EMPIRE RIFLES ANNOUNCES THE “.470 EMPIRE” FOR DANGEROUS GAME
The bolt action world hardly needs another dangerous game cartridge. But sometimes “need” and “want” lead to different conclusions.
In bolt guns like Empire’s Standard Rifle, today’s most popular choices include the venerable .375 H&H and it’s progeny in .416 and .458 caliber; the .416 and .450 Rigby, the .404 Jeffery, and the big 50s including the .505 Empire.
But there are precious few, and no popular, bolt gun cartridges replicating the ballistics of the most popular of double rifle cartridges, the excellent .470 NE. How can this be?
This question came to mind during a recent visit to the home of my friend and business partner Jim Hall. Jim and I spent time loading cartridges for the .505 Empire, a cartridge conceived to replicate the ballistics of the .500 NE in a design superior to the .500 Jeffery and .505 Gibbs.
Well, Jim owns a lovely new double rifle from John Rigby & Co. chambered in .470 NE. Jim’s .470 cartridges were handy-by, and it did not take me long to hold the .505 Empire and the .470 NE side by side. . . Jim and I talked it out, and the .470 Empire was conceived.
The .470 Empire replicates the ballistics of the .470 NE in a low pressure cartridge ideal for Empire’s 98S Mauser bolt action. Using the same Weatherby magnum parent as the .505 Empire, the .470 Empire launches a .475 diameter 500 grain bullet at 2,200 fps with very mild chamber pressures; hand loaders will doubtless be able to add something to this. Magazine capacity is 3+1 with a dropped box magazine, or 4+1 with a Rigby floorplate. Excellent bullets are available from Barnes, Woodleigh, Swift, and Trophy Bonded; properly head stamped ammunition will be available through Empire, loaded by Superior.
Large frontal area and low chamber pressure are valued by such experienced hunters as John Taylor, Kevin Robertson and Richard Harland. The .470 NE is carried by many PHs and clients alike, and Empire’s new cartridge introduces a fine performer between the .450s and the .500s.
Empire is taking orders for the .470 Empire right now, please call us at 603.469.3152 to discuss.