Anyone got a good .450 NE load for RL15? I know that Graham Wright has an 84 grain load listed at 2060 fps with a 480 grain Woodleigh soft. That seems a tad anemic.

Mike just for comparision my 450#2 with the 480's I use 89grs RL15...

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Anyone got a good .450 NE load for RL15? I know that Graham Wright has an 84 grain load listed at 2060 fps with a 480 grain Woodleigh soft. That seems a tad anemic.

I think Grahm might be wrong, we chrno some 450 3 1/4 with 81 grn of reloader R15 and it was around 2100 in a 26 in barrel.

I'd work up from 80 grns

Ed

Mike,

I know the case is a little bigger but in my 500/450 I use 87.5 grs of R-15 with the Woodleigh softs and 85.5 grs with the solid. I get 2060 from the softs and 2090 from the solids.

I would think the difference between 505's results and Graeme's are more the result of different lots of powder.

Did you get a 450?

I have a Ritterbusch that I just got back from JJ. JJ put a leather pad on it, cleaned up the chambers, timed the ejectors and did a little stock work. I have some Hornady factory ammo but would like to try some handloads. Before I sent it to JJ I had it out a couple of times and it was very accurate with the factory ammo.

Chrono the factory load, that will give you your velocity goal. Might find one of the possible powders will give you both regulation and more velocity. Different powders, different recoil charectaristics.

JPK

Just in case others might be interested.

Went to the range today with the Ritterbusch (24" barrels). Using Hornady factory ammo I was getting approximately 2015 fps. A far cry from the claimed 2150 fps, although with 28" barrels who knows.

With 84 grains of RL15 I got approximately 2025 fps. Bumping up to 85 grains I was getting approximately 2070 fps. With 86 grains I was getting 2110 fps. Not surprisingly the 2110 fps load was the most accurate. No pressure signs with any of the loads and all ejected fine. The handloads were pushing 480 grain Woodleigh Soft Points.

My 450 x 3 1/4 seems to shoot the 85 grain RL 15 load quite well, regulation wise. While I may try bumping it up a bit, I doubt whether and elephant or buff will notice the difference of 85 or so fps.
Still, if it shoots better, go for it.
Peter.

It was interesting to see how the faster load impacted point of impact. With the 85 grain load, the point of impact was left of center with the right and left barrel shots about 3 to 3.5 inches apart at 50 yards. With the 86 grain load, the point of impact moved to almost center and the group closed up to 2 inches at 50 yards. Pretty clear that the rifle was regulated at a velocity close to the standard of 2150 fps. May try 86.5 grains next trip but not sure I feel compelled to go beyond that. One other comment, the current lot of RL15 I am using seems to be two grains or so slower than the prior lot so it points out the need to chrono your loads and start low and work up.

Mike....you using foam or Dacron filler?

Gary
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Kynoch wads cut in half.

Yep...same as me when I use RL 15.

Thanks.

Gary
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You guys use a filler with RL15?
Peter.

Yes, in the large cases like the .500 and .470, RL15 will leave a lot of unused powder space and there is some risk of problems in ignition. On the .450, you could probably get away without a filler. The amount of space between the top of the powder and the fully seated bullet is not very great -- maybe an 1/8 inch or slightly more.

Using the foam in the 450 NE is not a necessity, but your velocities will be more uniform in most cases I have observed.

Gary
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I recollect using Dacron as as filler with some cast bullet loads I was testing, but I was put off by the vastly different POI of the loads. Still I might try them again, mainly because I have a bunch of cast bullets for the 450!
Peter.

I played with RL15, but went to H4831 SC. in my Krieghoff. No filler required.
I use from 112 grs. to 116 grs. with Mag primer.
Vel. runs around 2150 to 2250 fps.

Call me a wuss, but the reason I have fallen in love with RL15 is that, to me, there is an appreciable difference in felt recoil with RL15 versus other big bore powders. For me the trade off between having to use the Kynoch wads (which are a piece of cake to use) in return for a more pleasant experience at the range is worth the extra effort.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Call me a wuss, but the reason I have fallen in love with RL15 is that, to me, there is an appreciable difference in felt recoil with RL15 versus other big bore powders. For me the trade off between having to use the Kynoch wads (which are a piece of cake to use) in return for a more pleasant experience at the range is worth the extra effort.

I agree, I can tell the difference in recoil in my 450 No2 between IMR 4831 and RL 15.

At the same velocities RL 15 appears to have less pressure, near as I can tell, at least the brass seems to indicate that.

I have to use a filler with any powder in the 450 No2.

One of the things I enjoy about the .450 NE is that the case looks so neat -- long and substantial. I imagine that a .450 No. 2 round, being a 1/4" longer, must look like a small artillary round. Certainly not surprised that the round requires filler with any powder given the huge case capacity.

MJ, agreed! But then I also like the looks of the 9.3x74R and the 500/416!
Peter.

My Searcy was regulated with the 480 gr and 96 gr of IMR. In my 470 (which I no longer have) I felt the RL15 loads kicked less than the 4831 loads. I have not worked up a RL15 load yet for the Searcy...but might....I like RL15...good for a lot of different loadings.

Gary
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I took my 450 x 3 1/4 to the range the other day just to try out the 85 grain load of RL15. I loaded 4 rounds, two of Woodleigh 480 grain Sps and two of Woodleigh 480 grain FMJs. At 50 yards all 4 rounds were in a two inch group and recoil was mild. I did not chrono the loads, but may try increasing the charge of RL 15 just to see what happens to groups and to chrono the loads. The groups were not the classic picture book side by side holes, but I do not plan on shooting this rifle at much longer ranges than 50 yards.
Peter.

quote:

Posted 27 May 2009 15:53 Hide Post
I played with RL15, but went to H4831 SC. in my Krieghoff. No filler required.
I use from 112 grs. to 116 grs. with Mag primer.
Vel. runs around 2150 to 2250 fps.

Life Member NRA

LarryS,
Is that with a 500gr. bullet or 480?
Thanks.

84gr of RL15 and 3gr of poly fill and FED 215 primers pushing Woodleigh's 480 gr softs gave me 2150 out of my 1905 Gibbs and it's 28"barrels. I just finished working up loads using H4831 to get rid of the poly fill and take advantage of Hodgdon's claim of temp insensitivity. I stopped at 100gr of H4831 giving me 2133 fps out of the left barrel and 2075 fps out of the right. Putting Woodliegh 480's into a 2" circle at 55 yrds with no cross over which may bring me back to the range with heavier charges. The 2075 fps out of the right barrel nags at me a bit but as Peter said I doubt a BUff or Ele would know the difference. Did not notice the difference in recoil but will have to go the range with both loads and shoot them side by side.