I made it to the range today to test the 435gr Heavies in the 4" 454 Redhawk.





My hope was to get these suckers to group decent at about 1000-1100fps. Here's the stats. Cold day, 5 below, sunshine. I kept the ammo in my car. I'd load and shoot six at a time.

The 454 SRH barrels have a 1/24 twist. The RH 45 Colts; which is what this gun was, has a 1/16 twist. It proved to do the job nicely stabilizing these big long boolits! This 454 cylinder has .454 throats, at least I can shove these .454 boolits through with a pencil. .452's drop right through. The chambers are tighter than the 45 Colt cylinder as well. The bore is .451. I sized the boolits for the throat size, .454.

RCBS 45-405-fn .458 mould cast with 5/1 ww/lino, air cooled at 0 degrees. Sized down to .454. 433gr lubed/gas check. Close enough to call it 435gr! BHN was about 19 last time I checked this batch.

Starline Brass, H110, CCI 450 primers.

25yds

19gr - 995 avg
971
1017
1012
1003
990
981

I will need a taller front sight for sure. It shoots about 8 inches high at 25yds with these big heavies. After the first three shots I moved my POA down so I could keep it on paper. I almost packed up and went home after this! This'll do! But I had 2 more loads to shoot.





20gr - 1072 avg

1088
1072
1064
1073
1045
1092

First two are in the same hole! I thought I shot it over the top. 3rd shot was up high. This is looking better all the time.





21gr - 1128 avg

1133
1132
1130
1111
1138
1126

I think I can shoot this load better. Because of the way my targets were and how I was aiming to keep the load on the target, I don't think I was very consistent in my POA. But, the 20gr load will work.

Good choice with the faster twist for the heavy boolits.

yup, that is the twist on the bfr 454 and works great with the 360 to 400 grain bullets used out of my sons pistol, the bfr.

Imagine how it will shoot on a decent day,hard to squeeze the shot of when your shivering down to your boots,that load ought kill tyranasouras rex.

Snyd thanks for the range report. Thats got to get your attention when the hammer falls.

Would love to see what kind of penetration you would get in wet newpaper and on game!

not too bad of groups for freezing conditions!