These loads use Barnes 500 gr. TSX bullets and Federal 215 large rifle magnum primers:

102 grains RL-17 - Average velocity = 2,365 fps

103 grains - 2,390 fps

104 grains - 2,410 fps

104.5 grains - 2,425 fps

That's the load I settled on and where I stopped. It is a lightly compressed load with great accuracy and power to spare.

We'll see how the Cape buffalo in Botswana like it in a couple of weeks.

I am also taking my .500 A-Square loaded with 570 grain Barnes TSX bullets and using the same powder and primers.

With 115.5 grains of powder, which is also a lightly compressed load, I'm averaging 2,430 fps.

Two buff are on license, so - if the fates allow - I am going to try to use the .450 on one, and the .500 on the other.

The .500 generates somewhere around 1,000 more ft.-lbs. of ME than the .450. The felt recoil is not that different.

Both rifles have Leupold 2.5x scopes on top, and are very accurate, including with iron sights, if I do my part.

I'm glad I got my hands on some RL-17 during this plague. It turned out to be great for these cartridges.

So, I bumped the .450 load a half grain to 105, and the .500 a half grain to 116.

They’re still neck and neck at just over 2,450 fps.

No pressure signs.

These are going to be my keepers.

Good stuff, Mike. That's mega medicine to be dishing out on the buffalo population of Bots. You mentioned the rifles being very accurate; care to elaborate? I only ask because I like RE-17, too, and have had great performance and accuracy in a variety of calibers with it.

Thanks, Clayman - I hope it's helpful to others. Not much data out there for these calibers, especially the .450.

My rifles were made for me by AHR. They have both been to Africa many times over the years.

Five shots off the bench or shooting sticks at 25 yards from both rifles usually make one ragged hole, and at 50, the groups are just a bit larger, sometimes with all bullets still touching.

I don't shoot big bores at 100 yards or more very often, simply because I don't plan on shooting dangerous game that far away.

With a 50 yard zero, I know my bullets will be on target all the way out to 125 yards or so, but I like to get closer and almost always do.

Twin Leupold 2.5x scopes are mounted in Talley QD rings on each of my rifles. They are locked down on the rifles' CZ 550 Magnum double bridges. I use a small cheater pipe to cinch them up tight.

I always check my irons, too, just in case, at 25 yards. Staying in the black is the goal, and so far my eyes have cooperated and I can still manage it.

Both rifles are engraved. This is the floorplate on my .450:


.450 Rigby Floorplate

I have since swapped out the slotted action screws for hex headed screws. Makes it easier to torque them down.

Ed Plummer supervised the making of the .450, originally chambered in .458 Lott. Also the .500.

Wayne Jacobson (actually Wayne's son) rechambered the Lott to .450 Rigby.

I wanted more power, and I sure got it.

That's certainly ample accuracy for DG, Mike. Thanks for the thorough reply. Great looking floorplate on the .450!

Here's the loaded ammo:

Nice.
Those will get the job done.

In my experience limited to the Rocky Montains and New England, a 270 Win will kill everything from varmints to javelina, antelope, deer, elk, black bear and with a cool hand grizzlies. For the bigger creatures with claws and teeth I have a 500 Jeffery.