I really love the 450 3 1/4” Nitro…for so many reasons.

[Altitude sickness]

Will, Leather Link made the elephant hide case.

Gun Cases Archives - Leatherlink

leatherlinkstudio.com

 

[double rifle newbie]

double dont regulate better than that! congrats! damn fine shooting!

 

[Russ16]

It’s a cool vintage cartridge that I think Rigby nailed perfectly, and would have prevented so many other cartridge introductions had the Crown not feared 45 cal sporting bullets getting flung during wartime. Not likely an unreasonable concern. It’s also the section density, when using 500gr bullets, a whopping .341, so if you can hit it, should be able to penetrate it. It’s also so damn sexy sleek looking. It’s also so darned eager to please and appears totally non-particular as to what you feed it.

So my 450NE is a Heym 89b which some folks around here know, since I’ve gushed about it before…but I don’t think it’s just a Heym thing, although it doesn’t hurt. In the last 8 months, I’ve worked up loads for a Heym 450/400, 470, 450, 500, and another 450/400. And while a couple seemed picker than others, this 450NE just seems to want to shoot everything well and try to do so to the same POA.

So I’m presently trying to settle in on a couple options for 500gr solids, and went to the gun club today to enjoy a brisk 10-degree morning. Now this wasn’t initial load work, I had narrowed in some on charge weights, but trying to decide which the gun might prefer. So was trying out 4-primary heavier solids (three 500gr and one 480gr), and tweaking a semispitzer 500gr load, and while at it, see what 420gr CEB Raptors and 450gr CEB solids print like in comparison. So really, all over the place on bullet brand, material, design, bullet weight and charge weight. Sounds like something that should pattern more like a shotgun than any kind of group, right?
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Could you tell me why type of tripod setup that is that holds your Garmin chrono as well? I’ve been struggling to find a good system for having it in the right place when shooting standing off sticks or a tripod.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

Could you tell me why type of tripod setup that is that holds your Garmin chrono as well? I’ve been struggling to find a good system for having it in the right place when shooting standing off sticks or a tripod.

Tripods are RRS, but the set up is largely copied directly from Mac Jenkins. The smaller is my short ultra-lite backpack one I’ve had for years and has survived close to 10 sheep hunts. I use it here to rest my elbow on when working up loads…and the taller one is RRS’s most sturdy an tall version with Anvil shooting head. It extends to just over 71”.

The bags are both by Cole-Tac and the attach to Cole-Tac’s backbone bag mount. Both the mount and bag are super simple and make great standing rest. I prefer the waxed canvas like bag over the other.

Now the Garmin caddy is a little printed plastic holder made by Minteorx that mounts to their Tac Table, and the Cole-tac bag’s Velcro webbing straps also allow it to attach to the same Mintworx table. The caddy is super cheap little addition and ultra handy, but it is also not super durable. I went and shot NYE when is was less than -20 below and even in the shooting house the cold air at the window chilled the plastic of the printed caddy to snap. Mintworx replaced no questions and said they are working on an improved version presently to beef up the area that snapped. It’s such a cheap piece that if it broke again, I’d just buy another one because they are so handy…but would pay more for a billet one if I came across it.

The Cole-tac backbone and bags appear bombproof. The Mintworx is light, comfortable to shoot off, very very reasonable, destined to fail, but well thought out design that are handy in use, so will continue with them until I find a better version.

 

[Russ16]

Thanks! Cool setup.

 

[Rare Breed]

Will, Leather Link made the elephant hide case.

Gun Cases Archives - Leatherlink

leatherlinkstudio.com

Did you supply the elephant skin? I am looking for one now. Thanks!!!

 

[Wildwillalaska]

Sunday was a gorgeous day, so had to get out a run a few more pairs. Narrowing it down.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

First few shooting houses were taken, so ended up in the one with some
Distance. Berm is 112 yards from house window. This house has the same setup as my preferred one, just no table in front of the stove.

