What is the proper weight, unloaded no scope, for a .458 Lott?

Define 'proper'.

George

Ideal, heavy enough to absorb recoil, while not being cumbersome

8 1/2 - 9 lbs.

I'd say 10lbs., perhaps a half-pound less if you spend the money to make the stock fit you correctly.

George

The weight is largly dependent on how much recoil you can handle and how much weight you are willing to lug around the jesse.

465h&H

T man,

First, welcome to AR.

I note you are still in school so we may presume you are on the young side of 25, yes? In any event, your questions on AR have been really basic ones. It might behoove you to conduct a little independent research, and since you're still in school I will assume you know how to do research, on the topic of all things related to African safari. You will find the time spent on this endeavor highly worthwhile and will retain what you learn much longer. Also, there is a search feature on this site (see the "Find" button at the top of every page) which you may find helpful as well. Many people "lurk" here for years, learning as much as they can, prior to posting.

A word of caution. Anyone can become an expert on any topic on the internet. Anecdotal information is not fact. AR has it's share of armchair experts and you won't recognize them until you gain some experience and knowledge yourself. You may not now be able to get the experience, due to your age and student status, but that doesn't prevent you from gaining knowledge.

My Ruger RSM in .458Lott weighs 11 lbs 6 oz on my postal scale with mount, rings and a Leupold 1.5-5x illuminated scope. That is heavy when you are carrying it for hours while tracking Ele in the bush.

Good luck in your academic pursuits and learning about safari.

Correct on the age assumption, I always figured you don't learn unless you ask.

T man,

You are as welcome here as is anyone else, no need to apologize for your age, no need to "lurk" for years before posting, and no need to be afraid to ask questions even if you haven't "researched" them beforehand. You are wasting no one's time here as this is an internet forum and if the self-anointed experts don't have the time to spare they need not post here. Most of them aren't really experts on much outside of their own egos anyway.

Speaking of internet experts, some are best ignored.

Dark Continent-

I don't see where you answered the OPs question.

As to your cheap shot apparently directed at me:
No where in my reply did I say anything other than in an attempt to offer a young man interested in hunting Africa some ways in which he might gain knowledge in an area he desires to know more about. He certainly wasn't wasting my time with his question, which I answered very specifically. Perhaps you should check your comprehension skills before you type a half-assed reply? Ya think?

To answer your Q, mine is 9 lbs 12 ozs.

Keith

Mine unloaded and unscoped is exactly 9lbs, it has a custom built stock, is great to carry and shooting at game is a pleasure.

I do enjoy shooting it on the range but at 9lbs it is not the kind of gun that you will spend all afternoon shooting and it is definitely not fun shooting it off the bench!

quote:

Ideal, heavy enough to absorb recoil, while not being cumbersome

FIT is more important than weight. If the gun fits it won't beat you up. It if doesn't fit it's like trying to dance in a bad suit.

My M70 458 Lott custom is 10.5# with scope, no ammo. 24" heavy Krieger barrel, factory stock with some modifaication for fit.

Men do not worry about the weight of the gun, lately it seems that the cartridge 458 Lott is little more than an air rifle and to abate a dangerous animal is required at least 50 BMG hehe.

Oscar.

I am in the process of having SSK build a few 458 Lotts on Winchester M70s. Nice turkish and English stocks, 22 inch barrels, and they will all come in at around 8.5 lbs.

Michael

This is highly personal and I found that over years as I gain experience (or my mind became accustomed to recoil) I could get by with less weight or more power. The trade off is lower weight is easier to carry and quicker handling but the recoil can effect your performance and you desire to shoot.

I started with a 375H&H and had that for many years before moving up to the 416Rigby. After more years I finally got a 458Lott and 505Gibbs.

I would think something along these lines more or less: (for me, 1/2 pound more would be better than less, and for full disclosure- I never hunted Africa)

375 - 8.5 pounds
416 - 9.5 pounds
458 - 10.5 pounds
505 - 12 pounds

The CZ 550 and Ruger RSM are both good ball park proper weight 458Lotts.IMHO. Both can be tweeked with addition of scope or a weight in the butt. Butt weight can be removed later. Or going the other direction, the CZ can get a lighter synthetic stock and barrel cut back.

As a beginner, I would be more concerned about getting too light a gun. Many many many shooters buy a big 458 shoot it once and sell it off later. I would rather see you start out with a 12 pounds lott and enjoy the shooting and over the years scale the weight down. Or like I did, start with a 375 (then 416)if you have not already. You may think you can handle the recoil but still develop a flinch.

My 458Lott is a CZ550 with a scope. I dont know the exact weight, but it is my absolute min. My 416 weights the same as my 458 and it is great fun to shoot, the Lott is a rude slap.

There is nothing macho about a short light gun, that is just what works best for a minority or veteran hunters.

This is a handy tool:
http://www.handloads.com/calc/recoil.asp

Maybe join a club and ask around which members shoot big bores and ask too try some big guns.

