Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 450/400ne 3" info

Acquired a #1 in the 3" 450/400ne, works nicely. Have been searching around for more loading info on it. I saw the psot from Puddle on 2/20/09 on the Hornady data ( have a #8 manual coming) and have found 3" and 3-1/4 data on www.grurifrasca.net.
Very little on lighter bullet loads or cast loads on it though.
There is a post over on accuratereloading.com on some people starting to play with them with Trailboss, but not a lot else. Curious what people have been doing with these guns regarding 300,350gr jacketed and cast stuff.
Anyone doing anything other than 400gr and Trailboss loads out there?

if you're looking for reduced load data, email Western powders for data using Accurate 5744. Contact us

they have unpublished data for most NE chamberings.

you'll typically be in the high 40-grain to mid 50-grain range.

Bob Rodefer is the guy you want to talk to there, IIRC.

Have a 3 1/4" nitro double that regulates perfectly with the Seyfried reduced loads from Handloader Aug 2004.

I settled on 42/H4198 with 10 gr Dacron filler, F210, Cast Perf 250 WFN for an avg right @ 2000f/s. The dacron's a bit of a pain, but worth it IMO for the results, what a sweet shooting load. You can use the same data in the 3" case. I intend to do so in my No 1.


Pete

I believe that JB (Mule Deer) has had experience with the Ruger #1 in 450-400 3". I have some loads for mine that should produce 2400 FPS with H-4831 that I have not yet fired through the chrono. Hope to fire them over the next couple of weekends and can PM you the data if you're interested or post, if there is more general interest in this type of data.

I have seen some stuff where people have been working with 210gr and 300gr jacketed loads. If I don't get a decent cast load done up by fall I may try some of the 300gr Hornady .411 bullets for the 405win or some Barnes 350 TSX's. I think those should reasonably easy to work up loads on. This gun is gonna go huntin' this year. But, I really want to get some cast stuff working. I have a Saeco 400gr plainbase mould coming. If I can figure out what it will like, it may go out this year. It'll do to start with I hope. I want to wind up with using 300gr or 350gr LBT LFN's also down the road. I got the 400gr mould for a decent price, so, I'll play with it for a bit to start with. That bullet could make a decent load at 1500fps, maybe.
Whatever results I come up with on that bullet, I will post it. Maybe it will help some other people who want to play with this cartridge. I like the unknowns about it and the potential of it.
I'd certainly appreciate what ever info people may have acquired via PM or posting. Will see what results I can get from contacting Western also.

Well, one note I can add, is that the Saeco 740 mould wouldn't deliver the diameter with wheelweights, had to go to a bag of bleimeister extra hard shot I had to get it up to diameter.
The wheelweights came out at .40975 approx. But, the shot blend came out at about .4115, which will work nicely sizewise. Bore slugged at about .4103.

I am loading a Lyman 400 grain,sized a .411 and powered by 5744.
Good load and if I hard cast Lino,it will zip in my Ruger #1

I used a Lyman 410165 mold. With a 92-6-2 alloy the bullets came out of the blocks averaging .411" and weighing 408 grains. With both 32.0 grains of 5744 and 100.0 grains of Swiss 1-1/2f, they grouped into 2-1/2 to 3" at 100 yards, at about 1400 fps.

There's a book by Graeme Wright titled "Shooting the British Double" which, funnily enough, is aimed at double rifles. He includes some reduced loads using blackpowder, two different loadings in fact. One is meant for the blackpowder only rifles and there is another that he calls "blackpowder for nitro" where the rifles were proofed for cordite loads and not modern higher pressure powders, so he uses blackpowder to simulate.

He lists loads that provide regulation of doubles for these various pressure loadings. If you don't mind cleaning up after blackpowder, may be worth a go?

Oh yeah, be wary of using pistol powders in these long straight walled cases - with or without wad, they will sometimes result in chamber ringing. My friend has a 458WM that he "installed" these rings in. The issue relates to the free space left in the case - that's why TrailBoss is okay, it's similar, I believe, to Unique in pressures and velocities achieved but it fills the case with little free space left.

I will check these Saeco's with some trailboss & 5744, see what they work like. I am in the process of acquiring an LBT 400GC LFN and a 300GC WFN for it that will get me .411-4125 with wheelweights.
Have a muley doe draw opening Sept24, and a moose & muley buck draw that open Nov 1st. The zone the moose draw is in is good for 3 whitetails also. Could be a fun season.
Never shot black powder, the notion appeals to me, may try that come next spring in this gun.
Anyone tried sizing 416 gaschecks on to the 410 size bullets?
That is another area of unknowns for me, apparently Gator makes some 410's, getting some may or may not be another issue. If it is an issue I will try some 416's first or order one of Pat Marlin's tools and make some.