Been kicking around getting a Remington 798 in 458 win mag from either CDNN or gunbroker. However, I just noticed that there is a Whitworth in .458 win mag just posted on gunbroker today. The Whitworth is already the way I want it, iron sights, barrel band sling, however I wanted to add a larger magazine/bottom metal from Sound Metal Products.

I guess what I'm asking is this:

Buy the 798, chop the barrel to 24" add a barrel band sling swivel.

or

Buy the Whitworth and leave as is?

What do you think?

Once upon a time I had a Whitworth in 375 H&H and 458 Win Mag.

I would go with the Whitworth.

The only reason I quit using them is that I got into Double Rifles.

I really like my whitworth 458 a lot.
I've had it all over the place through the western sierras and the mountains of northern california after deer and bear.

It's accurate and handy (mine does moa over the iron sights), and it's configured nicely out of the box.

As with any wood-stocked production 458 rifle, be prepared to have it fully bedded and to have a second cross bolt installed in the stock.
Once that's done it's a forget-about-it and run it kind of deal.



Cheers
Tinker

For background, I currently have a Whitworth in 375 and a similar model in 30/06. I have handled and sold a number of the 798's and had good customer feedback on them. They are nice rifles for the money, but, on average, the Whitworths are generally finished a bit better. The earlier examples of the Whitworth are close to marvelous.
How do they each fit you. The comb and cheek piece on the Whitworth is lower, but for me still works well with iron sights and scope. The higher comb on the 798 works better for others. You might need to add a new pad to the Whitworth, the pads on them are getting old and hard. If you are into classic stocks with shadow line cheek piece, the whitworth is a good choice; if you prefer the more modern design and laminated stock or if you are going to replace the stock, the 798 might be a better choice.
Check the floor plate release on the 798, some have a release that uses a side push button, some have a front of trigger guard push forward release. If you are going to keep the bottom metal, most folks prefer the latter as found on the Whitworth for heavy kickers. You should be able to add the deep belly bottom metal to either one.
You got to beleive in a rifle like this, when you are hunting. Confidence, comes from your gut. Trust that feeling when you decide.
Just some thoughts from a guy behind a the gun counter.
Bfly

Take a look at Joe Miller's Interarms Alaskan 458 in the classified section. Includes a Leupold scope and has the desirable inside TG floorplate release. Or the ZKK602 458 for $900 (the stock carving appears shallow enough to sand out if you don't like it).

The advantage of the Whitworth is that it already is at the format that you want the Remington to be in.

And, certainly here in UK, it is not so much the cost of having the work done but the time it takes.

Plus on the Whitworth you catually can see the quality of the work, good or bad, to get the iron sights and barrel ban fitted whereas on the 798?

What is the idea of the larger bottom metal? I thought that these Whitworth rifles were five shot even in 458?

Me? There is something just that bit "classic" about the Whitworth (and the BRNO ZKK 602) that the makes the 798 seem somehow "soul less".