Goodnews,
My comments are directed at Ray who is regurgitating his baloney and Weiland who is as well.
IMO, build a new rifle, build a Lott. More flexibility, same performance at lower pressure or more performance at the same pressure, shoots 550gr solids at 2150fps which is an excellent performer on elephants (so I've been told by two with first hand experience) and can still shoot 458wm, which is widely available where DG is hunted, in case yours goes missing or you run low.
On the other hand, if you find a nice second hand 458wm that fits, you will live happily ever after.
On the shorter, lighter rifle point of view, I just don't see it. The Lott is built on a 375H&H length action. It would be no difficulty to have a Lott built at, say, 9lbs. That is plenty light enough in my view, in fact too light.
JPK
JPK<
I had to smile when I read this after the discussions we have had over the proper weight for a rifle in a given caliber. I have a Lott that only weighs 8.65# with scope. I tend to save it for the 300 to 350 grain loads for pigs ect it is still pretty snappy.
I do agree that the lott is the way to go. I have shot .458 factory back when it first came out that didn�t make 1850 over a coronagraph and felt like it had a slight hang fire situation. The new ammo is much better and the powders available today are much better than back then. I probley wouldn�t hesitate to use a load like Hornady�s �Heavy Magnum� at a advertised 2260. I still would be happier with a Lott.
Bill
As you know, I'm a 458wm fan. If you've got one, you've got more than enough, especailly with a good reload. Mine shoots 500's at 2145fps and isn't loaded anywhere near max, and that load works very well with ellephants.
But if your building a rifle, it might as well be a Lott.
Rifle weight is proportional. a 9 1/2 - 10lb 458wm is about rifle in my book. But if your going to use Lott loads in your Lott, it ought to go 10lbs.
A 450/400 9lbs, a 416 9- 9 1/2... A 375H&H over 9lbs wights more than it ought to....
