I wanted to share my first big bore experience with you all. I think it will prove to be addictive (the shock therapy, not the sharing).

A friend brought his old Ruger #1 in 458 WinMag ("out of the box" 30 years ago). I bought some Federal 350gr factory loads to get a first taste. It was an eye-opening experience. I stood with it while a friend videotaped. I was impressed and will be using the fired cases to load up some 500gr stuff soon. Just to compare I fired some hot handloads standing with my 300WinMag - muzzle jump looked like nothing.

Then another guy on the range gave me his 416 Rigby to try (400gr Solid at 2300fps). Felt similar to the 458, a real shot to the shoulder.

But all of that was chump change compared to the next piece. The same guy that let me try his 458 also had a 50-140 3-1/4. He had it loaded all the way up, with a 600gr cast bullet and 140gr of blackpowder. I took a very upright seated position on the bench and held on tight with both hands. When I touched the first one off, well I can't really remember how I felt. The cloud of smoke obscured the range for a few seconds and I realized that it had nearly knocked the wind out of me. I shot two more before taking a break.

In the coming weeks I hope to take a few shots with a wildcat one the regulars designed: a 50-140 necked down to 416. He puts 140gr of blackpowder behind a 400gr cast bullet.

I'll be looking for some shooting sticks soon. Would a single crutch work as a monopod?

[ 10-07-2003, 22:46: Message edited by: Gonzo FreakPower ]

Probably that 50-140 hurts because of lousy stock design. If you get a 500 A-square, 505 gibbs or 500 jeffery in the 11-12 pound range with a properly built stock (straight comb) and top notch pad, it will be much easier to live with than any of the stocks on those single shot black powder rifles.

You can really tame that Ruger #1 by throwing out that sorry excuse for a recoil pad. While you have it off, drill a hole in the stock and add a mercury tube. Then install a Kick-EEZE or Decelerator pad. If you thought the 350 grain loads were bad, wait till you touch off the 500 grain loads (if loaded to max).
I have a conversion #1 in 470, and with heavy 500 grain loads it is not really that bad, because I did the above mentioned things to it.

Congrats the bigbores are addictive and a heap of fun

Ken---Try some Barnes 600grs at 2000fps in the Lott.Shoot standing up only! Kicks on both ends.

I'll bet that 50-140 was a Sharps reproduction. In that case it had a crescent steel buttplate. That configuration causes shoulders to hurt just lookin' act it. Put a recoil pad on that Sharps and it will feel more like a 300 magnum than a 458.

I don't think it was a Sharps repro. If my (shaken) memory serves, it had "Navy Arms" on the barrel, which was Octagon to the tip of the fore-end and slowly contoured round from there. It had a plain rubber pad on the stock, nothing fancy but certainly not a crescent. This was created as a shooter, not a display piece.

And, I shoot a 300WinMag more than anything and I can say that even the hottest loads don't come close to the 458WinMag (350gr Federal) and certainly not that 50-140.

Thanks for the encouragement so far. It's inspired me to another post here, about the feasibilty of a 458WinMag with a 1/4" extra chamber to seat bullets further out.