I need a bore guide for a 450 Dakota. Actual
bore is .458.
I have tried Brownells, Stoney Point, Midway,
Sinclair, Pro-Shot, etc.
Do you guys have any suggestions as to where
I could find one?

Thanks
Wes

Take a Dakota case and drill out the primer pocket to fit and aluminum arrow shaft, push the shaft into the case as far as it will go and dab a bit of glass or glue on it and cut the arrow shaft off to the desired lenth..at some point you can cut a piece out to oil the patch if you want but its not necessary, works as good as anything you can buy and better than most....

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

Ray, that's a hell of a big arrow shaft. I have not seen one a half inch thick.

DWS - I also have a .450 Dakota. I do not use a bore guide on my big bores. You can guide the rod by hand without hitting the bore with the rod. Anything over a .416 you can guide safely by hand.

If you really want a guide, you can have one made by Sinclair 219 749-5136

Thanks guys.
I appreciate it.
Wes

By the way, the 450 will be in tomorrow and
I hope to get to shoot it tomorrow or the
next day. Can't wait to see what it shoots
like and how tough the recoil is!

DWS - I remember that you were considering building one. Who did your work for you? Tell us about your gun. You will notice a slight push against your shoulder when you pull the trigger - don't be alarmed, that's normal. Actually, if the gun is built properly, recoil is quite manageable. I keep velocities in the 2300fps area and shoot off the bench with it. It not bad.

Ray - I was pulling your leg a little with the half inch arrow shaft. I know that you put the jag on after you slip the bore guide on.

Zero Drift

If you recall our prior posts, I was in Zim
in early July, am going back on Oct 25 since
wife's illness cut first hunt short. I decided I needed a bigger gun quick! So, I
called Paulette at Dakota Arms and begged and
groveled and pleaded and explained that the
elephants would get me if I didn't have a
450 Dakota instead of my 416 rem mag !
After she reminded me of how FOS I was,
she said they could build me one fast.
So, here's what I am picking up today:
450 Dakota African
24" barrel
14" LOP
Banded front sight
Standard rear sights
Talley QR rings
Swarovski 1.5-6X42 PH model with 4A reticle

If I wasn't short on time, I would have probably ordered a 26" stainless, but those
are the breaks.
Dakota loaded up 100 Woodleigh 500gr solids
and 200 Woodleigh 500gr softs that are supposed to shoot per specs at 2450-2500fps.
If that won't do it, then I give up!
I just can't wait to get my paws on this gun.
I have wanted something like this since I was
a kid. Since the ammo got here, I have just
left it sitting on the floor here in my office and I show a round to everyone who comes in. So far folks are unanimous in thinking that I am nuts which needless to say
satisfies me to no end.
I have had a helluva lot of fun dealing with
Paulette at Dakota Arms. I already have two
of their less expensive rifles in the "Long
Range Hunter" model and I have been very happy with them. I suppose I sound like I am
plugging for them, but I just think they are
nice folks to deal with.

Wes

ps After paying for the ammo, I have decided
to start reloading again.

DWS - Ditto the accolades for Dakota. You will be very pleased with the gun. Let me know your thoughts after the first range test. Good luck with everything!

WRONG, Zero Drift, I checked out in the shot and I have some kind of stiff "plastic tubing" fitted on the big bore cases...It does require a certain amount of American ingenuity to scruff up the proper materials.

------------------
Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

Zero,
make that shop (not shot), some things a spell check can't catch!!!!

DWS,

I also looked everywhere for a Bore Guide in .458 and like you, had no luck.
I even called Sinclair and was told that they do not make them any larger than .416, due to the Guide wall thickness? Uh, that's what they said. Sinclairs' suggested that I make one somewhat in the way that Ray suggested, using a case and some tubing.

I had good luck in making one from a basic Bore Guide from MTM. I pulled out the glued-in section of the guide and cut off enough (Used a utility knife) of the tapered end to accomodate the diameter of a .458 brush. I then took some sand paper and beveled the end to a clean taper. Took all of 5 minutes, at most and it works as good as any I purchased in the past. Best part, you can buy the MTM Bore Guides for approx. $5.00 .

Give it a try....

Check out this link. I have made up a few for my rifles and they work great.

www.storm.ca/~debin666/html/projects5.html

I hope that link works

Smokey

Paulette at Dakota Arms tracked one down for
me. The gentleman's name is David Tooley.
He can be reached at www.tooleyrifles.com.
He was very helpful and nice to talk to.
The bore guide he sent me is well constructed
and works great.

Thanks for all the help,
Wes