Anyone have Butch's regulation load for his .450 NE rifles? I do not have a Searcy, but his regulation loads generally shoot very well. Thanks.

The current 450 3 1/4 rifles made by Searcy are regulated with Hornaday factory loads. Not sure about the earlier ones.

Not long ago someone posted this load here. Do a search.

MJines,


Butch emailed me this info because he is making a .450 NE Field Grade DR for me.

His reply as to the regulating load:

I regulate the 450 3 1/4" with Hornady ammo. I will also give you the
reloading data to duplicate the Hornady ammo.
I have not found any big difference in the 480 gr or the 500 gr. in loading.
The load for the 450 NE.
IMR-4831= 96 grains
Federal 215 Primers Only
480 grain bullet or 500 grain
Butch

His reply as to a light load:

My favorite light load is as follows:
45 grains 5744
Federal 215 primers
450 to 500 grain bullets (Hard Cast) or jacketed.
Regards
Butch

Regarding a specific bullet:

Question: Have full weight, 480 grains in the case of the .450 NE, Hawk bullets been used in your rifles with satisfactory performance (accuracy and consistent velocities)? I thought of using thin jacketed Hawks on smaller sized game to get bullet expansion while getting good accuracy and shooting to point of aim.

Answer: Actually I have never used Hawk bullets. Your rifle will be regulated
with Hornadys and Woodleigh's. Your reasoning seems sound.

Thanks Dave, that is what I was looking for.

Bwana,
Did Butch happen to mention if any fillers were required when loading up the reduced loads with the cast bullets?
Thanks

Snowwolfe,
when using 5744 fillers are not required,in fact fillers are unsafe to use with this powder,there was another poster who did blow up a Heym using fillers with 5744,I have used Butch's reduced loads in my 470 DR using 5744 with no filler and the load worked real well.

Gents....I have a Searcy Classic 450 NE made just when Hornady was bringing out the ammo for this caliber. I can tell you for a fact in MY Searcy, 96 gr of IMR4831 is about 80-100 fps faster than the Hornady stuff...and the Hornady ammo does not group as tight as my regulation load.
No fillers are needed with the 5744 or the 4831 loads. I have duplicated the velocity and hence regulation with RL15 and have used filler....a "normal" Kynoch plug cut in half.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

Garby,
When you are loading down with the 5744 are you using cast bullets? If so, what brand or mould are you casting them from?
Thank you

No, Hornady 300 and 350 gr jacketed only so far. I found a bunch of them cheap and bought the lot. Fun to practice with and I can get them to regulate at about 1850 fps.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

Snowwolfe,

What I posted were from Butch's emails. He didn't say. Johan Loubser of Accurate, told me that.

See this earlier post:
http://forums.accuratereloadin...131058811#1131058811

"I forgot to add that Johan later told me that, with these loads, no wads or fillers are used. Magnum primers are not required either."

Got some more A-5744 .450 3-1/4" NE. reduced load data from Johan Loubser. This time for a 480 grain bullet.

Bullet weight: 480 grains
Low load: 40.0 grains (1475 – 1575 Ft/sec)
Mid Range: 48.0 grains (1675 – 1775 Ft/sec)

Thanks Bwana,
Believe it or not Cabelas is now selling 450 brass. I had a $20 coupon burning a hole in my pocket and just placed an order for 5 boxes. I was shocked they had it in stock. Looks like the 450 is gaining in popularity every day.

quote:

Originally posted by GarBy:
No, Hornady 300 and 350 gr jacketed only so far. I found a bunch of them cheap and bought the lot. Fun to practice with and I can get them to regulate at about 1850 fps.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

How do they shoot?

Here's a pretty good rule: If you're relying on what someone at Accurate Reloading told you, you are not making a mistake.

They shoot fine, Snow.....regulation is good....not perfect, but usable. I haven't shot anything but paper with them so I can't say how they perform on game, but I would imagine it's like a 454 Casull on steroids.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

Snowwolfe, Don't use any fillers with Accurate 5744. I do not have any experience with using it in doubles but shoot 600 grain round nose cast from JBL and 600 grain flat nose cast from MT Baldy over 62.5 grains of 5744 in my 505 Gibbs.