Hi Guys:

I am waiting patiently for my local gunsmith to call about the delivery of my new AHR Custom 458 Lott, it is scheduled for delivery today.

I have to balme somebody, so I blame all you guys on the this Big Bore Forum for forcing me to purchase this new rifle. I really tried to fight the temtation, but I lost.

Thanks for the advice form Rob, mrlexma, and many more on this forum. I hope to be added to the list of satisfied customers of Ed's AHR list.

Regards.... Jim P.

[ 11-23-2003, 00:19: Message edited by: PAHunter ]

I hope you don't think that your getting off without posting pics.

Hey Jim, congratulations!

As you know, I couldn't be happier than I am with mine.

Blame, smame! Where are the pictures?

Contrats!

Rusty
We band of brothers!

[ 11-19-2003, 03:26: Message edited by: Rusty ]

Hi Guys:

Well I picked up my new rifle this afternoon and I am very well satisfied. I still have to take it to the range yet to see how it shoots.

While I was in Europe last year my digital camera was lost, so I am still in the midst of getting another one. I do have a camcorder that takes digital snap shots, maybe I will try and take a few pics with that.

I will give you what I think are the Great points of my new rifle and few small gripes. Maybe I am being overly fussy. As a side talent, I am a half ass artist for many years. I have drawn and painted more than a few pictures and paintings that are still hanging in a few public buildings and private homes, so I tend to look real hard at craftsmanship, checkering and engraving. Maybe to critical but that is just my humble opinion.

The Great Points... The stock is a beautiful fiddleback throughout both sides. The shadowline cheek rest is exceptionaly done. The hand checkering is one of the best I have seen, did not miss a point. The satin blueing and metal finish is perfect. The bolt is the slickest action in my battery. It is a TRUE 458 Lott SIX SHOOTER, five down and one up the spout. I tried that tonight about five times. As mrlexma could attest the balance is damn near perfect, just a hair over 11 lbs. With the heavy barrel and two mercury reducers in the butt, it balances right behind the first cross bolt. The sights with the Gold Line, one folding leaf from NECG are great. The engraving is also beautifully done, except the Buffalo. The recoil pad is perfectly put on with a blackline spacer. The barrelband and inlayed rear sling swivel stud is perfect. The X break and screw on cap, to replace the break, is very well machined.

I think all rifles look like hell with that break sticking out beyond the the shroud of the front sight, but they sure do work. Remind me to post a picture of a custom 416 Rem Mag I had made a few years ago with the break holes drilled right through the shroud of the sight, looks great, very cool custom touch.

The Gripes....

I litterally checked out this rifle with a magnifying glass over the checkering and engraving.

When I received the rifle, there is a very small ding on the rosewood forearm cap. It looks like it was dinged after the rifle was finished. It didn't happen at the gun shop, because I was the one that opened up the box. For a custom rifle that cost this kind of money, I expect no dings anywhere.

I may be to critical but I should have had all plain engraving rather than the Buffalo Head engraved on the floor plate. I guess I am just used to looking at Buffalo Heads on those 75K Double Rifles. It's not bad, but I expected better.

Just in one place, the wood to metal fit around the tang and around one cross bolt could of been closer, all the rest of the fit is good.

All and all a beautiful rifle.

Now I have to sneak off to the Range. I got a set of QD Talley Mounts with it. I will probably mount a 1X5 Leupold Vari X3 with a iluminated X reticle on it.

Regards..

Jim P.

Glad that you like it!

I think that there are always things that somebody with a critical eye would find and be a bit displeased about. As long as overall you are happy and it isn't something that naws the back of your mind, then you are in great shape. Sounds like you fit that bill!

Let us know how the range work goes. I am impressed by the 6 rounds total. I have a 1917 in 458 that is getting fixed up, it is a win right now but may come back a lott, really up to the smith as I trust his judgement on it. But I don't remember before sending it off how many rounds it hold in the mag. Hmmmm...now I am curious.

Congratulations again.

Red

Congrats on your lott, I would look at mounting a 2.5x compact I reckon there the best scope for the hard kicking lott. That is what I have on mine.

Hi Guys:

These are shitty pictures, like I said I don't have a new digital Camera yet. I shot these with my camcorder.

This full shot is to damn dark.



This next shot is a little better. Ohhhh Fiddleback.



