Bumping up the .450/400 Nitro for the Ruger No.1?

[BlackRhino]

Hi folks;
Pressure of the old .450/.400 Nitro Express is low compared to more modern rounds that can be safely fired in a Ruger No 1. For instance, I reload for the Ruger the old .45/70 to 55.00 psi according to Barnes Manual No. 4.

Has someone hot .450/.400 reloading data at hand that are fired in Africa in a Ruger No. 1? Tanks for your help!

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

Many AH members rave about the killing effectiveness of the .450/400 cartridge!
I've never used it so I cannot verify this. Shot placement is key to a clean kill be the rifle be chambered for a .375 H&H or .470 Nitro.

I have experience loading for the 500/416 cartridge. While this 2325 fps cartridge can be safely loaded to 2450 muzzle velocity, the life of the new Norma brass I loaded was reduced to two or three loadings.

I ran this cartridge in LoadData dot com and found a 400 gr bullet at 2150 fps was about the hottest load listed. There was old A-Square date for A-Square 400 gr Dead Tough bullets at 2187 fps, but those bullets are not available and an increase of 37 fps would not be a notable increase in killing effectiveness.

 

[Brent James]

G'day mate, can easily boost performance with the 450/400 on a # 1 action . Have owned 2 of them, currently still have 1.
With Australian 2213 powder, stopped @ 95 grn, for 2500 fps with 400 grain Woodleighs.
Pressure just starting to show, could go several more grains, but couldn't see the point.

 

[BlackRhino]

G'day mate, can easily boost performance with the 450/400 on a # 1 action . Have owned 2 of them, currently still have 1.
With Australian 2213 powder, stopped @ 95 grn, for 2500 fps with 400 grain Woodleighs.
Pressure just starting to show, could go several more grains, but couldn't see the point.

Do you mean AR2213SC? Any idea which American or European powder has similar burning rates?

 

[Rafiki]

I have zero experience with the 450/400 in a Ruger No 1 but considerable experience hand-loading my 500 Sharps No 1 that duplicates the 500 NE 3". QL pressure estimates are around 56k psi however I believe QL overestimates by some percentage. In any case the rifle is built like an artillery piece so as long as you are sensible you should have a problem. Velocity isn't everything.

 

[TheDoubleD]

Because of age and health I decide Cape Buffalo is no longer viable for me.

So what to do with my Ruger No. 1 in 450/400 3" NE.

First mistake was load up some 300 grain Barnes TSX load and take them to the range to test.

Guns that shoot this good don't get sold in my house. Three shoots at 100 yards from Ruger No. 1.

So I took it deer hunting last year. Killed a doe and a feral hog. Hog was DRT. The doe walked away slowly and about 30-35 yards away fell over. Hogs are left for coyotes and buzzard. Doe had a 1/2 inch or so hole through and through, bleed out, very visible blood trail. No blood shot meat, you could have ate right up to the hole.

Larger game? Here is a link to my hunt report for bear. https://www.africahunting.com/threa...ugust-28-to-september-6-2025-in-canada.96721/

I have one round of the test ammo left. I will pull it down and verify the load against the load in my spread sheet and load some more. I am going shoot that batch across my chronograph. Quick load was predicting 1950 fps.

Sorry, this is only Oklahoma and Manitoba experience. If I were able to make the Africa trip, I would push this load to 2200 fps and see how it shoots. Even with 300 grain bullets.

 

[SStomcat]

Focus on your groups and velocity at 50 yards for DG. As long as pressure stays within limits with a proper shot (key), you have enough power in ur hands with modern bullets