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G'day all,

Since the POMS shipped so many of their double rifles, game guns, falling blocks, and even the more interesting European magazine rifles to OZ, I believe there is a market there for over the counter ammunition for a smaller portion of the Kynoch (Kynamco), Westley Richards, H&H, and Purdey (most made by Wolfgang Romney) prices.

I am pursuing my R&D campaign with most of my waking hours. I will be offering Woodleigh (of course), North Fork (Awesome bullets), Banded Barnes (pretty decent stuff), Hornady and whatever (within reason) you desire. Part of getting an ammunition manufacturing license in the USA is that I am required to pay for an annual US State Department license for import/export of sporting ammunition, and approved military ammunition for our allies. Certain types of bullets (the Swift A-frame at times) have such a "hard" middle section that your precious rifle, new or old, can shoot off regulation in less than fifty rounds. I will only use bore rider technology, and bullets with outer jackets soft and deep enough to not bother the barrel on little whit. (one whit = 2 RCHs from a 25 year old Irish Lassie).

Initial calibers will be the usual suspects:

Magazine Rifle Cartridges:

376 Steyr (very underrated; bullets from 220 grains up to 300 grains).

375 H&H (Still a wonderful design; bullets from 220 grain up to 350 grains).

375 Weatherby (NOT that awful .378 monster, This is the 375 H&H with 150 yards more effective reach; bullets from 270 grain to 300 grains).

400 H&H (300 through 400 grain bullets, nominally .410" to .411". Either loading is easy to accommodate. This number will make any Pommie proud).

416 Rem Mag (350 grain through 400 grain bullets; loaded so that there will be no sticky ejection {or worse} up where the big bulls live.

416 Rigby (400 grain bullets {others on request}; one world, one rifle, 'eh?).

404 Jeffrey (The 404 Rimless Nitro Express; bullets from 300 grains to 400 grains {the original loading was 2,125 fps from a 28" barrel; that will be available}. Modern loadings will be ~ 2,225 fps for newer rifles - wonderfully capable and very comfortable to shoot.

458 Win Mag (Newer powders provide a true 2,150 fps with 500 grain bullets {cup and core type, that is}. No clumping of powder, no miss fires, no horror stories. We will be also loading the Woodleigh 480 grain soft and solid, and the wonderful North Fork soft and solid at 450 grains with some bonus velocity. The North Fork will penetrate deeper and straighter. It does not know what the word rivet means.

458 Lott (A new name for the 458 Watts. In any case, 500 grain quality bullets at 2,200 fps. Yes, Hornady allegedly loads this number up to 2,300+ fps, so what. At 2,200 fps the bullet will track straighter, and you can get off that second, insurance shot twice as fast. My reference for that statement is multiple conversations with PHs; they cringe when a tenderfoot shows up in elephant camp with full power Lott ammunition. This loading corrects some of the past sins of the 458 Win Mag without making more, and worse sins of its own.

450 Rigby (A natural progression up from the 416 class. I view this is as on the fence between a stopper and a hunter cartridge. The beauty is having lower pressures than the 458 Win Mag or the 458 Lott/Watts.)

505 Gibbs (Very satisfying cartridge to shoot. The 525 grain bullets will sort anything out with the correct placement, and this is an easy fit in a CZ 550 or BRNO 602. The 600 grain bullets will slow down your ability to put the next bullet in that rabid wallaby, maybe forget your name for a bit.

500 Jeffery (Rebated head so you can fit it into a standard M-98 of stout construction {with a large set of bottom metal, of course)

All of the above magazine cartridges are available in "introductory" loadings. Do not be a wanker and give a child or a Sheila a Nitro Express rifle with a full up load "just to try". I mean, WTH are trying to do? Idiotic. Let them try some very mild "baby bear" cartridges to start with. These are cheaper than the full power loadings due to cheaper bullets, and use of less expensive brass (if available), and much better than a divorce, or turning your brat into a non-hunter. The next level of power available will be our "practice" loads. Generally the bullet will weigh 3/4 of the full power projectile with nearly the same powder charge. The recoil is a step up, but manageable by most adults and many teenagers. This ammunition will again, be less than the full Monty loadings. Great for Sika, Red deer, Tahr, hogs, brombies, donkeys, will definitely smoke a camel, goat, Roo {on permit these days???) and so on.

The full power loadings will feature the best bullets available as stated above. Availability will be in five, ten or twenty packets, depending on cartridge size and expense. Any used cases can be mailed back to the US (pretty low cost these days. We will ultrasonically clean the cases, polish, form, trim, second polish and then anneal for low cost. We can then load these re manufactured/like new cases to any power loading you wish (depending on cartridge pressure and case condition).

OK Gents; The Good Stuff

5.7x52 Rimmed (22 Savage Hi Power, The Imp, etc.)

Rimmed European Loadings (6.5x57R, 6.5x65 R RWS, 6.5x68R, 7x57R, 7x65R, and on and on) This will not be the cheapest stuff out there, but it will come with RWS, Horneber, Norma, etc. brass. Topped with American or European bullets if you wish.

9,3x74 (250 grain, 286 grain and 320 grain bullets)

375 Flanged (Of course!)

450/400 3"

450/400 3 1/4"

450 NE (Still the best)

500/465

470 NE

500 NE 3"

500 NE 3 1/4"

I/WE know what regulates in many rifles (talk about an unending quest).
We will happily provide a "Kynoch" load, a "Hornady" load, or a Romney load. Better yet, we will be making try packs to get a North Fork, Barnes Banded, or whatever bullet you favor to regulate in your gun. Then, without any drama, we can provide you ammunition loaded for your rifle with no surcharge, but with your name and your rifles identifying information on the packet. We are working on getting a laser engraver to put the specific information on the cartridge case itself (without weakening the brass structure).

All cartridges are sealed at primer and bullet. We can even seal them in cans for the cupboard/root cellar. Once we have your exact double rifle load figured out, we will print the recipe on the packet.

We do not just stuff the case full of slow magnum powder and say, "go get 'em tiger." If possible, we use a medium rate powder, and the Kynoch wad system (except we have better wads). That cuts down on recoil significantly. If you transpose the burning curve from H-4831 onto Varget you will see precious little difference.

What I Am Asking From You All

Is at your leisure let me know what you want. If you have great loads for your rifles, magazine, double, vierlings, etc, etc. and are willing to share those, please forward them to me via PM, open reply here on Nitro Express or directly to me at lawndart@speedyquick.net Pictures are welcome.

When the R&D is done (done right, the first time, then ongoing), we will find an Australian and a New Zealand importer, mail order house. We want as few middlemen between the manufacturer (me and mine), and the shooter (you).

BTW, reading Graeme Wright's book helped stoke this fire in my belly for this undertaking.

I read the load section often, and appreciate everyone's generosity.

Edited by lawndart (24/07/10 12:50 PM)