What can I say.



And another one. Full Shot other side.



And another one. Shadowline Cheek rest, I got to close..



Another shot.



I tried to get some of the engraving, best I could do without a good Digital Camera.

Very nice, congrats.
why dont you ship that rifle to me so I can give it a good looking over?

Hi Mike:

I don't mind my dings, I just want to be the one that makes the damn dings!...

Yep, are Rifles look alot a like. The funny thing is you ordered yours months before I ordered mine and we never even knew it. I did get the gold line on the back sight though, thanks to your advice. But my rifle is still prettier..

My Buffalo looks like a Moo Cow.... what does yours look like.... LOL

Hey... how does that Quote thingie work..??? You don't have to type what you want to quote between the lines do you? I thought you could highlight it some how and then hit Quote??

Regards... Jim P

Thats a sensational looking rifle and nice engraving. My lott is a very poor looker compared to yours mine would be appropriate at about 1.00am after 7 stubbies

Jim,

Just click on the quotation marks above the post you want to quote, and the whole thing automatically shows up at the start of your reply. If you only want to quote a part of the original post, you can edit it .

My cape buff isn't H&H quality, but I like him okay. Here's a picture:

No offense to guys who like engraving, but I would prefer to color case harden the action instead of having it engraved.



But it looks like AHR knows the specs. for a good looking package.

[ 11-20-2003, 18:32: Message edited by: 500grains ]

Very nice! Congrats on the new rifle.

What kind of front sight is that?

Very nice rifle.

Hi Guys:

Thanks for all the congrats. 500 grns that is a sweet looking Gibs.... Hmmmm color case hardening, what a great idea, now why didn't I think of that. Hell better still, why didn't you tell us about this before!!!..

quote:

---

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My cape buff isn't H&H quality, but I like him okay. Here's a picture:

quote:

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Mike, you Buff is still better looking than mine, it has more detail. Your rifle is much more heavier engraved than mine... geez maybe that is why it cost you more.

Nitroman: If you are talking about my front site, I believe it came from NECG. The picture does not do it justice. The hood is cut out in the middle for better light gathering. In person it looks very cool, never saw one like it before.

Regards... Jim P.

[ 11-20-2003, 07:08: Message edited by: PAHunter ]

Very, very, very nice!!! Congratulations!

I love big bore bolt rifles

Pedro Sabino

[ 11-20-2003, 08:23: Message edited by: PedroSab ]

Nice rifle, thanks for sharing.

PAHunter, so when and where is the eastern PA Big Bore shoot going to take place? I have a 404 Jeffery that I have yet to take to the range (I live in western NJ right now, will be moving north of you on 611 next year)...

AHR likes to leave a bit of space around the action tang on their rifles in order to avoid potential stock cracking. More room than necessary IMHO. However, their stockwork is really first class and they can bed and inlet stocks for actions other than the CZ 550, like the GMA at prices way below other stockmakers of equal capabilities. A BIG plus is that they actually turn their guns around in a reasonable time, unlike many others.
NICE lOTT and enjoy it!-Rob

Beautiful rifle, PA Hunter.

Good luck in getting some beautiful trophies with your new rifle soon. Please post them as well over here.

Sorry to have to ask, but who is AHR? Who made this fine looking rifle and where are they located?

Thanks

American Hunting Rifles in Hamilton, Montana.

Web: www.hunting-rifles.com

E-mail: ed@hunting-rifles.com

President-Ed Plummer

Hi Rob: Yeah I found that out about the relief on the tang, thanks for the info.

Hey Johhnyreb: A big bore shoot off in Pa....Hmmm that sounds pretty cool. I know a MAYOR in PA that has a big bore that will join us. Yo (Retreiver) did I spell his name right? are ya paying attention. I also know of a few other PA dudes with Big Boreitus...

Regards... Jim P.

Most excellent! Congratulatons.

Nice rifles, gents

The stock is a touch to straight for my tastes, at 6:19 in the morning, but that might change later in the day.

nice nice rifle

jeffe

SUPAR NICE! How much did it cost you if you don't mind me asking?

Is the stock one piece?

