Pet loads for the .458 Win
- Thread starter 338wm
- Start date
ricciardelli
CGN Regular
- Location
- Montana, USA
Bullet: Hornady 500 Grain FMJ-RN
Powder: 74.0 grains of IMR-4895
Primer: Winchester WLR
Case: Winchester
Firearm: Winchester 70
Sights: Factory open
Velocity: 2173 FPS @ 15' from muzzle
Accuracy: (Now this is different) 2 shots, 35 yards, <4", in less than 5 seconds
Powder: 74.0 grains of IMR-4895
Primer: Winchester WLR
Case: Winchester
Firearm: Winchester 70
Sights: Factory open
Velocity: 2173 FPS @ 15' from muzzle
Accuracy: (Now this is different) 2 shots, 35 yards, <4", in less than 5 seconds
My loads for Africa were 500 grain Hornady's(softs and solids) with 74 grains of H 335. H 4895 was compressed and required a lot of elbow grease to seat the bullets, but it was accurate. I used 71 grains. Federal 215 caps, brass trimmed to 2.490, flash holed deburred, and a Lee Crimp die crimped the bullets. I used separate seating dies for the solids and the softs to avoid undue monkeying around.
One of the problems the .458 initially was the compressed loads causing the powder to become one large blob of powder in the African heat. Bullet seating suffered to as the powder pushed the bullet out of the case. The H 335 load works well for me and was Ken Water's best heavy bullet load and H 335 is Hornady's favorite powder for heavy bullet loads. It is not compressed.
One of the problems the .458 initially was the compressed loads causing the powder to become one large blob of powder in the African heat. Bullet seating suffered to as the powder pushed the bullet out of the case. The H 335 load works well for me and was Ken Water's best heavy bullet load and H 335 is Hornady's favorite powder for heavy bullet loads. It is not compressed.
I think I discovered another good one, a few days back. I tried Barnes 450 gr. TSX over 76 gr. of H-335 / Win. brass / CCI 250 primers.
The Barnes TSX have 4 grooves; I crimped into the second one down from the top, which resulted in very light compression. I haven't chrono'd them yet, but accuracy was impressive.
The Barnes TSX have 4 grooves; I crimped into the second one down from the top, which resulted in very light compression. I haven't chrono'd them yet, but accuracy was impressive.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
.458wm loads
Sent you some info and scans previously, but I tried some loads today pretty well straight from the Hornady manual.
Hornady 500gr RN & 500gr FMJ-RN, 5 of out of both guns. Seemed to do fairly well, and knocked the cobwebs loose. Got some more cast loads set up, still the plain base bullets but slower, hopefully they'll work out better than the previous ones. I'll let you know.
Sent you some info and scans previously, but I tried some loads today pretty well straight from the Hornady manual.
Hornady 500gr RN & 500gr FMJ-RN, 5 of out of both guns. Seemed to do fairly well, and knocked the cobwebs loose. Got some more cast loads set up, still the plain base bullets but slower, hopefully they'll work out better than the previous ones. I'll let you know.
