I was thinking of picking up a Ruger in .300 Win mag, local toy store has one for like new for$450. Then I would send the action off to Shaw for a new barrel in .458 Win. I would pick one of their heavier contours. I would inlet the barrel myself. This I figure would put me at about $650. Next off to one of the better smiths for beeding,cross bolts, sights and tweaking the action.

I figure that I would have a little more than what a new Winchester would run. However it would be set up the way I would like and the tweaking would be done.

What do you think?

Personally, I wouldn't choose the Ruger (that stupid angled 'recoil lug' is one reason), and Shaw barrels are serviceable (i.e., equivalent to a factory barrel), but not what I'd put on a rifle, considering all the other makers out there.

However, if you want to build a rifle as inexpensive as possible, that is one way to go.

If I were right-handed, I'd look for a good used military Mauser, and build on that platform.

George

What do I think?

If you already had had the ruger, and wanted to make it bigger, I would tell you to go for it, but use a pacnor or douglas or bauska barrel.

Since you don't, let's talk

a brand new cz in 458 win (or 416 or 375) will run you 650 delivered (www.gunbroker.com)
there will be ZERO feeding problems, and it had sights...

why are sights important on a 458?

two words
SCOPE CUTS

you are at the same money you where at, and it merely needs to be bedded properly and tweaked.

Or, buy a ruger in 458 lott...

1300 bucks, and it's ALL done....
the rugers require jack didly to feed or tweek.. and if they do, send them back to ruger to fix.


middle ground, a winchester

950 in 458 winmag, all day every day....

In short, the cz isthe closest to your starting price, the ruger is far prettier, and the winchest works too..

but, just working up a rebarrel of a 300 win in a ruger (which i would offer that you should sell and buy a cz and save some money) isn't cost effective...


jeffe

Pardon me,but; I am left handed. C.Z does not make a 458 or 416 in left hand.This ruger thing looks good,left hand,controlled feed,and 416 Taylor.It's my money. No offense intended.

Thanks guys for your thoughts. Here are my questions/concerns.

1. the Winchester, while I like Winchesters the quality control seems to be a big question or is that more of a "sqeeky wheel gets the grease" thing? Also the stock is way too straight for me, no way I can use iron sights with it.

2 I have a CZ in .375 and love it. There is a nice one in .458 Lott at the local shop now. My big concern about a .458 Win in a rifle chambered for the Lott is throat erosion. Would the constant use of .458 Win in the longer Lott chamber cause some erosion? Could that cause extraction problems especially in the heat of the moment? This rifle will get shot a lot more at that range than it ever will in Africa, so to be able to use the less expensive .458 Win is a priority.

George would a VZ 24 work length wise? It would require more work though wouldn't it? Open up the bolt face, and work the feed rails, etc. Any idea what that would run?

Fireman,

I tend to agree with jeffeosso in considering the CZ Lott as the most economical given that you are

Sorry for some reason my post was entered, however, was not finished..anyway

The Lott factory ammo, at least relative to other big, is reasonable...although 458 win mag can be found somewhat cheaper...but if you reload (and I would) Hornady Brass for the Lott is very reasonable. The Lott is more versitile than the win mag if you reload... Good luck in your decision..jjs

prm,

Yes, it is your money, and you can spend it as you please. Did you already build that .416 Taylor or are you just thinking about it? Have you looked into getting a LH Winchester M-70 in 7mmRemMag or .300 WinMag and building that into a .416?

fireman,
jeffeosso knows what he is talking about; consider taking his advice. Do a search on 'VZ-24'; several people here have builit rifles on that action. Since these are all RH guns, I have no direct experience with them.
Also, it's not the throat you'd erode shooting .458WM cartridges in a Lott chamber; it's the chamber. Shooting .458WM in a Lott is possible but not recommended on more than an occasional basis. It's far better to shoot reduced loads in Lott cases.

George

quote:

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Originally posted by prm56:
Pardon me,but; I am left handed. C.Z does not make a 458 or 416 in left hand.This ruger thing looks good,left hand,controlled feed,and 416 Taylor.It's my money. No offense intended.

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PRM,
yeppers,,, Your money, and you are in the 11% of the "other" hand... of which (of those I know) shoot a right handed gun left handed... and i've stocked more than a few with a right bolt, right checkpiece (that makes it a left gun with a right bolt)

again, starting with the RIGHT (heh.. little joke there) action, one can be far ahead...

and since not ALL ruger are CRF, and all MRC are CRF... and you can have a MRC in left, right, CM or Stainless....

jeffe

Guys thanks for the input. I know that CZ's are a great value. The trouble is finding aone in .458 mag not Lott. I checked around the net and the one cheapest one I found had a BIN of $709 so I figure the reserve is about $708. I can get a Lott locally for less.

Another question, I just bought reloading gear and am starting with .45 Colt. If I did get the Lott is it difficult to reload for especially reduced loads for blasting milk jugs etc?