Gentlemen,
I would appreciate any advice/suggestion on how to get myself a .458 Lott for under $2,000!

That is my budget, unfortunately...
I just need a straight forward, working gun that is reliable and Left Handed!! Synthetic stock preferred.
Had looked into building one using a Montana Rifleman barrelled action (M1999) with a synthetic stock from lone Wolf and some sights from New England Custom Guns..... It would have worked out under $1800 but I had no real references on the Montana M1999 action?

Thanks for any suggestions from forum members.
Happy hunting!
Bwanamich

I could get you into a .458 Win Mag in a M-70 Winchester Left hand for around $1,200. (wood stock however.)

I know that's not what you're looking for!! However I just thought I'd offer an option.

[ 09-23-2003, 21:54: Message edited by: vapodog ]

Id suggest you purchase a Ruger M-77 or No.1 in that caliber...That would end up the least expensive in the long run....and both are quality rifles with most of the bells and whistles like a intregal quarter rib, barrel band front sight and swivel, allready set up for a scope....

CZ is suppose to have a 458 Lott by the end of the year.

What would it take to just get the cz550 in 458 win, which is on a magnum length action from what I understand, and have a chamber reamer put in and open it to Lott? I would think less than 1000 bucks would take care of it?

I am going to try and buy a cz sometime in the next year just to see what I get for that much money, they seem like such a great deal.

Red

CZ in Lott (Gun and Gunsmith work) for less than $1000?

I would go w/ the Ruger77. It's ready to go out of the box except for some trigger work. Next would be a CZ in .458 & get someone to rechamber. Next would be a M70 in .458 & rechamber. Check the used gun market as well. You can get some smokin deals on custom guns guys have made & decide they don't want. I had a M70 rechambered to Lott & decided it was too much gun for me. Banded front, 1/4 rib, let it go for $1300.

[ 09-23-2003, 20:22: Message edited by: fredj338 ]

Remember in the suggestions that he is looking for a left handed rifle! The Winchester in .375 H&H rebarreled would work, if you could get a good price on a used one you might make your price limit.
Jason

Because he has to have a left hand rifle , Ray has it down pat, with the suggestion of the Ruger 77 RSM MKII, or No1H Tropical, either already chambered for the LOTT, or in 458 Win Mag for re-chambering! Being left handed is a real drawback where bolt action rifles are concerened!There aren't many good choices for lefties in DGR, rifles that are also CRF, and left handed to boot!

I would get a left hand Mod 70, or Ruger 77 RSM MKII,(which retails for $1695) as both are available in LH configuration, and are under $2000 including a good scope! A Ruger No1 chambered for 458 Win Mag is easily rechambered for 458 LOTT, and is about $800 retail + the cost of re-chambering (about $150). Another $350 for a good scope, and about $80 for a good recoil pad, and you have a 458 Lott, $1350 for a complete rifle ready to guo hunting! But if you can find one the Ruger 77RSM MKII LH This would make the most sense, a complete rifle ready to hunt in a "LH" bolt rifle for around $1800.

I have a son who is right handed, but shoots left handed due to a left master eye, I had to buy him Ruger No1s, as he grew up, because I couldn't find a decent left hand bolt rifle chambered for serious calibers! As a result he had quite a collection of No1s by the time he was 16 yrs old, and in some bone crushing chamberings, as well!

[ 09-23-2003, 20:42: Message edited by: MacD37 ]

I totally forgot the left handed part, sorry. The number one seems like a good way to go, you could find a number one in 45/70 even for less than 600 sometimes, or right at 600. That would be able to rechamber as well. I have a number three and love it.

Interestingly I started life as a lefty and ended up right handed, not sure why, I do have a problem with the left eye so maybe it was that. It's nice though as I can do most things fairly well with both hands. but seldom shoot left handed, cause of the eye it is hard.

Red

I found a web site that says that one can simply rechamber a .458 Win Mag. Since the .458 Lott is a blown out .375 H&H case and is .350 longer than the .458 Winchester I'd want to check that statement before doing it.

However the .300 WBY, .340 Wby, and the .375 H&H are all capable of being rebarreled to .458 Lott. Now if you can only find a used left hand in those calibers. I suspect Weatherby makes the .300Wby in left hand, and I suspect Sako makes a left hand .375 H&H. As a matter of fact I used to buy actions from Sako....I wonder if they will sell you just an action. LH of course

Rebarreling should run about $400 or so

[ 09-23-2003, 21:51: Message edited by: vapodog ]

I don't believe the M77 Mark II Magnum rifles are made in a left hand version.

-Bob F.

see:
http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/FAProdResults?function=famid&famid=35

Actually the Ruger no.1 comes in a 458 Lott now...I thought the 77 came in left hand but perhaps not.

As to rechambering a 458 thats a snap..As I recall the 458 is 2.50 and the Lott is 2.80 and strangely enough 2.850, depending on whos version one picks. A little rail work might be applicable in some cases...

Personally I like the new African version at a full 3", that makes more since to me. All my Lotts were pre 64 M-70 or 98 Mausers with a drop box. The CZ is a good bet.

MacD37, sorry.....I should have guessed that for a DG rifle, a controlled round feed was a requirement even though it wasn't stated.

BTW the only gun chambered to .458 Lott by Ruger is the #1 SS.

