I'm thinking about getting a 458 Lott, and am curious to know how recoil from a Lott (500 grains, 9.5 lb rifle) compares to a 416 Rigby (400 grains, 9.5 lb rifle).

I'm more interested in "felt" recoil from those who've shot both calibers.

Teat Hound!

Your looking at a very serious increase in recoil especially from a 9.5 lb. rifle. Although a correctly designed stock can help a little. I think 10.5 lb is a good minimum weight for a 458 Lott.

465H&H

Agreed!

My Lott weighs 9 3/4 lbs and is very managable.

Hog Killer

I know, I'd prefer heavier rifles for sure. But, that is what Ruger and CZ list as the weights for their rifles, roughly.

So? You're not going to take it out of the box and climb on a plane, anyway, are you? All factory rifles are starting points on DG, not ready to use so when you take it to your smith for tuning have him add a half pound to the forend just in front of the magazine well and another half pound or so to the butt. Problem solved. Oh, and don't forget that big, fat recoil pad!

Out of my RSM's, the 416 Rigby is roughly 1.5 times the 375 H&H. The Lott is close to double that of the Rigby. Gotta say that if you're going to shoot it a lott, 11# would be better so's life would be bearable. Adding weight by means of recoil reducers or tungsten rods along with a nice 1.5-2" recoil pad will go a long way to towards enjoyment when lighting one off.

Hi Teat Hound,
The Pachmyer Triple Magnum recoil pad will help with recoil managment for the Lott or the 416. If you go to my site you will find charts that show recoil comparisons as well as travel and muzzle rise. You could compare the 416 Rigby with the 450 Ackley.
Take good care,
Dave

IMHO it's six to one half a dozen the other 410 gr woodleigh in front of 102 gr of AR2209 for around 2550 fps V 500 gr woodleigh in front of 80 gr of AR2208 for 2300 fps.......I reckon the Rigby kicks a little more or faster might be the word.

PC,
Have you chronographed your 458Lott load? Recoil in mine only became noticeable at 78-79gr and I was still picking up velocity at 85gr and getting belted real good! From memory your only barely in the 2200fps range, but I'd have to check my load book.
Cheers...
Con

Hogkiller's stock is definately managable at 9.75# with full house loads.

the rigby, at nominal 400 at 2400, is noticably less recoil, in the same weight gun, as a lott 500 at 2300. not a HUGE amount, but some.

However, the lott is dead out at 2300, and you can't really go much faster... this is NOT the case with the rigby... 200-300 fps faster has been done.

btw, a lott with a 405 at 2400 is far less recoil than either at full house

jeffe

...and with a 350 @ 2400 it's a puddy tat

Depending on what load data you use there can be little difference in recoil or a Lott (sorry). Going by load data from Hodgdon (416) and a load I found for the .458 L if you are using the following you get this amount of recoil energy.
30-06 in 7.5 pound rifle, 165 gr. bullet, 59 gr. powder for 2950 FPS = 24.7 ft-lbs of recoil
.416 Rigby in 9.5 pound rifle, 400 gr. bullet, 110 gr. powder for 2400 fps = 72.83 ft-lbs of recoil.
.458 Lott in 9.75 pound rifle, 500 gr. bullet, 82 gr. powder for 2315 fps = 77.4 ft-lbs of recoil.

Of course you can load the Ruger 77 in .416 Rigby a lot higher than 2400 fps with a 400 gr. bullet (I get almost 2500 fps out of my Ruger 77) as well as you can likely take the 500 gr. Lott higher than 2300 fps. Still, this will give you an idea of how they compare.

I built a Lott a couple years ago & sold it after a couple dozen rounds. Just too much gun for me in a 9.5# package, (no scope) running 500gr bullets @ 2150fps. I now have a .404jeffery, @ 10.25# scoped, it isn't pleasent off the bench, but it's managable. The Lott was just punishing off a bench & uncomfortable from most field shooting positions, JMO.

Thanks for all the responses so far. I've shot a 416 a few times, and while the recoil was significant to me, it was not too bad. However, that was not off the bench I must admit. Standing, not [very] bad

The biggest 45 caliber rifle I own right now is a 7lb 45-70, which I personally consider the recoil for it not any worse than a 300 win mag. In fact, a 300 off the bench is worse to me.

I'm just trying to gauge how a Lott may feel compared to a 416 (which I've felt a few times).

I'm thinking hogs, 458 lott, 10lb rifle (or so), 450 gr Barnes 3X bullets . . . The fun I would have!

Do I need a 458 for hogs? NO, as my 270 does a great job. Do I want to try it though? Hell yes!

I've found that with heavy recoiling rifles and handguns, that the initial anticipation of the recoil is greater than the recoil itself, ie after you light one off you say, that wasn't so bad. It's the repeated firings that let's you seperate out those that really beat the snot out of you.

I take recoil calculations with a grain of salt. The effect of the powder burn rate has a definate effect on the recoil. I don't recall the exact details as I don't have my load data handy, but I recall trying VV N-550 in the 458 Lott, and as I recall, a 92 gr (heavily compressed) load would achieve somewhere over 2100 fps, maybe just shy of 2200, compared to 87 gr of RL 15 that did 2280. The N-550 load has signifigantly more recoil, despite the roughly 100 fps lower muzzle velocity.

I've shot Keiths lott (hogkiller), its a damn fine shooter. I only noticed a little bit more recoil over my rigby, or my 404, but that was off handed. Might notice more on the bench.

I'll build a lott one of these days.

None of the big bores are bench guns, get um sighted and off the bench and shoot um off handed or sticks or etc, lots of fun.

quote:

Originally posted by Gringo Cazador:

None of the big bores are bench guns, get um sighted and off the bench and shoot um off handed or sticks or etc, lots of fun.

AGREED!!

Con I do not own a chrono but used Harvey's Data I think which said 2300 fps............with the 25 1/2"of the cz would help to no doubt. I should always say the words aprox.......as I am using figures the books say I should have, I understand that they could be give or take a 100 fps.

The 458 Lott simply has a world more recoil than the 416 Rigby or Rem. regardless of stock or anything else.

I enjoy my Lott.....although I have to be sure my hands are clean when I shoot it........That way I don't scratch my cornea when I reinsert my eyeballs.

I have not shot the Lott. I can tell you for sure that I don't want more recoil than my Rigby loaded warm provides. It is a plenty for me thank you.