Light load for .458 Winchester Magnum

[Bill*B]

I've had great results with the Accurate Molds 460360J (http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=46-360J-D.png) - I had Tom cut one a little tight for me, to drop at 0.458" with + tolerance, so that it is lubed but barely sized in a 0.459" die. Loaded in front of 35 grains of SR 4759 (that's 59, not 56!) I get consistent 3.5" groups at 100 yards. That won't impress you competition shooters, but it's darned good with me behind the rifle! Leaves my 22" model 70 barrel at just over 1600 fps.

I had been working with 500 grain boolits, as I thought they would be best in that long .458 Winchester freebore, and was surprised to find that this little bullet outshot them. Just passing the experience along.

[creophus]

Sounds like you're plenty happy. Congrats. Are yours dropping right at 360gr? BTW, I see you're in Tampa. Where do you shoot? Drop me a line and perhaps we will be in the same place at the same time. I have 2 458 Win Mags, and will build another one of these days.

creophus@yahoo.com

[94Doug]

There's an article in #92 Handloader on light loads for the .458.....something for you to look up.

Doug

[Bill*B]

Thanks all! It's a fun caliber if you don't fancy long sessions at the bench. Lately I've been having nice results with the old Lyman #457132, which groups better than the other "heavies" that I've tried.

Creophus, the Accurate mold drops them at 365 grains, with my scrap alloy.

[runfiverun]

you can use loads for the 45/70 without issue.
9-10 grs of unique will propel those boolits along without any undue drama.
many of our local guy's shoot 350-400gr boolits on top of 10 grs of unique to knock steel sheep over 200 meters away so there has to be some accuracy there.