The most recent Barnes Reloading Manual (page 719) reports maximum velocities for their 600 grain "Original" bullet approaching 2050 fps in a 458 Winchester Magnum. I have never shot this particular bullet, but frankly this reported velocity seems pretty high. Has anyone tried this bullet weight and achieved this level of velocity? I would also be interested in hearing about your experience with this bullet in the 458 Winchester.

The 458 Win Mag doesn't even have enough powder capacity to handle the 500 gr bullet properly, and I certainly doubt you could get 2050 fps with the 600 gr bullet, in a hunting rifle, if you fired it on the moon! Imo the 458 WM is about at it's limit with a 480 gr bullet,and I think the 450 gr bullet is better for that case size! The 600 gr bullet was designed for cartridges like the 458 LOTT, or 460 WBY, but is not even needed for either of those!

That is certainly my opinion as well, which caused me to post this question as to these seemingly very high reported velocities in the Barnes Manual for the 600 grain bullet.

I have found the 400 grain Woodleigh Protected Point or 450 grain Swift A-Frame bullets to perform the best on non-thick skinned game in my 458 Winchester.

I feel that the 450 or 480 gr bullets should be used in the .458 winnie, 500 gr bullets in the .458 lott and then for the large case .450's such as the weatherby and the Rigby utilise that case space and drive the 600 gr bullet as fast as the lott drives a 500, I reckon thats the way to use those baby's

Don, I will be using the 400gr Woodleigh PP in my 458 from now on (already bought and expansion tested 'em (excellent!)). I shot my first moose with a 400gr Speer FN but that doesn't seem to be designed for those velocities.

(Don't have no hunting experience with neither Hornady 500gr RN's, which I shoot quite regularly, nor the 600gr. Seems like the 458 Win Mag is the most "hated" caliber on Accurate. Can't quite figure out why. Isn't it responsible for the most elephants shot to this day? If so, how can it be so damn bad? Read in Elmer Keith's old letters that the 458 had huge problems some decades back. But those problems must surely be fixed with modern powders and primers?)

Btw: I used to live in Aurora, Denver, for nine months in 2001. Absolutely LOVE the Rockies! Did some hiking around Estes Park, like the Twin Sisters, Black Lake, and so forth. But never made it up onto Longs Peak

Always had a triple espresso at Starbucks in Boulder on the way back from the hikes

Exabit,
To explain per your request, the 458 was a poorly designed round from the offset...It did not have nor has it now enough powder capacity for 500 gr. bullets, at proper pressure levels...

The reason it has been used so much as when it came to be it was the only whore in town and that sold a lot of rifles, the boys in Africa handloaded them and they got by with them and still do, but the caliber is a pain and should be chambered out to the .458 Lott..

You can handload the .458 to suitable velocity and then its perfectly usable, but problems can occur with these handloads....

These problems still exist, they never did go away, what happened is the factories loaded them down...I chronographed my 21" barrel .458 Win just the other day with several brands of factory ammo and never broke 2000 FPS....If I keep it then it will become a 458 Lott. I can handload this rifle to almost 2100 with a 500 gr. bullet and thats OK, but doesn't blow my skirt up. If I am going to get abused I want something to show for it...

Hornady or Federal recently pulled its enhanced 458 Win off the market, guess what, the boys in Africa were getting there bolts locked up according to Man Magnum magazine, nope that problem is still with us...

A 26" barrel combined with Varget or H4895 would probably solve all the 458 Winchesters ills I suspect....Ball powder will only add to the calibers problems..