Does anyone here reload for the 458 win mag?
What's your favorite choice load?
How about trail boss??

I've used a 405gn hard cast in front of 20gns of Trailboss for 1000fps. Only used it on rabbits so far, but would likely be good for larger game (pigs, goats).

20 grains is the max correct for that 458wm case? I acyually read that 16 grains gives a higher velocity because of the pressure spike.

In my Whitworth I use 22.4 grains of Trailboss with a 350 gr.hornady for plinking.Very accurate and its running at 1194 fps.

Are you compressing that load? I read compressing TB is really bad!???

I use AA5744 in my 416Rigby light loads for varmint shooting. Works great and the loads are very accurate.

With the shorter 350gr bullet and at the depth I'm seating it, looks like I could go up to 24grs of TB.Also IMR 3031 with the 350gr TSX at about 2300 fps is a good medium load,recoil's not bad but has some serious torque on the recieving end.

Less powder giving you more velocity sounds wrong.

The maximum load with TrailBoss will be what ever fills the case behind the seated projectile without being compressed (as you stated in another post). The minimum is 70% of that. So the maximum load will always only ever be dependant on how deep the base of the projectile is seated in the case (and not related to bullet weight at all).

My plinking load was 20 gr of 5744 with a Berry's 350 gr plated bullet. Was quite accurate in my Charles Daly Mauser and very pleasant to shoot, though I never did chrono that load.

I load quite a bit for my .458WM.

My favorite plinking load right now is 28gr SR4759 under a 350gr cast GC. Right at 1250fps and very accurate out to 100yds.

I have a few hundred "blem" Hornady 300gr HP that I was just looking up load suggestions for, going after hogs.

I have a couple of pounds of Trail Boss and some 5744, but haven't tried them yet.

Most of my .458WM practice loads have been the Speer 400gr FP over 50gr IMR3031. Good, accurate load that won't beat you to death, but will kill just about anything in North America.

Ed

I have imr3031 and a bunch of 500g solids. I hate to see these not used. It is there a light load for 500grainers?

The light loads for the 500's use only SR4759 or 5744.
Load either 30-34gr SR-4759 or 34-39gr 5744 with those 500gr solids for a "plinking" load that will still kill anything in N.America. They will be running 1200-1400fps out of a 24" barrel.

IMR-3031 is an efficient powder for full-house loads and the minimum loads for 500's start around 65gr for 1900+fps which, in my mind is NOT a light load.
It certainly isn't wide open, which is in the 2150fps neighborhood with 500gr FMJ's, but it WILL get your attention!

My "varmint" load for my .458WM is a Hornady 350gr RN over 73.0gr 3031. Nice, round, 1" five-shot groups, at ~2350fps.

I shot several 1/2" groups with that bullet and an old lot of IMR4198 (67.0gr), running ~2400fps. I ran out of that can and, when I bought a new can, could only get 1 1/2" groups.

While bench time is great in working up a plinking load to get "trigger time" and work on the basics with your DGR, I have the most fun shooting from field positions, including off-hand once I get load work done.

Hitting an orange at 100yds, offhand, is enough to put a big grin on your face!

I LOVE my .458WM!

Ed

350 cast and 15 grains of unique. Or sub a lead round ball. Great accuracy at 25 yards for plinking!

Just picked up a bunch of jkt 300gr HPs.... Gonna load these mild to mid..

The 60 percent rule with 4895 makes a reasonably light recoiling load with any bullet. Use 60 percent of the max load listed. I do use dacron filler in these and get good accuracy.

Do you weigh the Dacron? If so, are you using ~ 1gr.?

Thanks,

Ed

Great info. I actually put my 77 African up for sale here - but I'm keeping my #1's

My first .458WM was a 77 African. VERY accurate!

I hope it goes to a good home.

Ed

"Do you weigh the Dacron? If so, are you using ~ 1gr.?"

Yes. I do weigh it. 2 grains is generally enough to take up the space with good density.

Will the imr3031 work with the 300gr hps? Or should I use 405's?

I shot a one gallon can of roofing tar once that was a good time.
I sold my Model 70 African to a guy who wanted a bigger deer rifle than his brother.
whelennut

Thanks a lot Ed,just when my itch for a .458 Win is gone,I open this thread up and read this.

Now the itch is back.

That's what I'm good at, giving. Attitudes, and now itches.

Ed

Thanks.....I think.

Have you used the 405 gr Rem in your .458?

458WM specs allow a very generous throat, which may cause accuracy problems with lighter (shorter) bullets. Just FYI.

No hogs killed!

Perhaps in theory.

My hunting load is 70grs+ of H-4895 with 450gr Northforks. Spring and summer we have guests and visitors and most of the time we do some shooting. It usually starts with the 308 and goes up from there, seeing as the Northforks are high $$ and have bloodied a few eyebrows I loaded up 50 300gr Barnes Originals last night over 65grs of AA-2495. 1750fps and cheap to shoot. Would probably work wonder on yard bears too!

Have a 458WM CZ that is pretty heavy on theory then. If you look at a SAAMI chamber spec the leade is funnel shaped and starts about 10 thou larger than bullet diameter... This one will get most all cast bullets or jacketed bullets lighter than 450 gns well clear of the case mouth before they begin to engrave the rifling. It will shoot an inch at 100yds with 450 TSX or 500 gn jacketed or you will be lucky to hit a pie plate at 100yds with lighter or most cast. Guess you have different chamber specs on that side of the equater.....

