Large rifle primers in .458 win mag

camerl2009

AH senior member
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
Messages
66
Reaction score
103
Hunted
canada
Well long story short I can't find any large rifle magnum primers locally(up to 2 hours from me) and most online sources are out of stock on everything.

Could I use standard large rifle primers to finally get this rifle roaring.

I have owned the rifle for about a year and have never fired it. have a handful of 500gr hornady dgx and some hornady 350gr bullets that I'm guessing are interlocks.

I will properly never go to Africa with this gun It will mostly see hard cast and probably be used for black bear and most if I can every get a tag
 
I believe they would work OK, unless maybe you were using a ball Powder. Ball powder is a little harder to light and you could perhaps have a hang fire. That can be very unpleasant.
 
I have a 416 Taylor (same case as the 458 Win Mag, just necked down to .416)... I load it with IMR 4064 (stick powder) and use standard large rifle primers...

Ive never had an ignition problem..

I think you'll be fine with standard LRP as long as youre not using a finicky powder...
 
I happen to have a decent stockpile of imr4064 as well as surplus pull down powder that's very close to it(8x63 patron)D4064(made in Canada). I use it in just about every rifle I shoot.
 
Last edited:
I concur with everyone else based on my experience handloading. Unless you were using a slow powder (like W760) I'd recommend a magnum primer. But for the case capacity and using powders like Varget, W748, IMR4064 you should be good to go with standard large rifle primers. Matter of fact, loaded with cast bullets to warm 45-70 velocities makes for a hell of a hog thumper!
 
Well long story short I can't find any large rifle magnum primers locally(up to 2 hours from me) and most online sources are out of stock on everything.

Could I use standard large rifle primers to finally get this rifle roaring.

I have owned the rifle for about a year and have never fired it. have a handful of 500gr hornady dgx and some hornady 350gr bullets that I'm guessing are interlocks.

I will properly never go to Africa with this gun It will mostly see hard cast and probably be used for black bear and most if I can every get a tag

I have a magic load, a couple of them, in fact, for my 45-70 shooting ginormous lead alloy bullets.

Beartooth Bullets
Piledriver 525 gr
Piledriver, Jr. 425 gr

sitting atop 41.0 gr RL7, they move along at just north of 1600 fps out of an 18.5" barrel. They're gas checked, so you can push them as hard as you want without having to worry about obturation.

The nice thing about reloading lead (even gas checked lead) is that any load deemed safe for a given weight of jacketed bullet is also safe for a lead bullet of identical weight.

If you shoot lead at 458WM velocities, a gas check is necessary. If you shoot lead at 45-70 velocities, you can get away with using non-GC bullets.
 
I have a magic load, a couple of them, in fact, for my 45-70 shooting ginormous lead alloy bullets.

Beartooth Bullets
Piledriver 525 gr
Piledriver, Jr. 425 gr

sitting atop 41.0 gr RL7, they move along at just north of 1600 fps out of an 18.5" barrel. They're gas checked, so you can push them as hard as you want without having to worry about obturation.

The nice thing about reloading lead (even gas checked lead) is that any load deemed safe for a given weight of jacketed bullet is also safe for a lead bullet of identical weight.

If you shoot lead at 458WM velocities, a gas check is necessary. If you shoot lead at 45-70 velocities, you can get away with using non-GC bullets.
I plan to use a 485gr bullet that comes from a mold made for .458 win mag and gas checked. My Lyman manual lists 68gr of imr4064 should be pushing then 2000 fps or so. I kinda wish I could size down my martini Henry bullets for the .458 but they drop at .471" and wouldn't have any driving bands left.
 
before you shoot any lead, you should slug your bore. odds are good you'll need to have bullets of 0.459" or maybe even 0.460" caliber

I shoot .459 lead out of my 45-70, and .458 on the rare occasion I load up jacketed bullets for it.
 
I happen to have a decent stockpile of imr4064 as well as surplus pull down powder that's very close to it(8x63 patron)D4064(made in Canada). I use it in just about every rifle I shoot.

You have that much of the 8x63 ammunition that they actually sell pull-down-powder from it?
 
Last edited:
You have that much of the 8x63 ammunition that they actually sell pull-down-poweder from it?
Marstar Canada imported a bunch of it years ago no real guns for it here other then when the semi auto browning 1919's were a available there were some who rechambered 8mm barrels for this round. I have a few pounds of powder from a couple crates of this ammo that I pulled down(most guys who bought this ammo did this). The brass are stashed away and is going to be made into .577-450 and .577 snider with a machined sleeve for the base.
 
Don't know what powders you have but obviously stay away from ball powders or really slow
powders. Avoid compressed loads, no matter the powder.

I'd try either Benchmark or H4895. Consult Hodgdon data center for recipes. Both are well suited to the 458 WM and easy to ignite. Both are Australian ADI powders imported, relabeled by Hodgon. Both are "Extreme" powders.

Benchmark = ADI BenchMark2 and H4895 = ADI 2206H. Consult Hodgdon's load data center for recipes.
 
In my .458 WM Winchester Model 70 I use 74 grains of H4895, 500 grain soft point, with a Federal 210 primer. While the load is compressed, there are absolutely no ignition problems and it delivers 2,190 fps (chronographed at 15 feet). No pressure signs in warm weather either (95 degrees Fahrenheit). This load gives me 3 shot clover leaf groups at 100yds.

Nothing wrong with a compressed load in the .458 WM and no need for a magnum primer !
 
My Lee reloading manual calls for large rifle primers, not magnums.
 
I have an old keg of DuPont IMR 4064 from the 1970's that I use to load practice ammo for the .458 WM. With 71.0gr, a Win LRM primer, and a 500gr cast bullet it clocks 2078 fps. Switching to a CCI 200 primer the velocity drops to 2053 fps.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
53,985
Messages
1,142,281
Members
93,339
Latest member
CharlineDu
 

 

 

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

Cwoody wrote on Woodcarver's profile.
Shot me email if Beretta 28 ga DU is available
Thank you
Coltwoody@me.com
Pancho wrote on Safari Dave's profile.
Enjoyed reading your post again. Believe this is the 3rd time. I am scheduled to hunt w/ Legadema in Sep. Really looking forward to it.
check out our Buff hunt deal!
Because of some clients having to move their dates I have 2 prime time slots open if anyone is interested to do a hunt
5-15 May
or 5-15 June is open!
shoot me a message for a good deal!
dogcat1 wrote on skydiver386's profile.
I would be interested in it if you pass. Please send me the info on the gun shop if you do not buy it. I have the needed ammo and brass.
Thanks,
Ross
 
Top