Max loads 416 Remington mag

[Dr Ray]

I’m reloading the 416 rem mag w 400 grain Woodleighs - hydros.
I don’t have time to test various powder weights. I’m off to the Northern Territory soon.
Question. Using AR2208 )Australian powder equivalent to 4064/4320 - but not heat sensitive.
However max loading is 77 grains. This load gives the maximum velocity but pressure is fairly “up there”.
The temperature in NT (not even “summer” 39-40 (204 F).
What’s your opinion about using the max load or should I drop to say 75 grains???

 

[nztimb]

You might want to dial the temp back a bit Ray. 204F is a bit hot to be out in for anybdy on this green earth but 104 is just on the hot side of warm and most can handle it ok.

 

[Dr Ray]

Whoops 104 - always have issues w fat thumb syndrome on iPhone
Lol

 

[GeoffB]

75 gr will work a treat.
It will be a safer load in the higher temps of the NT and will still offer you velocities around the 2300 fps.
AR2208 is exported and sold as Varget in the US. So I just checked the Hornady reloading manual and 75.7gr of Varget behind a 400gr bullet is 2300 fps.
Put the shot in the right spot and no bovine on the planet will stand for very long with that combination.

 

[Dr Ray]

Thanks for that - wanted good “solid” performance.
I used to load 90 grain Bullets in 243-worked like magic but decided to try Sako Bullets !
Yikes - flattened primers.
I was concerned w max loads w the Woodleighs.
I haven’t used Woodleigh hydros before!
I have Remington cartridges w Swift A Frames (obviously a factory round)

Getting back to the 416 - I reckon any real difference between 2300 and 2400 FPS will be negligible!
Again thanks.

 

[Bullthrower338]

Dr. ray this is out of the Woodleigh manual they do not give data for the hydro in 416 RM. I would personally drop a couple grains working up a solid and go off my Chrony to get where I wanted to be.
Well in reality I would just stick with the A-Frame and go hunt NT! Good luck my friend!

 

[Dr Ray]

Thank you.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I’m reloading the 416 rem mag w 400 grain Woodleighs - hydros.
I don’t have time to test various powder weights. I’m off to the Northern Territory soon.
Question. Using AR2208 )Australian powder equivalent to 4064/4320 - but not heat sensitive.
However max loading is 77 grains. This load gives the maximum velocity but pressure is fairly “up there”.
The temperature in NT (not even “summer” 39-40 (204 F).
What’s your opinion about using the max load or should I drop to say 75 grains???

What’s going on in the Northern Territories this time of year? The low here in Colorado Springs, Colorado USA this last Friday morning was 10 degrees F! New record! I didn’t know you hunted in Australia’s summer? Ha! Ha! Ha!

 

[BenKK]

What’s going on in the Northern Territories this time of year? The low here in Colorado Springs, Colorado USA this last Friday morning was 10 degrees F! New record! I didn’t know you hunted in Australia’s summer? Ha! Ha! Ha!

41 degrees Celsius day after day, still a comparatively dry heat with the proper humidity still to come - waiting for the rains. Hunting is excellent, just need to be careful and try to hunt early and late.

 

[CoElkHunter]

41 degrees Celsius day after day, still a comparatively dry heat with the proper humidity still to come - waiting for the rains. Hunting is excellent, just need to be careful and try to hunt early and late.

Sounds great! Wish I were there! Wouldn’t know what you’re hunting, but it doesn’t really matter. Wait a minute. I just looked up 41 degrees Celsius. 105 plus degrees F? Are you crazy! I’ve hunted doves in Arizona at 110 F and deer a couple of times in Calif. at 100 plus F, when I was young and stupid. But your not young or stupid, so what are you doing? No animal in it’s right mind moves in those temperatures, except at night.

 

[Dr Ray]

Buffalo still eat in the heat and wallow!
It’ll be as dry as my humor then. When the wet comes it’s impossible to go hunting or more likely impassable.

 

[BenKK]

We still go hunting in the wet season but it is much more unpleasant and challenging to locate the buffalo.

 

[TOBY458]

I hunted the NT in December 2015. Luckily that year it was only in the low 90s F. Still that sun feels like it's awfully close to the earth up there. Definitely don't want to be doing much hunting mid day.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Buffalo still eat in the heat and wallow!
It’ll be as dry as my humor then. When the wet comes it’s impossible to go hunting or more likely impassable.

Dr Ray,
I forgot about the rains there. Ignorant me. I’m sure many of the roads would be impassable! Have a great hunt, shoot straight and stay hydrated!
CEH

 

[Dr Ray]

Sure will

 

[bruce moulds]

doc,
your question is an interesting one, possibly deeper than a cursory glance would suggest.
I have never loaded the 416 rem, so these comments are of a general nature.
firstly I guess that a hydro bullet is longer than a lead cored bullet for the same weight.
as you are limited by magazine length or throat length of the rifle, of necessity the extra bullet length will have to protrude into the case, reducing case capacity, which in turn will raise pressures for the same velocity.
as we all know, a slower powder that gives the same velocity as a faster one will produce less pressure.
looking at reloading manuals, 2208 would seem as fast burning a powder as you would want to use with 400 gn 416 bullets in the 416 rem mag.
2209 will give the same velocities as a max 2208 load but with 2 - 3 gns less than max. reduced pressure on both counts.
however, can you fit the 2209 that you need in the case with a hydro bullet?
you don't have time now, but when you do, it would be time well spent to work with 2209 and a chronograph.
if you have to compress 2209, it is ok as long as you work up the load.
this has the bonus of not letting the bullet slide back into the case with recoil.
another thought is will a hydro be a better bullet on buffalo than a swift aframe? and will the 2 bullets shoot to the same or similar zero?
I would happily go to the territory with 400 gn aframes only, and shoot donkeys, camels, horses, cattle, buff, pigs, all with the same load.
bruce.

 

[Dr Ray]

Dr. ray this is out of the Woodleigh manual they do not give data for the hydro in 416 RM. I would personally drop a couple grains working up a solid and go off my Chrony to get where I wanted to be.
Well in reality I would just stick with the A-Frame and go hunt NT! Good luck my friend!

View attachment 309702

Well I tried the 77 grains and they worked well. No high pressure issues but I won’t be going any higher. Thanks fir your suggestions.

 

[BeeMaa]

I'd like to wish you happy hunting in the NT.
It looks like you have a load set up to do so.

With your kind permission @Dr Ray, I would like to piggyback a question with yours.

I am looking to get a 416RM and have heard of pressure issues in the higher temps of Africa.
I don't know what these "issues" were related to or if they were really even issues at all.
As most of you know, I don't reload (at least not yet) and will limit myself to ammo from Swift, Norma and possibly Hornady.
Is there anything or any particular brand/load combination that I should avoid?

 

[IvW]

I'd like to wish you happy hunting in the NT.
It looks like you have a load set up to do so.

With your kind permission @Dr Ray, I would like to piggyback a question with yours.

I am looking to get a 416RM and have heard of pressure issues in the higher temps of Africa.
I don't know what these "issues" were related to or if they were really even issues at all.
As most of you know, I don't reload (at least not yet) and will limit myself to ammo from Swift, Norma and possibly Hornady.
Is there anything or any particular brand/load combination that I should avoid?

Hornady....

 

[BeeMaa]

Hornady....

Roger that.
Much prefer the Swift and Norma loads for hunting anyway.

The Hornady ammo is about half the cost of the others.
What is your opinion of using Hornady for practice?