The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - 400 grain .454 Casull from a Snub-nose revolver---RESULTS/EXPERIENCE??

regularguy · June 23, 2011, 09:00 PM

SS - I can contribute here. I have an abundance of 405gr .458 hardcasts I used to shoot in my 45-70 TC. Sold the TC and have no real use for 600 bullets. I bought two Lee sizers to incrementally size them down to .453. I then worked up loads that max out at a chronographed 1050fps. They shoot about 6 inch groups at 25yds from my .454 Alaskan and pass all the way through the largest hogs in these north Florida swamps. The problem is that either the short barrel or the slow twist (or both) cannot stabilize the long bullet. On paper about 75% of the rounds are total keyholes at 15yds. (The sectional density must have really made am impact on that hog) Compared to my hot 300gr XTP loads and the factory Hornady loads the recoil on these .405gr loads is not severe. It may be that there is room for more velocity but I don't have the data to to be sure. Since some of them don't keyhole it may be that another 100fps might be enough to stabilize them all. Not sure if I will pursue that or not.

June 23, 2011, 09:00 PM	#4
regularguy Member Join Date: April 11, 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 19	SS - I can contribute here. I have an abundance of 405gr .458 hardcasts I used to shoot in my 45-70 TC. Sold the TC and have no real use for 600 bullets. I bought two Lee sizers to incrementally size them down to .453. I then worked up loads that max out at a chronographed 1050fps. They shoot about 6 inch groups at 25yds from my .454 Alaskan and pass all the way through the largest hogs in these north Florida swamps. The problem is that either the short barrel or the slow twist (or both) cannot stabilize the long bullet. On paper about 75% of the rounds are total keyholes at 15yds. (The sectional density must have really made am impact on that hog) Compared to my hot 300gr XTP loads and the factory Hornady loads the recoil on these .405gr loads is not severe. It may be that there is room for more velocity but I don't have the data to to be sure. Since some of them don't keyhole it may be that another 100fps might be enough to stabilize them all. Not sure if I will pursue that or not.