458 Lott vs 450 Rigby

.458 Lott vs. .450 Rigby

A Practical Comparison

This has, of course, been discussed before, but as the owner of a .458 Lott, I thought it would be
interesting to compare the .458 Lott and .450 Rigby from a practical standpoint. Much has previously been written right here on AH comparing the two. Honestly, reading those old posts and threads saddens me a bit, some members are no longer here or contributing anymore. At least their opinions and knowledge are still here to read, I’m grateful for that. There are plenty of ballistic comparisons out there, but sometimes the numbers don't tell the whole story.

Pressure and Case Capacity

The .458 Lott operates at a higher maximum pressure than the .450 Rigby.

Cartridge Maximum Pressure Typical Factory Load

.458 Lott ~62,000 PSI 500 gr. at ~2,300 fps

.450 Rigby ~58,000 PSI / 4,000 bar 500 gr. at ~2,350 fps

Heat and Pressure

One of the arguments made for the .450 Rigby is that its lower operating pressure gives it an advantage in very hot conditions. The theory is that lower working pressure provides more margin against pressure increases caused by high temperatures and potentially reduces the possibility of sticky extraction. That's certainly a legitimate consideration.

However, I have to look at this from my own experience as well as others. I've routinely shot my .458 Lott in the Oklahoma sun when temperatures were over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I've also hunted Africa with it for both elephant and buffalo in blistering 100-degree weather. I've experienced zero pressure related issues with my 458 Lott. I may be a sadist because I actually like hunting Africa during the late season when it's hot!

Factory Ammunition

From a factory-ammunition standpoint, the two cartridges are remarkably close. A typical .458 Lott factory load will launch a 500-grain bullet at around 2,300 fps, while a .450 Rigby will generally run around 2,350 fps with a 500-grain bullet. 50 fps is a very small difference. No elephant or buffalo is going to know the difference between 2,300 and 2,350 fps when hit properly with either. There is one exception however.

I’ve seen factory loaded 450 Rigby ammo, loaded by Norma which offers a Woodleigh 550 grain SP and FMJ solid at 2100 fps, very close to a 500 Jeffery. I don’t see that available in the states though. I think if I owned a 450 Rigby and used factory ammo only, I’d want to use this Norma ammo loaded with the heavier bullets. The .450 Rigby does have considerably more case capacity and that's where things get interesting for the handloader.

The Handloader's Advantage:

The .450 Rigby has a definite advantage for the handloader. There is a tremendous amount of case capacity to work with, and it gives the handloader considerable flexibility. With appropriate components and load data, you can build loads ranging from 458 Lott power to loads to velocity up to 460 Weatherby level and anything in between.

It's interesting to me that factory .450 Rigby ammunition with 500-grain bullets are generally held around 2,350 fps when the cartridge has the capacity to go considerably faster. In my opinion, it makes more sense to have factory 450 Rigby load with a 500 grain bullet in the 2400-2450 fps range, giving it an advantage over the 458 Lott in power.

Whether you actually need it is another question. Personally, I don't think an elephant or buffalo requires the additional velocity when 2,300–2,350 fps with a good 500-grain bullet is already doing the job extremely well.

Magazine Capacity

Here's another area where I think the .458 Lott has a practical advantage. My custom Brno ZKK-602 will hold five rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber, giving me six rounds total. A CZ 550 will typically hold five rounds in the magazine as well.


The .450 Rigby is generally going to give you fewer rounds in the magazine because of its larger case diameter and overall dimensions. Three rounds in the magazine is fairly typical, with four possible with an extended magazine. Some custom rifles may accommodate five. For a dangerous-game rifle, I personally like having that extra capacity. It's not that I expect to need six rounds, but when you're dealing with dangerous game, I don't see a downside to having them available.

Ammunition Availability

This is probably one of the biggest practical differences between the two. The .458 Lott has a major advantage when it comes to factory ammunition and brass availability. It's cheaper, more common, and considerably easier to find. The same would also apply to rifles chambered in 458 Lott, much more available. The .450 Rigby is much less common and significantly more expensive when you can find it. Sometimes it seems like .450 Rigby ammunition is being hoarded!

