458 Win Mag double rechamber

Dave
DRSS
Chapuis 9.3X74
Chapuis "Jungle" .375 FL
Krieghoff 500/.416 NE
Krieghoff 500 NE

"Git as close as y can laddie an then git ten yards closer"

"If the biggest, baddest animals on the planet are on the menu, and you'd rather pay a taxidermist than a mortician, consider the 500 NE as the last word in life insurance." Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading (8th Edition).

20 August 2012, 06:59

PWS

Yes and Champlin's even makes this suggestion on thier website. Of course, it may not be a quick and easy (and cheap) thing to do.

20 August 2012, 07:24

Mike Brooks

Yes it can and has been done before. Even with a slightly 'loose'458 the 450 3 1/4 will clean up the old chamber.

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DRSS

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20 August 2012, 07:28

Biebs

Dave, I've heard about $600-$700 to have it done. This assumes that the rifle can be loaded to regulate in the new caliber. Lots of 458 DRs have been rechambered to 450 NE.

20 August 2012, 08:37

MacD37

JJ has done many of them and as someone above said they recommend it.

From Champlin's Rechabering the 458 Win Mag double rifle:
In the 60's a fairly large number of double rifles had been built in 458 Winchester mainly because of the disapperance of Kynoch ammunition. Today the 450 3 1/4 and 450#2 are available. Why keep a high pressure rimless round, when the nitro express calibers will achieve at least the same ballistics with the positive extraction of a rimmed case? $240.00 plus regulation if needed

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20 August 2012, 20:13

dpcd

The actual rechambering should cost nowhere near $6-700; it is a very easy reaming job with very little metal to be removed. $250 sounds like a reasonable cost. Does that figure account for re-regulation, which, due to the vagaries of DRs, might or might not be needed?
Change 1; Crap, ignore all this; I see it has already been addressed above.

21 August 2012, 01:44

Dave Bush

Thanks guys. Here is why I am asking:

http://www.gunsinternational.c...cfm?gun_id=100216989

This looks like an awfully nice Heym. What do you think?

21 August 2012, 02:30

a.tinkerer

I wonder if it has intercepting sears.

21 August 2012, 03:21

MacD37

quote:
Originally posted by dpcd:
The actual rechambering should cost nowhere near $6-700; it is a very easy reaming job with very little metal to be removed. $250 sounds like a reasonable cost. Does that figure account for re-regulation, which, due to the vagaries of DRs, might or might not be needed?
Change 1; Crap, ignore all this; I see it has already been addressed above.

dpcd, The $240 is for the chambering, and I suppose the modifying of the extractors for the flanged cartridge. If the rifle has selective ejectors they may need re-timing as well. Re-regulating will be a minimum of $400+ammo. so $600 or $700 may very well be in the ball park!

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21 August 2012, 03:24

tygersman

Nice gun - been for sale for a long time ....

21 August 2012, 03:37

Todd Williams

Looks like a good gun at a good price to me.

21 August 2012, 03:39

MacD37

quote:
Originally posted by tygersman:
Nice gun - been for sale for a long time ....

It is a nice rifle, and I'm sure it has intercepting sears as well. The belted/rimless high pressure cartridge is the reason it has not sold. Doubles in this chambering historically sell at a discount so that even with the modification it is still worth the price! I wish I could afford to buy this particular rifle. But I’m double rifle poor as it is, and simply do not need another one.

It also has a ejector/extractor switch to disingage the ejectors.

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21 August 2012, 03:43

Biebs

Mac, as they say, you have more than you need, but not nearly as many as you want :-)

21 August 2012, 03:47

tygersman

An AR regular had a similar gun for sale for about $1k cheaper (asking price) a month or so ago.

21 August 2012, 03:55

Biebs

That is DoubleDon. It is still listed on Guns International for $12,950. It is no a PH model, but an upgrade, ala Safari or whatever they called them then.

21 August 2012, 03:59

tygersman

That's it - Thanks, Biebs. Although I think he might have been asking less for the AR crowd? I can't recall exactly.

Also, if you convert the 458 Win Mag (w/double bladed ejectors) to 450 NE, would it be converted to an extractor gun or would the ejectors still work?

21 August 2012, 04:04

MacD37

quote:
Originally posted by Biebs:
Mac, as they say, you have more than you need, but not nearly as many as you want :-)

I know what you mean, I've never done well at passing a double simply because I couldn't afford it.

21 August 2012, 05:05

tygersman

quote:
Originally posted by tygersman:
Also, if you convert the 458 Win Mag (w/double bladed ejectors) to 450 NE, would it be converted to an extractor gun or would the ejectors still work?

Mac - you may of missed this question, but it was meant for you as much as anyone else.

