.458 Win Mag 405 gr length

[cwickgo9]

First time loading 458, have a question for the "hive mind". Starting out with some 405 gr. FCP RNFP.
My concern is bullet depth and OAL. Best I can figure out for this bullet weight is an OAL of 3.22. But that doesn't put a lot of "bullet base" in the case. Filling with 70 gr Varget. Usually I'd expect to seat to the cannelure, especially for a heavy like this, but that puts OAL way below any books I have and creates a compressed load.
Once seated, going back with a crimp die.
Here's a pic of a bullet next to two loaded and a 400 gr Trophy bonded Federal Premium Safari.

 

[cwickgo9]

Or did I just buy the wrong bullets?

 

[318AE]

405 gr is a standard weight for 45/70 bullets

 

[Badboymelvin]

Hi.
I wouldn't worry too much about the OAL.
Just as long as the case has a good grip on the bullet and it feeds reliably, I'd leave it at that.
And I wouldn't stress too much about the cannelure either – I don't.
Just use the Lee Factory Crimp Die instead and crimp it wherever you want.

Russ

 

[Badboymelvin]

I always load to the longest my mag allows and crimp there, regardless of where the cannelure is.
That won't work for you, but it's still the same principle: work out your length (in your case, when you feel the bullet is gripped enough in the case), then just crimp.

Probably the most important thing is making sure it feeds from the mag; you may have to make minor seating adjustments to get it feeding...

I wouldn't worry about the accuracy either, if seating a bit shorter.
The .458 is used on big stuff, so 1/4" accuracy isn't needed... but saying that, ALL my loads that I've worked up for my .458s have been very accurate.

The weak link is usually the shooter and their recoil tolerance...

Russ

 

[SRvet]

I use 405 grain 45/70 bullets for cheap practice ammunition. I don’t worry about OAL too much and seat to the cannelure but try to match ft-lbs of my hunting ammunition so that the recoil will be comparable - building recoil tolerance is the main aim of my big bore training.

 

[mgstucson]

I always use a cannelure AND a factory crimp die on the heavy hitters and always seat the bullet base at least to the base of the case neck. I use a cannelure tool to place the cannelure where I want it. Those bullets are probably made and cannelured for the short throat of the 45-70. The 458 WM has a long throat, but that does not mean you HAVE TO seat out to max COL. I would seat the bullet where you like it, so that the base of the bullet was at least all the way to the base of the neck, as long as that gets you under max COL. Add a cannelure there and factory crimp into it, and away you go.

 

[cwickgo9]

I always use a cannelure AND a factory crimp die on the heavy hitters and always seat the bullet base at least to the base of the case neck. I use a cannelure tool to place the cannelure where I want it. Those bullets are probably made and cannelured for the short throat of the 45-70. The 458 WM has a long throat, but that does not mean you HAVE TO seat out to max COL. I would seat the bullet where you like it, so that the base of the bullet was at least all the way to the base of the neck, as long as that gets you under max COL. Add a cannelure there and factory crimp into it, and away you go.

Adding a cannelure is a new step for me, I'll have to look into how to do that. Just what I need, another tool . . . LOL

 

[mgstucson]

It is really simple with the right tool. They show up on fleabay fairly regularly.

AVOID THIS ONE. (CH TOOL. NO LEVERAGE AND PRONE TO DEFORMATION IN USE)

BUY THIS ONE OR OLDER ONES SIMILARLY CONSTRUCTED (CORBIN HAND CANNEURE TOOL. CAN BE BOUGHT NEW AT CORBINS.COM. IF YOU ARE PATIENT ON EBAY YOU WILL FIND ONE CHEAPER. I HAVE 2.)

IF YOU EVER SEE ONE OF THESE FOR SALE, BUY IT AT ANY PRICE, OR CALL ME AND I WILL. (ULTIMATE CANNELURE TOOL. ONLY ABOUT 250 MADE. NO LONGER MADE. I HAVE 2)

YOU CAN BUY ONE OF THESE, CORBIN POWER CANNELURE TOOL, ON EBAY RIGHT NOW $$$$, OR PAY TWICE AS MUCH ON CORBINS.COM. THESE ARE USED BY THE DOZENS BY COMMERCIAL BULLET MAKERS. I HAVE 2.)

You can still buy single wheels, double wheels, knurling wheels for the Corbin hand tool, or custom wheels and carousels for the Corbin power tools on Corbins.com.

I swage my own bullets at home. That is why I have aquired several of these over the years, I bought most of them on Ebay, except the UCT's.

 

[Badboymelvin]

Personally I have never had a problem using a Lee Factory Crimp Die and crimping where there wasn't a cannelure, and I've loaded some pretty stout loads...

Probably the stoutest was the 550gn Woodleigh RNSP at around 2100fps, and in my 9lb rifle I owned at the time, that was 80ft/lbs or recoil... ouch!

But even at this recoil level I never had a problem... YMMV.

Russ

 

[mgstucson]

Those Lee Factory Crimp Dies are pretty awesome. It depends on jacket material, jacket thickness, pure lead or alloy, etc. FCD sometimes work alone, a cannelure and FCD ALWAYS works. Cannelure is not always needed, but I am a belt and suspenders kind of guy, especially on DG loads.

 

[omerta]

Probably the most fired gun in my safe. Find I load heavy bullets to somewhat less than max most of the time. Have a nice 405gr Saeco spire point mould for light stuff. Bought 400 FMJ seconds, 500gr, from Lock Stock And Barrel couple of years ago. Still working my way through them. Case life seems excellent. Use a 550gr RCBS paper patch bullet to. It is surprisingly accurate.

There aren't any Elephants in southern Indiana either.