Re: I hate reloading the .416 Rem mag!
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mr. Humble</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Apparently you can read? Subscribe to African Hunter magazine and see what the PHs have to say about it. Try and find any who use it.
Here's what Chuck hawks says: (of course he knows nothing too)
".416 Remington Magnum
Remington became interested in a .416 cartridge with a standard magnum rim diameter that could equal the performance of the outsized .416 Rigby for use in their Model 700 rifle. The .416 Remington Magnum was the result.
Because it is based on a smaller case than the .416 Rigby, the .416 Remington has to operate at higher pressure to deliver the same performance. This high pressure has caused trouble in the severe heat often encountered in Africa. For this reason it is probably wise to load to lower pressure if an African safari is planned with a .416 Rem. Mag. rifle. Maximum loads should be reserved for use in cool climates.
A-Square offers three factory loads for the .416 Rem. Mag., while Federal and Remington each offer one factory load. The latter uses a Swift A-Frame PSP bullet at a MV of 2,400 fps and a ME of 5,115 ft. lbs. The 100 yard figures are 2,175 fps and 4,201 ft. lbs.
Here are some .416 Remington Magnum specifications of interest to reloaders: bullet diameter .416", maxmum COL 3.600", maximum case length 2.850", trim to 2.840".
Any Shot You Want shows that 72.0 grains of H4895 powder can drive a 400 grain A-Square bullet to a MV of 2251 fps, and 76.0 grains of H4895 can drive the same bullet to a MV of 2403 fps. The MAP of the latter load was 56,600 psi. These loads used A-Square brass and CCI-250 primers, and were tested in a 26" barrel."
DID YOU SEE THE PART ABOUT HIGH PRESSURE?
Do you really think Remington knows more about designing cartridges for Africa & India than Rigby and Holland & Holland?
I've never shot a damned thing with a 416 Remington. It's a nasty, fast comeback, hard kicker just the RUMs, especially in a standard 700 platform. It's a silly cartridge, only existing because Remington apparently could not stand to chamber for the 458 Lott. Kinda like Ruger's new 375, that has no reason on earth to exist as the 375 H&H (properly handloaded) will do anything it will with powder we "plain folks" can actually buy.
Oh yeah, "short stroking" LMFAO! If you don't know how to run a bolt gun, you a'int been trained. As I was taught (shooting rapid fire with an 03')" Operate the action as if your objective is to pull the bolt out of the rifle (opening) and push it through the front sight (closing).
Too many people running bolt guns like they are at a bench rest rather than trying to kill the big animal with teeth, claws and/or hooves before it gets to you.
Now if you want to pay for me to go to Africa, I'll get a proper Magnum Mauser or Model 70 made up in 400 H&H (no I would never trust a push feed action with a tiny little spring steel extractor) and give you a full report on how well it worked.
Did you note that the 400 H&H gets the same performance with lower pressure?
Here's what (that idiot) Chuck says about it:
"The new .400 Holland & Holland Magnum cartridge is a big bore cartridge intended to work in a conventional (.375 H&H) full length magnum action while avoiding the problems of the .416 Remington Magnum. (Excessive pressure, probably heat induced, is the suspected culprit in the case of the .416 Rem.) Unlike the .416 Rigby, the new .400 H&H is based on the .375 H&H case and does not require an oversize action.
Holland & Holland seek to avoid these problems with their new .400. The .400 H&H will be loaded to moderate pressure and uses a slightly tapered case with sloping shoulders for maximum feed reliability in bolt action rifles. This is a cartridge designed for 100% reliability in African climates and its intended use is against large, dangerous animals. It is also intended to generate moderate recoil and muzzle blast without the necessity for barrel porting or muzzle brakes.
Specifications of interest to reloaders include a standard magnum rim diameter of .532". Overall case length is 2.85" (the same as the .375 case), and the cartridge overall length is 3.50". Bullet diameter is .411" and factory loaded bullets are to be supplied by Woodleigh of Australia. These will be the same 400 grain Premium solid and Weldcore soft point bullets sold to reloaders and used in .450/400 NE factory loads.
In addition, Hornady offers a 300 grain .411" Interlock bullet to reloaders. This bullet is intended for the .405 Winchester, and with moderate reloads it should be quite suitable for North American CXP3 game in the .400 H&H. And one could probably use .410" jacketed pistol bullets intended for the .41 Magnum revolver cartridge for low velocity, low recoil practice loads.
I have yet to see any reloading data for the .400 H&H, but I suspect that medium burning rate rifle powders such as H335, H4895, RL-12, and IMR 4895 might be a reasonable place to start.
Holland & Holland factory load ballistics call for a 400 grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 2375 fps and ME of 5011 ft. lbs. At 100 yards the figures are 2157 fps and 4125 ft. lbs. These numbers are for a rifle with a 24" barrel.
Factory trajectory tables computed for a rifle with a telescopic sight mounted 1.5" over the bore show that if a .400 H&H rifle is zeroed at 175 yards, the bullet will deviate no more than 2" above or below the line of sight from the muzzle to 200 yards. A maximum point blank range (+/- 2") of 200 yards is more than satisfactory for a dangerous game rifle.
Holland reports that the pressure is modest and accuracy excellent (but provided no exact figures) with prototype cartridges. The proof will be what happens in the field, but the new .400 H&H looks like a winner."
NOTE, THE SECOND REFERENCE TO HIGH PRESSURE IN THE 416 REMINGTON.
You got the money? I got the time.
Maybe you'll buy me one of these too......
http://www.hollandandholland.com/~newyork/newguns/982424245016.htm </div></div>
As I suspected, no direct experience on the subject. By the was the original thread was about reloading, not PH's or Africa. Nice try on trying to mooch a trip....LOL
