Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Budget 458 win

A guy let me shoot his 458 at the range the other day. I never really had an interest in them before but it was kind of fun. I'm thinking about putting one together.

Would there be any problem with putting one on one of my commercial FN 98 actions. I know I'd have to open the feed rails and bolt face but it should work other than that. I'll probably just pick up an Adams and Bennett blank for $89 and send it to IT&D Ohio to be installed. Probably have it cut to 20" and drop it in a laminate stock.

Bb

Might be cheaper to hunt up an Interarms Mark X Alaskan in 458 Win. That's what I did when I put this one together:



I cut the barrel back to 20" and ran an Aimpoint Comp 9000L. Neat little rifle. The stock was the factory stock that came with it, made by Bell and Carlson I believe. The Mark X's are out there and relatively inexpensive, as 458's go.

One nice thing about the Mark X was that it's barrel wasn't very heavy. The curse of 458's is the sewer-pipe barrels that factories fit to them, compare the Mark X barrel to the barrel on the other 458 I owned, a tang-safety Ruger 77:



The Mark X's barreled action weighed at least a pound less than the Ruger, and balanced better because more of its weight was toward the action.

Very nice rifles!

Thanks, I got bit hard by the 458 bug and, like Burleyboy, I thought about building one. I bought both those 458's for less than the cost of buying an action, barrel and stock. There are quite a few used 458's on the market because guys buy them and either (1) can't take the recoil or (2) lose interest. I lost interest, and sold both of those. They were alot of fun when I had them, though, and the 458 is a great cartridge to handload for.

Twenty-seven years ago, as a relatively new and poor guide with a growing family I didn't have much to spend on a 458 as I wanted so I went the MkX barreled action method as well. it has worked perfectly and virtually all the larger calibered MkX rifles I have fired were superbly accurate as well.
If you don't find one than opening up a commercial FN would be a great way to to.

I pretty much shamelessly based my Alaskan Mark X on Phil's rifle "'Ol Ugly." Never did get the paint-job right though

It's a work in progress. As coats wear off I add more. It's probably in it's 23rd printing by now. The amazing thing is that underneath the blueing still looks good.

Isn't the USSG Zastava Z98 a Mark X action. They can be had for not too much. Out of stock but you should be able to find one.

Bud's

Yes, that is the lastest importer...I'm pretty sure the Rem 798 was available in .458 win as well.

I too say go for a Mark X/Whitworth/798/M98. Mine tips the scales at a lively 8.5lbs and recoils with authority. I've seen them as low as $500 on the various sites. Gotta do some leg work to find a good price but they are worth it.



My Interarms Mark X .458WM



BTW - If you don't reload then check out Wisconsin Cartridge Corp and Hunting Shack Munitions. Both offer general purpose loads in 458WM starting at about $2.00/round.

I like Ruger MkIIs ... for me I'd find the cheapest donor action in 7mmRemMag/300WinMag/338WinMag and simply add an A&B tube.
Cheers...
Con

Thanks for the ideas I'll have to keep an eye out for an Interarms on a deal.

Bb

If you aready HAVE a 8 Mauser comercial action, though, then adding a tube and stock is a great way to go. To answer your original question, no there is nothing wrong with the idea or getting it done. In fact doing so would end up a right nice 458, as I see it.

Those deals are out there, especially in this crummy economy, I bought a Interarms Mark X mauser in 458 WM from a traveling hand over at Ft. Chaffee on afternoon for 400 cash, The walnut stock was one of the nicest I have ever seen.

I worked up a very accurate load w/ the 450 TSX and RL-7 powder, a gunsmith worked trigger and a Leupold 1.5-5, then promptly had another Bud relieve me of it w/ a big pile of cabbage, I really liked that rifle, and it shot very well, if I had it to do over again I'm thinkin' it would still be right here with me on the farm

Gunner

gunner500

It mould make a great gopher rifle. May over penetrate a tad though.

Over penetrate ?
You guys need to re-read all the 458 Lott threads. Bullets fired from the 458 Win are likely to bounce off most gophers.

African gophers, though. They is lots tougher than the measly, weeniefied US Gophers.......

African round squirrels now, that is a gnarly beast. I stalked one for twenty minutes once, only to see him crouched behind a termite mound ready to attack. Boy am I glad my PH had a 458WM double. You can have your cape buff. No comparrison in the violent attitudes.

should money be the biggest issue on a stopping rifle?!

Reliability, Usability, Portability and Power all come to mind before price. But you can spend a lot of money on well advertised and published "names" and still not get a rifle as good as either the Mk X or a Ruger.