416 Taylor is running

reflex264 · Sep 2, 2025

Update on the .416. Scope is mounted. I could only get 3 rings on it. If I catch it slipping I will mill another slot on the base and add a ring.
It is a blast to shoot. Literally. It’s like a stick of dynamite going off right in front of you. I am trying to decide which bullet to sight it in with. Probably going to sight in with 350 grain Speer. I have 400 grain Woodleigh’s, 400 Nosler Partitions and 400 grain DGX. Out of the 13″ barrel it can send most of those well over 2000 fps. I am going to work on the 350 as an elk load.

Blkram · Sep 2, 2025

I bet it is a "blast" to shoot!

What powder(s) are you using?

Most of my load data is for Re-15.
I loaded the Speer 350 gr Mag Tip in my first 416 Taylor (right handed) and it did fairly well...unfortunately, I have lost that data that I obtained from a Barnes technician...but I found that the rifle preferred the 325 and 350 gr X Bullets better...clover leaf groups at 100 yards with open sights!

My second rifle (left handed) is shooting the newer 350 gr TSX well with 69.0 gr of Re-15 at 2415 fps out of the 22" barrel, with a muzzle energy of 4532 ft lbs, and producing groups of 0.400". QL says I can go to a max of 72.0 gr for another 88 fps and 338 ft lbs of energy. But I am comfortable with this load and accuracy, so I have not gone past that. With a 150 yard zero, this load is 1.3" high at 100 yards, and down 3.3" at 200 yards, where its velocity has dropped to 1942 fps and the mark I put on as the limit for reliable expansion of this bullet. It retains 2930 ft lbs of energy at 200 yards. Past that, I am thinking that it will act more like a solid due to limited expansion...hopefully one would not need to shoot past this distance on wounded dangerous game...
The max load would extend the reliable expansion limit to 250 yards where it retains 1953 fps and 2958 ft lbs of energy. With the same 150 yard zero, it will drop 8" at 250. It does flatten the flight path to 1.1" at 100 and 3" drop at 200 yards. At 100 yards it retains 2273 fpsand 4014 ft of energy. At 200 yards it retains 2055 fps and 3282 ft lbs of energy.

The other I have not yet tried is the 350 gr A Frame yet. QL shows a max of 75 gr of Re-15 for 2530 fps in the 22" barrel.