21 August 2012, 17:14

DoubleDon

quote:
Originally posted by Biebs:
That is DoubleDon. It is still listed on Guns International for $12,950. It is no a PH model, but an upgrade, ala Safari or whatever they called them then.

Dave, it can be yours now for $12,500.

http://www.gunsinternational.c...cfm?gun_id=100266434

Doesn't have that goofy safety either.

21 August 2012, 19:06

MacD37

quote:
Originally posted by tygersman:
quote:
Originally posted by tygersman:
Also, if you convert the 458 Win Mag (w/double bladed ejectors) to 450 NE, would it be converted to an extractor gun or would the ejectors still work?

Mac - you may of missed this question, but it was meant for you as much as anyone else.

Tygersman, I did miss it, and answer is no it would not be converted to an extractor rifle, but may need re-timeing. This particualr rifle has the selector switch to disingage the ejectors switch it from ejector to exractor, and back again. This is a feature that should be on all ejector double rifles IMO. The only Heym I ever owned had this feature and I loved it. When on the fireing range the rifle can be switched to extractor so your brass doesn't get tossed on the concrete and scared up, or lost. OTH, when hunting dangerous game the selective ejectors are used for fast re-loading when it counts more than lost brass.

The modification of the extractor shoes usually is a simple recuting of the top od the shoe to fit a the rimmed case, and timeing is usually not effected,but I would budgit for it anyway just in case!

...................Hope that helps!

21 August 2012, 20:46

tygersman

quote:
Originally posted by MacD37:
quote:
Originally posted by tygersman:
quote:
Originally posted by tygersman:
Also, if you convert the 458 Win Mag (w/double bladed ejectors) to 450 NE, would it be converted to an extractor gun or would the ejectors still work?

Mac - you may of missed this question, but it was meant for you as much as anyone else.

Tygersman, I did miss it, and answer is no it would not be converted to an extractor rifle, but may need re-timeing. This particualr rifle has the selector switch to disingage the ejectors switch it from ejector to ectractor, and back again. This is a feature that should be on all ejector double rifles IMO. The only Heym I ever owned had this feature and I loved it. When on the fireing range the rifle can be switched to extractor so your brass doesn't get tossed on the concrete and scared up, or lost. OTH, when hunting dangerous game the selective ejectors are used for fast re-loading when it counts more than lost brass.

The modification of the extractor shoes usually is a simple recuting of the top od the shoe to fit a the rimmed case, and timeing is usually not effected,but I would budgit for it anyway just in case!

...................Hope that helps!

Thanks for the explanation, Mac.

C

26 August 2012, 04:09

Mississippian

That same gun has tempted me numerous times but one has to wonder why it's still listed! Does anyone know of an issue other than the chambering?

26 August 2012, 22:44

MacD37

quote:
Originally posted by Mississippian:
That same gun has tempted me numerous times but one has to wonder why it's still listed! Does anyone know of an issue other than the chambering?

Kelly, I think it is just that most folks who buy double rifles in larger chamberings tend to shy away from any double rifle chambered for a rimless, or belted rimless cartridge that will be used for hunting dangerous game.

There were many brands that were chambered for 375 H&H and 458 Win Mag simply becasue the older treditional cartridges became hard to get, and even when they could find ammo it was old and not always relaible. Today proper NE ammo is available so the doubles chambered for 458 Win Mag simply do not sell well, and when they do. it is usually at a discount of price for the quality of the same rifle in a treditional big bore cartridge!

I will say if I could afford this rifle it would already be at JJ's for a re-chambering!

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27 August 2012, 03:23

tygersman

quote:
Originally posted by Mississippian:
That same gun has tempted me numerous times but one has to wonder why it's still listed! Does anyone know of an issue other than the chambering?

I've done the same. I just don't think it's a good deal once you start messing around with it. $15k + for an older, used and now modified (if you convert to 450) Heym. Then you're hoping all goes well with the conversion, and it regulates properly, etc. I've seen several used 470 Heyms for less than that over the last few months with none of the associated potential drama with the conversion.

03 September 2012, 07:14

D R Hunter

I'd guess Heym could do the rechamber.
Why not consult www.heymusa.com and go from there?

03 September 2012, 17:38

DoubleDon

If you live in the US, there's absolutely no reason to send the gun to Heym for the work. It's a simple job. Send it to JJ or Mike Merker.

03 September 2012, 18:33

gerryb

Is the 458 really that bad. I have not used one in 30 years but if you just left it and made nice hand loads do they still have problems? Just curious. Ammo is cheap and I know it does not hit like 450 also is it possible to make it a 450 Dakota? Not sure you can do that in a double

03 September 2012, 20:42

DoubleDon

Gerry, most (including me) believe that a dangerous game double should be chambered in a flanged (rimmed) cartridge for positive extraction. Re chambering the .458 win. mag. to the .450 3 1/4" does this plus reduces pressures.