450/400 BPE

[cooper]

Ruger now chambers their #1 in 450/400 Nitro Express.  This is the 450 Nitro Express necked down to 40 caliber (the English nomenclature is the opposite of ours - we would call this round the 400/450) .  There were several different variations in case length, and I think the Ruger is chambered for the 3" case.

Before there was a 450/400 Nitro, there was the 450/400 BPE (Black Powder Express).  Obviously, this cartridge was loaded with black powder.  As far as I know, the cases are virtually identical and I believe you could shoot a Black Powder Express cartridge in a Nitro Exppress chamber, but not the other way around as the BPE rifles would not be strong enough.

So it seems to me there is no reason the new Ruger couldn't be loaded with black powder and you would have ballistics identical to the older BPE round.  Since the Ruger is a single-shot you would not have to worry about "regulating" the barrels, which would be a serious consideration if it were a double.

It should be similar to the Sharps 40/90 bottleneck, but with a longer case (3" vs 2 5/8" for the Sharps).  This would make for a load with considerably lighter recoil than the smokeless cartridge, and yet still be powerful enough for a lot of hunting applications.

Has anyone loaded black powder in the 450/400? 

[mcwoodduck]

Need to check the ctg dementions in a Ctg of the World book or loading manual.  Think the NE round was also called 400 Jeffery.
I am sure there are down loaded 450/400 smokeless rounds that would give you the slower speeds you want for less than dangerous game.
The main concern is the projectile.  With a soft point does it need the Nitro Express velocity to have it expand?  But with a .40 caliber bullet in the right place expansion may not be needed.
The down side to shooting Black I can see in the corrosive nature of the powder and possible damage to the rifle.
If you are looking for similar ballistics Ruger also makes a 405 Win in the No 1 H.  Factory loads have this round doing what you want and companies like Hornady load the 405 + round to 450/400 3" NE velocity.  the 300 grain 405 win load is about 1880 FPS or the same as the 300 grain JHP load for the 45-70.  45-70, A rifle Ruger offers in the No 1 S.  The S (about 8 pounds) is a lighter version of the No 1 H (12 pounds)
I think the 405 would be a better way to go if you want the standard velocity with the occasional OMG dangerous game load for a .411 bullet.
If you really want a .400 And I need to check the diameter of the projectile as it is british and they measure the lands not the grooves.
Why a 303 brit uses .311 bullets. and the 404 Jeffery uses a .425 bullet.

[Sir Charles deMoutonBlack]

Mcwoodduck;  The original gunpowder is not corrosive.  It may be hygroscopic, that is its propensity to absorb moisture from the air, but nothing a simple cleaning with hot water and detergent won't cure.

What has worked for about 700 years is not that scary.

[mcwoodduck]

I also looked up the 450/400 BPE in CTW last or the other night and it is a 3.25" while the 450/400 is a 3"
also looking at the loads the BPE was faster with the same 400 grain bullet giving almost 4100 Foot pounds of energy.