A second rifle was borned and now all growed up:

CZ 550 Magnum action.

An old/early Lux stock (the one with the rounded cheek piece from the factory, and no cross bolt at the wrist) now has two cross bolts in the traditional locations fore and aft of the magazine box, and a Kick-eze pad.

A McGowen barrel, stainless, 1 in 12" twist, 22" long, 0.750" at the muzzle, sporter contour, with recoil lug added, barrel band sling base, PME Pre-64 African style express rear sight, NECG banded-hooded front sight.

Leupold 2.5X in Warne QD-lever low rings.

Velocities from the 22" McGowen barrel were very close to the ones from the 25" CZ barreled 45 Lapua.

22" velocities, 90 degrees F:
500 grain Hornady RNSP/99 grains RL-15: 2441 fps ave, 3 fps ES, for three shots.
500 grain Hornady FMJ/99 grains RL-15: 2463 fps, 3 fps ES, for three shots.

25" velocity, 85 degrees F:
500 grain Barnes Original RNSP/99 grains of RL-15: 2433 fps, ES 3fps, for 3 shots.

Different bullets and different barrels.
It is amazing that the 99 grain load of RL-15 is so consistent in all three combinations.

105 grains of H4831 for the 416 Rigby.
99 grains of RL-15 for the 45 Lapua.
Magic.

BTW, the Norma factory load for the 9.3x62mm is very accurate, containing the 232 grain Vulkan soft point: 0.306" for three shots at 100 yards, in the CZ 550 Medium FS, with the tiger striped walnut full stock from the factory, straight out of the box.

CZ rifles are fantastic. I even like the Lux stock.

[ 07-21-2003, 06:04: Message edited by: DagaRon ]

Faultless, but for grammar and spelling.

Now to spice it up a bit.

For some reason the 22" McGowen barrel shoots the 350 grain Hornady to near the same point as the 500 grain Hornady. 350 grainer only about 2" higher than the 500 grainer.

107 grains of RL-15 gave 2772 fps in the 22" McGowen barrel, though it gave 2799 fps in the 25" barrel from CZ. Both with 350 grain Hornady.

Same bullet this time in both barrels, though it only lost 9 fps per inch that was chopped.

Could the shorter and heavier contoured McGowen barrel with faster twist be vibrating/oscillating less at the muzzle and keeping the different weight bullets closer together on target?

The CZ barrel is pretty thin for a .458, and it throws the 350 grainers and 500 grainers about 8 inches apart as compared to the 2 inches apart for the McGowen. Both are vertical spreads, and at 50 yards.

I might be able to get the 350 grain X-Bullet to hit close enough to the 500 grainers to make a useful combo, I do believe.

Marvelous, simply marvelous.

Maybe faultless.

I know you guys are so amazed that you are speechless.

Anyway, I enjoy printing out my Magic loads for posterity.

Filed away in the 457 Faultless Express binder.

I know this may be a bit advanced for the newbie, but they might just want to consider foresaking all other big bores and build a 45 Lapua to go with a .375 H&H, for a two rifle battery.

Or just get a .416 Rigby, for a one rifle battery.

Do not waste your time with the decrepit 404 Jeffery or the me-too-for-sissies 400 H&H.

O.K., guys, no more private emails on this puppy. Let's keep the fan mail and hate mail for this ultimate .458 public.

If the .416 rigby is the 22 PPC of big bores, then the 45 Lapua is the 6 mm PPC.

No one can touch it. Best .458 bolt action cartridge, period.

Superior to the 460 Weatherby, 450 Rigby, 460 G&A, and 450 Dakota in feeding and extraction. A better shoulder than any of them.

The .458 Lott huffs and puffs at 2250 fps with 500 grainers in a 24" barrel. True, the Lott can shoot .458 Win Mags in a pinch, and does have a skinnier cartridge that gives total rifle capacity of six instead of five with the sleek and trim little 45 Lapua CZ 550. In all other areas the 45 Lapua is superior.

No dependence on brass of questionable quality or availability at exorbitant price. The Lott brass situation is almost as good, not quite, overall, however, as the 45 Lapua.

Uses readily available .338 Lapua brass of best quality. Proper headstamp by adding "45" to the head by engraving or stamping. That brass is designed for handling 60,000 to 70,000 psi, and will last forever at the 40,000 to 50,000 psi range in the 45 Lapua.

Easy +2400 fps with any 500 grain bullet in a 22" barrel with the most excellent RL-15 powder.

Make your own rifle chambering reamer and ammo reloading dies from components off the shelf.

This rifle can be field ready at 9.5 to 10.5 lbs., depending on the configuration. Perfect.

Irrefutably perfect, 45/.338 Lapua Magnum = 457 Faultless Express.

