Was looking thru the used gun rack at the local shop the other day and found a bolt action chambered in 458-2. The action was short (308) length? What the heck is this good for?
Russ

Whatever the 45-70 and 450 Marlin are good for.

It sounds like it's chambered for the .458x2" wildcat (a round I've wanted to 'play with' for a while).

As Jackfish says, it is roughly equivalent to the .45-70 and .450 Marlin; its main 'benefit' is that it can be used in compact bolt-actions without too much work.

It would work for most North American game if they come within range, and a good number of plains game in Africa, too.

Get a chamber cast BEFORE you buy it, just to make sure of what it is.

George

I believe it is also referred to as the .458 American. The idea was that the .458 Win. was too powerful for North American game so the originator simply shortened the .458 Win. case to 2". Ballistics appear to be the same as a hot loaded .45-70 or the .450 Marlin, or a downloaded .458 Win. for that matter. A fellow around my area is crazy about the round and has had two Mausers built for it.

I have one on a vz-24 and the primary benefit is the use of any 458 bullet made which is not the case with most 45-70's or 450 Marlins. I set mine up with a Williams foolproof originally but have changed to an Ashley. It was intended for Bear up close.
Making the cartridge is really easy. Just cut the 458 WM brass down with a hacksaw (I stuff a wood dowell in it first) trim and champfer then load and go to the range. It shoots like any other Big-Bore and might be considered heavy for a woods rifle but I prefer that look and feel.
It is out for a blueing at the moment but I will have it back for the season.
Love it.
Frank

I had one built long ago and loved the thing. And, Frank, the 458/2" is the SHORTEST cartridge around based on the belted magnum case. No need to make them out of .458 cases at all. Truth is you can make the 458 American case out of ANY belted case. Just run them thru a file trim die and cut off whatever sticks out. My brass was made out of everything from a 264 WM on up.

If anyone thinks this cartridge isn't up to anything in this hemisphere, I wish they had been with me the day I shot a 400 gr CAST bullet at a gate post made out of a piece of 6" steel. The CAST bullet punched thru BOTH sides of the pipe and then went beyond and cut off a mesquite limb 75 yds further that was the diameter of my wrist.

It can be safely loaded up significantly hotter than 45/70 and anyone who can do his part at the marksmenship needent worry about this cartridge bringing them home. I would face anything on this continent with one.

Don't under-estimate it.

Actually I think there is also a 458x1.5. I made some up a long, long time ago and if I can find them I will post. It may have been a stunt but I recall it from maybe cartridges of the world.
I use the 458wm cuz I have lots and I like the 458 being on the headstamp. You are right that any of that brass family will work.
Agree with you on the power. It will do anything we need on this side.
Frank

ifin it were me, and there wasn't dies with the package, I'ld run a 450 marlin reamer in it (just to raise the belt) and be done with it...

the "diff" between the 450 marlin and 458x2 is
1: suggested operation pressure (458 is higher)
2: belt

and that's IT...

sounds like a fun gun, hope you got it

jeffe

Frank, let us know if you can find the 458 x 1.5 inch. I don't know of it but that sure does not mean such a thing never existed.

The 458 x 2" was a perfect cartridge for the cast bullet fan. I blew away a lot of stuff and had a lot of fun hunting with mine. Accuracy was superb.

I miss that gun.

That was the .458x1.5" Barnes.

458x1.5" Barnes

Historical Notes:

The 458x1.5 inch, which was never intended to be anything except an abstract experiment, has surfaced in a number of roles including a military one. It all goes back to 1962 when Frank C. Barnes was playing around with the 458 Winchester Magnum and cutting it off to various lengths that finally culminated in the 458x2 inch. All this was reported in the June 1963 issue of Guns & Ammo magazine. Nothing noteworthy developed with this very short version as a sporting round until the metallic silhouette game came into bloom, at which point several individuals built up special silhouette pistols based on the Remington XP-100 action and chambered for the 458x1.5 inch. One of these was Larry Stevens of Carlson City, Nevada, who won a number of matches in the unlimited class with this combination. He reports the recoil with bullets over 300 grains as being rather heavy.

General Comments:

The 458x1.5 inch will certainly knock down metallic pigs and rams when fired from either a pistol or a rifle. Also, a 300 grain bullet exiting the muzzle at 1500 fps to 1800 fps is a potent field load and could be effective for anything from small game and varmints on up to deer sized animals. The cases are easily made by cutting off a standard 458 Winchester Magnum case for a length of 1.5 inches. No one makes loading dies for the cartridge, but one can improvise by using 45 Colt or other 45 pistol dies.


Source: Cartridges of the World


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458x1.5" Barnes Reloading Data
Bullet (grs.) Powder / (grs.) MV ME Barrel
300 JSP IMR 4198 / 40.0 1805 2180 24"
300 JSP IMR 4198 / 40.0 1680 1885 15"
*350 JSP 2400 / 23.0 1376 1470 12"
*350 JSP 2400 / 24.0 1435 1602 12"
*430 JSP IMR 4227 / 26.0 1348 1740 12"
* Loading data furnished by Larry Stevens

George

Thanks George. I can't find my book but did find some of the cases from my experiments.
Frank

Yes, George, thanks for the update on the 1.5" version of this cartridge. The more I thought about it, the more my subconscious kept telling me Frank was right...there was such a critter.

Most of the loads I shot in my 2" were big round nosed cast bullets, which I hollow pointed. At any rate, they were most likely loaded down to about what the 1.5 would call max.

While the 1.5 would have its uses, the 458 x 2" most certainly does. It was designes SPECIFICALLY as a short cartridge capable of taking anything in America, including the bears. And I believe it would do so in fine style.