Back in the 90's (doesn't seem that long ago) I playing with a few light bullets in the .458. 300gn Remington, 300gn Hornady, both kinds as they changed the ogive shape, 300gn X bullet, 400gn Woodleigh Spire Point weld Core, 400gn Speer, 400gn X bullet and 405gn Remington as well as a bunch more, 17 in all and 13 powders. Factory rounds additional.
I hit on a terrific load as many others have, so it's not an exclusive fluke on my turf, but THE load in the .458 was the Barnes 400gn X bullet loaded to 2434fps using 74gn of H 4198, Fed 215 with an OAL of 3.345". Still have rounds loaded for the right time and ready to go.
The road was muddied along the way when Barnes TSX's in 350 and 450gn were being sold online for about $20 per hundred and then you have the 250 and 300gn Barnes Cave Points designed for the .45/70, Woodleigh Weldcores in 550gn, Barnes Traditionals in 600gn and whatever else I have forgotten, but the point it, for a supposed dangerous game cartridge, the amount of options is incredible. Although most here will take medium game in volume, compared to the larger animals we'd all like a crack at, it's nice to know we always have the right cartridge in our hands anywhere grass grows and there is a bit scrub to hide behind.
We are at a point of dilema as US users are limited by game laws and seasons and costs that prohibit much hunting and Aussies who can hunt 365 days minus snake days, are limited by bullet option and handloading costs which are around double what the US is complaining about. Put the 2 together, and we'll get by, so I am glad Mike started this thread and Ron seized upon it as an outlet for himself for consolidation of information.
If such enthusiasm was done across each caliber AND their cartridges as regardless of contribution errors, these are mutually exclusive, gun writing would become largely superfluous.
One thing is for certain, there never has been a writer who knew more than a fraction of that contained within this thread. Colaboration is its finest form. Well done all and most importantly, not done yet.
