After reading Unintended Consequences, I'm curious about this one. I see RCBS still offers dies for it, isn't it basically the same as a 500 A Square? Anybody know who this Buhmiller fellow is, is he still around? Thanks!

It should be said the other way around, A-square copied it. There are some dimensionaly differences, but yes, 460 Weatherby necked up to 50 cal.

John Buhmiller was a barrel maker from the Kalispell, Montana area. He died several years ago. If you look in P.O. Ackley's Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders you will find a section written by Buhmiller.

During the 1950's he made many trips to Tanganyika for culling hunts for ranchers.
He would go to Africa for months at a time.

During these hunts he experimented with many rifles and was the originator of the 460 Weatherby, he called it the 450 Magnum. He necked the 378 Weatherby to 458 and convinced Roy Weatherby to adopt the cartridge.

Buhmiller was in a constant battle with Ann Landers as she wrote many articles about him murdering the wildlife of Africa.

Friends of Buhmiller have told me that he wrote journals of all of his hunts and maintained them until his death. At the time of his death his wife and step son destroyed all of his journals and writings regarding his exploits and work with various calibers. They also disposed of all of his guns. Most of the people that knew Buhmiller well are now dead, however, when they were alive the stories were endless.

Steve

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Every man dies, but not every man really lives!!

[This message has been edited by Santala (edited 05-22-2002).]

You all won't believe this but Buhmiller also made a .510 on a straight H&H case. The bullet was the same diameter as the case. He made his own custom bullets from brass and german silver of a heel type. Weird stuff; but he said it worked like a dream.

Info from the 2000 Gun Digest.

-Catter

Elmer Keith suggested the 500 to Buhmiller,and Buhmiller ran with it.Buhmiller claimed it was the greatest elephant/cape buffalo round he had ever used,up to that point.

On his last safari,Buhmiller used what he called a 423 Buhmiller,and claimed it was more effective on elephant than any other cartridge he'd ever used.

This is not suprising,since in 1989 Ed Weatherby took the 423 Buhmiller,necked it down to .416 and called it the 416 Weatherby Magnum.Most people who have used that say it's pretty effective too.

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Wildcatter,
The 50 cal on an H&H case was an interesting trick by Mr. Buhmiller. The bullet had a rebated base that fit snuggly in the neck. The bullet flared out to bore size above the mouth of the cartridge. I think these were hard cast lead. The concept resembled a giant 22 rimfire bullet. The case must have been like a 470 Capstick with the "funny" bullet on top. I remember reading that he had good success in hunting with this .510 calliber H&H based round (call it the 510/375 Buhmiller), but he ended up preferring his 460 Weatherby progenitor, as did Roy Weatherby, obviously.