Contrary to prior advise reading wont help much to determine your personal recoil comfort zone. That is trial and error process which changes over time.

For practice or working with the gun a useful shooting aid is the PAST recoil vest. I like thin leather dress gloves with the 505.

quote:

Originally posted by Dark Continent:
T man,

You are as welcome here as is anyone else, no need to apologize for your age, no need to "lurk" for years before posting, and no need to be afraid to ask questions even if you haven't "researched" them beforehand. You are wasting no one's time here as this is an internet forum and if the self-anointed experts don't have the time to spare they need not post here. Most of them aren't really experts on much outside of their own egos anyway.
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Speaking of internet experts, some are best ignored.

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x2 . execellent post . .
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My CZ550 Lott weghed around 9 lbs after I fited it to myself . It was lively when I touched it off . As I use lighter than 500 gr bullets that helped reduce recoil . I found a 400 gr bullet @2500 fps was less bothetsome than the 500 gr @ 2300 fps .

quote:

My CZ550 Lott weghed around 9 lbs after I fited it to myself . It was lively when I touched it off . As I use lighter than 500 gr bullets that helped reduce recoil . I found a 400 gr bullet @2500 fps was less bothetsome than the 500 gr @ 2300 fps .

In that case what is your recommendation for a shooter, new to big bore guns, firing only the 20% heavier 500 gr factory load? That 400gr load seems pretty close to a 416.

Remember...Recoil is a momentary thing but gravity goes on forever!
RIch Elliott

Seems like from 9 to 10lbs thanks for the help everyone.

quote:

Originally posted by fourbore:

quote:

My CZ550 Lott weghed around 9 lbs after I fited it to myself . It was lively when I touched it off . As I use lighter than 500 gr bullets that helped reduce recoil . I found a 400 gr bullet @2500 fps was less bothetsome than the 500 gr @ 2300 fps .

In that case what is your recommendation for a shooter, new to big bore guns, firing only the 20% heavier 500 gr factory load? That 400gr load seems pretty close to a 416.

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I think it depends on what he plans to hunt with it . As long as there is adequet depth of penetration , the higher velocity helps rflatten trajectories . I had a bunch of 400 gr KBCs so I made up a good load for them . But I prefer the 350 gr bullets @ around 2700 fps . even better . . With the bears I have shot I havn,t seen the 458 s dump them any faster than the 416 s . But the both work pretty instantly!!
But , since the 458 expand to a greater diameter it makes sense that in a bad situation they would kill faster if the shot wasn,t perfect . .
Jeffeoso,s recomendation of using the 400 gr Remington fnsp bullet for blastin is execelent in my experience . Since several companies make the best lightr than 500 gr bullets , N.F. GS . Barnes , Swift ,Trophy Bonded . ect . I myself have no use for a 500 gf bullet in a 458 . But I,m not hunting Africa . Remember , BROWN BEARS ARN,T ELEPHANTS !!!!!!!
If I were to hunt Cape Buffalo I wouul use a 400 gr bullet if I was shooting a 458... I do believe the Cape Buffalo appears to be more shock resistant than a brown bear . but never having shot a buffalo I don,t know that .
. If the orig. poster wants to get good with his Lott . I mean so good he can easily and rapidly hit a coffee cup off hand with no shooting sticks or other stuff but his body and rifle . He should probably have a lighter than 500 gr load to practice with .

Had my Lott been stainless I would still have it . I would have bucked 5" off the barrel and it would be my go to rifle . It was blued so it went the way of all bluer guns I own . bye bye . but it was a great and fun rifle to own and shoot for 3 years ..
My blasting load was the Berry,s plated 350 round shouldered bullet with a less than max load of whatever powder I had on hand that was in the book.

Thats interesting, I used to think the American ammo loaders missed a bet not offering a 400gr bullet factory load in the 458 WinMag. Perhaps at 4000 ft-lbs reduced level for North American. Today that load in a Ruger Alaskan would be heck of a combination for those who could handle it and put it too use. I am not saying for me, but I understand.

Federal had an awesome load using the 400 gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claw @ around 2400 fps . Master Guide Kenny Schoonover used that load in his 458 Win . It just dumped bears in a big loose pile . I don,t know if they still sell that load .
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.off topic , but thats a problem we have up here . If your in Anchorage there is lots of guns , and reloading components available for immediate compulsive purchases . But only half of Alaska lives near Anchorage . The rest of us have to order stuff in , Since 9/11 ordering ammo, powder , primers is not to easy ..... Thats one good thing about the Lott . Its easy to make brass and to come up with a load that will kill something .

I just checked the brand new Midway master catalog and they list the 400 gr T B B C load in 458 Win mag .@ 2380 fps .
unfortunatly they don,t have anything in the Lott lighter than 500 gr. That 400 gr TB bullet will handle lots of velocity .