.414SM,…….load development

[x101airborne]

I am going to look today, I have a LFN solid mold I can get out and make you some up from. I also have a couple bottles of VV-N110 if you want to try that.

[bigbrowndog]

Appreciate the offer, if a HP/PC bullet for expansion can be made that is what I’d prefer for medium game. I’ve not had much luck with solid cast on medium game, so I’m reluctant to try them, my feeling is the game is too light boned and light muscled for my confident use.

Trapr

[bigbrowndog]

Ok today I tried some loads I had to extrapolate due to no data I could find for 4227 and 210-220gr bullets. I used data from 250gr and simply dropped 210’s and 220’s on top. Accuracy was ok with 210 Speers at 3” at 60 yds, the 220 Sierras did better with 2” at 60yds. Velocity for the 26.5gr. Load with 220’s was 1484-1506fps, the 27gr load did 1494-1503fps. Those are all I chrono’d since they gave the better accuracy. No signs of excessive pressure and I’ll drop 10 more each at 27.5 and 28 grains and retry, both loads were easy shooting and hopefully a bit more velocity can be gotten before excess pressure signs show up. But 1500fps and accuracy is nothing to dismiss, I need to find some 265/270 bullets and see what I can get that would be suitable for medium game.

Trapr

[aciera]

Mar 2, 2022 18:13:57 GMT -5 bigbrowndog said:

Ok today I tried some loads I had to extrapolate due to no data I could find for 4227 and 210-220gr bullets. I used data from 250gr and simply dropped 210’s and 220’s on top. Accuracy was ok with 210 Speers at 3” at 60 yds, the 220 Sierras did better with 2” at 60yds. Velocity for the 26.5gr. Load with 220’s was 1484-1506fps, the 27gr load did 1494-1503fps. Those are all I chrono’d since they gave the better accuracy. No signs of excessive pressure and I’ll drop 10 more each at 27.5 and 28 grains and retry, both loads were easy shooting and hopefully a bit more velocity can be gotten before excess pressure signs show up. But 1500fps and accuracy is nothing to dismiss, I need to find some 265/270 bullets and see what I can get that would be suitable for medium game.

Trapr

Interesting......thank you so much

[kings6]

Trapr, I will look tomorrow and see if I have any 265s. I think I do.

[kings6]

Trapr, I have about 225 True Shot 265g WNFPGC bullets if you want to try some. I can send down the partial box of 25 if you want.

Robb

[bigbrowndog]

Ill take you up on it, can you make it 30 so I can try three loads of 10??
Trapr

[kings6]

I will drop 30 or 50 in the mail on Friday.

[bigbrowndog]

30 is plenty, I should know right off if the accuracy or velocity is there. At which point I’ll take the balance off your hands……thanks.
I just read the part about a partial box of 25, just to keep things easy, just send the 25, I can do what I need with that amount.

Trapr

[bigbrowndog]

I finally had a chance to try the 265gr bullets that Robb sent me, I loaded 25.5gr and 26gr. of 4227 and got good accuracy with each, 2”-2.5” at 50yds. The lighter load produced 1470ish FPS, and the 26gr. load did a tick over 1500fps. This has proven to me at least that the 265-270gr. bullets somehow seem to just be perfect for the caliber, in that they can produce the same velocities as the lighter 250-255’s, and as far as I’m concerned more weight at the same speed with little to no outward signs of more or excessive pressures is a good thing. I’ve contacted both Robb and Sixshot for bullets, Robb for his remaining 265’s and Sixshot for a PC’d 270ish, I’m hoping they will fulfill my desire for a larger game bullet, elk size and above. The 250HP that Sixshot makes shoots great and expands well and will be my go to medium game bullet.

I also tried some old discontinued Sierra 220gr FPJ’s and they shoot great but all I can get is 1500fps and the bullet is no longer available so when my stash is gone that’s it. I managed to shoot a 150-180 pound sow with them and they performed as expected, lots of penetration and broken bones, about 3 foot of penetration and then the jacket separated from the core and disappeared. The core was found just under the skin by the left rear leg, entry was in front of the right front leg. Distance was right at 84 yards.

After all this loading and testing I’ve decided on running the 250HP by Sixshot, the 265LFNGC from Robb via TrueShot, with some 270ish PC’d bullets from Sixshot to played with when they arrive. All sent down range with 4227, at 1500fps, the 265’s land 3” hi at 50, and the 250’s land 1” hi at 50, I can live with both just that way. The 265’s run a 125-130 yard zero and stay no higher than a nominal 3” out to the zero distance and the 250’s are zero at 85yds.

Now to send the grip frame to Zane for Dall sheep grips and then off to have the whole thing black nitrided………..Thanks to Jack H. for making me a replacement to my 357max.

Trapr

[seminolewind]

Great report and congratulations for working with that gun until you squeezed the best out of it. I'm also glad you had this custom made as your take-off 357 Max barrel is shooting great after Jack put it on my gun.

