Pics of your .458WM's

steve white · Mar 2, 2026

What an enjoyable thread! Everything from eye candy to the utilitarian, stone cold killer. Thanks to all for posting.

Riflecrank · Mar 2, 2026

Keelebilly said:
Just bought my first .458. It was also my first online gun purchase. Bought it off gunsinternational with no problems and it arrived last week. 1960 model Belgium browning that is immaculate. I didn’t expect it to be this nice. I hate to take a stock this old and this beautiful out into the bushes to beat up. I’m thinking about pulling this stock and putting on either a synthetic or a laminate stock. Any recommendations on restocking? Or should I just leave her as is and let her get some character?

Mahobesta's twin.
I decided to keep mine in the beautiful wood that already has some "memory spots" on it from field use. Just keep her down to no more than 500-grainers at 2150 fps for recoil in the wood, with such a lively rifle.
Your rifle is as handy and functional and beautiful as an "elephant rifle" can be.
Any changes would be a confounding for special purposes.

I could only get a couple of ounces lighter with .458 WIN MAG No. 6.
Lightest bolt action .458 WIN MAG I have, CONFOUND IT !!!

A 7-3/4-pounder easily becomes a 10-pounder, loaded for field ready.

The Browning Safari FN .458 WIN MAG has a 24" muzzle diameter of 0.675" on my specimen,
Mahohbesta.

Marcella the M70 LA (No. 6 above) has a muzzle diameter of 0.670" under/forward of the band.

I have a Magnum Mauser 98 .450 Dakota, SIG Arms Mauser Banner/factory rifle,
that has a 24.5"-long barrel with a muzzle diameter of 0.668" under the banded front sight.
Rifle weight is 9.5 pounds, barrel sights only and no ammo.

CZ 550 Magnum rifles of .375, .416, and .458 caliber all had muzzle diameters of about 0.670" at 25" length.

All such skinny barrels have been accurate for me.
I would go no lighter.
Confounding issues may make some want fatter barrels.

Cannonball · Mar 2, 2026

Simple Winchester model 70 Super Grade with Leupold quick detach bases and mounts. She sports a Leupold Vari X -III 1.5-5 with German #4 reticle.

SLG · Mar 2, 2026

I ordered an M70 direct from Winchester about 5 years ago, and they basically forgot about it. One of these days I will get one.

Riflecrank · Mar 4, 2026

Some CZ 550 Magnum tips may have redeeming social value ... or not !

A simple shimming or tight glass bedding of the front of magazine box against the magazine well of stock will prevent dimpling of sheet metal by recoil slamming bullets forward in box.

Riflecrank · Mar 4, 2026

"Only accurate rifles are interesting."
So said Townsend Whelen.
I never met a .458 WIN MAG that was not interesting.

Kelle · Mar 4, 2026

Winchester M70 in 458 win mag.

Changed the trigger to a Timney and fixed the bolt and bedded the rifle.

Will bring it to Afrika in 2027

hoytcanon · Mar 4, 2026

Riflecrank said:
"Only accurate rifles are interesting."
So said Townsend Whelen.
I never met a .458 WIN MAG that was not interesting.

It is wild, not only how accurate every .458 Win Mag is that I have owned, but also how tolerant the cartridge is of a wide range of bullets and powders.

Riflecrank · Mar 4, 2026

hoytcanon,
Amen.
Must be something about the throat.

PaulT · Mar 4, 2026

Ron, I'm very much enjoying seeing your line-up of .458's.

The safe/room/warehouse that you store all your .458's in is like a shrine,
or Temple of worship to the .458 Win mag.

Awesome.
Thanks for posting.

Badboymelvin · Mar 5, 2026

hoytcanon said:
It is wild, not only how accurate every .458 Win Mag is that I have owned, but also how tolerant the cartridge is of a wide range of bullets and powders.

The .458 Win Mag is awesome.
I've owned more .458 Win Mags (5) than I have any other single caliber.
All have been accurate, all have given the desired velocity and all have been 100% reliable.
I think that for the people that have had problems with it from decades ago, if they were to wipe the slate clean and start again with it, they would be pleasantly surprised.
As soon as I win the lottery I'm buying another Winchester M70 in .458 Winchester Magnum.

Russ.

Badboymelvin · Mar 5, 2026

PaulT said:
Ron, I'm very much enjoying seeing your line-up of .458's.

The safe/room/warehouse that you store all your .458's in is like a shrine,
or Temple of worship to the .458 Win mag.

Awesome.
Thanks for posting.

I agree, spending the afternoon with Riflecrank while he shows and explains the backstories of all his .458's would be amazing.

