I am still lost on what the 458 Win and maybe a bit more does that the 416 Remington doesn't?
458 win can easily get 2200+ with a 500 grain and 2230
The last time I loaded my standard chamber 24” barrel 458 Wn Mag and chronographed my AA2230 loads with 500 grain CEB BBW #13, it took 75 grains of that powder to break 2200 fps. Those loads require quite a bit of compression and heavy crimping to make the 3.345” COAL needed to fit in the magazine. The fired cases show pressure signs I interpret at or near the SAAMI max for this cartridge without much wiggle room. Not a good place for a rifle in or near an elephant herd.
The 450 Rigby beats that easily with same bullets and 100 grains RL-17 in a 23” barrel. The cost is a heavier rifle with a magnum action. Adequate performance for the intended quarry, even when things don’t go according to plan.
No flies on either the 458 Win Mag or the 450 Rigby, but IMHO, a 450 G&A in a Win M-70 Classic is a better balanced cartridge/rifle combo performing at lower pressure than the 458 Win Mag and providing large bore punch in a 404 Jeffery sized package.
A 500 grain 0.458” bullet at 2100 fps and a 400 grain 0.423”bullet at 2350 fps will work on African big game. My planned path merely reflects my experience with the cartridges mentioned and limited use of them on African big game. I’m not proposing a recipe that’ll work for all. YMMV.