Companies such as Hendershot's Custom Ammunition will load .450 Rigby and offer some excellent bullet options. That's a great option for someone who doesn't reload, although availability of brass can sometimes be an issue.The ammunition is out there—you just have to look harder and generally pay considerably more for it.

The .458 Lott also has another practical advantage: you can use .458 Winchester Magnum ammunition in a pinch. That's a nice feature plus 458 Lott and 458 Win Mag ammo is much more available in Africa should your ammo get lost in transit. I think you'd have a very difficult time finding .450 Rigby ammunition in many parts of Africa.

Rifles

This is where the .450 Rigby starts getting really interesting to me. I think it's a very cool cartridge, and I honestly wish it were chambered in more rifles. The Rigby Big Game and PH rifles are excellent rifles and a perfect platform for the 450 Rigby. Used Dakota 76 rifles chambered in 450 Rigby are another beautiful option and Parkwest will build one in .450 Rigby.

But outside of the Rigby rifles, it seems to become more of a custom-rifle proposition. I've seen several very nice custom CZ 550s chambered in .450 Rigby, and they make a lot of sense to me. Maybe when CZ was still producing the Safari Magnum rifles, the .450 Rigby was available through their custom shop? I'm not certain about that, but I've certainly seen some very nice CZ 550s chambered for it.

So Which One?

For factory ammunition performance wise, I don't think there is enough practical difference between the two to matter on an elephant or buffalo hunt. The .450 Rigby gives you lower operating pressure and substantially more case capacity. The .458 Lott gives you greater ammunition availability, lower cost, more magazine capacity in many rifles and the ability to fall back on .458 Winchester Magnum ammunition if necessary.

The .450 Rigby certainly has much more potential as a handloading platform, and I think a 500-grain bullet at 2,400–2,450 fps would make for an impressive factory load. But with that comes additional recoil, and I'm not convinced the animal would notice the difference.

I've personally had zero issues with the .458 Lott in extremely hot conditions, including African hunts for elephant and buffalo. So for me, the pressure difference is more interesting on paper than it has been in the field.

Final Thoughts

I would never turn my back on a Rigby PH in .450 Rigby. In fact, Cabela's has some nice ones right now, and if I didn't already own a .458 Lott, I'd certainly be tempted. If you already own a good .458 Lott, I just don't see a compelling practical reason to add a .450 Rigby.

That doesn't mean I don't want one. There's a difference between needing a .450 Rigby and wanting a .450 Rigby. And I'm pretty sure most of us who are interested in one understand that distinction!

The .458 Lott is the practical choice for me. The .450 Rigby is the rifle I'd buy because I simply think it's cool. And honestly, that’s not a bad reason to own one either!

My custom Brno ZKK-602 458 Lott on the right and PH’s CZ 550 458 Lott on the left.

The .458 Lott is logically the choice for most hunters based on availability of affordable rifles and ammunition from several manufactures. Add to that it is certainly more available in Africa should a visiting hunter need more. The final plus is in a pinch, .458 Win ammo will function well in a Lott rifle.

Contrary to the above information, the .450 Rigby Federal ammo I've shot clocks at 2450 fps. I loaded some a month ago with H4895 for which the manual listed MV of 2350. I figured a somewhat mild load in this cannon. Wrong! My first shot off my standing bench I must have been leaning into the rifle for I momentarily saw stars! Holy cow, loosen up your stance! Subsequent shots felt better but still clocked the same at 2450 fps on my Garmin Zero chrono with the 500 gr Hornady RN practice bullets. I wonder how fast the loads listed at 2450 fps would actually achieve?

I've taken a dozen or more head of African game up to elephant with my .458 Win. I've also shot a zebra and a giraffe at distance with a .458 Lott. Of the two, the Lott is the clear choice. For the specialist, the firearms and/or hunting affectionado, the .450 Rigby is mighty effective if one doesn't mind the extra recoil!

.458 Lott born 1971
.450 Rigby born 1994

An interesting commercial initiative would be Rigby producing Rigby line of factory ammunition and handloading brass.