Thanks!!!1

[ 11-21-2003, 21:29: Message edited by: The Cool Guy ]

PAHunter and mrlexma
How is the recoil with Ed's stock???

mxlexma are you goig to use his stocks for the 550 magnum??? If so how about putting a more discriptive explaination of the stock and will the 550 amgnum stock be more beefed up than the 50 cal and under.

Rob how is the recoil of Ed's stock on the 600 OK?

RNS

Jim--Yes, you are correct about the dings. You should have the exclusive right to bang it up. My point is just that it's inevitable, so don't go getting obsessive-compulsive about it.

RNS--Yes, I will use Ed's stock for my .550 Mag. I have never seen or used a better design. As I understand it, Ed and the great Jerry Fisher came up with it. Ed used a terrific piece of quarter sawn, extra fancy black walnut on mine and also, from the pictures (and please, Jim, go out and buy a real camera! ), on Jim's too--the fiddleback is gorgeous.

My rifle, like Jim's, is a .458 Lott and has a couple of mercury recoil reducers in the buttstock. It weighs 11.5 lbs. unscoped. It may be a bit heavy for caliber, but I like them that way and mine is very pleasant to shoot.

Jim wil have to tell you about his sense of the recoil after he takes his new baby to the range (This weekend? ). But with mine, the recoil is more of a big hard shove than a sharp slap and recovery is quick.

From the bench, I use Ed's X-Brake, which helps tame it even more. The stock is indeed very straight combed, which I like because it makes for quicker follow ups.

And yes, in my discussions with Ed regarding the .550, he did tell me he would use a slightly more "beefed up" version of the stock for that one and another big bore I have in the works.

[ 11-21-2003, 23:30: Message edited by: mrlexma ]

Hi Guys:

Well it was a beautiful Sunny Saturday around 67 degrees. Great day to take the new 458 Lott to the range and give it it's first try out. It was so nice I even set up my Chrony to verify the new Hornady Factory ammo. I had one box of 500 grain Softs and one Solids.

I don't have my scope yet so I went right to the 50 yard range, it was a good thing to. With only 1.5 weeks before the PA Deer season there were quite a few 100 yard shooters.

My 50 yard range has picinc tables as shooting benches. If you ever tried shooting from one you find out very quickly that you are in to low a position, all your weight is behind the stock, your body can not rock with the shot. This being said I went and shot 12 rounds through the 458 Lott anyway.

Now remember, my rifle is a little over 11lbs empty, with two mercury recoil reducers in the butt, with a new X break on it.

Gentlemen I WOULD NOT want to shoot this rifle without a break. Hard Push my ass...LOL It is a hard punch, straight back like it should be. The stock deisgn works very well. I shoot 375's 270 grn @ 2700+ FPS, 416 Rem Mag's 400 grn @ 2500+ FPS, and a 458 Win Mag 450 grn @ 2100 FPS.. This 458 Lotts recoil is in a class of it's own. I think I have reached my limit, from a low bench anyway...LOL

Here is some info about the Hornady Factory ammo. 10 Shots; Low velocity 2285; High Velocity 2350; Average Velocity 2321 FPS, that equates to 5981 Energy Foot Lbs; Extreme Spread 65.67; Standard Deviation 19.07, 10% or less of your average veloicty is supposed to be good, the lower the SD the more accurate the load, or so they say. With my Handloads for my 375 H&H, my SD is 4.01, that load shoots .250 to .300 groups at 100 yards!

At 2321 FPS with a 500 grain slug, If you set your sights for 1.25 inches high at 100 yards, this will put you dead on at 150 yards and only 3 inches low at 200 yards. I will have the iron sights set dead on at 50 yards, with QD Talleys and a 1X5 Leupold one inch or 30MM, didn't make up my mind yet. Not bad for a stopping rifle with almost 3 ton of energy!

With the Soft Points I shot 1.5 in group @ 50 yards, with the solids 1 5/8 in group. Both shot almost 3 inches high, almost dead center. I just have to file down my back sight a bit and I will be in business. My front sight bead wiped out the cross section of the target, I am sure I can do better when I get my scope. Then I will move back to 100 yards. But The Hornady factory fodder seems to shoot pretty fast. My barrel is 24 inches with the break, approximately 22in with the cap, no break.

So here you have it for now, thoughts and impressions are always welcome.

Regards.. Jim P

Jim, that's great. You definitely have a winner. Congrats!

Great looking rifles with all the right features. Congratulations!