I am having a 458 win mag built. I will be using it for big game here in the north eastern US. from readings I have found that using a FMJ like hornady's 500gr works well on games such as deer and moose. don't have to worry about expansion (already big enough) and ruins very little meat. anyone with experience using a big bore on smaller game? I am just worried that a 500gr soft point may be too damaging. am I right?

I would not count on the 500 FMJ having too much killing power.

I have used the 500 Hornady soft point and the 300 Hornady 357 Round Nose soft point on a lot of kangaroos. I suppuse large male roos about white tail deer size.

I used 460 Wby and 375 H&H with either bullet at about 2500.

The results vary quite a bit from smallish exit holes up to the animal nearly gutted.

I think in the 458 with 500 Soft Point and with behind shoulder shots the damage won't be to great and the wont run too far.

You might be better off with the 300 Hornady or Sierra. We don't worry about meat in Australia so I could not tell you about meat damage. I imgaine that will drop your deer like a sack of rocks but in most cases won't have too big an exit as it won't have much steam left whenit gets to the other side. Very small deer would be different. On small kangaroos this bullet can be quite devastating on chest shots.

You might want to post this on HuntAmerica's Hog forum. There are a lot of shooters there using 45/70s on pigs and I guess they would have tried them on deer.

However, I think for the small number of animals you shoot in America, I think you won't experience big damage too often with the 500 Hornady soft point.

Mike

For smaller game the 400 grainers from BarnesX or Woodleigh PP are exellent. Exit hole 1 to 2". I shot many baboon and impala with it. Speer 400 gr to weak.

I have shot a lot of plainsgame with solids in 416 Rem and 404 Jefferys, Have witnessed a lot of 458 solid kills..Sometimes they make a lot of tracks, sometimes not...Leaves a good blood trail and follow up is normally not over a 100 yds, if that....Lenthwise shots are usually instant kills, going or comming and meat damage is non existant...

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

Dr John,
What bullets did you use in your first 458?

Karl.