Winchester has made some left handed 7MM STW's with controlled round feed. Now there's something to look for. Price used should be around $500...rebarrel add $400 and you have room for sling, mounts and a fine Leupold scope and still way under $2,000

[ 09-24-2003, 01:23: Message edited by: vapodog ]

You can get this......http://www.winchester-guns.com/prodinfo/catalog/detail.asp?cat_id=535&type_id=919&cat=001C
It falls just beyond your budget...But after seeing and having one in hand, They are nice!! It's great to see a Company making nice rifles for us leftys.....Winchester and Browning chamber up more stuff in bolt guns for leftys than just about all of the others..

[ 09-24-2003, 01:54: Message edited by: TwoSixty ]

Hey Ray,

I have heard this about the .458, that there are now differences in length. are you talking it has an overall cartridge length (loaded) of 2.8, with an African at 3", or is that the length of the brass?

If it is the cartridge I would think 3" would make sense, seat bullets out further, but if it is the brass only, how does that effect the chamber when firing standard .458 Lott ammo or 458 win for that matter? Or does it not matter since it headspaces on the belt?

If it is a brass length difference, where do you get the 3" brass?

Thanks for the help. I have a 458 win that The gunsmith is looking at now and he had recommended to me at one point that I go with the Lott, just wanted to find out all the details so I make sure i have it done the best way (2.8 vs. 3 etc)

Red

Bwanamich,
I'm in the same boat, but like most projects, I'll end up blowing past the $2000 mark (mostly wood).
Ruger didn't make the 458 Lott in LH as of a few months ago. It's the Controlled Round Feed issue that will kill you. However, Craig Boddington and some other notables have said either CRF or Push Feed (when worked over by a knowledgable smith) are both as close to 100% reliable as a bolt can get.

That said, all you need is a Remington Model 700 LH Magnum Action. There are dozens of good smiths that can cobble together a 458 Lott. Just get references, and hold them to some sort of performance contract. The push feeds tend to fail not with a fast cycling, but with a slow quiet slide back and forward (like when you've fired and don't want your quarry to know where you are. Next problem area is the cycling while running. Rounds tend to pop out of the feed rails too soon here, and fall on the ground. Exposed lead bullets tend to hang up on the chamber mouth.

Folks who are very good with lever actions and "polishing/timing" their dozens of moving parts tend to be good at making a Push Feed 100% reliable. Email me directly if you consider this way.

That said, I'm waiting on my M1999 and Jim Brockman's handiwork.

Good luck and Safe Hunting.

Safe hunting

Clint

Bwanamich,

I started working this very same problem in October of '01, after I rashly promised two left-handed PHs I had been hunting with in Zim that I would "organize" proper left-handed bolt guns for them.

The left-hand bolt gun with controlled round feed in .458 Lott -- which is now the de facto cartridge standard for PHs -- is not available in the market. What is available I decided is not sufficiently reliable for PH use. So I decided to develop such a product.

I did market research on how many left-hand big game hunters there are. My results showed about 10% of the population is left-handed (depends on how LH is defined); one sixth of shooters are LH (16.67% - the "sinister sixth"), but 20% of hunters are LH. I thereby quickly realized that the market for such is not a business; you have to sell four right-hand rifles for each left-hand rifle to keep your self in business.

I settled on the Montana Rifleman M99 action, and ordered a RH and LH standard action in chrome moly with magnum bolt-face and .375H&H magazine configuration. The RH action is now with Jim Brockman, and has been fitted with a Lothar Walther barrel chambered in .458 Lott. I have named the rifle model the "JimSquare" for the two Jims involved. The LH action should ship from MR to Jim Brockman this month. Stocks will be laminated wood. Sights are the Jim Brockman Gen III post front and aperture rear sight. Both rifles will go to Africa for field testing real soon now.

Jim Brockman will be selling these rifles, so if you can wait a bit you should be able to get one. I don't know final cost yet, but production volume should be your friend. Email me for details if interested.

jim dodd

Buy a cz .458 win mag and have it reamed out for the .458 Lott. Check the c clip get the feeding polished and you will have an accurate 6 shot .458 lott, also get the stock reiforced with a couple of extra cross bolts in front and behind the mag box, add liberal amounts of Devcon.Add a barrel band if so desired.

Try the hump back before canning it. My .458 Lott has been finished and that is what I have done, just have to get time to go and pick it up.

Ignore all that your a left hander by the sounds of things, sorry

[ 09-25-2003, 01:53: Message edited by: PC ]

Gentlemen,
I apologise for not participating on this after being the initiator of this discussion. However, I had some problems with the internet and was unable to access this forum. I will go through all the comments now. Thank you to all those that have contributed so far

Regards,

Randy,
CZ in left hand by the end of the year? Any literature you have on this please forward to me.
Thanks,
Bwanamich

Vapodog,
Thanks for you offer on the 458 win mag!

However, my problem is compounded by the fact that I don't reside in the US. To those who suggested a #1, I looked into that too but then decided I preferred a magazine rifle to a single shot.....

From the comments i have seen, I see 2 options here:
1- Buy a lefty M70 classic in 375H&H and have a gunsmith do the conversion = a tad over my budget!
2- Get an M1999 action and barrel from Montana rifleman and have it stocked by someone = should meet my budget. Can anyone give me more reference on the M99?

A fellow PH just had an Australian client on safari who had a Left hand Lott on a pre-64 and said he got it for 4,000 Australian dollars (+- $2,600) nice wood ,etc. i am going to email him shortly and will post info on this forum.

Once again, thanks to everyone who participated.

Happy hunting!