OK, so what's everyone think on this one:
.458 Lott, .460 G&A (is it still around??), or .460 Weatherby Mag.

The Weatherby has the most energy (and recoil!), the Lott seems a bit underpowered compared to the other two. Is their a good round I'm missing?
Somethin somewhat easy to reload & get brass for...

Let the debates begin!

Don't forget the .450 Dakota/.450 Rigby - One of the more versatile .458 calibers.

Glock20,

Judging what is "best" immediately begs the question of what criteria you use to rate the entries.

The .460 Weatherby is a factory cartridge, but is "too much of a good thing" for many. The parent cartridge is the .378 Weatherby, and factory magazine will only hold two cartridges.

The .458 Lott is now a factory cartridge as well, and is only under-loaded on paper. Try firing one, you will see! It is based on the .375 H&H case, and you can stuff more of them in the magazine.

The .460 G&A is a wildcat, and probably won't ever become a factory cartridge. It is based on the .404 Jeffery which shoots a .423" bullet.

I have fired all three of them. Just going out to get a .458 from this list of three, I think I would buy a Lott (or a .458 Win Mag and convert it).

jim dodd

I though the .460 G&A was a .404 Jeffery blown out to accept a .458 bullet? That's what G&A is
showing in the article about about.

I just ordered a .458 Win. Mag, which will be rechambered for the Lott round ASAP. It'll be my first rifle, and was thinking of where to go from there. One of the "thumber" .458s seemed to be a nice step up in power. I want a .577 NE, but want to build up to it, seeing as the only big-bores I've shot have been handguns (the only
rifle I've shot to date was a .22).

I was thinking about the Weatherby round, but wanted to see what everyone thought of the rest of the .458's...

These are all just fun guns...the only dangerous game I'm going after is dead trees, paper targets, and the super dangerous watermelon

I just like big guns for some reason...funny, my checkbook doesn't agree...

Of course, there is also the .470 Mbogo...

[ 01-16-2003, 23:02: Message edited by: glock20rocks ]

Glock20,

The .460 G&A indeed uses a .458" bullet, but it is based on the .404 Jeff -- which originally used a .423" bullet before being necked up and having much taper removed. Maybe I was not clear enough.

For your targets you will have great performance using cast lead bullets by the way.

jim dodd

Umm, opps...read that a little too fast

Hmm...got an urge to shot a watermellon now. Well, off to the store, then to the range with the .454!

Cast bullets will make a bigger "splat" then JSP rounds? Or did you mean for punching through logs?

I went through this excercise awhile back while trying to decide what to rechamber my 458Win Ruger #1 in. Decided upon the Lott because it is an easy/low cost conversion, already had tons of 375 brass and 458Win dies which also work for the Lott, 458Win cartridges also will work in a pinch, the round is being adopted by the factories, is very versatile when handloaded and 500 grain max loads at 2300fps should be enough for anything.

[ 01-17-2003, 01:00: Message edited by: fla3006 ]

That's why I'm starting with the .458 Win Mag Paul! Mild recoil! Besides, it'll be nice to say "My smallest rifle is a .458!" (Jeez, what is it with me and the thumpers?!)

Seriously, I may make some "lite" loads for it, but I do have a nasty little habit of just diving right in with the most powerful rounds I can find. The first revolver I ever fired was my Super Redhawk .454 with full house Partition Gold rounds. Being used to Auto's, I shot it like one (ie, lock down on it). Just about landed on my ass. Still fun, though! My first gun was a .40 Glock; my second was a .50AE Desert Eagle, so I have a habit of "jumping" up in the power levels too.

Oh well, it can't be as bad as the videos of the T-Rex!

I will, however, film it at post it for the amusement of all

I don't think I have that much to worry about; the recoil energy figures are about the same as my .454/.475's, but with slower recoil. Slow recoil=good! For now anyway...

At least I'm not starting with the .577 T-Rex!
And I somewhat know what to expect...I sure didn't when I got the .50!

[ 01-17-2003, 05:25: Message edited by: glock20rocks ]

I can relate, when I first got my 458 lott, I started load work with the 500 gr bullets, and they were clocking 2280 fps on the second day out. It wasn't that bad of a jump from my 35 whelen pushing 250's @ 2700 fps.

Seriously though, if you want your 458 to be fun to shoot, drive 350's @ 2400-2500 fps, very enjoyable to shoot. 500's, they will move you.

If I'm not mistaken, the factory 350gr's clock about that...I was going to get some anyway beacause of their velocity...should make a watermelon go splat nicely

I'd go for the .460 weatherby cartridge !
It will dispatch anything, and will so fit into the category of .50 's. Even tough the .50's will have a greater diameter and shock impact. But the .460 Wby will approach the same level in sheer power !I've heard depending on what rifle, that this will be able to do some 8500 ft/lbs !
Yesterday i witnessed the most powerful load in this caliber. The load contained 124 gr.of IMR-4350 behind a 500 hornady SP i think. The chrony said 2774 fps !!!!Usual max loads in the .460 are around 2600 fps. Above that level, in which results like 2650,2700 fps, are uncommon in this chambering !
A guy here called Shawn have gotten 2748 fps with the same powder, but added one grain(125 gr).In his rifle factory loads will do approxomately 2630 fps as an average with 500 gr. and 2750 + fps with the 450 barnes-x bullet.
Well that was a whole lot more info than you ever requested i think, even my facination of this cartridge never seem to end !
I'm too considering to change my barrel and get me the .460 Wby !!
Hope i affected your decision, to go get the "king of .45's" , instead of those "retards",,,,NOO OFFEND GUYS !!

The best two 458 rounds are the 450 No2 and the 450 1 1/4. Why??? they are available in double rifles. I like the No2 best, lowest pressure, thick rim, bottleneck case [good bullet grip, minimal case stretch, bigger chamber entry for faster fumble free reloading] 3and 1/2 inch case, looks BIG, inspires confidence . The 450 3 1/4 can be built in a some what trimmer rifle. Both have the same ballistics, 480 or 500gr bullets at @ 2125 to 2150. You could hike safely in Jurrassic Park with one [would be nice to have a couple of friends along with a H&K 91, 20 round magazine for close encounters of the veloci-rapter [sp] kind.

Per577, I do like the Rigby! Can it be chambered in the CZ-550?

N E 450 No2, I don't have the $ for a double, unfortunately, and if I did would probably have to go for a .700 NE

Those rounds sound good, but about the same level as the lott round. I kinda want a "step up" from the WinMag/Lott round, before I grab a .577 NE and start getting really pounded by the recoil

But...great, now you've got me wanting a double rifle...

glock20rocks - I have a 450 ackley which is very similar to the 458 lott; mine was built up to this and if I were to do this over (build a 458 on a larger case than the win mag), I would simply buy the 458 win mag and rechamber to the lott - you will find that should you sell it, you will have better success with the lott - you mentioned your checkbook earlier, another good reason to use cast bullets - cast bullets are available in a variety of weights, the 460 grain gas checked version from cast performance at about 2400 fps would do a nice job on a watermelon - since this is your first big bore, there is no reason to spend massive money to play - good luck - KMule