Need help with a 450 NE

[greywuuf]

hi guys, a freind of mine has asked me to cast some bullets for a 450 NE double rifle.
The only real info i have on the weapon is that it is a modern rebarrel of a double shotgun. So we are talking a modern steel double gun( of unknown chamber dimensions and throat configuration) , but we dont need anything for africa or dangerous game, mostly something backed down a bit and easily shootable, not saying we wont have some loaded up to "full house" just because if you have it you have to at least try it. Since I have neither a chamber cast or a bore slug from this gun, i am going to "assume" it was built with a relatively standard .458 barrel blank, something apropriate for say a 458 WM. ( for rifling twist referance and bore groove dimensions)

what I dont have is a .458 mold. can someone recomend a 300-500 grain bullet design/style that would be apropriate and at least semi traditional and i have a decent chance of getting to work for him? I am pretty certain i can not talk him into paper patching ( though I would think it is an outstanding candidate) it would also be best if the load work was "WITHOUT" filler in mind as i dont think that would be an easy sell to him either.

with those things in mind can some one come up with a " i would start with a #xxxxx style bullet and a casefull of XXX powder" (trailboss comes to mind)

if I am correct this is the 3.25" case and i imagine slow BULKY powders will be in order to eleiminate messing with things like card wads and fillers. anything else to watch out for in particular ?

Also note i am making recomendations and doing the casting, he will be doing the load work and reloading, not the optimal situation as he is geographicly seperated from me by several hundred miles, but I can make recommendations at least.

any sage words or mold candidates come to mind ?

[lister]

First post, so forgive any typos. I have an old 1965 Frank Barnes book cartridges of the world that was the bible for a now deceased friend who did amazing things with old rifles in odd calibres.
It lists history, load data and dimensions.
For the 450 nitro a light load is lyman 451112 485 gr on top of 26 gr of 4759 for 1450fps. Dimensions are bullet dia.458, neck dia .479, base dia .548, rim .626 case length 3.25, ctge length 3.85.
Jeff once worked on a 450/400 double, and I remember it took him ages to find a load where both barrels shot to the same point. Hope this helps cheers from NZ
:holysheep

[Greg Mercurio]

I've got the .450NE in a No. 1 and shoot Trailboss loads. I have a Lee mold but since I haven't had time to cast my own, I ordered a bunch of Big Lube cast bullets from Mark Whyte at

http://www.whyteleatherworks.com/holsters.html

The lube Mark uses is formulated for Black Powder, but it works just fine with TB. The bullets and TB loads make little cloverleafs at 25 yards with open sights. Recoil is noticeable but not near what a full power load is generating. Lots of fun to shoot. And Mark makes first rate bullets, as well as holsters.

Slug the bores. I ordered .002 over groove diameter.

[elk hunter]

The original bullet weight for the 450 NE and the 450 #2 NE was 480 grains both were traveling about 2150 fps. Generally speaking, if the load is too fast the barrels will cross and shoot below the sights, if the load is too slow the barrels will shoot apart and high.

Doubles are interesting and fun to work with.

I suggest two things: Look at this site, http://www.accuratereloading.com/

and buy a copy of "Shooting the British Double Rifle" by Graeme Wright.

[Abert Rim]

I'll second Elk Hunter on both suggestions. Getting a double to regulate -- shoot both barrels at the same impact point -- involves considerable voodoo when diverging from the original specs, e.g. 480-grain bullet at 2150. But it can be done. Ross Seyfried has also written about this topic in Rifle and Double Gun Journal ...

[greywuuf]

Thank you for the info, all of it. trailboss seems like an interesting thing to look into for sure.
as Far as regulation and "original specs" uhm maybe. since this is a built up converted shotgun that I do not know anything about, it may or may not have even BEEN regulated and who knows with what load. it will be an adventure that much is certain. Thank again for the comments.
Dan