Is anyone using this caliber for bear and if so what bullet weight and velocitys are you using.I was wondering if the Hornady 500 grain RN was a good choice or are you guys using lighter bullets?

Tanoose
Based on shooting one pig with my 450 No2, with a 500 gr Hornady at @ 2150fps and putting 2 500gr Swift A Frames into a Cape Buff at @ 2150 fps, if I was using a 458 Lott I would without a doubt use the 500 gr Swift A Frame.
I would be just as happy in the Lott with a 500gr Trophy Bonded Bearclaw or a North Fork.

Tanoose:

Are you heading up to Alaska to chase after a Big Brown Bear?

I have an interest in looking into Brown Bear Hunting...just starting the process, if you have any information or resources you care to share I would appreciate it...ie areas, guides, where/when to hunt them, etc.

I have a 458 Lott used it to take three Cape Buffalo using 500 grain Barnes TSX's loaded to 2300fps it worked extremely well...I would suggest that a 458 Lott with a well constructed Soft or expanding mono-metal will work extremely well...but no first hand knowledge on Brownies...The Lott is a "stopping" rifle may not be best choice for the sport hunter after Bear...but I am listening?

If I decide to make the trip after a Brown Bear, the Lott would be on my list of choices but I am leaning towards using either my 30-378, 338-378, or 375 H&H...but that choice is a ways off for me...

I am interested in what others with experience chasing Brown Bear have to say on this subject as well as offering any advice on where, when, and who to go with?? Thanks for the post it was timely for me!

Regards, jjs

If you do search in this forum we discussed this about a year back. As I recall the consensus was a tough expanding ie X bullet bullet in 400gr is probably the best choice for the big bears.

Whatever! A 375 H&H with a good 300gr bullet will do any thing you want on big bears. If you want more horsepower fine but I just don't think it is necesary. The 375 is the quintessential brown bear cartridge.

Mark

I agree with Mark. My next choice would be the 338 Win Mag, or another one of the magnum .338's. I don't see the need for the Lott, or any other cartridge in that class. A 416 Remington is as large as I would go.

If you can shoot a 458 lott as well as a lesser caliber there is no reason not to use it. The only downside of the 458 is excessive recoil, but that can be somewhat tamed by lighter bullets. No such thing as too much terminal performance on the big bears, but there is such a thing as poor shot placement.

I personally would go with the .375 H&H. IMHO it is the perfect Bear caliber. Not as much recoil as the Lott and also the .375 tends to have much less feeding problems. I try not to get above a .416 if I don't have to. Elephant & Buff I probably shoot the Lott.