Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only .416 Taylor Users -

You bet Buddy, I'll run out to the shop and grab my load book.

Gunner

400 gr Hornady DGX/DGS
73.0 gr RL-15
Fed 215 primer
c.o.l. 3.320"
vel. 2351 fps

Excellent function and accuracy from my VZ 416T

Gunner

Thanks a bunch Gunner.

I think I'm going to have some stock work done, but I will let you know how I make out.

Don

10-4, or load the 350 gr TSX's to 2500 for plains game and I'll send ya my 500 Nitro to use on your buffalo.

Just loaded 40 fresh rounds this afternoon, 20/20 softs and solids.

Gunner

They make a 416 Ruger too ya know.

Just sayin'

I had one until my son pulled an A out of a math course as well as an A in English and I lost the bet. It was a stainless Ruger 77 Mark II with a 22 inch Montana Rifleman barrel and HS Precision stock. That thing was rough on scopes. I sent two Leupold VX-3's back with loose lenses and have one of them on the work bench ready to go back again. It does shoot good though. With my set-up, it took a pretty hot load to get 2350fps out of a 400gr bullet and I never could get the 2400fps that others seemed to write about. I used a pressure gauge that attached to the barrel and fed a chronograph that had a pressure option. I think it was made by Oehler. I backed off to about 2300fps and all things were good. Except for the occasional broken scope. I had a bunch of brass made up with the correct head stamp and was good to go. My Son is enjoying it now and I am still amazed by the motivational aspect of that rifle on him�

...In 1988 I had my Taylor custom built on a Pre 64 M-70 action, Krieger 24"bbl. The following loads are only for 400gr bullets.
I show four bullet manufacturers.

IMR 4320 72.5grs 72.0grs

Swift: 2385fps 2379fps
TBSH: 2392fps 2382fps
Barnes: 2396fps 2376fps
Hornady: 2393fps 2377fps

R-15 72.2grs 70.0grs

Swift: 2398fps 2367fps
TBSH: 2402fps 2380fps
Barnes: 2400fps 2376fps
Hornady: 2392fps 2337fps

Keep in mind, these loads are for MY rifle, and may be too HOT for someone else to start with. Prior to settling on a suitable hunting load, I worked up loads utilizing several other powders, and bullets. After all was said and done, 250/300 rounds later I was satisfied I had my recipe for the Taylor.

All velocities were across the screens @ 15', and corrected back to the muzzle. Five shots each over a two day period. Altitude: 8200', temp: 85F, and 87F.

Components: Winchester brass(formed from .458) Fed 215 primers.

None of the loads indicated any pressure problems here in CO or in Africa's sometimes HOT temps pushing 100F.

Best accuracy load (IN MY RIFLE) 72.0grs of IMR 4320 loading Swift SP, and TBSH Solids. These printed 1 1/2" @ 100yrds. Average velocity 2380fps.

With the combination of rifle/bullets, my rifle has accounted for numerous plains game, and DG in Africa; everything from bushbuck to elephant.

I was so pleased with the Taylor, I had another built for my wife. She has taken a bunch of African plains game as well, plus, two buffalo, and one elephant with her rifle.

The perceived recoil to us, seems no worse than our.338Win Mags loaded with 250gr bullets.

As an aside: I only load 400gr bullets. I subscribe to "heavy for caliber", and have not felt the need for a lighter bullet.

J.L.Schott

I neglected to mention both our rifles have Leupold 1.5x5 scopes. With all the shooting, neither scope has yet failed.

I've got one. Czech BRNO w/1.5x5 Leupold, Tally OD mounts w/Brockman peep.

Hey guys, done a bit of experimenting with a new powder in my 416 Taylor yesterday with the 400 gr Partition bullet and the results were quite welcome.

The go to powder for the 416 Taylor has been RL-15, I referenced powder burn rate charts and picked a slower burning yet more compact powder, CFE-223 got the nod for testing, it also proved stellar in my 400 Whelen.

I started with the RL-15 charges using the CFE-223 and carefully worked up using a chrono looking and feeling for over pressure signs, I used ONE piece of necked down W-W 458 WM brass for all velocity testing, it had already been fired twice and I fired it four more times building to a max load, primer pocket was still tight on the 7th loading.

CFE-223

75.0 gr 2274
76.0 gr 2326
77.0 gr 2380
77.5 gr 2407

I stopped testing at 2400 fps, just wanted to safely get there, all cases fell from the rifle, no sticky bolt, no shiny caseheads or extractor cut flowback, again, primer pocket tight.

Easily loaded 77.5 grs of CFE-223 with this looong 400 gr Partition bullet to a coal of 3.320" using a 24" drop tube, that's all my mag box will allow.

Using three [new] twice fired cases shot a littler over a one inch three shot group, that's with a 1.5-5 Leupold and a bit of Sunday evening crosswind, I'll take it.

Best 416 cartridge I think. I shoot lots of cast 400s at 2150, 350 speers at 2500 and 400 Hornadys at 2350. Built this rifle for an elk in grizzly country. I've shot three right pound rifle powder containers through this with cast bullets. It weighs nine pounds loaded no scope. Aperture rear and sourdough front. I suppose the 416 ruger supplants the Taylor now but not for me.

Sounds like you got it going your way Moose, I was very happy to reach 2400 fps with the long 400 gr Partition while being limited to a coal of only 3.320".....not that anyone but an idiot like me would consider shooting 300 yards with a 416 , but, it's nice to know should it ever present itself, the shot could be made, with excellent bullet performance to boot!

I have read Mule Deer here at the 'fire say the partition portion of the .366" 286 gr bullet has been moved forward, IIRC he may have said the same thing about the .416" 400 gr bullet, if that's the case these things should penetrate like hell on all medium and heavy game up to Ele.

We've shot some buffalo heifers with the 350 speer. The only one we recovered did about six feet of buffalo. Never did recover a 400 grain Hornady. Shot them from different angles trying to stop already wounded animals. Guys I've not shot any big game with the cast although a fair amount of pigs in Texas have been whacked.

Good news Moose, wouldn't have thought those little 350 Speers to be that tough.

I have one built some 20-odd years ago by my late Brother when he was attending Trinidad College.
It was far and away his favourite rifle for hunting Yukon Bison.
Unfortunately I have no loading data so I'm starting cold.
I've got dies brass and 400 gr. Hornady RN bullets and a wide selection of powders.... just looking for a starting point.
Any help or suggestions for load data will be immensely appreciated, Moose season is still a few months away..... but.

Re15 or 4320 are my two powders in the Taylor. Start at seventy grains with either.

Asked my buddy Bill, what recoil was like in the .416 Taylor and his quote was, (About like a Mild Train Wreck)

He must be a weekkneed triggersqueezer. I am surprised that of all of the .416 Taylor owners none were from Pennsylvania. I've used the Taylor - with cast bullets - for deer and elk and I can't say that there is any rifle I would pick for general big game use, other than my custom .375 H&H Whitworth or Sako when buffalo or moose are on the schedule.

Terry

I've never owned a 416. But if I did a 416 Taylor would seem to be the most practical to load for. And the least cumbersome rifle to carry.

have a set of dies for one but no rifle...

After selling my 416 Wby (brutal on my shoulder), I had a Taylor built. I set mine up on a Springfield action and just got the wood fitted/bedded. It is currently unfired and uncrowned at 26". I plan on going to 21" with it and then will start loading for it. I have a good supply of 400gr solids and 4320.