I load the .458 Watts, which is essentially the twin to the Lott, except that the brass is 0.050 inches longer. I use either HDS (Bell) .458 Lott brass, or HDS (Bell) .458 cylindrical brass, which is 2.870 inches long. I trim the basic cases to 2.840 inches and leave the Lott cases at 2.800 inches. From what I have been told, the standard Lott reamer from Clymer is actually ground for the 2.850 case (I don't know this for a fact), so check your chamber, it may actually be for the longer case.

Now, for my serious loads, I load the 500 grain Speer AGS solids in the Lott brass, and either Hornady or Speer 500 grain softs in the basic brass, which I engrave with an electric engraver with the caliber. The reason for the different brass is that the solid is just enough shorter than the softs that I end up with vertually identical powder capacity and overall case length. I don't know how much it helps, but it doesn't hurt, as from a bench rest my rifle will put three of each load into a composite six shot group of under 1 inch at 100 yards (consistently). For my practice loads, I load everything in the Lott brass, as it is cheaper than the basic, and since I also shoot a .375 H&H I don't want to accidentally grab the wrong box. My rifle has a 24 inch barrel. The following are the loads I use in my gun, all are mild for my rifle. As with everything else, start 10%lighter, and work up:

All loads use a Federal 215 primer.

500 grain Speer or Hornady, Soft or Solid - 83.0 grains of IMR4320 for 2200 fps. In my rifle, I can go to 85.0 grains for 2310 fps, but 2200 is what Robertson suggests in "The Perfect Shot". With this load I have consistently made one shot kills on plains game out to a measured 243 yards (the longest shot taken so far with this rifle). I sight dead on a 100 yards, drop is 12" at 200 and 36" at 300 yards.

465 grain A-Square - 83.0 grains IMR 4064 or 83.0 grains of Scott 4065. My results with these two powders have been identical, 2360 fps. Unfortunately, Scott no longer makes 4065, and A-Sqaure no longer makes bullets.

450 grain Barnes-X 77.5 grains of IMR4320. This is basically the starting load in the Barnes reloading manual.I was given several boxes of these, so I use this as a practice and timber deer load. My problem with the 450 grain X in these cases is that it is as long as the 500 grain bullets, and IMHO does not gain you enough extra.

400 grain Barnes-X - 83.0 grains of IMR 4895 for 2450 fps. This is my general purpose North American hunting load for the Lott. (At the suggestion of Norbert)

400 grain Speer Flat Point - 75.0 grains of BLC-2. Seat the bullet to crimp in the forward canalure. This load produces 2370 fps in my rifle. These bullets are relatively cheap, so this makes a good practice load. Since these bullets are designed to be shot at about 1800 fps, I don't know what they would do on a deer, but too rapid expansion might be a concern.

Hope all of this helps.

L-N-B