Anybody ever try the 500 gr Woodleighs in a 450 NE? I'm running 84 gr of RL 15 behind a 480 gr solid and 85 gr behind a 480 gr soft, for about 2180 fps. Thought I might try the 500 gr bullets. I'm figuring about a 2-2.5 gr less for the 500 gr bullets.....good place to start?

Thanks.

Gary
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I am shooting 88Grs RL15 from my 450#2 shooting 500gr Hornady's...5grs of dacron

Mike

In my 450 No2 I use 88gr of RL 15, with filler, for 480 Woodleigh Softs and Solids, 500gr Hornady Soft and old style Solids, and 500gr Swift A Frames.

I use 89 gr with the 450 North Fork FP Solids and CP Solids.

Garby,

Both Retriever and 450 NE No 2 shoot No 2's. I believe you are shooting a 3 1/4", their loads will be more than you need.

But see 450 NE No 2's loads are the same for the 480 as the 500in in his No2. You should find yours close, maybe two grains less, as you suggest, maybe the same as 450.

JPK

The reason I use 88 gr instead of 89 or 90 is that my double shoots low to the sights with 89 or 90 grains. By going down one grain, my impact point was raised to where the round hit to the sights at 100 yards.

Also my 450 No2 has 28" barrels and was regulated with 75 grains of Cordite.

quote:

Originally posted by GarBy:
Anybody ever try the 500 gr Woodleighs in a 450 NE? I'm running 84 gr of RL 15 behind a 480 gr solid and 85 gr behind a 480 gr soft, for about 2180 fps. Thought I might try the 500 gr bullets. I'm figuring about a 2-2.5 gr less for the 500 gr bullets.....good place to start?

IIRC, the rule of thumb that proofmasters used to use was that increasing bullet weight 10% without decreasing powder charge increased pressure 30%, and current law requires a proof load to produce only a 25% increase over the pressure of the normal load. This is why the British proof laws mandated marking their rifles with the heaviest bullet used in the normal load ("480 MAX" in the case of a .450 Nitro). A 20 grain increase in a .450 is a bit over 4%.

For some interesting numbers, the .500/.465 and .470 both use the basic .500 3 1/4" case necked down, and both used the same 75 grains Cordite charge, but the .465 used a 480 grain bullet, and the .470 a 500 grain. CIP max average chamber pressure for the .465 is 35,534 PSI vs 39,160 for the .470 - a 4% increase in bullet weight and a 10% increase in chamber pressure. It's an imperfect comparison, but I think it's probably indicative.

The point of course is that the heavier bullet will usually make it want to shoot wide some. While you may well be able get the heavier bullet fast enough to regulate, chances are good that you also may not be doing it within pressure limit and you have no way of knowing it, let alone measuring it. Remember that by the time you see pressure signs with this cartridge, you're far beyond proof pressure.

The above is why I never use a bullet heavier than the normal max in a double rifle. I'm aware that the rifle in question is a rechambered .458, so the concern may or may not apply here - I think it does. Generally though with double rifles, it isn't a very good idea. Were I to try it, I'd start at least 5 grains lower, not 2 (and the 480s already sound hot) and work up. If the barrels don't come together by 2050 or so, I think I'd bail. Personally, I wouldn't do it at all.

If you're just looking for a cheap bullet, Hornady is starting to make the 480 grain .450 Nitro Express bullets in softs and steel jacketed solids.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

Thanks, gentlemen for all the posts. The BIG reason that I'm looking into this is the fact that the double is a Heym that was re-chambered from 458 WM to 450 NE. The WM was regulated with factory 500 gr bullets and the "standard" 450 NE uses 480 gr. I'm getting good results with 480's, but wanted to try 500 gr bullets to see the difference. My Merkel 470 spoiled me....it shot everything at the same velocity to the same POA...this one is a bit more finicky.

Gary
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400.....sorry...just read your post all the way thru. I AM getting pretty good results with the 480's, but the velocity needs to be where it is to get those results. Just thought maybe the 500's might work better. By the way....does the 458 WM and the "newer" 450 NE's have the same twist rate? Just curious.

Thanks for the post.

Gary
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Garby,

I assume you have not had to reregulate your rifle since the rechamber. Is this so?

FWIW, Loading for my 458wm, I didn't notice an appreciable difference in velocity between what made the 480's and the 500's shoot to regulation.

JPK

JPK:

I've just been dicking around with my 425 WR and my 404....just haven't spent enough range time with the 450. I was trying to "shortcut" by trying a couple of loads to get to what I call "perfect regulation"....and should know better. It shot low once it came backe from JJ...but that was due to a higher front sight. I have that sorted and have the Woodleigh softs and solids (480 gr) shooting well with 84gr and 83gr of RL-15,respectively. I'm going back out tomorrow with 12 rounds of each and spend some time with the lovely lady.
It's just a classic case of trying to do something fast....but not good.
And no, it didn't need to be regulated since it was rechambered.

Gary
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Boys....range time today was productive. I got the 83gr RL15 solids and the 84gr RL15 soft loads to shot REAL well. After I got the rear sight tweaked, I shot a soft right/solid left then a solid right/soft left combo into 2" at 52 yds. Didn't chrono this today, but from previous range sessions, I believe the softs and solids are running right at about 2150-2160 fps.

Gary
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