Today, Riflecrank (Ron) would without a doubt the world's leading authority on the .458 Winchester Magnum, and it's been a real privilege to have exchanged thoughts, opinions and leant from him over the years.

He even knighted me once!

Russ

SLG · Mar 5, 2026

Maybe we need a 458WM shoot and BBQ for all true believers.

Riflecrank · Mar 5, 2026

Thanks, y'all are too kind.
I have not been without a .458 WIN MAG since 1984. Three have come and gone in trade,
I recovered that first 1984 Ruger No. 1 in the form of a 1980 Ruger No. 1, which I still call my No.1 .458 WIN MAG, "Daisy" the Ruger No. 1.
Replacements for the "Dirty Harry" pushfeed M70 and Remington M700 Safari model still elude.
Continuing.
A couple of Whitworth .458 WIN MAGs were molested along the way, one turned into a .458 Lott,
the other became a .458/.416 Ruger, sad stories not for this happy thread.
Just before that last molestation, at the grand opening of Cabela's in Louisville, KY, I spied a sale on the 2011 model 50th Anniversary Cabela's Winchester "Super Grade" M70 .458 WIN MAG.
Supposed to be what a 1963 M70 Super Grade was like, only they did not do a faithful "African" copy.
So after the Whitworths were molested, I was down to only one .458 WIN MAG to play nice with handloads.
Yet I was wanting to abuse a .458 WIN MAG with COLs longer than a SAAMI ,458 Lott could chamber,
and allow it to redline the MAP like a .458 Lott has to do to meet its claimed MVs with 500-grainers.
Enter Chimera WinCZeckster, my No. 3 .458 WIN MAG:

Those loads are perfect for a Ruger No. 1 or CZ 550 Magnum .458 WIN MAG, SAAMI-chambered.
Nowadays Chimera prefers 404-gr Shock Hammers and CEB 400-gr Safari Solids at +2500 fps
with COLs respectively of 3.380" and 3.340".

Riflecrank · Mar 6, 2026

The Whitworth above is out of the countdown because it was re-chambered to .458/.416 Ruger.
The barrel sights used on this "reproduction 1963 Super Grade" are not of the "African" type

This may not suit the majority here, but this is a way to secure a scope well without having to alter a "1 of 500" safe queen by 8x40-ing and J-B WELDING:

NEAR MFG is a good thing from Canada, ranks right up there with their maple syrup.

Yes, she was the champ for 4 shots timed at the life-sized paper cape buffalo, using red dot sight.
And she does right near 2140 fps with the Hornady DGS and DGX 500-grain factory ammo:
DGX: 2146 fps MV @46*F
DGS: 2136 fps MV @46*F

Riflecrank · Mar 6, 2026

I might as well get it over with, here is Daisy,:

63 rounds in one afternoon trip to the range, a big day, made possible by Daisy's gentle caress.

Hornady factory 500-grainers in Daisy:
DGX: 2141 fps MV @ 78*F
DGS: 2139.4 fps MV @ 78*F
Honest Hornady advertising: 2140 fps MV for both

Handloaded with 83.0 grains of AA-2460, Daisy did this at 80*F, by LabRadar,
W-W Super brass cases, GM215M primers:

450-gr TSX (3.570" COL) >>> 2459.0 fps MV
500-gr TBSS (3.550" COL) >>> 2407.8 fps MV

Riflecrank · Mar 6, 2026

Waiting on .458 WIN MAG No. 14 from Pac-Nor.
Muninn will specialize in 400-yard game shooting with 404-gr Stone Hammer,
and with 26" long 1:10" twist barrel it will be a candidate for 1000-yard Creedmost Match shooting with pointy, heavy VLD target bullets.

SLG · Mar 6, 2026

Near has never steered me wrong with bases, and he knows more about it than any other company I have dealt with.

TOBY458 · Mar 6, 2026

Here’s my newly acquired Kimber 458 Lott. Not a Win Mag, but close enough! lol!

Grumpy gumpy · Mar 6, 2026

TOBY458 said:
Here’s my newly acquired Kimber 458 Lott. Not a Win Mag, but close enough! lol!

That’s some nice grain on the stock
Gumpy

Pics of your .458WM's

steve white

Riflecrank

Cannonball

Attachments

SLG

Riflecrank

Riflecrank

Kelle

hoytcanon

Riflecrank

PaulT

Badboymelvin

Badboymelvin

SLG

Riflecrank

Riflecrank

Riflecrank

Riflecrank

SLG

TOBY458

Attachments

Grumpy gumpy

Members online

Forum statistics

Proudly sponsored by

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

Share this page