Hey guys,

Just thought I'd post a pic of my new but ugly.458
It's a Zastava M70 that is fitted with a Hogue stock and topped with a Millet 2-8x40 scope.

This particular rifle started life with a walnut stock. I was quite happy to keep this stock on the rifle as long as a few little changes were made to it.
You see upon purchasing the rifle, the gunshop admitted that even though the rifle was in as-new condition with only 20 rounds to its name, it was on its second stock. The first stock only lasting 20 rounds before splitting!
Not wanting this to be the case second time around, the rifle was sent to Kudu Services Gunsmithing (who specialise in big bores) for Bob to work his magic on it.
The rifle was going to be bedded, crossbolted and anything else he thinks needs doing to the stock to make it live on the big rifle. I also wanted an ebony tip fitted to the stock that I had already stained and tru-oiled.
After explaining this all to Bob, he simply replied that he couldn't recommend spending all the money required to do all these mods on the factory Zastava stock.
He instead recommended fitting a synthetic stock to it which threw me a bit as I hadn't really planned on that. I'd already stained and Tru-oiled the walnut stock! He then proceeded to produce a Hogue aluminium pillar bedded stock and promptly replied that this would do the trick.
As it wasn't a direct drop in (modification to the safety and a little bit of fitting was required) I left it with him to do the minor fitting that was required.

In the meantime I did a little bit of research on the Hogue stocks as I wanted to make sure it would handle the recoil of the big .458 (Bob said it would).
After asking a couple of people who have Hogue's on their .458's and then reading up on the Ruger M77 Hawkeye Alaskan in .416 Ruger that comes factory fitted with the aluminium pillar bedded Hogue stock (same as mine), I was confident it would.

Looking at the .416 Ruger cartridge it is a little powerhouse, firing a 400gr projectile at some 2400fps. I believe that this round would have substantial recoil and if the Hogue was seen fit to be fitted to a rifle firing this round I see it having no problems with the .458.

When the rifle returned home with the Hogue fitted I attached a Millet 2-8x40 scope on it and it was ready to go!
I had a grand total of 7 Winchester factory rounds to put through it while I was waiting for some powder to arrive so I could load up some of my own.
After using 4 rounds to roughly sight it in, the rifle proceeded to put the next 3 shots into under half an inch at 50 meters. I was pretty happy with this as I was only shooting off the bonnet of my car and it had been a while since I fired a .458 - they kick!
A couple of other things that I found pleasing with this rifle/setup was,
a.) this is the only .458 I've owned that feeds factory ammo smoothly without needing any work done to it.
b.) Not once did the scope hit me - even wound up to 8 power.

So there you have it, the story of my latest .458 (this is my 4th..)
It's accurate, not to heavy, points well and feels good in the hands. The only thing that bugs me a bit is it's... well... ugly!
It certainly doesn't have the nice clean lines of the Winchester M70 .458 I used to own, or the elegant safari rifle 'look' that my custom CZ550 .458 had.
But I think I can live with that as long as I remember that it should be a functional, reliable and durable dangerous game rifle.


Even if it is ugly!

Should be a good stomper.

Looks good to me.

Dave

Nothing ugly about a good shooting rifle,good luck with it.

Awesome! I've got a project going now some might consider ugly (others downright heritical), but think it's going to be a solid rifle. If it goes like I think it will...an "ugly" 458 will be next!

quote:

Originally posted by badboymelvin:
Even if it is ugly!

I have a Zastava Whitworth Express 375 H&H that looks exactly like that rifle, so it looks good to me!

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As I get older and want to spend less time doing wood stocks myself, synthetics look better all the time!!!!!!

That aluminum bedded Hogue stock is fine. You also have plenty of room in the forearm and butt to add weight to help the recoil. I added a Graco adjustable buttplate (not the LOP one, but the one that rotates and drops) to my Hogue on my 243 Win. That could be a good add as well.

For ammo, 72 gr of Accurate 2230 with 450 gr Northfork Solids and Softpoints, some POI, 2,225 FPS. Load to 3.34 or even back a hair to hit the bottom of a pressure relief groove.

It looks like an honest to god working rifle to me! Regarding the Hogue stock, I have three on "heavy hitters" and they are great. Enjoy your new rifle.

Looks like a solid using rifle to me and if you want it is easy to slim those Hogue stocks with a sureform rasp and sandpaper as there is a half inch or more of the soft rubber covering a harder core.

And Phil knows a thing or two about ugly rifles. Get out the Rustoleum!

In my experience with the Houge Overmold stock on a 458 . They soak up lots of recoil.
Your rifle looks like a Mark X or Whitworth Express. Which if it is , it should have an under barrel recoil lug . I put my Spruce King ( stainless M77 Mkll , Shilen SS 458 barrelled) into a Huge and bedded the ubrl in the forearm with Marine Tex or JB Weld , can't remember. It worked fine and was very mild mannered. The Houge Overmold stock in my view is kinda a pseudo Coil Check stock. By its very shape it helps deal with recoil . And they don't slide around , At All.
I wonder how the Millet will hold up ? Did your smith change the bases to 8×40 screws ?

Thanks for the kind replies guys.

I guess the rifle isn't 'ugly' as such, it's just untraditional in its appearance compared to the other big bores I've owned. But it's showing promise in the accuracy department and feels good in the hands so I'm happy.

I've left the base screws standard and I'm hoping they will be fine - same with the Millet scope. Before purchasing the scope I read up a bit about it and Millet states that this scope is "Shockproof to absorb the heaviest recoil without failure".
So that sound positive. Fingers crossed!

In 2 months time I've got a guided Fallow 'meat' hunt in which I can harvest as many deer as I see for meat, providing they are not of trophy quality. For this hunt I'm taking the .458 with me for 2 reasons. Firstly, it's the only centrefire I currently own and secondly I'm dying to use it in the field.

The load I've decided to use is slightly overkill but it's the standard load that I've used in my .458's. It's the 500gr Woodleigh PP with 74grs of 2206H (H4895). I haven't chronographed it in this particular rifle yet (still waiting for powder to load up some) but it should deliver a strong 2150fps with the 24" barrel.

I thought about loading up some lighter projectiles like the 300 TSX for this hunt but seeing that I've already got some Woodleigh 500gr PP stashed away that I need to use up, I'll be using these instead.
They have always proved to be very accurate in all the rifles I've used them in - and with their BC of .378 and sighted in 3" high at 100m they shoot flat enough to handle big game out to 200m or so.
While I'm certainly not calling that a flat trajectory, it's fine for the kind of terrain that I do my deer hunting in.
Will keep you all posted on how the load development goes but I gotta tell you, I'm getting excited just writing about it!

Never anything wrong with a good old fashioned working rifle and there is not much that can't be done with that one!

Nice!

Jim

Depending on how often your shots will be at 200 + further. Or if most of your shots will be in the 100+ m distance. 3" high at 100 is pretty high . But , if you are used to a 3" high @ 100 zero. Disregard.
One thing I can tell you about shooting deer with a 458 500 gr bullet . at normal 458 Win velocities. If you want to save as much meat as you can. Try to not hit major bones . other than the top of the neck. My favourite shot is somewhere near broadside. Top of the lungs and just under the spine. Most of the time it knocks the deer down from spinal concussion and they bleed out before they get their wit's back. A front or rear heartshot works great also. With a tough , heavy 458 bullet . You can eat right up to the bullet hole. Just don't hit a bone bigger than a rib.