[bigbrowndog]

Here is my collected data, I guess we can add it to Lee’s excellent article on the 414, my findings were a bit different than his regarding AA1680. Everything else seemed to bear out the same, he included a few loads for 4227, I’ve expanded it a bit.


These loads are safe in MY gun, reduce by 20% and work up from there.


I’ve come to appreciate the .41’s a great deal since acquiring my first one from Eskimo36 just a couple of years ago, I now own 3.

414SM

-Used LPM CCI350 primers, aa1680 uses CCI LR primers still low velocity but excellent accuracy

-Reload LFN bullets deep seated, 1.972oal

(AA1680 runs slow in my 414sm, try H110 & 4227)
The 250Blue HP is a cast PC’d bullet from Sixshot, as is the 250Red WFN, Dick mentioned he had not taken any game with the 250HP when he sent it to me and I was very pleased to have taken the first game with it. A nice toothy boar at 70 ish yards If I recall correctly, the bullet expanded nicely and penetrated 24-30” I think. The 250RedWFN was always overshadowed by the accuracy of the 250HP so I never really spent a lot of time working with it.
The 256LFNGC is a TrueShot cast
The others should be self explanatory

-25gr. AA1680, 250Blue Hp, trimmed case to allow crimping in crimp groove,…..1261fps avg. I trimmed 10 cases for this and then abandoned the practice, choosing to deep seat the bullet and crimp on the ogive. Accuracy did not suffer and no excessive pressure signs were seen. This was done only for the longer nosed 250HP.
-26gr. AA1680, 250Red WFN, 1327fps avg.
-27gr aa1680, Red WFN 1351fps avg. inconsistent velocity, no excessive press. signs, 2”@50grp
-27gr aa1680, Blue Hp, deep seated, 1.983oal, good accuracy, 1346fps avg.

-27gr aa1680, 250HPBlue@1.972oal, Blue-55yds, 1400fps/1.25”grp………WFN Red-2”grp/currently 4” hi@55

-27.5gr aa1680, Red WFN, poor accuracy, 1340fps avg.
-30gr aa1680, 210 Speer, 1.5” grp@50, 1383fps avg.
-30gr aa1680, 220 Sierra,1400fps, 1.375”grp, 1”hi, 55yds

H110……
-26gr H110, 210xtp, good accuracy, 1555fps avg. 2”hi@50
-26.5gr H110, 210speer, good accuracy, zero@50
-27gr H110,210 Speer, 1628fps, 3”hi@50, 1.375”grp@50
-26gr H110, 250HP blue, good accuracy, flat primers, go no higher
-25.5gr H110, 250HP blue, 1548fps, 1”grp@50, 1”hi@50

4227…..
Current hunting loads……….avg. fps is rounded to 1500, actual varied between 1505 and 1527 for all three loads
250Blue HP, 26gr. H4227, 1500fps, 2”grp@55yds,1”hi, 85 yd zero
265LFNGC, 26gr. H4227, 1500fps, 2.5”grp@50, 3”hi@53
220FPJ, 27.5gr. H4227, go no higher, 1500fps, 2.25”grp@53, 1”hi@53yds


26gr. H4227 w/250wfn air cooled, not good compared to HP and LFNGC
28gr.H4227/220FPJ/a bit hot….max/2”grp @53yds.
25.5gr 265LFNGC, H4227/1475fps, 3”hi@50, 2”grp@50

Trapr

[bigbrowndog]

UPDATE……..
The gun came back from H&M for Black Nitriding and Zane has fit the Dall sheep grips to the frame. I went and rezeroed my loads, I’ve settled on 26gr. of 4227 for 250-270’gr. bullets. velocity is right at 1500fps. One thing I’ve discovered is that the PC’d bullets are leaving an accuracy degrading residue of some sort, lead or coating I don’t know. Accuracy degrades after 10-15 rounds, and then after a quick aggressive bore snaking, that produces visible residue that looks like little shiny lead grit, Accuracy returns. Trajectory data was verified out to 150yds, in preparation for a trip to Wy. later this week. Sixshots 250’s and 270’s shot well as did the TruShot 265’s from Robb, I do not know why the gun develops the residue but it could be a combination of velocity, and new bore condition, for now Im ok with having to clean it every few cylinder fulls, since I’m done with load testing.

Trapr

[45MAN]

TRAPR: INTERESTING RESIDUE ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN PLAYING WITH COATED BULLETS A LOT LATELY AND THE BARRELS LOOK SQUEAKY CLEAN. JUST GUESSING, MAYBE YOUR BULLETS ARE A TAD OVERSIZED?

[bigbrowndog]

Oct 11, 2022 19:20:53 GMT -5 45MAN said:

TRAPR: INTERESTING RESIDUE ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN PLAYING WITH COATED BULLETS A LOT LATELY AND THE BARRELS LOOK SQUEAKY CLEAN. JUST GUESSING, MAYBE YOUR BULLETS ARE A TAD OVERSIZED?

I’ve thought about that, it might be worth trying some resized a bit smaller.  Something to try after the season.

Trapr