Rigby has gone this long without getting into the ammunition game, I don't see why they would do it at this point. If they were ever going to do it you would think it would have been when Kynoch went out of business.

Unless you live and die with your choice, or you are a hunter that may shoot your big boomer a few times a year, then go with lighter recoil everytime. The big boomers/stopping rifles are for PH's , no Joe Average Ele Shooter. I have yet to meet any Joe Average hunter that shoots the .458 Lott and bigger well enough to trust being around them if things get wild. Trust your PH to bring the stopper and you do better shooting what you shoot very well and very accurate.

BJH65 said:

.458 Lott vs. .450 Rigby

A Practical Comparison

This has, of course, been discussed before, but as the owner of a .458 Lott, I thought it would be
interesting to compare the .458 Lott and .450 Rigby from a practical standpoint. Much has previously been written right here on AH comparing the two. Honestly, reading those old posts and threads saddens me a bit, some members are no longer here or contributing anymore. At least their opinions and knowledge are still here to read, I’m grateful for that. There are plenty of ballistic comparisons out there, but sometimes the numbers don't tell the whole story.

Pressure and Case Capacity

The .458 Lott operates at a higher maximum pressure than the .450 Rigby.

Cartridge Maximum Pressure Typical Factory Load

.458 Lott ~62,000 PSI 500 gr. at ~2,300 fps

.450 Rigby ~58,000 PSI / 4,000 bar 500 gr. at ~2,350 fps

Heat and Pressure

One of the arguments made for the .450 Rigby is that its lower operating pressure gives it an advantage in very hot conditions. The theory is that lower working pressure provides more margin against pressure increases caused by high temperatures and potentially reduces the possibility of sticky extraction. That's certainly a legitimate consideration.

However, I have to look at this from my own experience as well as others. I've routinely shot my .458 Lott in the Oklahoma sun when temperatures were over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I've also hunted Africa with it for both elephant and buffalo in blistering 100-degree weather. I've experienced zero pressure related issues with my 458 Lott. I may be a sadist because I actually like hunting Africa during the late season when it's hot!

Factory Ammunition

From a factory-ammunition standpoint, the two cartridges are remarkably close. A typical .458 Lott factory load will launch a 500-grain bullet at around 2,300 fps, while a .450 Rigby will generally run around 2,350 fps with a 500-grain bullet. 50 fps is a very small difference. No elephant or buffalo is going to know the difference between 2,300 and 2,350 fps when hit properly with either. There is one exception however.

I’ve seen factory loaded 450 Rigby ammo, loaded by Norma which offers a Woodleigh 550 grain SP and FMJ solid at 2100 fps, very close to a 500 Jeffery. I don’t see that available in the states though. I think if I owned a 450 Rigby and used factory ammo only, I’d want to use this Norma ammo loaded with the heavier bullets. The .450 Rigby does have considerably more case capacity and that's where things get interesting for the handloader.

The Handloader's Advantage:

The .450 Rigby has a definite advantage for the handloader. There is a tremendous amount of case capacity to work with, and it gives the handloader considerable flexibility. With appropriate components and load data, you can build loads ranging from 458 Lott power to loads to velocity up to 460 Weatherby level and anything in between.

It's interesting to me that factory .450 Rigby ammunition with 500-grain bullets are generally held around 2,350 fps when the cartridge has the capacity to go considerably faster. In my opinion, it makes more sense to have factory 450 Rigby load with a 500 grain bullet in the 2400-2450 fps range, giving it an advantage over the 458 Lott in power.

Whether you actually need it is another question. Personally, I don't think an elephant or buffalo requires the additional velocity when 2,300–2,350 fps with a good 500-grain bullet is already doing the job extremely well.

Magazine Capacity

Here's another area where I think the .458 Lott has a practical advantage. My custom Brno ZKK-602 will hold five rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber, giving me six rounds total. A CZ 550 will typically hold five rounds in the magazine as well.


The .450 Rigby is generally going to give you fewer rounds in the magazine because of its larger case diameter and overall dimensions. Three rounds in the magazine is fairly typical, with four possible with an extended magazine. Some custom rifles may accommodate five. For a dangerous-game rifle, I personally like having that extra capacity. It's not that I expect to need six rounds, but when you're dealing with dangerous game, I don't see a downside to having them available.

