If you can believe either of their writings Peter Capstick had a lot more African experience tha Ross Seyfried and at least he hung around the bars more and had better stories.

Jim Carmichel has killed over eight-five cape buffalo with the .458 Win. Mag., as well as a couple of elephant, lions, etc. Except for the lions, he's used handloaded 500 gr. Hornady solids on everything, and if I remember correctly he's used IMR 4895 for over 2100 fps as his standard load. His rifle is a custom Mauser that he stocked himself, and he's used it for over thirty years.

I've only killed three African animals with the .458 Win. Mag. using 500 gr. Trophy Bonded solids @ right at 2100 fps. I shot through a zebra end-to-end, which really isn't much of a test, but I also shot through a cape buffalo end-to-end with that bullet, and I've shot completely through a hippo's shoulders as well. The only recovered bullet came out of the dirt after it exited the buffalo. Incredibly, one of the boys found it. I sent Chuck a photo of this buffalo, and maybe he'll post of it if he sees fit.

The .458 Win. Mag. isn't as universally shunned in Africa as is popularly believed -- not by any stretch of the imagination. It appears to me that if you can get close to 2100 fps. or better out of it with acceptable pressures and good 500 gr. bullets you've got a load that'll kill the big stuff well.

And yes, with that said I do believe the .458 Lott to be a better cartridge. It really couldn't be any other way, especially since you can use .458 Win. Mag. in it in a pinch.

AD

Mr Shoemaker... I enjoy reading your articals very much, so was wondering if you had a hunting book published? Your's and Seyfried's are the two I read first in Rifle/handloader. ~~~Suluuq

Allen, I didn't get your hunting photos with the others.

Chuck