Thanks for the info. I am in the process of buildup right now (fn 1948 commercial to go with my 9.3x62 fn 1950 commerical)and am doing some preliminary load research. The reason I thought that this would be a decent load is that it isnt compressed like just about every other load I find at these listed velocities. Everything I have read say compression in this cal. with its intended uses (big heavies) is a bad thing. What I am most curious about is I dont do much loading with ball outside of handgun and was wondering if this is a bad way to go (ball vs. extruded)?

Idahoelk- I figured out over the years,from all my testing that ball powder is best. If 2230 is a little fast use 2460
or 2520.Better yet I learned is W-748. Ed

In my Ruger #1 (.458WM) AA 2230 got me 2303 and 2403 fps avgs under a GC'd 350 LRN with 70.0 and 75.0 grns and 2045 fps with 65.0 grns behind a PB 500 LRN. Good loads! Since I've run out of that lot of 2230, I bought some "surplus" 2230C. Slightly slower, AA says to use 2450 data across the board. Think my cost was $65 per 8# bottle. At the rate the .458 consumes this stuff, that price sounds like a good thing!

As to a reduced load, I've always used SR 4759 in my cast bullet reduced loads. Very light powder, fills up the large cases well, maintaining that desired 90% + case filling that's conducive to both safety and accuracy. In mine, I've run 30 and 40 grain charges behind 300 and 500 grain LRN bullets with good results. The 40 grain loads in particular, seem to give better results, spread and SD wise. Perhaps the better burning from the heavier slug? Oh, velocity was 1707 avg with 40 grns and 1439 with 30.0. A Lee 340grn PB lead ran at roughly 1450 fps. (Sorry, only partial notes on that load, small sample size)

I'll have more data concerning 2230C in the near future, as most of it is currently feeding the 1050 and all those little .223's laying around. HTH!

L. Mike

JT,



My #1 and M77 .458's like the 405gr Rem JFP over 67gr IMR-4064/CCI200 in W-W cases... 1915 fps and a very pleasant load to shoot yet will still knock the crap out of most any critter in NA.



Inexpensive plinking load yet up to most big game tasks also.

JT- 350 gr Speer- 400 gr Barnes- Full loads W-748,

Hodgdon BLC-2, similiar speed powders.Ed

Sort of on this topic;
Any one have a good reduced load for the .458. Looking for something around .45-70 or so to shoot in my .458 Ruger #1 as a target load and a deer load. I certainly don't mind developing my own, but if any one has a "standout" load, I would appreciate it.
The rifle seems very accurate with 500 grain factory laods, I'd like to see what it could do at longer ranges with lighter bullets.
Thanks in advance,
Jason