Ammunition Availability

This is probably one of the biggest practical differences between the two. The .458 Lott has a major advantage when it comes to factory ammunition and brass availability. It's cheaper, more common, and considerably easier to find. The same would also apply to rifles chambered in 458 Lott, much more available. The .450 Rigby is much less common and significantly more expensive when you can find it. Sometimes it seems like .450 Rigby ammunition is being hoarded!

Companies such as Hendershot's Custom Ammunition will load .450 Rigby and offer some excellent bullet options. That's a great option for someone who doesn't reload, although availability of brass can sometimes be an issue.The ammunition is out there—you just have to look harder and generally pay considerably more for it.

The .458 Lott also has another practical advantage: you can use .458 Winchester Magnum ammunition in a pinch. That's a nice feature plus 458 Lott and 458 Win Mag ammo is much more available in Africa should your ammo get lost in transit. I think you'd have a very difficult time finding .450 Rigby ammunition in many parts of Africa.

Rifles

This is where the .450 Rigby starts getting really interesting to me. I think it's a very cool cartridge, and I honestly wish it were chambered in more rifles. The Rigby Big Game and PH rifles are excellent rifles and a perfect platform for the 450 Rigby. Used Dakota 76 rifles chambered in 450 Rigby are another beautiful option and Parkwest will build one in .450 Rigby.

But outside of the Rigby rifles, it seems to become more of a custom-rifle proposition. I've seen several very nice custom CZ 550s chambered in .450 Rigby, and they make a lot of sense to me. Maybe when CZ was still producing the Safari Magnum rifles, the .450 Rigby was available through their custom shop? I'm not certain about that, but I've certainly seen some very nice CZ 550s chambered for it.

So Which One?

For factory ammunition performance wise, I don't think there is enough practical difference between the two to matter on an elephant or buffalo hunt. The .450 Rigby gives you lower operating pressure and substantially more case capacity. The .458 Lott gives you greater ammunition availability, lower cost, more magazine capacity in many rifles and the ability to fall back on .458 Winchester Magnum ammunition if necessary.

The .450 Rigby certainly has much more potential as a handloading platform, and I think a 500-grain bullet at 2,400–2,450 fps would make for an impressive factory load. But with that comes additional recoil, and I'm not convinced the animal would notice the difference.

I've personally had zero issues with the .458 Lott in extremely hot conditions, including African hunts for elephant and buffalo. So for me, the pressure difference is more interesting on paper than it has been in the field.

Final Thoughts

I would never turn my back on a Rigby PH in .450 Rigby. In fact, Cabela's has some nice ones right now, and if I didn't already own a .458 Lott, I'd certainly be tempted. If you already own a good .458 Lott, I just don't see a compelling practical reason to add a .450 Rigby.

That doesn't mean I don't want one. There's a difference between needing a .450 Rigby and wanting a .450 Rigby. And I'm pretty sure most of us who are interested in one understand that distinction!

The .458 Lott is the practical choice for me. The .450 Rigby is the rifle I'd buy because I simply think it's cool. And honestly, that’s not a bad reason to own one either!

My custom Brno ZKK-602 458 Lott on the right and PH’s CZ 550 458 Lott on the left.

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Well written and thought out. I own rifles chambered in both calibers. My .450 Rigby is a Sako, and I have killed three buffalo with it. It's probably my favorite rifle. My lott is a CZ that is currently in the shop having some work done to it. I have not taken it on a Safari yet, but I am customizing it to be my rural Africa gun.

I think you are correct, for a variety of reasons the Lott is certainly a more practical cartridge. The ability to shoot .458 Win ammo is in my mind very beneficial i.e. If you show up in Mozambique with a .450 Rigby, and your ammo doesn't make the flight, you're fucked, but you can always find .458 Win Ammo.

That said, I own tons of safari rifles, and I love using them. I develop a bond with every gun I take on Safari, and I suspect many people feel this way. Training, and using my own gun is a big part of the experience for me.