No one can top this as a Dangerous Game Rifle cartridge. If anyone needs more than this in a bolt action, then they are hopeless.

PS: With the 45 Lapua, an epochal epiphany has arrived. I have now done it all and seen it all that is worth doing in the big bore bolt action department. Now, let us hunt.
Aloha

edit: Magazine capaacity of the new rifle in 45 Lapua is 4 down plus one chambered. The CZ 550 Magnum action appears to hold 5 down in 460 G&A and maybe six down in .458 Lott with minor alterations. Ribbed versus un-ribbed CZ magazine box gives a tad more room, and a minor change with pillar bedding can add a bit more ... unwittingly?

[ 07-23-2003, 04:04: Message edited by: DagaRon ]

Hey DagaRon,

My 460 G&A holds 5 down in a slightly modified CZ 550 magazine. I guess I'll settle for a tie with your Lapua effort.

Have you seen the 2003 Summer issue of The Double Gun Journal? Whittome wrote an article about making and proofing his falling block 2 bore rifle. Just picked it up and haven't read it yet, but did gather that it is a 20 dram charge of black powder or so...

Best regards - redleg

Ron,

I think my .465 H&H will be a better hunting rifle, as soon as a few details are finished.

Like building the rifle.

jim

Redleg155,
O.K., you got a good one there. This is just another Jack and Elmer nit picking exercise. I confess. You can be Jack and I'll play Elmer, and I will be agreeable this time. Tie.

Your comment about magazine capacity got me to try my latest 45 Lapua rifle for capacity, which I had not even done yet. It appears that the pillar bedding job altered it a hair's depth and it easily holds 4 down and one in the chamber. The extractor also snaps over the pushfed 5th cartridge as the bolt is closed. All 4 from the box CRF as slick as greased owl poop. Now I am in high cotton, outstanding in my field, or out squatting.

You only have me beat by one in the magazine. I shall correct the above post.

The other CZ .416 actions I have tried would hold 4 in the magazine, but the top cartridge was always too tight to feed well. Pillar bedding by my gunsmith fixed this one somehow. And, the ribless .416 Rigby box still seems a tight enough fit between the action and floorplate, no rattle, and the floorplate release works perfectly, no signs of binding or stress.

I've got a 5-shooter 45 Lapua.

Yep, I've seen the Double Gun Journal. The author says there has never been a shouldered fired side by side 2-bore. Maybe a punt gun though. Regulating that one would be a feat!

Jim,
Be sure to keep the pinky fingers extended on both hands when firing your .465 HaHa. Really, if I wanted something bigger than the 45 Lapua, the 470 Mbogo would be prefered over the belted .465 HaHa anytime.

Cheers!

Dammit! Breeder says cz. You sez cz. Everybody else sez cz. I guess I'll just have to look for a couple or three of them critters for my future conversions and wait forever to fire them as gunsmithing is time consuming(2-3 yrs)

Yep, CZ's are great actions, as is or customized. My new 5-shooter 45 Lapua has room in the magazine to seat the 500 grain X-Bullets out on a 100% load density of RL-15. The 600 grain Barnes Original RNSP is about the same length as the 500 grain X-Bullet, and I have 100 of those to play with. Maybe a slower powder for the .458 caliber 600 grainers? Just for kicks and curiosity. I want to see if I can make this pillar bedded and cross bolted Lux stock hurt me. It is ever so comfortable so far. It is faultless on the 457 Faultless Express Five-Shooter.

Damn,DR--Evidently you have fired too many hot loads lately. My shoulder is twitching thinking about your attempt to get your cannon to hurt. Guess I'm wimping out. OUCH

475Guy,
That CZ Lux stock tames recoil wonderfully. Never mind that the elitist sycophants are afraid to be seen shouldering a Lux stock because it is not their style. They are the sorts that have the hots for the 400 HaHa and 465 HaHa cartridges. I think they might be a little light in the loafers.

Dagaron,

I would have to agree that the Hogs Back is comfy and I don't mind it's looks.

The standard hogsback will be staying for my lott. Although it will be crossbolted/bedded etc.

PC,
Excellent way to get a six-or-seven-shooter .458 Lott. I found that I had to get a slightly higher front sight bead to shoot spot on at 100 yards with the Hornady factory ammo, which I duplicated with 84 and 85 grains of RL-15 and the solid and soft Hornady bullets. Dropping the floor plate just a hair would allow six down and one up for a seven-shooter .458 Lott. I can cram six .458 Lotts into my magazine now, but the top one is a jam. Wouldn't be hard to fix that. It was a slick feeding 5+1 with only a little polishing of ramp and rails.
Cheers!

Congratulations, Dagaron.
You went trought with this project, and this sounds really good. Nice performances from this rifle/cartridge of yours.

Now I'll have to see if I can get a oppotuninty to copy you.

