Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Federal 458 WM Hydro Shock Solids

I’m looking for evaluations from actual users of the Federal Safari Premium 458 WinMag 500 grain Woodleigh Hydro Shock bullets on elephant. Results - positive or negative?

Sir Khulu,
No elephant experience from me, but I have
slept at a Holiday Inn Express.
And I have heard of good results on the big bovines using the 500-gr Hydro of .458 caliber.

I have only seen that bullet in Federal's "Hydro Shok" factory ammo.
In my 24" .458 WM it produced 2062 fps MV with COL of 3.285". That included the plastic nose cap as factory loaded.

Interestingly, the Federal "Fusion" factory load with 500-gr Soft Nose produced 2192 fps MV from same rifle, same day, 46* F,
COL 3.290".

The 500-gr Hydro is very long.
Eats up case capacity, and might do better with a faster twist than 1:14".

I have only seen the 480-gr and lighter Hydro's for sale as component bullets for handloaders.

I really think the 450-grain Hydro is better.
Like the 450-gr CEB brass FN is better than the 500-grainer.
Being shorter makes them inherently more stable to initiate and maintain straight-line penetration.

2300 fps MV with a 450-gr brass FN has been touted as excellent for elephant with a .458 Whatever, according to Richard "Ndlovu" Harland.

Sir Ron,

Agree with your concept that a faster albeit slightly lighter monolithic solid provides significant penetration based on my single event experience with my 404 Jeffery 400 grain CEB BBW#13 @~2480 - it shot through a tuskless’ chest. Thin anecdotal evidence at best, but hopefully more evidence to be acquired this summer.

The same bullet brand but as a 570 grain 0.510” @ 2175 fps accounted for the other 2, one a large, old tuskless the other a Botswana-type old bull. Penetration in both cases was more than sufficient in both frontal head and body shots.

The choice of the Federal 458 WM 500 grain factory ammo is heavily influenced by my PH’s preference for his backup M-70 to be kept loaded with 500 grain bullets. I will share my back up ammo with him.

My primary DGR(s) will be a 460 G&A and/or 45/375 Ruger, depending on the completion of ongoing GS work, delivery and load development results. It’s almost certain that both will be loaded with CEB BBW#13s. The 450 grain in the 45/375 Ruger and the 500 grain in the 460 G&A. Target MV 2300-2350 respectively, hopefully as the bbls are 20” & 23” respectively.

Above was done with a 450-grain CEB brass FN from an 18"-barreled .458 B&M.
MV was quoted at 2210 fps, by creator of the cartridge, who also handloaded and pressure-tested it.
One shot, through the elephant's heart, exited body broadside.
Elephant went about 30 yards and dropped dead.

Another friend took an elephant with the 450-gr Barnes Banded Solid from his .458 Lott.
MV there was just over 2300 fps and it exited skull on a side brain shot.
Elephant was shot again on the ground in back of skull and it went 5 feet down the trunk where it was recovered.

Yes, I reckon 2300 fps MV with a .458/450-grain brass FN solid will do the trick.
Maybe I will get to try those .458/400-grain CEB brass FN solids at 2400 fps from a .458 WinMag on an elephant ...

But I see, Sir Khulu wants a factory load for the .458 WinMag with 500-grainers, so he can leave the leftovers with the PH.
If he is not going to handload some CEB 450-grainers to 2300 fps MV in a SAAMI, 24"-barreled .458 WinMag
(easily done, I have the recipe),
I would recommend the Hornady factory loads for the .458 WinMag:
500-grain DGS and DGX-Bonded at an honest 2140 fps from a 24" barrel.
Verified many times in several of my rifles.

Hornady brass cases are good.
Hornady has finally learned to make decent DG bullets, a steel FMJ with flat and thick meplat,
and a bonded, steel-jacketed "soft" with exposed lead, flat meplat.
That is a dynamic duo.

One of our heroes here used the .458/480-gr DGS and DGX-bonded
in his H&H Royal 500/450 NE "Big Stick" like TR's.
They worked to perfection on a (CENSORED).
Never know when a greenie-weenie might be looking for sumbuddy to hassle.

God info, thanks, Sir Ron.

Got back home today and received notice that the Hawkeye (now rebored) 45-375 Ruger awaits pick up tomorrow. Looking forward to trying the dummy cartridges for feeding. Hopefully some loaded 450 gn BBW#13s to follow next week.

Happy days!!

Unfortunately the Hawkeye couldn’t be rebored to 458 because the holes for the rear sight are too deep, so insufficient steel would remain in the area just ahead of the chamber. Depending on range tests with the 400 grain 0.423” BBW#13s in the African & Alaskan Hawkeyes I’ll decide which will back up the 460 G&A, assuming no further unexpected surprises in the next couple of weeks.

As long as I can hit 2450 fps MV with either of the Hawkeyes, one of them will cross the pond. May need to use RL-16 or IMR-4451 to make that happen in the 20” bbl.

I’ll think about whether to rebarrel one of the Hawkeyes to 458 when I get back. Does any one know whether the thread pitch and diameter on the Ruger #1 and M-77 Mk 2 barrels are the same?

So, you found that it was a 1.000"x16 tpi V-thread on all of them and the Ruger No. 1 barrel will be pretty easy to get fitted to the M77 Hawkeye ?
Trim off the extractor cut on the breech end of the Ruger No. 1 that has 0.875" length of engagement,
and it will fit perfectly timed into the Hawkeye,
which has what length of thread engagement in the receiver please ?

Making a small modification on the action wrench I use for flat bottom receivers. The Hawkeye receiver ring is slightly larger in width than the Win M-70 and Mauser M-98, based on today’s experience. Once I pull the Hawkeye African’s 404-375 Ruger barrel I’ll take some measurements and report.

If this experiment works out, it’ll be interesting to see what a 3.4” COAL 458 WM is capable of doing with a 24” bbl. This Hawkeye won’t be pretty but I’m aiming for function. Preliminary feeding tests with 458 WM dummies with CEB BBW#13 500 grain 0.458” bullets were flawless.

Hey - this is your old friend from another forum - you educated me in wildcats and we spoke by phone maybe 2-years ago and you sent me a binder - I am incognito and need to stay that way but I am still kicking and getting ready to finish that project myself. I was lurking and saw your post - you are missed! My PM's will not work until I accumulate some number of posts. Chat soon.

Well, this is exciting.
Retired Spook, you talking to me ?

I sure am!

Retired Spook,
Glad to hear.
Get with posting some stuff so you can PM, please.

Roger that sir!

RIP, I am working on posts count but I cannot find topics that I know enough about or that I am interested in!

Love the 458