Roc, This is interesting to me. I too live in Michigan and am trying to come up with a suitable rifle for deer. Currently I only have a 45 Colt Revolver which I successfully used this year on a doe but I would like to get a rifle for next year. I just learned about the Ruger American Ranch rifle chambered in 450 Bushmaster but your and AussieGunWriter's experiments are intriguing.
I have a pre-64 Winchester Model 70 currently with a 7mm Rem Mag barrel. I suppose to try your short 458 I would have to have it rebarreled.
I do wonder what a Wildlife Officer might say if they were unfamiliar with this cartridge. Will they have calipers with them to measure the case length? Your gun is likely chambered for 458 Win Mag, correct? As such would the Officer assume you are shooting an illegal cartridge?