Im thinking of changing barrel in my 460wby(Brno 602), to a 500 A-Square. And then I'll have to build a new .458", and I think a 45/338LM might be the thing.

DagaRon...

We need to get together and shoot some. How far are you from Indianapolis. I have access to ranges near Indianaplis (on company property) as well as across Indiana and just Northeast of Columbus, Ohio - private range there. Drop me one of those "private messages" and maybe we can hook up over the next 12 months or so...?

Best regards -- redleg

Arild,
Sir, you have the honor of introducing me to the concept of the 45/.338 Lapua Magnum, way back, a couple years ago, you mentioned it here. It fermented in my head for a while and won out over the other .458's for many good reasons. It is Superior, thanks. Anybody and everybody ought to have a 45 Lapua or two.
Cheers!

redleg,
You being a West Pointer and all, you won't hold it against me that I am a West Point dropout will you? I was the only plebe in my company (B-2) that made Expert with the rifle, and I thought "Beast Barracks" was the only fun time I had in the Hudson Highlands. It just got boring as hell after that.

I should have been in the Class of '76, but I flew the coop (right after Tricky Dick called it quits and announced they were pulling out of Viet Nam) and ended up becoming a USAF flyboy for 4 years, eventually. So I have been honorably discharged twice, once as a cadet, and once as a captain.

It would be interesting to see how the West Point character shaping (brainwashing) affected you. They couldn't house train me so let me go. ...

... about that last silhouette at 300 hundred yards that wouldn't fall, the only "miss" I had with the M-16: I think it was because I shot the center out of it with my preceding shots, and the bullet passed through the hole without touching. I only missed one shot, the last one, and that was a pisser. Could they have purposely kept the last one up to prevent me from making a perfect score, as part of the hazing or brainwashing? I wouldn't put it past them. I was seventeen years old then. What did I know ... marching songs!

A yellow bird,
With a yellow bill,
Landed on my window sill.
I lured him in
With crumbs of bread,
And then I smashed his f-ing head ...

or

Two old ladies layin' in bed,
One rolled over to the other and said:
"I wanna be an Airborne Ranger.
I wanna live a life of danger,
I wanna go to Viet Nam,
I wanna kill some Charlie Cong ..."

So what marching songs did you guys jog to, eh?
I'll send you an email.
Cheers!

Ahhh...

DagaRon,

Listen to the Moody Blues song, "Knights in White Satin," then you'll appreciate staying 4 years in prison.

If you should've been class of 1976, then at least you would have beaten the women cadets out of there.

I must make a public statement at this time: There are only deserving cadets/graduates now and when I was there (1989-1993) there were several women who deserved the honor - they were class acts.

Having said that, when do you want to shoot?

- Redleg

Redleg,
When it gets cooler! We shall compare your 460 G&A six-shooter to my 45 Lapua five-shooter in a course of rapid fire, or whatever.

BTW, if there had been women to brighten up the place, I might have stayed.

DagaRon,

Well put. I can only look forward to putting several 500 grain projectiles in their proper place together...

Send me a "PM" and we'll link up sometime...

Best - redleg

Hey Guys-- Do any of you have a Video Cam, and can vid the whole thing? Huh, Huh??

45 Lapua starting load for the 600 grainers:

600 grain 0.049" jacket Barnes Original RNSP
Lapua brass
F215 primer
83 degrees F
22"
H4831SC 100.0 grains
three shots
Ave velocity = 2014 fps
ES = 5 fps

Very accurate, mild primer appearance and ease of extraction, Case head expansion </= 0.001"

These can be seated out to 3.800" col in the CZ 550 magazine, which is 3.85" long.

There is room for a lot more powder, so 2150 fps should be easy, and who needs to move a 600 grain .458 bullet any faster than that?

Maybe the best all around choice for any .458 is the 450 grain bullet weight?

Until the 450 grain X-Bullets arrive for testing, here are some 350 and 500 grain X-Bullet loads, with the bullets seated with bullet base at the neck-shoulder juncture of the case. No intrusion past the neck into powder space. My starting loads:

500 grain X, 22" barrel, COL 3.836"
RL-15
95 grains: 2356 fps
96 grains: 2372 fps
97 grains: 2385 fps

350 grain X, 22" barrel, COL 3.590"
RL-15
103 grains: 2707 fps
104 grains: 2725 fps

Next, some hotter loads of 600 grain Barnes Originals, 500 and 350 grain X-Bullets, and some 400 and 450 grain X-Bullets, hopefully. Then some 400 and 500 grain Swift A-Frames.

If only the buggers toting 404 Jeffery rifles coulda had 45 Lapua's, safari hunting woulda had a safer reputation.

Aloha

[ 08-03-2003, 07:48: Message edited by: DagaRon ]