Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 458 Win. Question

I would go no longer than 22 inch's in a dangerous game rifle like the 458 Win and would build the 458 Lotts instead of the 458 Win if building.

Just purchased a new Cabelas Ltd. FN Winchester Model 70 African Super Grade (24" barrel). Plan to eventually reload, but what factory ammo and bullet weights would one recommend to initially sight in with? Putting a Nikon Monarch African 1.1x4x24mm Illuminated scope on it.

http://s98.photobucket.com/user/SS30ANV/media/458CabelasM70_zps6f38e999.png.html]

Forgot one other question (that's why I posted the picture above)....it appears my choice of ring height is either medium or high in a DNZ 30mm one piece mount. Based on the rifle am I correct in assuming medium?

Thanks

Not a new FN M-70 and not a .458 WM.

My NH .375 H&H Stainless Classic M-70 came with a 24" barrel. The .458 WM has less steel in the barrel than the .375, in this series, both use the same contour. In my gun, it handled like a club with the overly heavy 24" tube, so I cut it to 21". It's amazing how much better it feels and handles.

I agree with posters telling you it's all about handling and how the gun comes up in a hurry, not so much barrel length.

I have not handled the new SC M-70's, other than std. calibers.

DF

Any answers to my questions above....thanks

What!

You implying us Fire hounds would dance all around the core question proposed by an OP on a Fire thread...?

Preposterous...

Seriously, I don't think you'll ever burn ALL the powder, some is gonna blow out the barrel.

You'll probably have to ask someone at Hodgdon, etc. and see what their best guess is.

DF

Mainly interested to know whether I need medium or high rings on my rifle. It will have a 1.1x4x24 Nikon Monarch African going on it....30MM rings.

I just measured the rings on the pictured .375. They're low Talley QD's, .300" from the top of the bases. But, Talley bases are pretty tall to begin with.

This scope is a Zeiss Victory 1.5-6x42 and is 30mm. 30mm rings will have a slightly higher optical center than 1" due to larger size.

Do you have DNZ height's from the action ring to the bottom of the scope?

Probably med, but guessing without those measurements.

DF

Height of the DNZ mounts I looking at............ from top of receiver to centerline of scope tube is - medium 1.05, and high 1.17. I'm thinking medium, but not completely sure.

Update....DNZ won't work....none made for express action. Guess I'll look at medium Warn QD's.

With the irons on that gun, I'd want a QD set up instead of fixed mount.

IIRC, Warnes may be MIM. Talleys are milled steel and seem to me to be lighter than Warne.

I've used both, lean more to Talley for QD mounts.

IMO.

DF

Velocity loss with a shorter barrel is nowhere near the big deal with a 458 that it would be with a smaller magnum caliber like a 7mm Rem Mag.

Why? Because while the two cartridges have more or less the same case capacity, they have very different bore volumes. The 458 bore is roughly the same diameter as the inside of the cartridge case, so a 20" barrel represents 10 times the volume of the inside of the 2" long cartridge interior. The 7mm mag barrel has less than 4 times the volume of the case. Save your worrying about that last couple of inches of barrel for a 7mm Mag beanfield rifle, not a 458 WM DG rifle.

Bottom line: With a 458, pick the barrel length that handles best and don't worry about the tiny amount of extra velocity a longer barrel might bring.