These are not 458 in DG, but they are another example of what you can expect from North Fork bullets. They are both frontal shots recovered in the hind quarters. They are 300 grains in 375 at 2750 fps. The one on the left is from a zebra and the right is from a tsesebe. Mike makes some great bullets and I’m sure they will work equally well in your Lott.

I have always liked Barnes X. They work every time. I used Barnes X and solids on Buff in TZ the last 2 times. Of the 2 bullets recovered the X bullet weighed 498 grains after being cleaned and tumbled in the USA. This was the first shot, it went through the buffs left shoulder broadside, got the heart and lungs after breaking the shoulder and was found under the skin of the off side shoulder.The other bullet was a Barnes solid it weighed 500 grains out of 500 grains after going up a buffs ass, breaking his pelvis and was found under the skin in his neck. The solid could of been reloaded as it only had rifling marks on it.

My buddy who hunted with me used Federal permium safari ammo with Hornady bullets. He shot a warthog at 40 yards with a 458 SP. The bullet opened up huge and pieces broke apart. The bullet was hanging inside the hogs guts. It weighed 325 grains out of 500.

After this I have relegated all Hornady ammo to practice and varmit rounds.

I mailed the box of Hornaday Custom .458 Lott ammo back to Hornaday with a letter busting there chops about DG ammo not fireing! They looked it over and said that my fireing pin may be hitting a little soft. But not one of my reloads has had an issue. They stated that they use Winchester primers and I us Federal Match in my reloads.

They are sending me some free ammo to regain my confidence in thier product. I thought that was cool!!

Well, I'm gonna stick with the 458win A-Frames, TBBC's and sledgehammer solids. I got length-wise penetration with the wide meplat sledgehammers on buffalo last trip. The 375 A-frame dropped a buff in his tracks with a spine shot. The Hornady's only cost 1/2 as much, but that is only important for target practice.

It will be coyote and dirt bank foder trust me!!! There is no way I would shoot any thing eles with those bullets. But I will take free $60.00/box ammo any day.

Semper Fi and Good Hunting

Clint,

Was the Zebra at closer range than the Tesebe?

It looks like the mushroom on the Zebra bullet was pushed back more than the Tsebe. I would expect that was velocity more than where it was hit.

Can you measure their diameter for us and report back? 70-75 calilber?

PS Are you shooting a Weatherby or RUM to get 2700 fps?

Andy

Andy,

You're right. The Tsebe was about twice the distance (100 yards). The zebra is probably max. expansion for the North Fork. I was using a 375 RUM. I'm at work tonight or I'd measure them for you. I'll do it tomorrow. I have autopsy photos somewhere that I'll dig up and post.

Clint

Well guys, Mike and I are back from Tanzania. I'll try to file a more complete report later but thought I would address the looming question regarding interbonds on buffalo. You might recall I offered to test them on buffalo after recieving full assurances from Hornady.

Bottom Line - much too soft.

I dropped two nice bulls in the span of 60 seconds. I had loaded soft, solid, soft, solid (.458 Lott) in anticipation of a "two-fer" opportunity. After a few long days of tracking bulls only to get busted by the fickle wind, we lucked in to a large herd of about 500. There were about 20 old bulls leading. I shot one in the heart at about 20 yards with the interbond. I then jumped up and put a solid in his chest. The area was quite open and the herd (luckily) stampeded away from us. The bull was clearly hurt by the first shot ( interbond) and let out a bellow. An even better bull came to his aid so I let him have the other interbond in the heart followed by a solid (about 40 yards). Both bulls were staggering but still on their feet. I amazed myself at how quickly I reloaded (Thanks to the AR member that recommended the Uncle Mike's ammo belt!) I was loading Hornady "solids". I put three more in the first bull and dropped him as my PH put two .470 NE Bear Claws in my second buff who was staggering toward the thick bush. The PH'S shots had no effect but to turn the buff toward him. As he was reloading his double I put three more solids in the second bull. the PH fired a couple more and they both were down. I put a solid in the spine of each and it was over.

Unfortunately, when I spined the first buffalo, I was standing next to the second buff which put me about 60 yards away. I didn't notice his horn tip and busted it with my shot. I guess my taxidermist will have extra work to do.

Upon quartering the animals we found the first buffalo to have a large hole in the top half on his heart. The second buffalo's heart looked like Jello. The recovered interbonds that were fired into the hearts were no more than 50 percent of original weight. the "mushroom" was of good diameter but wafer thin. It was obvious that about 40 - 50 percent of each interbond fragmented and was no longer a part of the bullet. If I had shot those bulls on the shoulder, I am not confident that the interbond would have penetrated to the vitals. I will not use interbonds on buff in the future. The Hornady solids peformed very well.

Hornady should not represent its Interbonds as good for thick-skinned, heavy-boned dangerous game.

BTW, my PH's bear claws were pefect mushrooms with very high weight retention.