WB
I was going to load up some pretty warm .450 GNR
Monday, June 17, 2019, 08:23

I've not shot it as of yet. However I do have a .416, .440, and .476 GNR barrel kit. The .416 I have shot a bit and the .440 GNR Magnum I have extensive data. All things considered I feel I can use the .440 and compare, the .416 also, to some loads worth considering.

The .416 is primarily a big game outfit with mostly jacketed bullets available in 350-400 gr. Around 2000 fps I have to bow out. Really a bigger and mostly uncharted area loading for it was "cast" bullets. I have scrounged a mould using 325 and 375 gr. gas checked bullets. Other than Trail Boss I have only toyed with some 2400 powder.

The .440 GNR Magnum was the opposite. Cast bullets galore and some wild loads exceeding the .444 Marlin using the heaviest .44 Magnum revolver slugs. True big game bullets in this number take a little imagination. I even resorted to "paper patching" jacketed .416 400 gr. bullets to wonderful, if not laborious, effect.

The .476 GNR is a beast to be tamed. I do have some "Elefunt" 500 gr. projectiles but have mostly shied away from them. I know what they can do. Rather I have focused on "fun" and useful loads using .475 Linebagh pistol projectiles and Trail Boss. I can easily mimic the hot rod revolver ballistics or that of a .480 Ruger and have no real consideration as to recoil in the Encore Custom handgun.

With all that you may wonder why a .450 GNR? Well it rolls all the others into one. Great cast and jacketed bullet options. The .45-70 projectiles begin at 300 gr. and run up to the .458 range to 500 gr. The real heavies I find abusive with heavy recoil and looping trajectories. In all these biggies I seem to gravitate to 300-400 gr. bullets. I have some 405 JSP on hand for the .450 GNR I plan on working with. I figure the .416/400 gr. JSP loads will be something worth looking at since the pressures should be less in the larger diameter .458. I remember seeing a Misfit bust up a BIG Buffalo at HHC with a .450 GNR he borrowed.

So far I've had a ball and not even fired it! But that's part of it all.