I happen to like the subject of using light loads for practice. Saves wear and tear on the gun and the shooter, and still provides the practice that's useful. Just got my 470 Chapuis back from the gunsmith since some of the screws had worked a bit loose. Have probably fired close to 1,000 rounds through it, on a second set of firing pins, and thought it wise to have it checked before leaving for Zim in May. Good thing! Now that I have it back, want to practice with the lighter loads.

Have tried a couple of different loads, but am using the following: Hawk custom bullets in .474, 350 grain, Fed 215 primers, 73 grains of IMR 3031, with a kynoch wad over the powder. Had been using polyester fibers over the powder, but found that the foam wad is much more preferable for uniformity and ease of reloading. By the way, Hawk makes a .475 bullet standard, but I struggled with buckling the case mouth with those. So had some made up just that slightly bit smaller and they work like a charm. These have the 0.035 jacket and are flat point, by the way.

What's interesting to me about this combination is that although it shoots to a different point of impact from the full house, regulated load, it still shoots very accurately. One hole groups at 25 yards, for instance, if I can hold it. Kicks about like a 300 mag, by the way. Not so bad ! Works well on hogs, I might add.

Hope others find this interesting. Of course (disclaimer coming) the load above works in my rifle without signs of pressure, but I make no warranty that it will work well in anyone else's. Please follow all safe reloading techniques in coming up with a load for your rifle.

Now I gotta go build that standing rest thing !!

Noted, and filed. Sounds like a good practice load, and good pig plinker.
Also a good way to get rid of my pesky stores of old IMR-3031 and make way for some fresh new Hodgdon BENCHMARK Extreme to replace it.

I prefer 52 grains of A5744 and a 440 grain gas check. Very accurate in my Verney....


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