Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Go to powder for 458 win mag

So any thoughts on what is a good powder to try in the Ruger No 1 458 I have coming?
And as it is a single shot, should I have to bother crimping, or do you find it helps with the burning of powder.

I don’t usually crimp for any of my current rifles.

I always crimp heavy recoilers. H4198 works well.
Charlie

H 4831SC - you don't crunch power when seating 500gr pills.

I use AA2230, AA2460 is another good choice for 400 grain and larger bullets. 4895 is another good powder for the heavys

With lighter bullets 4198 is top-notch

As a generality, the powders that work well in the 223 work well in the 458wm.
As mentioned above starting with Accurate powders 2230 and 2460 is the easy route to success. I also like Accurate 2015 for cast loads.
F01

I should have also said; there is a terrific body of work in the Express and big bore forum on loading for the magnificent 458WM. It’s a “sticky” rated thread and easy to find.
Best regards,
F01

My .458 is also a Ruger No.1H. Most useful all-around powder is H4895. It can be used for reduced loads or top loads for 500s. H4198 (not IMR) is best for 250gr to 350gr. And as JPW475 has said, A2230 and 2460 are great performers for 400gr - 500gr.

The big advantage of the Ruger No.1 is its long throat (all .458s) that has no magazine to restrict COL. A 450 - 500gr TSX can be loaded to 3.78" (crimped in the bottom cannelure. I don't always crimp - it depends on the bullet, but most loads are seated long. The 300gr TSX is crimped into the bottom cannelure for a COL of 3.25". Seating "long" leaves more room for powder space. . . in fact, in many cases (pun intended) more than a Lott. The 250gr MonoFlex (Hornady - not the 325 FTX) is a tough bullet made for the 1895 Marlins and single-shot .45-70s, but it's a great bullet in my Ruher No.1H. I push it at ~2700 fps from 65 grs of A5744, and that's far from tops, but it's accurate and good for anything to moose. Etc.

The best all-around load is the 404gr Shock Hammer at up to 2550 fps using any of the best powders for heavier bullets, like H4895, 2230 or 2460. Some newer powders also work well. Anything good in a .223 Rem will work well in the .458. Go to the .458 thread on Express Rifles and Big Bores Only for enclyclopedic knowledge and information.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

H335, TAC

Or Varget, which also works well in a huge number of cartridges.

AA-2460, COL it at 3.585 inch, you can easily get 2300 fps with 500 grains if you need it.

I have tried Accurate 2460.

THIS

Thanks one and all for the responses, doubt it will ever see Africa, so may stick around 350 grain bullets, not sure it will even get out for moose anymore.

Bit will definitely shoot targets and some use in the bush.

As an aside that fellow sucre68 is sure a talkative fellow!🤣

Don't worry about Africa as probably less than a very small % of .458's will ever see African use, but thats not the point.
You own a big bore, any of them, because they challenge you.
They force discipline upon you.
They identify flaws in you, the shooter.
They prove adequacy or exceptionalism where it occurs.
They are therapeutic.
They cover a larger hunting base than smaller calibers.
They entertain, drain or disolve stresses borne of daily life.
They bring satisfaction in being set up correctly, proven reliable and repeatable, or when just being carried.

For the old Hornady 350gr RN, RL7 was tops in accuracy. For the 500's it was RL15.

With your permission, I may quote you in P2 of "Why I Still Promote The .458 Winchester Magnum". All together that's the best statement I've read even though I've probably said most of it over many years in my blogs if collected together.

Really, an exceptionaal statement. Thank you.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

Bob,
My comments are never planned or drafted, just written so are literally throwaway lines.
You can use anything of mine anytime you wish.
John

Thanks John, I truly appreciate that.

Bob
www.bigbores.c

👍