Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Africa Ready DGRs

Will probably do so next week.

2400 fps with a 450-gr FN from a .458 WinMag is an excellent .458 WM+ load.
Same velocity for 500-grainer from your 460 G&A ?

Yes same MV for both. The KE for the 450 gr bullet is 5756 lbs. ft and for the 500 gr bullet it’s 6396 lbs. ft. Both sufficient for my purpose.

Finally getting a chance to write a report on the recent safari in Zimbabwe involving the 2 DGRs subjects of this thread. I’ll limit this thread to the technical aspects of the DGRs and their ammo. I’ll write a thread on the description of the hunt later. Seems each year it takes a bit longer to beat the jet lag of 6 time zones and the walking involved, so a bit of a delay in reporting.

As I’ve implied in the prior reports, I regard this adventure as a tale of 2 rifles - a return to Africa of a nearly forgotten ‘Out of Africa’ wildcat (460 G&A) and a neoclassical African cartridge (458 WM). See Sir Ron’s (Riflecrank) thread on the updated modern 458 WM+ for details.

The whole endeavor leading to the creation of these 2 DGRs was spawned by a misadventure. My original plan called for the primary rifle to be a Ruger RSM 450 Rigby Rimless. However, in my misguided and overzealous attempt last year to improve earlier CRF pickup of the rounds, I overcorrected the right feed rail, rendering the rifle less than reliable. Up to then the rifle was both smooth and flawless. Needless to say that the 450 Rigby Rimless is as definitive a DGR cartridge as there is. Fortunately, thanks to Mark Cromwell at NECG, the RSM is now even smoother than in its former iteration. Mark performed his usual magic quickly, reliably and reasonably.

As a result of the projected unavailability of the RSM and of ready components on hand, the idea and construction of the 458 WM+ Ruger Hawkeye African evolved. The Win M-70 Classic was the result of a desire for a completely reliable DGR, built as a working African rifle by a proven practitioner of the craft and chambered to suit rife loony inclinations.

The latter rifle is the Win M-70 Classic CRF-based 460 G&A built by Gene Simillion. Details of the barrel and the acquisition of the reamer and reloading dies have already been noted. My communication with Gene specified an overall working dependable DGR - he delivered exactly that with a much better figure than that in the factory stock I originally provided with the donor action. The fortuitous improvement in the quality of the wood was due to USPS malfeasance in transit on the first delivery. All improvements contributed to function and reliability. Aesthetic improvements, achieved through Gene’s craft and the elegance of the execution, were an added bonus.



Although I planned to use a Holosun 530G optic as the primary sighting system, changing the 6-48 receiver scope base mounting screws to 8-40 and modifying the front base for the QD OEM base, I decided, after the first tuskless using the Ruger, to mount the Leupold 1-4x20 heavy duplex scope and make that the primary sight, as shown on the photo above. It turned out that, “Chance favors the prepared mind,” especially when adapting to conditions on the ground as the hunt develops. More on that story in the later hunt thread.



I added a couple of final touches I purposely reserved for me to add. One was a Limbsaver recoil pad and the other a last minute find to complete the backup iron sights



The 2nd DGR in its final field ready form was the Ruger Hawkeye (Mk II) African rebarrelled with a Ruger No. 1 458 WM from Numrich Arms.


The Ruger Hawkeye African, the evolution of which from 375 Ruger to 458 WM+, is described in prior posts. It’s primary sight is a Leupold 1.5-4x20 VX-Freedom with the MOA-Ring reticle. Suffice it to mention that this is my most ambitious DIY gunsmithing project to date. Creating a one-of-a-kind rifle, not available from the factory, completes the rifle loony dream of a unique experience. Its performance as a DGR far surpasses my anticipated results. It is accurate, reliable and well balanced. In its current state it will never win any beauty contest - uneven faded bluing, Pacific Research/Rimrock synthetic stock in need of a facelift - but functionally a DGR I’ll use again and know I can depend on. It will not qualify for those desirous of a light DGR - it weighs in closer to 11 lbs scoped that to 9 lbs - but allows absolute control of recoil for follow up shots, the acid test IME in a DGR. Indeed, I was able to provide my own follow up on the first tuskless quite rapidly and accurately. What more could you ask of a DGR?

From a technical perspective both DGRs performed superbly in their assigned roles. Both rifles shot CEB BBW#13 Safari Solids at MV = 2400 fps. The 460 G&A Win M-70 Classic was loaded with the 500 grain version and the 458 WM+ Ruger Hawkeye African was loaded with the 450 grain version. As I’ll recount in the upcoming hunt thread, penetration and performance of both projectiles was up to the unfailing standard I’ve come to expect from these bullets when used on elephants.

The thread has become longer than I initially anticipated, but I hope those interested will find it, if not entertaining, at least useful.

Appreciate the rifle report.
Very satisfying in a rifle loony way,
especially that .458 Winchester Magnum Ruger Hawkeye African African.
That is a real African.