"If they would actually try loads with powders like AA2230 they would see that the 458 Win indeed does equal - and often best - the old nitro cartridges that they dearly love."
Exactly right in my opinion. Example: The 470 Nitro Express fired a 480 grain bullet at a listed 2150 fps (if I recall correctly). Further, that was in a 28" barrel. Even the double rifles of the time usually had 24" or 26" barrels, so the true velocity was more like 2050 (see the book "Ndlovu" for documentation of this).
It is no trick at all to load a .458 with a 24" barrel to 2200 fps (chronographed) with a 500 grain solid. Heavier bullet at higher velocity beats the .470 by a lot. And the .458 even has better sectional density for penetration.
Finally, today's bullets like Barnes monolithics and North Fork make the .458 even better, though these are available for other calibers as well.
Indy,
You point is right on but the support you cite is off a little.
The 450NE 3 1/4", grandfather of all smokeless DG cartridges, shoots a 480gr bullet at a nominal 2150fps, specced at 28" barrels. I have a log somewhere that records actual velocities acheived by owners of 450NE 3 1/4" rifles with loads that regulate and the velocity range is from 2050fps or so to one that reached 2165fps. Like you say, most rifles had 24" or 26" barrels, though there are some that have 28" barreles.
The 470 shoots a 500gr bullet at a nominal 2125fps out of a 31" barrel. For some fun comparrisons see Kynoch's website here:
http://www.kynochammunition.co.uk/My elephant and buffalo loads push a 500 at 2135fps as I have mentioned this is beyond the in the field performance of most all 450NE rifles. Throw in the 450 NF's which penetrate further and the 458wm is more rifle today than the 450NE and 470NE which remain benchmarks for their record of success in the field.
The old, but often repeated myth of lagging 458wm performance is just that, myth.
JPK
