I only know of Federal, Norma and Hornady that load the 458 Lott in softs and solids. Is there anyone else? If you have used any of the above brands and especially if you have chronographed them please share your experiences and barrel length of the rifle used.

Federal & Hornady claim 2300fps and Norma 2100fps with 500 grain bullets. It would be interesting to know the background to these claims ie barrel length and test conditions.

What in you opinion is the best 458 Lott factory ammunition - 500grain bullets?

The Norma rounds might be fitted with 550grn Woodleighs?

When I first got my 458 Lott I bought a box of Hornady 500gr bullets To try it out but ever scent I reload all My rounds.I didn't conagraph
Those Hornady bullets.

I chronographed half a box of Hornady 500gr soft points about a year ago, and velocities were as advertised.

From a 24 inch barrel, all rounds were above 2300fps, none more than 2315 fps. It was a Michigan Fall type day, around 70 degrees.

Call Larry Barnett at Superior Ammunition. He will load whatever bullet you want. I use the Swift A-Frame and Barnes solid from him. He loads for many PHs and writers

Interesting observation on Norma ammo

458 Win Mag 500 grain MV= 2116 fps
458 Lott 500 grain MV= 2100 fps

The Lott is loaded slower than the Win Mag??

I emailed them to check if this was a typo and they said no, their PH range is loaded slow with heavy for calibre bullets; but 500 grains for the Lott is definitely not heavy for calibre.

Why even offer 458 Lott ammo if it is purposely loaded to lower specs than the cartridge it was designed to out perform? Bit silly if you ask me and a waste of all that R&D for Norma on producing 458 Lott ammo.

Who needs a .458 Lott?
Modern .458 Win.Mag. ammunition is loaded to .458 Lott level.Impala Europe(www.impalabullets.at) has just hit the market with a .458Win.Mag. load that equals their .458 Lott. A 300gr LS Solid at 2890 fps and 5552 foot pounds. Pressure is moderate at 53000psi. The 300gr LS, even at lower speed, has proven to penetrate cape buffalo lengthwise. An even better stopper is their 420gr RNFP Solid which travels 2430fps in the Lott and 2360 fps in the .458 Win.Mag. This is still an impressive 5204 ft.lbs.Don't be confused at the Impala homepage. The new .458 Win.Mag.-300grain load is not yet listed there. Just take the .458 Lott 300gr ballistics.

Do you? a lover of the 458 Winchester Magnum, I have seen this post in three different threads jejeje.

Oscar.

Maybe. There are sveral simlar threads running. Fact is, that with high density,double base powders, the .458Win. can be beefed up some 20% compared to most factory stuff.
P.S. Recently I chronographed PMP factory ammo .458Win.Mag. with 400gr bullet. It was just under 2000fps. No comment.

Scott. Norma .458 Lott is loaded with 550grn bullets not 500grn. We have never loaded .458 lott with a 500grn bullet and cases marked with our name. All .458 Lott ammo bearing the Norma name is in nickeled cases. Plain brass is available as empty cases but factory ammo is only in nickel.

In brief, if it isn't a nickeled case with a 550grn woodleigh in it, it isn't Norma ammo.

Velocitys...Norma African PH is required to stay within CIP pressures at 100deg C. .458 win only complies with SAAMI - ie it is within pressure limits at 25 deg... (but we check it at 50 deg to be safe).

Conley Precision Cartridge Company loads several bullet weights for the .458 Lott. I've not used their ammo in that caliber but found their 6.5/284 to be very good loads.

jpj3

Norma PH ammo in 458 Lott shows 500gr as weight of the Woodleigh bullets.
I see this from the norma.cc website.

Who's right?

I've used this factory ammo to smack down three buff and like it a lot.

Don Heath and 415sbaird are both right in some way. There seems to be confusion in the Norma catalogues advertising their PH ammo. The early version of their catalogue show brass coloured cases lists the 458 Lott as having a 500gr SN bullet and a 550gr FMJ bullet both at a MV of 2100fps.
The later 2008 Catalogue showing nickel coated cases lists the 458 Lott with 500gr bullets at 2100fps for both the SN and FMJ.

Both catalogues list the 450 Rigby as having 550gr bullets in SN and FMJ.

Confused? so am I. Perhaps Don could get Norma to clarify the situation and review their catalogues to ensure accuracy.

I have been in touch with Don and he is now aware of the discrepancy on the website. It does create a lot of confusion.The article(positive) in the latest African Sporting Gazette about the Norma ammo is going to need correction. It also states that the Lott is the only PH series load that doesnt have a heavy for calibre bullet and is loaded with the 500 grain. Time for Norma to fire up the PR machine and get the real facts out there for all to know.

With my 458 Lott I can shoot the 550 bullet at 2150 FPS. I don't have any 600 gr bullets I don't think they are made for the 458 bullets.

eagle and 415. there are several mistakes in the norma catalogue and website in english. Norma works in metric units...The velocity of the .416 rigby is wrong and the bullet weight for the .458 Lott is wrong. The info printed on the boxes is correct.

The .458 Lott uses a 550grn woodleigh soft or solid at 2100-2150fps (depending on your barrel - Norma uses a 20" test barrel)

Would be good for Norma to clear up the errors in their catalogue. I had noticed the 458 Lott error in the early version of their catalogue but assumed they had corrected this second time round when they showed both the 500gr SN and FMJ at 2100fps from a 24" barrel. You say this is not correct and is 550gr bullets tested in a 20" barrel. Pretty short barrel for ammunition Manufacturers tests don't you think?

What length of barrel have they use for the other PH ammo velocities? The catalogue shows 24" for everything.

What is the correct velocity for the 416 Rigby? Catalogue shows a 400gr at 2150fps, same as the 404 Jeffery and 416 Rem. Mag.

Norma is usually so good with the catalogues they have produced over the years and these do become collectors items. Shame they've fouled up on one so important for their flagship PH ammo.

Metric is no excuse, Norma has been excellent in producing English version stuff for years, in fact much better than most European or Asian companies who seem to use dictionaries instead of English speaking personnel to write manuals and catalogues.