200 gr LRN, Trail Boss and 460 mag

duckloads · #1 03-10-2010, 05:38 PM

I've had ZERO luck shooting lead bullets out of my 460 XVR. I've tried 250 gr soft cast and 300 gr hard cast bullets. They all key-hole and just go "that way". In comparison, reloading the 200 gr Hornady FTX bullets is like shooting a rifle.

I recently read something on the S&W forum about rifling and how a long bullet takes more twist than a short bullet. Well the goofy XVR has the gain twist rifling that starts out darn near straight and increases in twist rate.

Maybe that's why the short 200 gr FTX shoots so good.

All that to say I'm going to try a short 200 gr LRN bullet using Trailboss powder as one last attempt at a cheap plinking load for the XVR. I've used 250 gr Hornady XTP's with Trail Boss and they Shoot OK, but I want someting CHEAP to pull the trigger on.

I talked to IMR, and they gave me the same story as other loads I've asked them about. Fill the case to the bottom of the seated bullet. Do not compress the powder. That's the max load. It is OK to reduce the load by 30%. Crimp the bullet tight to give time for all that powder to ignite. Use either mag or std primers, but the std primers will probably work the best.

I'll have to give it a try.

Wee Hooker · #2 03-12-2010, 08:43 PM

WOW, I'm not liking the "fill the case to the bottom of the bullet and crimp advice!!" I know its a strong frame but dumping unknown amounts of unknown powders into a case seems recless to me! I'd also be leary of reducing any load 30% unless you are sure : your using a fast powder b) I've seen the recipe somewhere.
IF it were me, I'd start with "Cowboy loads" for 45 long colt w 200gr lead RNFP ( or 200gr SWC) and work up from there.

Scrapper · #3 03-12-2010, 10:49 PM

I heard the XVR shoots the Cast Performance WLNGC 360 and 395 ok. I still have to try them myself so I can't say for sure. When I do I'll post what happened.

buck460XVR · #4 03-13-2010, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wee Hooker

WOW, I'm not liking the "fill the case to the bottom of the bullet and crimp advice!!" I know its a strong frame but dumping unknown amounts of unknown powders into a case seems recless to me! I'd also be leary of reducing any load 30% unless you are sure : your using a fast powder b) I've seen the recipe somewhere.
IF it were me, I'd start with "Cowboy loads" for 45 long colt w 200gr lead RNFP ( or 200gr SWC) and work up from there.

Here is the link to Hodgdon's web site where they give the formula for reduced loads using Trail Boss with lead bullets for handguns and rifles. It is exactly as Duckloads has stated........BTW, I emailed them and they assured me this formula would also work for my .460 and jacketed bullets.

http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-data.pdf