450/400 3" bullet diameter?

[Chrisbritton]

I'm seeing conflicting data for this... everything from .405 to .410/.411

For reloading purposes.. I see some hornady data using .411

Comments please

 

[318AE]

Slug your bore - mileage varies, especially with vintage 450/400’s. What type of rifle? A vintage double or Ruger No 1?

 

[Chrisbritton]

ruger #1

 

[Tintin]

Woodleigh do a 450/400 3” bullet for Ruger No. 1, it is .410”.

Bullet Specifications, Dimensions & Details (.405"-.458") - Woodleigh Bullets

Woodleigh Bullets - Premium Bullets for All Game

www.woodleighbullets.com.au

 

[318AE]

ruger #1

.410

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Any .450/400 Nitro Express rifle built after 1927 will have a .410 diameter.

 

[Chrisbritton]

very much appreciated folks!

 

[Troubleshooter]

Bore diameters on the very early ones (including the 3-1/4" NE version and the 2-3/8" BPE) varied widely; I seem to remember reading that they ranged from .408" to .411" or possibly .412" but as 318AE mentioned above, Ruger standardized their bores at .410" for their No.1 rifle. The 3" NE version should be .410-411" but as mentioned above, the only way to know for certain is to slug the bore. On my vintage Jeffery the bore slugs at .411" but it is plenty accurate with the more commonly-available .410" bullets.

You should be OK with .410" on your Ruger though.

 

[Chrisbritton]

Well, im pretty happy. Got the #1, used 400gr hornady DGS bullets, Hornady cases and dies, and H1000 powder ( only powder on hornadys list i could find..or find easly... I did find some N160/165 but at 8# tgey were over 400bucks..so I passed. H4831sc was listed so I have a pound of that comming in a couple weeks also picked up more h4350 because I ran slap out ).
In any event, using hornady 11th ed app data and hornady components.. I was very pleased with the results. Only thing I didnt have was federal 215 primers. Used wolf mlrp. ( i believe these are murom? )
Ive had excellent results with them even with large charges of ball powders in cold weather.
Shooting from a standing position, no stick or rest, 75 yards using the flip up leaf sight this was my first shot. pretty happy with it. The rest of my ladder test performed similarly. I experimented between about 1800fps and 2000.
Daylight was ending and rain started so I packed up fast/early.. but my target can be re-used by covering the center..so im.pretty happy with the results. Just showing off my very first shot.

 

[TheDoubleD]

Barnes .411 300gr. TSX with RL-15. Load from Quick load predicting 2096 fps. rifle Ruger No.1.

Here is my first 3 shots test group.

Same loads shot by my 17 year younger SinL.

Took the gun bear hunting last month. Could not find the bullet to check expansion. Bullet passed through bear broadside, Hit a rib going in hit the artery attached to the top of the heart and exited the far side, leaving this hole on the far side.

The hole was about the size of a half dollar. Or a Crown in other countries.

I have now shot white tail deer, feral hog an bear with this load combination and all have had this kind of exit hole. The deer and bear had little blood left in chest cavity when dressed. Both of these animal left good blood trails. The hog was neck shot and was DRT.

 

[Chrisbritton]

Wish I could find some RL15.. scarce... I considered the Barnes bullets, but had the hornady app data already, and got a good deal on the bullets so went that direction. as components become more available, i'm sure I'll branch out and try other combinations. I have H4350 and 4831SC on order.