To the Group:

I just wanted to get your input on this rifle in the bush. The bigbore forum has their own opinions I just wanted to know if anyone has had any issues in country or has the rifle been ok? I'm thinking about grabbing a 458 Lott and wanted some input since I'm on the fence right now. I have a 375/500 conv in the works but haven't hunted with it yet. I have read the previous posts so my question is more specific to the Lott than the 375 or 416.

Thanks Brad

Great gun, except for the stock and recoil system. I'm sure there have been many with no problems, but some have had stock breaking issues. I broke 3 stocks on mine before having it custom rebuilt - two within days of leaving on an elephant hunt to zim. Mechanically, I've never had an issue with the gun, and it's absolutely a tack driver for a big gun. I LOVE the .458 Lott cartridge. If you get one, make sure you have the action bedded and inletted. I think that may take care of the stock issues.

That being said, I'm leaving in 4 days for Zim with my custom M77 in tow, and the guy that's going with me is taking a stock M77 both in .458 Lott. I don't expect problems with either.

I took one to Zim last year as a backup on an elephant hunt. The changes I recommend are to make sure there is enough relief in the tang (careful Dremel tooling will clean that up nicely) and then I would check the feeding for your loads (as with any gun) and possibly change the sights and recoil pad. I put a Kick-Eez pad on mine as well as a fiber optic front sight and put a white vertical line on the rear sight.

They are good guns except for being a bit thick in the fore end and weighing about a pound too much. Also, make sure your bottom metal will stay in place under recoil. Mine was fine but you should still check (with full magazine).

I currently have two of them, one is still an original Ruger, the other has been customized by LeRoy Barry of Canyon Creek Gunstocks. I would consider selling the original one. It has a brand new Leupold 1.5x5 dangerous game scope on it. If anyone's interested send me a PM.

Nice rifles. A new recoil pad is a must, preferably bed it, check feeding (mine hangs up with flatter point bullets), and yes check the bottom metal. My floorplate catch gave up after a couple of hundred rounds. A higher vis front sight would be nice.

I love my RSM Lott, and consider the above improvements to be true with most stock big bore rifles. I wish they were perfect from the factory but I guess they would be $3000+ instead of $1500. The CZ models are in the hunt too. They BOTH need a little tuning. Pick the one that handles the best for you and go from there.

I have a RSM 416 Rigby and 458 Lott. I had a CZ 416 Rigby but liked my RSM better. I still have and enjoy a CZ 375 so go figure! Its all good when bigger bores are involved!

John

I am taking my lott to Tanz in September and I will let you know. mine had some inletting done in the forearm, but my smith said it did not need to be bedded after his inspection and work.

that rifle is great. it is remarkable how well it shoots if you hold on. i probably should get a different recoil pad, but i have been plowing my money into reloading for practice. my only gripe is that the iron sights are way off. point of impact is about 6" low at 100, regardless of the load. ruger does not make a lower front sight for the rifle, neither does negc. i had planned on using irons for the hunt, but guess i will have to be allright with a scope.

Love mine. Only alteration is a limbsaver recoil pad. It makes a big difference. I have fired a fair number of rounds with absolutely no problems. Took it to Tanzania in Sept. '06 and killed two buffalo at the same time. Fired nine rounds in under 60 seconds facing two bulls with no loading or feeding issues. One of the bulls charged but the Lott won. :-)

Brad,

Shot a bull ele and a buf and also had it bedded before Africa and no problems at all..
My rifle was one of the first production runs of the Lott...

Mike

390ish
Higher back sight?

you are right. i should look into availability of taller rear sights. i have perfect vision (for now) and can still shoot well with iron sights. i would rather shoot that bruiser with irons -- will check with ruger on a new rear.

