Best beginner brand/reloading kit for big rifle cartridges?

[Aussie_Hunter]

@Bullthrower338 and @TOBY458 I think both of you have reloaded for the 458 Lott? Do you Agree that the load data Woodleigh has published seems to be much hotter loads than other published data from Hornady and Nosler with the same powder? As you can see below their start load is way above other max loads. Also have you had any experience with these loads yourself?

Woodleigh data
500grn RNSN
RL15
Start load 82grns
Max load 85grns

Hornady data
500grn DGX
RL15
Start load 67.grns
Max load 76.6grns

And then as you would have seen above Nosler data

500grn partition
RL15
Start load 75grns
Max load 79grns

 

[TOBY458]

@Bullthrower338 and @TOBY458 I think both of you have reloaded for the 458 Lott? Do you Agree that the load data Woodleigh has published seems to be much hotter loads than other published data from Hornady and Nosler with the same powder? As you can see below their start load is way above other max loads. Also have you had any experience with these loads yourself?

Woodleigh data
500grn RNSN
RL15
Start load 82grns
Max load 85grns

Hornady data
500grn DGX
RL15
Start load 67.grns
Max load 76.6grns

And then as you would have seen above Nosler data

500grn partition
RL15
Start load 75grns
Max load 79grns

The only thing I can figure is, the Woodleigh has a much softer jacket than the Hornady, which is a steel jacket covered with gilding metal I believe. Maybe the pressure is lower with the Woodleigh bullet, but I've had little experience loading 458 Lott. Mostly 458 Win Mag. The loads I used for the Lott were only 2000 fps loads for playing around with.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

The only thing I can figure is, the Woodleigh has a much softer jacket than the Hornady, which is a steel jacket covered with gilding metal I believe. Maybe the pressure is lower with the Woodleigh bullet, but I've had little experience loading 458 Lott. Mostly 458 Win Mag. The loads I used for the Lott were only 2000 fps loads for playing around with.

Yeah that's what I was thinking as well the pressure curve for the Woodleigh must be a fair bit lower.....
Woodleighs are known for being softer after all.

 

[Bullthrower338]

I’m out of town right now. @tarbe might be able to help you.

 

[dchamp]

I have hand loaded very little in .458 Lott. Also the largest Woodleigh bullet I have is a 286gr in 9.3mm. I find your question interesting and I think I have a partial answer. I have noticed that Woodleigh RN bullets have a short shank. In the case of the 286gr 9.3 it starts its tapper 9.3mm up from the base to the cannular and then starts its tapper. Thus you have less bering surface and friction and less pressure. I did a little experiment with the Woodleigh and a 286gr Hornady SP by setting my calipers .001" less the bullet diameter and set each bullet nose first to see how much shank is pressing the lands. The Hornady's shank measured 15.75mm or .620". Anyway this is my rational .

 

[dchamp]

Ooops sorry misspelt cannelure

 

[Wyatt Smith]

This is from the Speer manual.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

This is from the Speer manual.

View attachment 335881

Thanks mate much appreciated!

 

[tarbe]

Guys...double check to see if the different load data is using different brass.

Case capacity and metallurgy can combine to make a fair difference in the loading data.

You also cannot assume all the rifles used by the different labs have the same freebore. That will make a large difference also.

When in doubt, use the lighter load data to start until you understand YOUR rifle and what it needs to be fed properly.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Guys...double check to see if the different load data is using different brass.

Case capacity and metallurgy can combine to make a fair difference in the loading data.

You also cannot assume all the rifles used by the different labs have the same freebore. That will make a large difference also.

When in doubt, use the lighter load data to start until you understand YOUR rifle and what it needs to be fed properly.

Definitely!
I just posted that data for reference.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

Guys...double check to see if the different load data is using different brass.

Case capacity and metallurgy can combine to make a fair difference in the loading data.

You also cannot assume all the rifles used by the different labs have the same freebore. That will make a large difference also.

When in doubt, use the lighter load data to start until you understand YOUR rifle and what it needs to be fed properly.

This is another reason the Woodleigh load data concerns me, it doesn't specify primer or brass. To be safe I'm just going to start at 10% below Woodleighs start load and work my way up

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

For anyone that's interested please see response I received from Geoff Mcdonald at Woodleigh today.
Also a few loads hot off the press that I will test tomorrow, I started at 79grns of RL15 and then went up in 1 grn intervals to 83grns.

 

[CBH Australia]

@Aussie_Hunter
Aussie powder, Aussie Bullets and if you want to get Fair Dinkum get some Simplex. Reloading gear.
And Kudos to Geoff McDonald from Woodleigh Bullets, he always finds time to respond to genuine enquiries.