Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Heavy bullets in a .405...

Heavy not in terms of velocity but bullet weight. I have four .405s, Ruger #1, TC Encore, Winchester 1895 and an 1885...

I've found a nice factory duplication load for the Hornady 300 grain bullets with 63 grains of Winchester 748... The Hornady factory round runs 2195 fps from the #1. 63/748 runs 2210. Accuracy is excellent.

So during the last two years I've amassed a bunch of bullets mostly off of "used" tables at gun stores. So far I have:
300 grain:
North Fork
Barnes
Hornady FP
Hornady SP

400 grain:
Woodleigh Solid (.411)
Woodleigh Soft Point (.411)
Hornady Soft Point (.410 for the .400/.450)
Hawk SP

Cast:
310 FP GC .311
375 FP GC .314 (from Beartooth)
400 FP PB .314 (from PB Boolits)

Some of the heavier bullets are too long for the 1895 lever action and I am sure some of the heavies may be too long for lead in the single shots... Was just wondering if anyone has shot heavies in their .405s and where to begin with what powders. Best looking bullet so far is the 375/.314 from Beartooth.... It is short enough to fit in the lever action and has a big meplat....

Thanks...Bob

I loaded quite a bit for the .405 in both a T/C and a Ruger No. 1 a few years ago. I found that TAC, IMR4895 and Varget were all pretty darn good, and powder charges were even pretty similar.

With 300-grain bullets around 55 grains of any of those three powders worked well, for around 2200-2300 fps.

With 400-grain bullets around 50 grains worked, for 1900-2000 fps.

Thanks..what were you using for 400 grain bullets?

I just made up some dummy rounds... The Winchester rifles have shorter leads than the Ruger does. Seated in the crimping groove, all the 400s chambered. Not so in the 1895 or 1885... Will pull out the TC barrel soon...

Bob

Woodleighs and Hawks. Hornady wasn't making their 400's for the .450/.400 yet.

Did you have to have your chamber throat lengthened to be able to seat the Woodleigh in the crimping groove? My Ruger will seat them fine but the 1885 will not...have not checked the TC yet...

Bob

I tried 400 gn Hornadys in my #1 and couldn't keep a group in a 18" square at 100 yd. The ones that did hit the paper showed signs of tipping. I concluded that .410" was a bit narrow for my bore.

Woodleigh 400 gn (.411") were very accurate both before and after I lengthened the throat by .28".

With the factory throat, 400 Woodleigh, Hornady cases, Federal 210 primers and cartridge length of 3.23" (bullets .025" from the rifling):
56gn Reloader 15 - 1940fps
53.5 TAC - 1990fps

With the throat lengthened and cartridge length of 3.51":
57gn Benchmark - 2080fps
58gn 8208 - 2080fps
60gn TAC - 2160fps
63.5 Reloader 15 - 2160fps
The increased O.L. increased the usable case capicity by over 16% so don't even think about using these loads in an unaltered chamber or anything but a Ruger #1.

All loads were very accurate. For what its worth: I measured the case diameter just ahead of the rim with a micrometer and found no expansion after firing.

As an aside, I found no discernable difference in velocity or accuracy with 300gn bullets at 2250fps after the throat lengthening.

Walt

Walt...thanks so much for the data. How did you open up the throat?

Thanks...Bob

RJM,

No, I didn't have the throat lengthened. I never crimp bullets loaded in smokeless single-shots anyway, because there's no reason to.

Bob,
Bought a throating reamer and T-handle from Manson Reamers and did it by hand. Don't think I would do it that way again because it was not easy to control depth. I gave the reamer to my friend and trusted gunsmith Doug Wells, Lock, Stock & Barrel, Huson, Montana. He is in the yellow pages and answers his phone after 2PM.

I had more enjoyment working with the .405 than anythinng exceptt the .416 Howell way back when.

Walt

Doug knows his stuff! I had him do quite a bit of gunsmithing over the years.