Some report the Hornaday numbers are too optimistic, other's the Nosler numbers. I think they probably are in typical barrel length rifles. Nosler reports dropping velocity from there first printing of advertising materials, and that is straight from the horses mouth.
But 500 grains at 2150fps beats the well proven stopping rifle benchmark of 480 grains at 2150fps (an historical nominal performance number achieved with longer than typical pressure barrels and rarely achieved in the field) set by the 450NE more than 100 years ago. In fact 480 grains at 2100 was more like real field performance.
My 500 grain Woodleigh solid load runs 2145fps MV and leaves NOTHING WANTING. Way more than sufficient for buff, plenty sufficient for bull elephant.
For the bolt rifle user, more velocity is available, at least in 24" and longer tubes. My 458wm is a double rifle and I load to regulation, meaning making the two barrels shoot together, and not top velocity.
I've also used the 458wm with 500gr Woodleigh solids at 2050fps and that load is plenty for buff and sufficient for elephants, but 2050fps is only on the ok side of marginal for elephants.
The new 500gr Hornaday steel jacketed flat nose solids look very promising and reports from the field indicate that they will be a great bullet. In my experience, flat noses out penetrate round noses. But most 458wm suitable flat noses have been mono metal bullets that run 450grs because of the long length of mono bullets. A 500gr mono solid eats too much powder room in the 458wm cae. But 500gr steel jacketed solids are roughly equal length with 450gr monos. So hornaday seems to have come out with the best of both worlds.
A soft from a 458wm running 2050 or 2100fps is more than sufficient for a first shot on buff or any other animal you would shoot with a soft point.
JPK
Last edited by JPK; 09/09/08.
