quote:

If the 458 was an efficient cartridge then all this conversation and frustration by its owners would not exist

Hey Ray, it's not the 458 WM owners that are always questioning the cartridge, it's the on-lookers.

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I buy the heavy weight for caliber argument with elephant but for buffalo I don't see how a 450 grain will be inferior. I have had bad luck with buffalo so I am a believer in a bigger stick but with todays quality bullets I don't see how a 10% reduction in bullet weight puts you at a huge disadvantage. I would love to hear from anyone who has used 450 grain bullets and how they performed.

I would certainly recomend a 450 grain or even a 400 grain .458 for buffalo.



Pictured above 450 grain bonded solid base .458 caliber North Fork and 400 grain North Fork. Range to buffalo, point blank. Velocity 2,550 fps and 2,700 fps. Spot hit, 2nd to last rib angling forward toward off side shoulder. 450 grain recovered under hide. 400 grain recovered inside humerus of front leg.



This 450 grain North Fork FN solid penetrated over 60 inches in elephant.

But next time I will try a 500 grain bullet that shoots one or two inches lower than my 450 grain North Forks.

Assuming adequate stability it increases penetration about 10% in my tests.

I think the very heavy SD .330 and .340 bullets like the 400 grain .416 and 500-510 grain .458 were required back in the day, but with bonded and monometals no longer needed.

Andy

The 450 grain slug in the .458 still gives .300+ SD. I am working up loads now for use in my Lott. Four hundred fifty grain North Fork softs and Barnes Banded FN solids are my chosen bullets.

I am finding that 2,400 fps is easily achievable with these bullets in my Lott, which thus makes it an all around African rifle.

But I will still take a .375 and a .500 along this year, if only because I like them.

quote:

Originally posted by Will:

quote:

If the 458 was an efficient cartridge then all this conversation and frustration by its owners would not exist

Hey Ray, it's not the 458 WM owners that are always questioning the cartridge, it's the on-lookers.

I agree Bill. I never understood this BS. My .458 with a 26" barrel gets Lott type velocities and has killed everything just fine. My PH Ian Gibson has been backing me up with one, and it's my gun of choice for buffalo and elephant.

Maybe Ray would choose something else based on what he read, but Ian based his decision on what he's SEEN.