Although the .458 Win is a suitable buffalo rifle, I have sincere doubts about its powder capacity and its ability to down elephants unless one uses a hot handload, and that in itself can create problems..This is an age old arguement that will never be settled as long as folks have 458 Winchesters...I would opt of a loaded down to 2200 FPS 458 Lott personally...
That said, I am firmly entrenched with the 40 calibers for big ugly brutes like elaphant, hippo and Buffalo..They are big enough,have ample velocity, good sectional density, shoot flat enough, don't shake loose my bicuspids and they have a little power to spare. I like the 404 Jefferys, 416 Rem or Ruger, and the 450-400s in a double..There is no animal that I would feel undergunned with any of these calibers.
My opinnion only, and won't argue with anyone over a different choice as long as its reasonable.
