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With the 22" barrel, I can push the 400 grain Woodleigh's to just over 2000 fps. I haven't tried going more than that as the pressure I can find on the Hawk suggest I'm around 58,000 psi. 350 grain bullets at roughly the same pressure are pushed around 2300 fps. Mike Brady's 360 grain NF's go a little slower, because they are longer and I can't cram enough powder in the case to achieve 2300 fps and load them in the magazine.

It's not a 416 Rigby. But, it is a handy rifle that works as long as you keep it what it is and not try to turn it into something else.

Fireforming cases is pretty easy and I have yet to have a headspace problem. Extraction has been positive. Fred Zeglin at Z-Hat Custom built this rifle for me and has probably built more 411 Hawks than anyone, and has probably refurbished as many 1895 Winchesters as anyone. Zeglin also builds the Hawk on bolt action rifles, the action he helped developed the cartridge for. It's nothing more than a 400 Whelen with a shorter neck. Shoulder diameter is .454" as was the original 400 Whelen design. That is greater than the 30/06 Springfield shoulder. Many builders other than Griffin & Howe left the 400 Whelen's shoulder at 30/06 spec and that is where the problems with headspace came from. A 400 Whelen with the proper chamber seems to provide sufficient for operation.

Would I use this cartridge in Africa to face down Dangerous Game? Nope. I believe there are much better chamberings for that. The 416 Rigby, Rem, Taylor, 404 Jeff, 458's, etc... are well proven. Plus, .416" bullets are more widely available in a greater range of weights from more manufacturers in more configurations.

The one thing you might think about if you want to keep the 30/06 size casehead is the 416/240 Wby Mag wildcat. It's pretty much a straight walled 30/06 case with a belt.

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