Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only The great 458 Winchester. Everyone should own one at least once

I've referenced this thread many times in the last few years, for misc questions about my 458 builds and loads. A virtual treasure trove of knowledge shared here! Finally broke down and registered as a member, to be able to thank you all.

GFY

PB 458,
Welcome to the "Thick Skin Thread", which is likely the only thread that sifted out the BS and dispelled the pretenders hundreds of pages back.

Lots of reference material here from actual .458 owners, users and importantly, potential users.

Tell us about your current .458 Winchester and favored loads?

Thanks for the welcome. My latest is a commercial zestava built 300wm action that I replaced the barrel with a shilan 458 win mag. 20.5". I'm still struggling a bit trying to upload pics lol.

Hopefully that worked.

Boy that looks like a very useful rifle!

If that was aimed my way... thank you! I just realized it's an old pic. Barrel has been blued and irons added since.

Sure was. Great looking rifle.

Thanks again! I have to admit I took a bit of inspiration for the build from Mr. Shoemakers legendary "Ole Ugly" fast and handi thumper for sure.

As an aside. I used to have a CZ 458 lott and was looking over my reloading data which confirms Riflecranks and others findings to a T. I noted short throat issues with an inability to adjust seating depth as desired. I noted a lack of versatility in loads at the time. While I didn't recognize it at the time it made for an aha! Moment when I started getting serious about 458 win load development and ran across this thread a few years ago.

PapaBear458,
Excellent utilitarian piece that Phil Shoemaker would approve of for his brown bear guiding work.
The Square Table needs to be adorned with a later picture after barrel hardware and bluing, please.

Pick your Sir Name for membership as
Knight of the Order of the Four Five Eight Square Table
please, Sir.

What does "GFY" mean ?
"Good For Y'all" ?
If so, thanks, much appreciated.
Or is that Lottite trash talk ?
If so, then AMF YOYO.

Some more details on Hammerella:

Some more details on Mohohbesta:




I will use a slip-on pad on Besta, preserving that original "Browning" pad and adjusting the LOP.
Velcro and leather LOP adjuster to get to 14-1/4" LOP just like on Hammerella.

Sir Jerry apparently fits the 14.25" LOP, customized for him,
and strangely so do I.
Must be all the extra bone and muscle mass taking up space, allowing him to use such a 14.25" LOP.
I am wider in arm spread than I am tall and have puny pectoral and deltoid muscles, so 14.25" fits me too.

Is Sir Jeremy taken? It's an honor sir.

Sir Jeremy,
you got it.
Enaa baasee'.

Glad that rifle went to a good home.

Many thanks Gentlemen, yes, these two rifles are in the world's best caretaker/owner of 458 WM rifles, did you guys notice that i had asked JES to NOT XXXX stamp the side of the barrel? my 'Smith has a cool little cutter tool and mills a nice neat flat then hand stamps the cartridge name, one thing about it, in six days that old 'Smith will be here a hell of a lot longer than a week ; ]

I think you can have a first year African 458 Win Mag four ways:

A safe queen in it's original box

A safe queen not fired

A rifle un-bedded and fired cracking it's stock

A very nice rifle bedded everywhere to protect itself from stock splitting then used for shooting and hunting the crap out of it

I'll take door number four Bob!

I took 500gr Partitions to 2300 fps with AA-2460 at SAAMI length, cant see why i wont be able to do so with a Model 70 African, my word, what more does one need for heavy dangerous game? 404gr Hammers at 2500 and 450gr TSX at 2400 will do it all for any plains game animal to 350 yards, the great 458 Win Mag has it ALL well covered, a true one gun safari cartridge that delivers a heavy blow, even light bodied Leopard wont buck a 404gr Hammer at 2500 fps.

BTW, funny stuff as usual Sir Ron.

Sir Jerry is on his toes, tells us of the 12%-off sale at

https://hammerbullets.com/shop/

Sale from Today through May 14, 2024.

I would not expect to get the usual 10% Veteran discount on top of the 12%.

One can never have too many bullets, especially .458-cal/404-gr. Shock Hammers.
I am going to order some for .357 to go with those for 9mm and .44-40/.44 WCF.
Those little jewels of bullets can mightily empower the rat calibers as well as the oldest antiques.

I am shocked that the above was done by stamping.
That Gunsmith has some great tools and skills for sure.
A milling machine cutter came in at the nicest of angles to erase the ".375 H&H" with minimum steel removal,
making room for great precision in the stamping that could not be improved upon by the finest engraving.
No refinishing (other than a bead blast) due to stainless barrel.
A masterpiece of re-bore re-marking.

I am afraid my Gunsmith recently lost a leg and is still battling to get back on his feet in the shop.
There is hope he will be back at it soon with a bionic leg, like the Six Million Dollar Man.
Also hope that Sir Jerry's Gunsmith will live long and prosper,
and do some work for me if my Kentucky Gunsmith cannot gitterdun.

I am cogitating on JES re-bore.
Hope not to send it out for engraving and all-over refinish of barrel so I ought to use stainless.

I have an example of that which I had done in 2001 to a chrome-moly .375 H&H barrel of 24" length
that was set back to make a .375 RUM of 23" length by re-chambering, engraving, and Cerakoting.
Installed on a CZ 550 Magnum action, the first of two WinCZeckster rifles I have parted together.
It shot about identical at 23" as a 26" M700 LSS factory rifle did with same factory ammo.
Accuracy and MV near identical.
Re-bores and even simple re-chambers can work wonders.

Whack 0.3" off the breech of any SAAMI .458 Lott and re-chamber to .458 WinMag.
Always a winner.
Failing that, at least run a SAAMI .458 WinMag reamer into the SAAMI .458 Lott to increase velocity and lower pressure
with .458 WM+ handloads.