450 NE 3 1/4 stick to factory or load for it

[robertstuart]

Anyone have hands on experience I used the factory ammo to kill a few wildebeest and a giraffe.

Going todo a Buffalo in June maybe a hippo as well.

 

[deewayne2003]

No first hand experience, but from friends that have them I can say you are on the right track.

It's cheaper and easier to find the factory ammo than it is to source the brass alone.

If I may suggest getting a set of dies from CH4D - I switched to their dies for my .470 and my brass life increased greatly.

 

[1dirthawker]

@robertstuart
depends on availability of either. if you have good bullets and available brass, powder, etc. and the skills to handload, then i would roll my own bullets.

however, if you don't wand the best for your rifle, then the factory loads will do.

you can handload some very good bullets both softs and solids that factory loads cannot duplicate. also, with a chronograph and handholds you can develop loads that will regulate exactly to your rifle.

the initial cost for reloading is greater, but, worth it if you want the best terminal performance from your rifle and if you shoot a lot, you will end up saving a lot of money since 450 nitro's are not inexpensive to feed in the factory loads.

 

[zephyr]

I own shoot and reload for a 450NE....
dirthawker is pretty much spot on.... If.. you are happy with the performance of Hornady's DGS & DGX and they shoot well in your gun then you're good to go. But as a Hand loader there are probably more quality .458 bullets to be found then many of the other Big Bore calibers ..As a hand loader you can fine tune your double for better groups

 

[Fenstar]

Handloading (esp the .450 NE) is the joy of my hunting journey. Both work. Ammo, built by my own research and hands, is 10x more satisfying in the end, to me. Have fun!!

 

[MacJenkins]

If you have the means to load and source correct components I would certainly load your own. Brass for the 450 currently I have not seen any instock. Would like to resupply my stash when it comes available again. Reloader 15 has dried up and if I understand correctly Alliant is no longer producing propellants for the consumer market anymore. I'm currently doing some load workup on Varget in a couple double rifle calibers as my stash of RL15 is dialed in for 5 other doubles of mine and want to save it for those. If Varget does not work out we have imcoming some RL 15.5 we will try. Of course you can use IMR or H4831 they just come with a good bit more recoil IMO.

Keep in mind this is coming from someone who almost likes loading and dialing in rifles as much as I like to hunt with them.

 

[Troubleshooter]

Another consideration is how well the factory ammunition regulates in your rifle (I am assuming it is a double rifle). If the answer is "not too well" then it presents a stronger case for reloading. Although that is the option which I personally would pursue anyway, if only form a cost standpoint.

 

[metricman]

If you have the means to load and source correct components I would certainly load your own. Brass for the 450 currently I have not seen any instock. Would like to resupply my stash when it comes available again. Reloader 15 has dried up and if I understand correctly Alliant is no longer producing propellants for the consumer market anymore. I'm currently doing some load workup on Varget in a couple double rifle calibers as my stash of RL15 is dialed in for 5 other doubles of mine and want to save it for those. If Varget does not work out we have imcoming some RL 15.5 we will try. Of course you can use IMR or H4831 they just come with a good bit more recoil IMO.

Keep in mind this is coming from someone who almost likes loading and dialing in rifles as much as I like to hunt with them.

will be interested to know how these new loads compare to your Re 15 loads

 

[Rare Breed]

I have bought 8 boxes of 450 NE factory ammo just to get the brass. Only Hornady sells it. I will be emptying the powder from all of them and use RL 15.5 knowing it will significantly reduce the recoil based on the powder Hornady use. I have done this with my 470 and 500 NE and felt the reduced felt recoil still at Hornady FPS

 

[Luvthunt]

I have bought 8 boxes of 450 NE factory ammo just to get the brass. Only Hornady sells it. I will be emptying the powder from all of them and use RL 15.5 knowing it will significantly reduce the recoil based on the powder Hornady use. I have done this with my 470 and 500 NE and felt the reduced felt recoil still at Hornady FPS

RB
How does Re 15.5 compare with Re15?

 

[Longrifle]

I have recently acquired my ‘holy grail’ rifle; a Rigby in .450 NE. I am now confronted with the challenge of feeding it. As previously stated, only Hornady has the factory ammo in any quantity but, I have also found Kynoch USA has it as well. Doea anyone have experience with this Kynoch ammo?

 

[Rare Breed]

RB
How does Re 15.5 compare with Re15?

Personal experience I have found little difference. They both deliver reduced felt recoil within safe PSI achieving my desired FPS of 2150.

 

[Rare Breed]

I have recently acquired my ‘holy grail’ rifle; a Rigby in .450 NE. I am now confronted with the challenge of feeding it. As previously stated, only Hornady has the factory ammo in any quantity but, I have also found Kynoch USA has it as well. Doea anyone have experience with this Kynoch ammo?

Are you a reloader my friend? If so, like me, I have bought 8 boxes of Hornady ammo given that is all that is out there. It does not provide good regulation in my new to me Rigby 450 NE so I am just pulling the bullets dumping the powder into another container for maybe later use and using my favorite RL 15.5 powder at the best load to produce the best regulation. Just me.

 

[Longrifle]

Are you a reloader my friend? If so, like me, I have bought 8 boxes of Hornady ammo given that is all that is out there. It does not provide good regulation in my new to me Rigby 450 NE so I am just pulling the bullets dumping the powder into another container for maybe later use and using my favorite RL 15.5 powder at the best load to produce the best regulation. Just me.

Yes sir. I read your post and see it as an option. I did purchase some Hornady cartridges but, I’m goong to shoot them for fire-formed brass. I am pending word from Rigby to see if the regulation was checked when iy was refurbished recently. My intent is to work up a load with A-Frames, if I can find some.

 

[Longrifle]

Personal experience I have found little difference. They both deliver reduced felt recoil within safe PSI achieving my desired FPS of 2150.

Good info. I am anticipating delivery of the rifle and ammunition next week. Now I am enthusiastically looking forward to the results of shooting those loads.

 

[MacJenkins]

RB
How does Re 15.5 compare with Re15?

Per quickload it is extremely close. I’ll try and load up some in my 450 to try this weekend to compare to my RL15 loads.

 

[deewayne2003]

Yes sir. I read your post and see it as an option. I did purchase some Hornady cartridges but, I’m goong to shoot them for fire-formed brass. I am pending word from Rigby to see if the regulation was checked when iy was refurbished recently. My intent is to work up a load with A-Frames, if I can find some.

FYI if the Hornady factory regulates in your rifle I'd be willing to bet that Woodleigh bullets would as well..... that is if you can't find A Frames or they won't regulate.

@RAVEN ROCKS PRECISION is a new Woodleigh retailer in the USA and is waiting for their import permit to come through, you may be able to pre order some bullets from them.

 

[Rare Breed]

Yes sir. I read your post and see it as an option. I did purchase some Hornady cartridges but, I’m goong to shoot them for fire-formed brass. I am pending word from Rigby to see if the regulation was checked when iy was refurbished recently. My intent is to work up a load with A-Frames, if I can find some.

Smart man!!!

 

[yhc]

For those who use Re15 or 15.5, how many grains for each powder do you use for reloading 450 NE 3 1/4” using 480 gn bullets?

I use 99.0 grains of H4831 with great regulation on my VC.

I wouldn’t mind trying out Re15 to see I can feel any reduction in recoil.

 

[Rare Breed]

82 grains RL15.5 gives 2150 FPS at a much lower felt recoil than H4831