At the end of my session I had to fling a few rounds at distance. Problem was I also decided to remove the RMR and shoot a few pairs with iron sights to see how and where I hit comparatively, using up most my remaining ammo I had. I only had one pair of fast Raptor loads and then a single of my 500gr NF Semispitzers I took to Zimbabwe and one Woodleigh Hydro. I had gotten these new CH4D taper crimp dies to prevent jump with the NF SS, which solved the issue, but decided I’d check it again, so shot the pair of Raptors, then put the singles in with the NFSS in the left barrel. My 2nd shot of the Raptors from the left barrel, I either pulled or it crossed, which is what I think is the case given their speed. Then, I shot the single Hydro in the right barrel, ejected and checked for any movement in the NFSS, confirmed it held perfectly. Swapped the NFSS over from left barrel to right and fired it from the right as well.

At a ranged target of 107 yards, the right barrel placed all three rounds, the 470 CEB Raptor, 500gr NFSS and 480gr Woodleigh Hydro in a beautifully tight little trio. My second shot, the left barrel with the other Raptor hit well right. I expected they should cross a good bit before 107 yards, but sometime soon I need to shoot all of these at a 100 to see how much crossing is actually occurring. It’s hard with the single shot to know if I pulled it any or not. Goal for next time.

I do love the nice clean hole the Hydros cut.

And may try a few pair loaded slower. I do like having tight pairs at yards that matter more for me, so have been loading where I find accuracy between barrels and ideally when that aligns with low ES/SD.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

Wow these photos upload slow from the plane. I’ll have to post more once in Nashville.

Cheers.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

Don’t judge the left target. Thats my 450/400 shooting some miserably slow and horribly inconsistent factory Hornady solids from around 2016 timeframe. They shoot around 1990-2030 fps from the two boxes I’ve shot.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

Here is the target fo the 450NE, and the three right barrel shots. It’s interesting how easily you can tell the hole punch/cut pattern of the semi-spitzer raptor and hydro fr one another.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

So I took the RMR off to see how the rifle shot, or I shot the rifle, with iron sights. I had to adjust how I aligned my aim as the pairs hit a little high, which was also the case when I shot the rifle for the first time back in early October, so think it’s as much a me thing as any. Here is the first pair, the 500gr NF Semi-Spitz. Same distance as tighter groups above, just a bit over 50 yards.

Next I tried a pair of my 470 CEB Raptor loads from October. And then shot a second pair adjusting how I aligned the sight bead.

So I also tried a pair of NF 450gr cupped solids, also from my October hunt.

I think I’d shoot fine with irons in a pinch, just need to practice more, and admit the RMR is so much better at least for load development and accuracy out further. My bushbuck was over 85 yards and perfect bang flop with the RMR. Cant help but think about taking it on next hunt without though. Maybe tuck it in somewhere just in case.

Since I had loaded up several of a CEB solid for my 450/400 above what I needed to check for loading, I had to shoot a couple pair with it too. And same, I initially shot high but then adjusted alignment too much for the second pair. Also huntable, just not as accurate as with the RMR….damned aging eyes.

The iron sights pairs are the bottom 4-shots around the bottom target, and then I used the last round to test how well the RMR returns to zero putting it back on the rifle, which is the target directly above with the single shot. Today was first time really messing around shooting with it on and off. Rest of the pairs are all 450/400 and as labeled.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

And to geek out a bit on spread and standard of deviation while testing loads, I have to say the Garmin chrono is so incredibly handy. With shooting pairs at this point, you don’t get the data you would after narrowing things down and shooting 10+ rounds the way you would with a lond range, precision bolt rifle, plus dealing with pressure differences between two separate chambers and barrels, but it’s still handy.

I like to find where accuracy and ES/SD both close in, ideally within a desired velocity. So here is an example of two results from Sunday’s range session with the 450NE, both CEB 500gr solids and Woodleigh 480gr hydros presented what I really like to see. Good accuracy, regulated to impact with my other loads, and about as perfect ES/SD as anyone could want.

I do apparently need to set the date and time on my Garmin though.

The 500gr CEB #13 Solid.

And the 480gr Woodleigh Hydro.