In the end, the .458 Lott is the more practical cartridge, while the .450 Rigby offers a level of performance that is, frankly, superfluous. I'm not sure I'll ever enjoy my .458 Lott as much as my .450, but I sure as hell intend to find out.

dogcat1 said:

Unless you live and die with your choice, or you are a hunter that may shoot your big boomer a few times a year, then go with lighter recoil everytime. The big boomers/stopping rifles are for PH's , no Joe Average Ele Shooter. I have yet to meet any Joe Average hunter that shoots the .458 Lott and bigger well enough to trust being around them if things get wild. Trust your PH to bring the stopper and you do better shooting what you shoot very well and very accurate.

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I don’t disagree, the average hunter with little experience shooting the big bores, going on their maiden voyage to Africa is much better served with a good scoped 375 when hunting buffalo. This is anecdotal, talking to my PH that’s had to stop a charge from a poorly hit buffalo, his client was using a 458 Lott and there is information from other PH’s corroborating this scenario matching their own experiences, hunters using too much gun than they are comfortable with and making a poor shot.

This requires some honesty and self reflection from the hunter. One must be able to consistently place their shots into the vitals, period. I think more than a few here on AH enjoy the bigger bores and are willing to put in the practice to be comfortable shooting them. They are not “average.” IMO. I limit my practice sessions with my 458 Lott to no more than 10 rounds a shooting session, this works best for me.

As far as trust, I trust my PH’s, the marines and LE officers I served with in perilous operations and nobody else.

dogcat1 said:

Unless you live and die with your choice, or you are a hunter that may shoot your big boomer a few times a year, then go with lighter recoil everytime. The big boomers/stopping rifles are for PH's , no Joe Average Ele Shooter. I have yet to meet any Joe Average hunter that shoots the .458 Lott and bigger well enough to trust being around them if things get wild. Trust your PH to bring the stopper and you do better shooting what you shoot very well and very accurate.

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I hear what you're saying, practice is crucial, but I have probably put something in the neighborhood of 300 rounds down range with my .450 Rigby.

I forgot to mention the factory production of 450 Rigby factory ammo appears to have ceased except for Grizzly Cartridge and they are mostly out of stock. My understanding is Norma has ceased production of their excellent 550 grain soft point and solid ammo. There are custom loads from Hendershot’s. Understandable why owners of 450 Rigby may want to hoard loaded ammo and brass!

Still, Rigby is chambering their excellent Big Game and PH in 450 Rigby. IMO, when factory ammo is no longer produced, that’s the death of a cartridge. If I acquire a 450 Rigby, I’d want at least 500 rounds of loaded ammo, split between softs and solids.,

BJH65 said:

I don’t disagree, the average hunter with little experience shooting the big bores, going on their maiden voyage to Africa is much better served with a good scoped 375 when hunting buffalo. This is anecdotal, talking to my PH that’s had to stop a charge from a poorly hit buffalo, his client was using a 458 Lott and there is information from other PH’s corroborating this scenario matching their own experiences, hunters using too much gun than they are comfortable with and making a poor shot.

This requires some honesty and self reflection from the hunter. One must be able to consistently place their shots into the vitals, period. I think more than a few here on AH enjoy the bigger bores and are willing to put in the practice to be comfortable shooting them. They are not “average.” IMO. I limit my practice sessions with my 458 Lott to no more than 10 rounds a shooting session, this works best for me.

As far as trust, I trust my PH’s, the marines and LE officers I served with in perilous operations and nobody else.

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I agree with you for the most part. Unfortunately it seems that every poorly hit buffalo that was shot with anything larger than a.375 has the blame placed completely on the fact that it was much more recoil than the hunter was able to comfortably handle. This might be the case in many instances, but there is usually more to it than just that. As you mentioned it's the practice that is going to prepare you for the hunt and you need to do that properly. Yes you need to be honest with yourself about the amount of recoil you are comfortable with, but I have witnessed several guys shooting their 375 in preparation for their buffalo hunt and you never see them get off the bench. A guy I was talking to at the range last year was excited for his first buffalo hunt and wanted to get one more shooting session in before his trip. I asked when he was leaving and he told me in 6 days. I watched him shoot about 30 rounds and he never got off the sandbag. I asked him if he had practiced shooting from sticks and he said no and declined my offer to barrow mine saying he felt good about how the gun was shooting. I have no idea how his hunt went, but everyone here knows of stories like this. Had he been shooting a larger caliber and wounded a buffalo would it be blamed on recoil without completely knowing what kind of preparation went into the hunt?

