Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 458 WM in a short barrel

Those loads are great in the .458 and will kill 'cleanly" all but a very very few animals in this world. I always liked the 400gn X bullet. After it was discontinued, I went to the 350 TSX for general hunting and the 450 TSX for heavier or dangerous game.

John

I feel this is one of the best looking .458s I have ever seen! I have liked it since I saw it in Rifle Magazine 5-6 years ago. IIRC it was on the cover. perfect finishes are nice to look at, but real working rifle always pique my interest.

There was series of articles in "Precision Shooter" about 20 years ago about some experiments done in a climate controlled warehouse in Texas by some diehard benchrest guys. This thing was 1400 feet long and they could shoot from a 700# concrete rest. One of the things they found out was that shorter barrels gave better accuracy. IIRC 20.5" was ideal. I'm sure someone else remembers the articles.
A friend cut back the barrel on my 450 Dakota and just by chance it came out to 20.5". It shoots everything to one 3" spot except Hornaday solids. Doesn't matter about the powder,charge or bullet except for Hornaday. The groups themselves are one hole groups with almost everything.


That certainly is a handsome rifle.All business!

Aussie you try any of those 450 grain bullets? I really like the .450 grain for my model 70 .458 and my .458-Lott.

Not yet. I have a couple of loads in the 2350fps range with a few more to test. So far they are proving very accurate and at those velocities would serve as an allround load.

John

I have a model 70 Win. .458-mag in the vault in the 22 inch barrel. It is very easy to handle and with those 400 or 450 grain bullets it makes for one heck of a killing machine. I have also killed hogs with those Hornady XTP 350 grain bullets and it stops them in their tracks! Now I am speaking of 300 pound porkers, simply backs em up on their hunches when hit in the front chest or head.

I have a 18inch 458WM in a ruger #1... It's awesome. A real brush gun that burns any brushes in front of it. Working on a 16inch barrel now.

That rifle even has a name, "Ole Ugly" IIRC.

But, as Forest Gump said, "Pretty is as pretty does." So, from that perspective, Ole Ugly is an attractive lass...

DF

WOW....HUH, whats that? , sounds like a helluva boomer

the 458 Winchester has such a huge bore volume in relation to the amount of powder burned, that I'd not be concerned over any efficiency loss with a shorter barrel. If it were a mega magnum case holding a ton of powder with a tiny bore, concerns over efficiency loss with a short barrel would then be valid.

Agreed, high expansion ration with the 458WM, I wouldnt be as concerned for velocity loss as I would be the custom eyebrow trimming from the muzzle.

Gunner

Maybe the 458 will be included at this website one day:

http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/index.html

I have a rather unusual 458WinMag. It is on an 03 A3 action. Custom stock. Seems to be birch nicely checkered with schnabel foreend. Trigger guard has been neatly reshaped and floorplate release is a large button. Action screws are Allens, Buttplate is a Neidner checkered steel with a matching checkered steel grip cap. Three crossbolts with epoxy filler over top. Timney trigger,Mdl 70 style 2 position safety,Griffin & Howe side mount. Lyman alaskan scope. Bolt handle has been forged and root is marked with Les Womacks distinctive stamp.Rear sight is a Williams fully adjustable wide vee on a short ramp. Front sight is a Lyman banded ramp with a long patridge brass inlay front sight. Front barrel band swivel is a custom one that does not completely encircle the barel. The unusual thing is the barrel is marked A&M Rifle Co., Inc. and is 16 1/2" long. All appears to be original. It is the quickest mounting best handling of all my bigbores. Would have loved to have taken it to Africa. I would assume it was built in the late 50's when Atkinson & Marquardt were building barrels in Prescott. They graduated the year before I did at TSJC. Funny thing is I have 2 16 1/2" barrel rifles with LesWomack forged bolt handles. Both are on 03 actions and both have Griffin & Howe with Lyman Alaskans. The other is an 06 and is in full military configuration except stock is shortened to match the 16 1/2" barrel. Just an unusual pair, both beautifully executed.

My .458 WM Model 70 has a 22" barrel and 500 grain bullets chronograph 2200 fps from it using AA2230 powder.

My African hunting load was 450 grain bullets at 2250 fps.

Someone mentioned 350 grain bullets. I can get 2750 fps with no sweat using H4198 and 350 grain TSXs. According to the computer, that will give you 3000 foot pounds of energy--at 300 yards.

I'm loading 40.7 grs of IMR4198 under a 300gr Hornady hollow point to shoot in the short barrel. Very accurate and recoil is manageable with a Past shoulder pad.Have only the book speed as I don't have a chronograph. Just wanted to shoot something in it that wasn't TOO punishing.

The .458 is a lot of fun to play with and awfully adequate if you really need it.