Well I finally got around to testing the 350gr speer magtip in my 400PDK.

Yes my 400 is a .411 and yes the speer are .416. I ran these bullet through a .410 sizer. First off accuracy appeared to be unaffected. I had no trouble getting close to MOA which for a 100-200yd gun works for me.

With cases left at 2.65" in the cannelure would JUST fit my MKX mag box. I would need to do further testing to insure no feeding issues.

With around 105% compressed loads of RL15 and Varget I was able to get 2450fps. Just so happens best accuracy was at this point as well. I could probably compress the load further and get a couple more grs in it. I had NO pressure sign what so ever. But since a gr of powder was only gaining me about 15fps not worth the effort to me.

I had been using the 300gr Hornady on hogs at 2675. In 6 or 7 hogs I had no exits but then again instant kills. As someone pointed out and Hornady verified the bullet was designed for 1800-2250 fps.

Took two hogs this weekend at 75-100yds with the 350speer at 2450fps. Both bullets exited with nice exit holes. So this load looks like a keeper and a nice middle ground for my 400. 2450 for a 350gr bullet from 68grs of powder isn't bad.

Next time out I'll try some 4895.

Ramrod keep us updated on your 400's performance.
Tell me again how much case capacity gain does yours have over the 400 Whelen?
Also have you tried other .416's thru a sizer die or was this a first?
Thanks

The 400 PDK 400 express are proving to be quite the hammer with your loads. Congrats!

Thanks Boom. I've been very pleased with the results.

Snellstorm.
The 400PDK has a gross capacity of 86grs. I show the 400Brown/Whelen as 75.5. So On a gross capacity my case is 14% larger.

In my case I load a 400gr Hornady DSX in the cannelure and the OAL is 3.34. QL calls the net capacity as 64.06 with the same OAL in the Whelen the capacity is 58.55 so mine is 9.4% larger. However if you seat the bullet in the cannelure on the Whelen the net capacity is reduced to 52.18 leaving my case 22.8% larger. Up to the user which he would choose to do. I don't have the exact numbers but the 411 Hawk would be close to the same differences. As I have said Z-Hat does have a 411 Express which is the Hawk case except 2.65" long. As a point of reference a 416 Taylor net with a 400 at 3.34" is 75.2 or 17% bigger. It velocity is 50-100fps higher than mine.


My first bullets were some 400 gr 416s that I bought at a gunshow. I resized them down as well. Since I have the 400&300gr Hornady's I see no reason to size bullets in that weight. I've done the 350s to give me a middle of the road ar a resonable price.

Hi Paul,

Do you have any pics you can share of the recovered bullets from old Porky Pig?

My favorite place for Hog hunting is around Nixon Tx. Lots of pigs and my Inlaws live there so I've a good place to clean them.
I emailed the folks at Z-Hat about reboring my 9.3x62 out to 411 Express, but didn't get an answer from them. I'll try again later.

Cheers, John

quote:

Do you have any pics you can share of the recovered bullets from old Porky Pig?

Only killed two hogs with the 350 and both exited. All 400s have exited. One two hogs side to side. The couple 300s I have seen look like the old nonbonded bullets about only thing left was the jacket and a touch of lead. Sorry no pictures.

Taking my hogs about 70 miles east of you just south of Sheridan.

I've had several inquires as to the reamer. I've been using my 280PDK reamer (I don't loan it out) with removable pilots and then a neck/throat reamer.

If several of you guys want to go together and split the cost of a reamer I woudl be happy to supply the information needed to have a new reamer cut. Dies are available in Hornady's files. It is a 3 die set so it is a touch over $150 last I checked.

What do you think about a 400 Whelen or variant but cut the neck to shorten the case to 2.3 ish to shoot 405 bullets in a short action?
300 @ 2300

Don't know what length you would need. A 300gr Hornady only sticks out .5" past the cannelure. My case is 2.65 so my OAL is 3.15 with the 300s and 3.34 with the 400s in the cannelure. I think a 411 Hawk case is 2.44"

About the simplest would be simply neck up a 376 Steyr.

from what I see the 405 bullets vary from .5" to .65" tip to canalure. Can you confirm this? Thanks Was thinking of a 3" magazine length short action 06 based cart to get slightly better than 405 Win performance for a stalking cart/gun with under 60k psi pressure. Was thinking between 60 to 65 grain capacity. How long are the 300 grain x bullet tip to canalure? Just a thought.
I have always thought the 400 Steyr was a great idea too.

I have only measured the 300gr flat point. From cannelure to tip is .5". I show a FP as .892" long and the 300 Sp as 1.075". If the cannelure is approximately the same distance from the base that could equat to your two numbers of .5 & .65". A smaller case and lower velocity would be great for those bullets. At 2750 I'm creating lead dust on hog impact.

Yes, Functional impact velocities are quite important with the 405 bullets. That was part of my thinking of this idea. That and the short bullets tip to canalure. It seems an 06 based cart under 3" is doable.

Take a 400 Brown Whelen at 2.46" stick the flat nose in it and only be 2.96" I'm PMing you some QL data