I have come up against this level of ignorance several times since immigrating to the US. For some reason, it is popular to assume Aussies get a different product than you do, even though they are made in the same plant and exported all round the world? I have heard it with cars, guns and even printing presses and it is extreme ignorance to suggest it.

The fact is, Aussies were using BRNO's, the forerunner of the CZ decades before it was heard of here, as Australia was a primary importer from Europe in the decades after the war. That included Tikka's, Sako's and no....there is no such thing as a Garcia Sako there, as Garcia, the importer was only a "local identity" in the USA. Aussie experience with these rifles is among the highest.

As to your claim of accuracy with lighter bullet and using SAAMI as a voice of authority. WOW.

I simply cannot recall all the .458's I have owned or used. Never ever, did one not produce sub MOA performance and half MOA performance is simply nothing to brag about as it is relatively common with this caliber.

If you have a single rifle that does not do that, and......you actually handloaded lighter for caliber bullets for it, I would be interested to know what your loads were, what bullets you used, size of the groups generated, what scope you have on the rifle, and your honest assessment of your shooting prowess to generate sub MOA groups with a cartridge this powerful.

Over to you, as I like to learn as much as anyone else.

I am aware the rifles are the same, should have put a humor icon next to that I guess. My claim for lack of accuracy is the fact that lighter bullets are well clear of the case mouth before engraving rifling which was confirmed after researching chamber minimum dimensions on the SAAMI site. Here is a link, note the leade dimension begins at .4690 (10 thou bigger than bullet diameter). 458WM Just noted good accuracy with longer bullets and terrible groups with lighter as statement of fact, not saying I am a bench rest pro. Off of a solid rest, I believe, most should be able to get those results with some practice (and maybe an extra recoil shield).
I will look up my notes as the loads referred to were worked up a few years ago and my memory is not good enough to post load info online without checking first.

Found this old post with data when working up an accurate light load for my CZ. Cast 458 Load

Can you share your loads with cast and lighter bullets in the 458 that produced such accuracy ?

Here is an old thread about the 458WM throat that mentions the 458JGS reamer. I thought this was pretty informative.
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth.../5521703/all/458_Win_Mag_Oversize_Throat

Nope.
Never shot a cast bullet and never claimed to either.
I have however, shot from 300 to 600 grain bullet weights in the .458's.

I never knew they made a 600gr for a 458

OK. Cast do behave quite differently to jacketed bullets.

Can you share your jacketed 300-400 gr bullet loads and loading techniques that yielded MOA accuracy?

My articles in the Aussie mags go back to 1985. You will find it easy to research what ever you want. I recommend you go through:
Australian shooters Journal
Sporting Shooter Magazine.
Australian Gunsports
SCI'Australian Hunter.
NSW Deerstalker
There are a few more I don't recall at the moment because of the name changes they transitioned to.
John Woods

That's a pretty strange response to a simple question.

I wrote more articles on big bore rifles in Oz than all the other writers combined. How would you like me to condense that into a response.

seriously, I'd be glad to offer some advice if you have a question? Generic language is not a question so if you will be more specific in what you want to know, I'd be glad to help.

What bullet are you interested in shooting in your .458?

Judging from my limited experience with the 458 win mag you don't have to do anything special to get them to shoot sub MOA groups at 100 yards. Just put ammo in them and have the ability to shoot them well enough.

Thanks for the offer.

For me light bullets of interest in a 458WM include:

Woodleigh 400gr PP
Hornady 350gr RN & FP
Barnes 350gr TSX

Any loading info you can share would be appreciated.

Try RL 7 with the 350 Hornadies or Speer. I don't have my load notes handy and they were for the 458 lott but loaded to 458 win mag velocities. I was shooting a hair over moa using iron sights and original military triggers (Enfield and Mauser) Should be no problem getting MOA or better with a scope and decent trigger.

And my Lott's had long throats, I tried long loaded the 450 X bullet and could never touch the lands, and that's a long bullet.

400gn Woodleigh Weldcore
My best loads were both using 74gn of either H 322 for 2336fps or H 4198 for 2454fps. Both shot under MOA.

Won't consider a 350gn round nose but have used the 350gn TSX Barnes over 76gn of H 322 for 2434fps, 78gn of AA 2230 for 2424fps, 78gn of H 4198 for 2582fps with single digit shot to shot variation.

If you want mild shooting loads then 75gn of either AA 2230 or H 4198 work well also.

Please note that H 4198 has been slowed down since Hodgdon started marketing it. My loads fro 25 years back using the AR original Mulwex versions used up to 10 grains less so you need to work up from around 10% lower charges.
Hope this helps.

John

What is the max on trail boss for a 458wm?

I mean I guess you could fill the case to the capacity and it still wouldn't be bad. Right?

John - thanks for the info and caution over burning rate change for H4198.

Dr.D - Trailboss is really suitable for loads developing 800-1200 fps. There is data on the Hodgdon site for Trailboss in the 458WM. Trailboss is a powder you do not compress. Despite it's bulk it is a fast burning powder.

You have another powder available in the USA that is bulky and a lot slower burning than Trailboss and this makes it suitable for higher velocities. With this one you can develop hot 45/70 type loads for your 458. Trailboss is around the same burning rate as Red Dot whereas AA5744 has a burn rate similar to 4198, which makes it better suited to higher velocity reduced loads. AA have load data for the 458WM on their site. Unfortunately it's a powder we don't have available here.

The Trailboss rules are:
- no compression
- minimum of 70% of a full load under a seated bullet.

I use 20gns behind a 405gn cast projectile which is almost no air space left - and is subsonic at around 1000fps.