Take a look at the NECG peep for the Ruger. I have one on my 416 Rigby and it has greatly improved my ability to shoot with opens (peeps) and that rifle. I also shoot it with a Leupold Vari-x III 1.5x5 and that helps old eyes a bunch. I am sure the Lott will be the same.
Frank

Bwanna, who left yesterday morning bound for Zim, has the NECG peep sight on his .458 Lott, and has taken along the Leupold scope as well, as mentioned above by Frank. He shoots the .458 Lott very well with the peep sight. But then, he is much younger than some of us. It has also helped him with the problem of the iron sights not being adjustable enough(up or down) as stated by someone else in this post.

My RSM shoots 6 inches low at the 8 o'clock position at 50 yds with factory iron sites....I need to work on that.

Our camp rifle in Tanzania is a Ruger Safari in .416 and we really like it...

It is the best factory rifle that I have seen since the pre 64 M-70 and that is no slight phrase IMO...

The quarter rib alone costs more than the price of the Ruger Safari on a custom rifle..It is intregal on the Ruger and a barrel cut intrgral is big bucks...

Best bang for the buck in gundome history..Be sure and get one of the newer ones, the first ones had too heavy barrels and too small front sight and way too much wood..The new ones are much better.

GET IT BEDDED STRAIGHT AWAY!!!...and add a pad of your choice and LOP. Very fine rifle and of the proper weight, IMO, for the Lott. A little heavy for a 375 (my caliber in this gun) but good for the Lott.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

Thanks for all the great input. I took the plunge and ordered the rifle. I too love the Quarter rib rear site. My older version 375 H&H went off to become a 500 Jeffery so the extra barrel weight was a plus but I do like my rifles lighter. I may end up buying an additional a 416 just because they are such a good value and I feel under priced for what you get. Ruger just doesn't get the same snob appeal as even Remington or Winchester but their rifle tend to shoot good and last. I am not a big fan of their stock design hence all the issues however, the barreled actions seem to be built strong enough. Thanks again for all the help and keep posting comments.

Brad

All my friends that shoot the Ruger are very happy. I also shoot a 458 lott,just not a ruger. The comment I wanted to add to this post is for a big bore the 458 lott is exstremely accurate. With factory ammo we all shoot 1" groups or less at 100 yrds. Since we shoot different rifles that tells me that the Lott is one inherently accurate round.

I took one to Australia last year, & shot two water buffalo with mine; I'd recommend the bedding as previously suggested, but I didn't have mine bedded & it's never split (shot about 60 times with no problems so far).

Finally got some photos up. Here is the rifle. Take at look at the stock. No fancy figure but looks strong.

Thanks Brad

Brad,

Take care of all the bedding stuff, have the trigger worked on if necessary, put a fiber optic sight up front and for god's sake, put a recoil pad on it. Why Ruger still puts these hard rubber things on them is one of the world's greatest mysteries. Have fun.

David

I liked the pad.The rifle is low on recoil compared to the CZ.

Good stock for 458 Lott..Too much is made of color and grain on big bores..I like a dense grained wood, plain like yours with the grain running from the toe up through the grip and straight or slightly upward to the forend, like yours does..good piece of wood..Most good English rifles have wood like that and that is the reason they used alkanet root, to darken them up...

Belk tells me end wood is stronger and tougher than glass, and he may be right..the ones that split are poorly inletted or have poor layout of the wood I suspect..but factory wood has a tendency to dry and shrink as the curing is hurried so I also suggest glass treatment, glass it from tang to forend or just glass the action and 2 inches of barrel..On the Lott I like to glass bed the complete gun tight, then lightly relieve it to where it comes out of the wood and goes back in fairly easy, sometimes you need this treatment...

The one area where Ruger can improve the RSM is the safety. The safety is anemic, small and it is easy for your thumb to slip off of it when your in a hurry. Too bad they gave up on the thumb safety of the MK I.

465H&H

I have a .458 Lott RSM. After having a Canyon Creek Custom Stock built: the rifle is perfect. It shoots an absolute one hole with NF.450gr Solids at 100 yards and cycles very smooth. I do not prefer the CZ's I have handled. The RSM is one of the nicest looking heavy rifles out there as well. The only critters I have killed with it so far are coyotes.