Not just practice, the right kind of practice.

.460 Weatherby Magnum born 1957

I believe the .460 Weatherby is alive and well because Weatherby invests in both factory ammo produced by Norma and excellent component brass also produced by Norma.

Schüler Jumbo said:

.460 Weatherby Magnum born 1957

I believe the .460 Weatherby is alive and well because Weatherby invests in both factory ammo produced by Norma and excellent component brass also produced by Norma.

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Excellent point. I believe the only difference between a 460 Wby and 450 Rigby case is the Weatherby has a belt and the Rigby doesn’t. Someone with a 460 Weatherby can handload to more manageable levels like 2450 fps instead of the factory 2600 fps with the 500 grain bullet and have currently manufactured brass and loaded ammo to choose from.

Hmmm…something to consider? If one were considering a custom rifle in 450 Rigby like a Parkwest SD-76 Dark Continent, who not a 460 Wby, they’ll build that too? May make more sense eh?

BJH65 said:

Excellent point. I believe the only difference between a 460 Wby and 450 Rigby case is the Weatherby has a belt and the Rigby doesn’t. Someone with a 460 Weatherby can handload to more manageable levels like 2450 fps instead of the factory 2600 fps with the 500 grain bullet and have currently manufactured brass and loaded ammo to choose from.

Hmmm…something to consider? If one were considering a custom rifle in 450 Rigby like a Parkwest SD-76 Dark Continent, who not a 460 Wby, they’ll build that too? May make more sense eh?

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100% makes sense. No better quality brass than Norma and .460 Wby brass is readily available (Raven Rocks Precision has it in stock now). The .460 is another big bore capable of MOA- no down side to building a .460 Wby.

I’m really pleased @BJH65 started this very well reasoned thread as this exactly what I have been considering as well.

There are a number of Rigby PH rifles available in the US at the moment 450 Rigby and that got me thinking about owning one. I have also noticed that Rigby is now offering the Big Game in 458 Lott.

I’m still debating but I think I would go Lott over Rigby for some of the reasons that have already been mentioned. Mainly ammunition availability, especially as a traveling hunter. 458 Lott or Winchester is available everywhere and that can’t be said for the Rigby.

From what I have been told (by people with far more experience than me) the 450 Rigby is a bit of a better performer and has become a favorite for problem animal control.

However, I am not a PH and I would accept slightly less performance, given my application.

I have a 450 Rigby. I don’t think any animal will notice the difference between the Lott and Rigby. The biggest practical difference is the Lott is here to stay. There are no major ammunition manufacturers making 450 Rigby ammo any longer. Ammo and brass availability will become a serious issue in future. Until just a few years ago ammo was made by Hornady, Norma, Nosler, few others. All have been discontinued.

The rigby I probably a better design- lower pressure, more reasonable recoil than the weatherby but it was late to the party and probably sliding into the realm of specialty cartridges. The rigby also doesn't offer much in the way of improvement- sure energy is up but penetration is very similar. And the weatherby doesn't add much penetration either. Once you have penetrated the vitals on an elephant or buffalo, the job is done and any extra is wasted. So I think the Lott is more popular, more efficient and the rigby has little to add.

I own both, and I'll probably always prefer the 450 Rigby.

The Lott has some advantages, as others have pointed out, but it's also absolutely maxed out on pressure and velocity. With older propellants, like cordite, it was critical to use larger cases loaded to lower pressures, but is less so today.

If you are a handloader, the non belted and necked case of the Rigby is a bit easier to size vs the Lott. I'm not saying the Lott is difficult, but anything with the magnum belt is going to be different than a case without one.

