.470 Nitro Express

[handloder]

Does anybody offer an off-the-shelf mold(s) for the .470 Nitro Express. I understand current Federal production ammo uses a 500gr jacketed bullet sized 0.475". Anybody handload for this cartridge?

[murf205]

I have handloaded 500 gr Hornadys with 112 gr of H4831 and a Fed 215 mag primer. Accurate Molds makes a 510 gr mold for this caliber that should be just right. It's a 48-510N. His molds are beautifully made and Tom gets them out pretty quickly + he is a member here. Be prepared to get a larger press if you are using a std size press, because this is a LOOOOONG dude! I had to unscrew the seater die on my Rockchucker to insert the boolit then screw it back down to seat it and then unscrew the die again to get it out. A real pina for sure. My shooting buddy, who owns the rifle, bought a Lyman press and it has a lot bigger window to work with. Best to slug the barrel before you settle on .475. I've talked to a lot of people who shoot boolits as large as.477. Is your rifle a double?

[handloder]

Murf
Yes, it is a Merkel double rifle. The Accurate Molds model 48-510N costs $98 in Feb 2017. Thanks for the warning about press size!

[murf205]

The 112gr load I mentioned above is for the Merkel double. You should sneak up on that charge from about 108 grs but once the two barrels regulate, it's time to stop. As I'm sure you know, when shooting this beast, you need to get the second barrel off as soon as you can, after your vision clears, because if you give the heat time to transfer, it could affect the point of impact. It's a "hoot to shoot"!

[elk hunter]

I recently acquired a Ruger #1 in 470 with it was the usual brass, dies, some home made jacketed bullets and a 400 grain RCBS mould for the 480 Ruger. The friend I got this from used the 400 grain for plinking. Light bullets may or may not regulate in a double but you won't know unless you try.

[murf205]

I did, they don't. My friend bought some 400gr cast boolits and they shot all over the place. I emailed Tom at Accurate and he designed the 510n gr mold for us but my shooting partner has had some serious health issues since then and we had to put the Merkel project on hold. I'm sure he would let me take it and work with it while he is on the mend but I really don't want to take someone else's $12,000 rifle and run the risk of putting the first scratch/dent on it.

[tygar]

I had several Merkel 470s, a Douglas, Kreighoff & a couple others - none of them were that hard shooting - except that *** Douglas! It would kill you, plus it shot like @#$%!

They usually shot OK, within normal parameters. I did try some cast & 400s & with SxSs regulation, they never shot to POA, but I did get some OK groups. Experimenting with powders, charges, etc, might help.

I got rid of all SxSs after getting a Kreighoff TECH O/U in 458. It shot 4 to POA at an 1.5" at 50, & 2.5" at 100. I also got a BRNO in 375 O/U & it did almost as well. No regulation that crosses at 50 & opens up. 2 Barrels on top of each other that shoot the same, just an inch or so apart.

The 458 also "likes" 400s, which I now prefer due to "old age & infirmity". The 458 did shoot a little harder than the 470.

[murf205]

It might just be my imagination, but a 458 has more felt recoil that any 470 NE. Both are 500 gr boolits and the 470 is usually about 100fps faster, but the 458 just seems to have a bit "faster
recoil".

[Oklahoma Rebel]

are there any o/u rifles like you talk about within a tighter budget range ( like -1200)

[tygar]

It might just be my imagination, but a 458 has more felt recoil that any 470 NE. Both are 500 gr boolits and the 470 is usually about 100fps faster, but the 458 just seems to have a bit "faster
recoil".

Like I said, it does kick harder than the 470s I've shot, except for the Douglas.

Murf - the Brno is the best cheap O/U I've found. Well made etc. Don't think they go bigger than .375.

But way more than $1200. Not sure, but probably around 5K, but havn't bought one in over 10yrs.

[44man]

Need to shoot off concrete with a swivel chair with wheels! I have shot some BAD rifles and not recoil shy, still don't like them. You fellas are TOUGH. I might not notice at an elephant but the range is different.

[murf205]

You don't usually take a full Case Guard 50 to the range and bring it back empty! I have a 358 Norma built on a tang safety Ruger 77 and with 250's @ close to 2800fps it hurts as bad as any 375 I've ever shot. About 10-15 rounds is enough for 1 session. These HardenKicken LoudenBoomers will get the best of us flinching, no matter how much we say otherwise.