Help needed with .416 Rigby

[KTN]

Anyone out there,with good cast load to .416 Rigby?
My problem is,only powders I can get my hands on are Vihtavuori and some Hodgdon powders.Rifle is Ruger NO1H,boolit RCBS 350 FNGC,sized .417" and lubed with Lyman super moly.Alloy is 4/1 ww/lino.Any help welcomed.I´m also thinking about purchasing .40 cal mold and paper patching it.Anyone tried that out yet?Would it be worth the trouble?Or am I just [smilie=b: .
Thank you to all in advance.


Kaj

[BruceB]

Kaj, welcome!

I haven't used any of the V V series of powders as yet. I do have some experience with a few US-supplied powders in the .416 Rigby, and it just happens that my rifle is identical to yours. So is my bullet! That RCBS design has done very well for me, and I see no need for any other design in this caliber, for my purposes. I cast mine from straight wheelweight metal.

I'm really tied-up just now, getting ready to leave home around dawn for a varminting expedition. This will keep me away until at least Wednesday night. In the meantime, I can tell you that XMP 5744 in charges from about 40 grains up to my hunting load of 55 grains, is quite accurate. Velocity with the RCBS boolit and 55 grains of 5744 is right at 2100 fps. I use a loose dacron filler in these loads. This is not a maximum load, either. I was going to take the .416 after the ground squirrels on this trip, but ran out of time before getting any ammo loaded for it. D'you think it will kill such tough critters?

I'll try to get you some more detail on loads after my return. Sure is nice to hear from shooters all over the globe!

[KTN]

BruceB,thank you sir,for your reply.
Just wish I could get some XMP 5744 to my hands.My powder choices are limited to VV powders and to few Hodgdon powders.I have loaded j-bullets with H4831,but manuals say it can´t be reduced safely to load cast.About those ground squirrels,you can never be too careful.Better to use enough gun.
Some of my hunting buddies are telling me that our local rabbits are wearing bodyarmor ;-).


Kaj

[drinks]

Kaj;
H4227, XMP5744 and VV N130 are next to each other in burn speed, any should do well and they are fast rifle powders, so reducing loads by 50% or more should be safe.
VV N133 is next to H4198 and AA 1680 which are also fast rifle powders, just a little slower than the first 3 , can be reduced below 50% safely, too.
I use either 4198, H or IMR and AA 1680 for .45-70 and .35 Whelen with cast bullets and get fine results.
Don

[KTN]

drinks,Thank you to you too,sir.
I have been using both VV N130 and VV N133 in my .45-70 cast and j-bullet loads,as well as H4198,with good results.Only VV powder I can find listed for Rigby loads is N160,and thats too slow to be reduced safely.Think I just got to dig little deeper into these loading manuals.Rigby´s case volume seems to be the problem,with about 100gr starting loads.
Keep the posts coming.I´m learning new tricks every day :cool:


Kaj

[drinks]

Kaj;
I would feel comfortable with 50gr VV N135 , very close to IMR 4895, where I have used 50% or less loads in .45-70 and 40 to 50 gr of VV N133, I have used 40% loads IMR 4198 in .45-70, it is one of my best target practice loads, right after 45% of Rel7.
Don

[KTN]

Drinks,thanks again.
I will be testing new loads as soon as weather gets a bit warmer.Last week temperatures were like -20F,but spring is coming.To me ,April-May is the best time to smelt WW and cast boolits.I read from Hodgdon´s website,about using 60% loads of H4895 for reduced and cast loads.Still bit worried about case volume.:???:


Kaj