Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only The great 458 Winchester. Everyone should own one at least once

Sir Bob,

Your penetration testing underscores the excellence of the 400-gr/.458 FN solid.
I was not worried about it a bit, however. I am convinced.
Will look forward to your results with the 250-gr Hornady Monoflex at your blog.
I have tried them and my favorite load is a bit unusual: AA-5744 for a non-reduced load.

With a COL of 3.340" (SAAMI compliant, ha ha), Hornady brass, F215 primer,
in a 24"-barreled Ruger No. 1, at 67*F:

65.0 grains of AA-5744 >>> 2725 fps corrected to MV.
3 shots in one hole at 50 yards.

For my top velocity with no signs of excessive pressure, same details for rifle and loading as above except different powder:

82.0 grains of H4198 >>> 3075 fps corrected to MV.
3 shots also made one hole at 50 yards
but the cloverleaf was almost twice as large.

BTW, 65.0 grains was the starting load with AA-5744 and was most accurate.
69.0 grains (my max tried) gave 3003 fps MV.

Starting load with H4198 was 78.0 grains and gave 2913 fps MV.
82.0 grains was the maximum tried with H4198.

AA-5744 averaged near 70 fps MV increase for each grain of powder increase.
H4198 averaged about 40 fps MV increase for each grain of powder increase.
250 grains is mighty light but the monometal construction makes it good,
even at as low as 2000 fps MV according to bulkie_roll, his powder charge not mentioned, yet.
3075 fps MV is down to 2057 fps at 200 yards.
2725 fps MV is down to 1998 fps at 150 yards, 1785 fps at 200 yards.
Might as well use the slower load that gives up barely over 50 yards range.







Of course, a Lee Factory Crimp Die works without the third cannelure, for any COL you want.