Also keep in mind any round loaded to higher pressures is going to be worked more when sizing the brass. My Rigby cases, on the other hand, could almost be loaded and fired several times without resizing. Only the neck really needs to be sized to maintain proper tension on the bullet. Most loads work the Rigby brass very little, not so with the Lott or Win.

The Rigby has the case capacity to push heavier 550 and 600 grain bullets, whereas the Lott and 458 Win don't. For example, the 458 Win with the 550gr Woodleigh, most powders max load is just over 2,000fps. The Lott max for the Woodleigh 550gr is N140 at 2095fps. The Rigby with H4350 can push the same 550gr bullets to 2290fps, almost 200fps faster than the Lott. With 600gr bullets that several South African PH friends of mine prefer, the difference is even greater. Anything the Win or Lott can do, the Rigby can do 200fps better and at lower pressure.

Recoil is nowhere near what I was told, and in my opinion most experienced shooters could handle the 450 Rigby as long as the rifle is of sufficient weight. If you're looking for an 8.5lb DG rifle, the Rigby isn't a good choice for you

My prediction is that the 450 Rigby will fade, almost the way the 416 Rigby did a little over 50 years ago. It will still be produced and used, then be revived by those that understand it's qualities. I've had several long conversations with rifle builder Kenny Jarrett, who helped Paul Roberts design the cartridge. The entire purpose of the 450 Rigby is Elephant hunting with solids, and as a stopping rifle in a practical bolt action.

It's not really good for anything but the biggest and the toughest, but then that's exactly what it was intended for.

Schüler Jumbo said:

100% makes sense. No better quality brass than Norma and .460 Wby brass is readily available (Raven Rocks Precision has it in stock now). The .460 is another big bore capable of MOA- no down side to building a .460 Wby.

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Absolutely correct. Other than resale value, the .460 Wby. is a fine cartridge in a custom CRF action/offering. I really like both the Lott and Rigby being discussed. The Lott is more practical, but I certainly hope someone decides to make factory .450R ammo to keep the Rigby "alive". I have a lot of brass/bullets and multiple sets of dies in case it disappears. . . but certainly hope it gains in popularity and someone determines there is a market for factory offerings. .

So just checking 450 Rigby loaded ammunition right now using Ammo Seek, the only available factory ammo is directly through Grizzly Cartridge. They have exactly two five round boxes of 450 grain TSX for $99 a box. Geez $20 per round.

I want to like the 450 Rigby. I’ve considered one off and on just to have, no real justification but this is depressing. Now I know why guys will buy the ammo first before buying the rifle, and the 450 Rigby is a perfect example!

BJH65 said:

So just checking 450 Rigby loaded ammunition right now using Ammo Seek, the only available factory ammo is directly through Grizzly Cartridge. They have exactly two five round boxes of 450 grain TSX for $99 a box. Geez $20 per round.

I want to like the 450 Rigby. I’ve considered one off and on just to have, no real justification but this is depressing. Now I know why guys will buy the ammo first before buying the rifle, and the 450 Rigby is a perfect example.

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Rigby, Dakota, Park West, Jerrett and who knows how many others produce a few dozen rifles a year in 450 Rigby. In all, the situation is almost identical to that of the 416 Rigby many years ago. Introduced in 1911, there had been possibly 1,000 rifles produced in 416 Rigby through the 1950's. In the 1960's Kynoch stopped producing 416 Rigby ammo.The 458Win, and it's 416 caliber offspring were said to be finally killing the old, oversized 416 Rigby. How many 416's have come out with the same purpose of replacing the 416 Rigby, yet most are now gone.

416 Hoffman
416 Weatherby
416 Ruger
416 Taylor
416 Remington
416 Dakota

Only the Remington and Ruger are common, and the Weatherby hangs on because the factory backs the ammo production by Norma.


That the 416 Rigby was dead seemed accepted fact 40-50 years ago. Who thinks the 416 Rigby is going away now? Nobody.


As other have stated, builders are pumping out rifles in 450 Rigby, and someone will eventually manufacture ammo to feed them. The same conditions that brought back the 416 Rigby, the 404 Jeff, and dozens of older generation African Dangerous Game calibers still exists. Ammo will be scarce the next few years, but will eventually pick up again, just like the 416 Rigby.