I picked my 458 Lott up today from my gunsmith. I have to say I am thrilled with it. The work is excellent and the balance is perfect. I really like the feel of Accuracy Inovations stock, it balances out that heavy barrel really well. It turned out a tad heavier than I had originally planned but still not bad. I figure its weight at around 10lbs maybe 11 with the scope. It balances so well that it doesn't seem that heavy though. Here are the specifics...

Winchester m70 classic action, formerly a 300 winchester mag.
24" douglas barrel
Accuracy Inovations stock
Brockmans pop up peep talley bases
Sourdough style front blade on williams ramp Bore sighted at 25 yards with lazer boresighter
Removable muzzle break with knurled cap
I stole the Vx III 1.5-5 lighted reticle off my lightwieght 375 for it in talley lever detach rings.

Here are some pics....

Nice!!

Bear...that's avery fine piece of hardware...nice job. How do you like that peep sight?

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

I have the same setup on my lightweight 375 and REALLY like it. It works great, I have a fairly large tritium bead on my 375 so I went with the sourdough blade on this one, a little more precise for longer shots. I think this pop up peep is really the best thing going out there for a hard use hunting rifle.

go git'm

I got the cap for it to use while hunting. I get beat up enough with my "little 375" off the bench and figured the MB would help out with load development and range work. I'll put the cap on it for hunting.

I like it! Good job.

Best Regards,
Dave

I'm already scheming about a spring brown bear hunt. Now all I have to do is come up with some loads. I think I will stick to the 350-450gr range. There really isn't anything in alaska that warrants a 500+gr bullet. I have a bunch loaded up with the speer 350gr bullet right now as its the cheapest .458 bullet out there designed for the win mag. SPeer claims it will handle anything in north america, anybody have any experience with this bullet. Would it hold up to a moose? I have some kodiak bonded 400 gr and have been eyeing the woodliegh 400gr PP. Other bullets of interest were the 350 and 450gr barnes bullets. I dont' think they make the 400gr x bullet anymore. I have H322, Ramshot Tac, Varget, H 4895 and a few other powders. Any loads for 350-400gr bullets would be greatly appreciated.

Shot the Lott tonight, it shot really good. Recoil wasn't nearly as bad as I expected either. It gave a healthy little shove but not near as bad as my 375 H&H. The first pic is a 5 shot group with the peep sight. Nothing to brag too hard about but not bad and definately minute of bear. The second pic is a three shot group with the scope, that one was pretty darn good, good enough Ididn't want to risk messing the group up shooting any more. The shooting was at 100 yards and the load was 350gr Speer with H322 just above the starting load in the new speer manual. Supposed to be about 2700fps but didn't have a chronograph.

After shooting it 12 times I noticed the trigger got wiggly and it wouldn't lock the firing pin back when the bolt was cycled. Took it back to Stan to check out. Turns out the adjustment nut on the trigger had loosened up. Put a drop of blue locktite on it after readjusting it.

Peep at 100 yards


Scope at 100 yards

Boy that sure is purdy when you take that muzzle break off.

I imagine that the recoil shooting 350 grained bullets out of an 11 pound Lott is not bad at all. For some real fun, take that break off, load some hot 550 grained bullets, and find a nice bench to shoot off of. Might want to call the tooth fairy before hand.

Congrats on a great rifle. I really like the over all aesthetic of the set up.

Just got off the blower with a gunsmith college friend who's back in Africa. Got called over the weekend to back up the cull of a problem ele.

.458 Lott with GS Solid 450gr made the rampaging ele Dead Right There after it had taken 2 Swifts in the head from a .375 H&H. Frontal brain shot dropped it like a sack of taters. Hope to have pics soon.

There's a lot to like about a Lott.

Congrats on the spiffy new addition to the fambly.

Is the stock a standard Accurate Innovations pattern, or custom configuration?

Great lookin' rifle and nice shooting (for a first time out

Congratulations!

I love stainless with wood! Nice rifle, congrats!

quote:

Originally posted by Wink:
Is the stock a standard Accurate Innovations pattern, or custom configuration?

It is just the standard AI stock. I did have to open the barrel channel up a bit for the bigger barrel but other than that it is just like I bought it. I think I payed around $289 or something like that for it. It is a very comfortable stock and has a large surface area on the recoil pad that helps tone down percieved recoil.

The rifle weighs right at 10 lbs with scope and just under 9 with the scope removed and balances very nicely. I don' think I would want it too much lighter than that.

very nice indeed !!!, thanks for sharing

Great looking gun! The wood and satin stainless look great together. You should be very happy.

.......Very Impressive .,., That is a rifle I would like to run a magezine full thru .....Is the stock one of the laminated ones ??.....cobs are nice for plinking with a boomer ...Don,t have to keep changeing sight picture or adjustments ...

Its just the walnut stock not the laminate. Its been my experience that laminate isn't as strong as regular wood, and heavier. Why burden yourself with the extra weight when laminate is no stronger.

Is that peep sight part of the Talley bases? Is it fully adjustable?

Thanks

It is brockmans pop up peep that is incorparated onto a set of talley bases. They are simply one of the best sight systems out there. It is adjustable for both windage and elevation. Its really an ingenious setup. The peep just pushed down out of the way when you put the scope on.

something wrong with the shape of the rifle

I guess I'm not sure what you mean shootaway. After reading your long post about your 458 I see you might be confused by my use of TWO scope rings. I know it adds a little extra weight but I figured I'd risk it. Also I'm sure you probably expected to see a helmet somewhere in the photos, sorry don't have a helmet to wear while shooting so I just live without.

Great looking rifle! I am enamored with the pop-up peep in particular. Not real fond of the muzzle brake...but you've got the cap!

Nice to see it shooting well with your first handloads. Thats a bonus.

Cheers,
Canuck

It looks to me that the front part is dipping down.It is a nice rifle.

Beautiful rifle! Congratulations!

Nice rifle!

Very nice looking rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
something wrong with the shape of the rifle

you'll need to be more specific, son... is it just that it hasn't bounced off your (snowmobile helmut-less) knoggin?

look, single ring, the thing bothering you is no moly bullets and 2 scope ring!!!

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
It looks to me that the front part is dipping down.

shoo --thataway .... it would only look that way if your lazy eye has taken dominance in a BFT induced concussion

Thebear_78:

Not quite the answer you want, but I have used the 350-grain Speer bullets on ground squirrels. It definately stops them in their tracks.

My load works is suitably accurate in my Lott to hit squirrels out to 200 yards (ask Kyler or Shumba about that), I will try and remember to PM you with the load data tonight.

Dave

..........I,ve used the 350 gr Speer bullet in my win mags at 2520 fps and they worked for me ...They would regularly out penetrate the 400 gr Barnes Orig. soft point rn bullet . ..A friend who guides bear here has used the 350 gr Speer sp bullet in his 416 Taylor and has had extremely good success with it .....Tips 9'brown bear upside down feet in the air type performance .. and that @ only 2350 fps .I know it is a diff. dia but my success with that 350 . 458 bullet was all very good ...I would trust it and have , with keeping my unbit ....I,m going to make up a load for my Lott with a 450 gr X bullet @ 2300 fps and a 400 gr K,B.C. @2400 fps and see which is the better of the 2 .....I may end up with the 400 gr in the Lott and the 450 in the 460 Whby ... ., I,ve gone back to the 300 gr XFB in my 458 Win mag ..and that is where it will stay ......I was eying those 400 gr Woodleighs ,.They look like they would work great abd not have such a steep trajectory as the 350 Speer ....IMHO Barnes should have dropped the 350 gr and stuck with the 400 gr X bullets ......