450-400 reduced bullet weight

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450-400 reduced bullet weight - question

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12 July 2014, 03:30

ELeeton

450-400 reduced bullet weight - question

My rifle was regulated with factory Hornady 450-400, 400 gr loads. I picked up several boxes of 300 gr jacketed bullets intended for use with the 405 Winchester. Since 300 is 75% of 400 I stayed with a load which has worked nicely with the 400 gr bullets. This afternoon I finally made it out to the range to do some shooting. I remembered everything except my rest. All excuses aside, below are my results. Targets were set at 50 yards. What can I do to improve the group or should I do anything?

80.0 gr of 4831SC

80.5 gr of 4831SC

81.0 gr of 4831SC

81.5 gr of 4831SC

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12 July 2014, 04:05

srose

My 450-400 3 1/4 shoots those 300 grain bullets into a 1.7 inch group at 50 yards with 81 grs of IMR 4831. With 73 grs of RL-15 it will shoot into .5 inch, best shooting load in my gun. I also use this same RL-15 load with a 210 gr 41 mag bullet, it shoot well also. Your left is left and right is right so you need to speed it up to bring them together.

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12 July 2014, 16:26

shootaway

Thanks for the target pic.Did you shoot all the 16 shots pictured without cleaning? Interesting to see what it would shoot like with the regulation load.Which make of double where you using?I would love to shoot my Searcy soon but I am enjoying a rest from all the recoil-letting my brain and spine recuperate.

12 July 2014, 19:24

ELeeton

Thank you for the feedback. When I get back I'll work up some more loads to get the velocity up a bit and see how that works. I did not clean between the shots. Unfortunately I do not have any pictures of shooting with factory ammo the gun is regulated for but needless to say the grouping was better than this.

Eric

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12 July 2014, 20:06

degoins

You might also try some AA5744 with those 300 grain bullets. I've had good success with that combo as well as with 210 grain .41 caliber handgun bullets. 50 grains for both have worked well for me.

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12 July 2014, 22:02

cal pappas

In my .450-400 I use the same load with the 400 grain bullets as I do with the 300 grainers: 80 grains of IMR 4831. Accuracy is about the same with either.
Cal

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12 July 2014, 22:30

ELeeton

Thanks Cal. I ran some numbers past QuickLoad. 80gr. of H483SC gives me about 2010fps (my load). 80gr. of IMR4831 gives about 2160fps. Since I have H4831SC on hand it looks like I'll need to use about 85.5gr. to get a comparable velocity. I'll start working up to that once I get back from Argentina.

When is your latest book coming out?

Eric

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Brno ZP-149 45-120 NE

13 July 2014, 02:31

cal pappas

quote:
Originally posted by ELeeton:
Thanks Cal. I ran some numbers past QuickLoad. 80gr. of H483SC gives me about 2010fps (my load). 80gr. of IMR4831 gives about 2160fps. Since I have H4831SC on hand it looks like I'll need to use about 85.5gr. to get a comparable velocity. I'll start working up to that once I get back from Argentina.

When is your latest book coming out?

Eric

Hi Eric:
Next book is "The Double Rifle Primer" and is just now going off to the printers, I will post here in a few months when arrival is set. 184 pages. Same quality as the last two.
Cal

08 August 2014, 23:11

JabaliHunter

quote:
Originally posted by ELeeton:
My rifle was regulated with factory Hornady 450-400, 400 gr loads.

Just for curiosity, have you measured the velocity of that load? Thanks

09 August 2014, 00:22

ELeeton

JabaliHunter,

I didn't measure velocity. I do have a chrony that has sat in the safe for 8-10 years. I finally managed to work up a few reloads and managed to make some time for the range to check them. I even forget the rest I typically bring. For the next batch I plan to dig it out and see if the chrony still works. I'll probably end upp shooting the chrony by mistake. That's how things work for me at times. I still haven't had the chance to load up the next batch of ammo.

Eric

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TSRA Life
DRSS
Brno ZP-149 45-120 NE

09 August 2014, 19:11

cal pappas

Eric:
From memory (which is fading more and more of late), my 75% with the .450-400 with 80 grains of IMR 4831 and a 400-grain .405 bullet was about 2300+ fps from my 26-inch barrel.
Cal