458 Lott instead of 416 Rigby?

[expresshunt]

Back to look at this post...
Great comments everyone., and the offers for axel to go try a rifle are awesome.

Plenty of good advice.. some bigger guys can handle anything... and its technique.
I used to have a 500Jeffery I had made by Sabi in RSA on a Vektor action, almost 11lb, and with a 2250fps load, and the 535gr Woodleighs.. it was LOVELY to shoot. A big boom offhand and many people loved it, and wanted to buy one exactly the same.
Factors were - heavy rifle, stiff big barrel, excellent stock, good forend grip, nice supporting pistol grip, nice cheekpiece, and large butt area. A soft fat recoil pad.. AND coarse checkering... each of these small things absorb, spread and reduce felt recoil.. And the load was mild.. (found a less recoiling powder).. and yet it hammered Buffalo real hard.

I have just booked an Elephant hunt next year at Caprivi.. well, 2 of us..
So now what do I do.. use my trusty 404.. or get bitten by the bigger bug again.. and go buy a CZ 458Lott.. and make a mild load of a 500 Grain Hydro at 2250fps.
OR - If I find a 458WM rifle, does anyone have a 500grain bullet powder load that IS NOT COMPRESSED and does 2075fps..??
Dilema...

 

[Forrest Halley]

I love my M70 375! I'd shoot that thing til I went broke if I had the time

Truth. I think it's a great rifle. Shoots well and is easy to carry.

 

[ChrisG]

Back to look at this post...
Great comments everyone., and the offers for axel to go try a rifle are awesome.

Plenty of good advice.. some bigger guys can handle anything... and its technique.
I used to have a 500Jeffery I had made by Sabi in RSA on a Vektor action, almost 11lb, and with a 2250fps load, and the 535gr Woodleighs.. it was LOVELY to shoot. A big boom offhand and many people loved it, and wanted to buy one exactly the same.
Factors were - heavy rifle, stiff big barrel, excellent stock, good forend grip, nice supporting pistol grip, nice cheekpiece, and large butt area. A soft fat recoil pad.. AND coarse checkering... each of these small things absorb, spread and reduce felt recoil.. And the load was mild.. (found a less recoiling powder).. and yet it hammered Buffalo real hard.

I have just booked an Elephant hunt next year at Caprivi.. well, 2 of us..
So now what do I do.. use my trusty 404.. or get bitten by the bigger bug again.. and go buy a CZ 458Lott.. and make a mild load of a 500 Grain Hydro at 2250fps.
OR - If I find a 458WM rifle, does anyone have a 500grain bullet powder load that IS NOT COMPRESSED and does 2075fps..??
Dilema...

I don't know about 500 grain loads, but here is Hornady's load data for a Hornady 480 grain DGS in that velocity range.

The original loading for the 450NE was a 480 at 2,150, and that's the load that made it a standby. These should do fine and not be compressed at 2,100FPS and handle heat just fine.

 

[saswart]

OR - If I find a 458WM rifle, does anyone have a 500grain bullet powder load that IS NOT COMPRESSED and does 2075fps..??
Dilema...

My brother and I both shoot 458’s. I have the express so 2200+ is no problem, my brother however has the 458WM and he has developed a load which gives him 2095-2120. I will share the detail pvtly if you want it; it is a local propellant, sure others such as Hodgdon/IMR etc could give same results. He found the most optimal case iro volume and he loads it a bit longer, with a col of86,5. No compressed loads, you can still here the powder in case if you shake it.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

458 Lott has an edge for body shots on bull elephant, so if you plan on hunting a lot of elephant (esp. in dense foliage with low visibility)... that gets my vote.

.416 Rigby is more versatile and has less recoil.

 

[FredIII]

I love my M70 375! I'd shoot that thing til I went broke if I had the time

I believe listing what you have to trade would help out.

I have shot sub moa groups out to 750 yards with my pre 64 375h&h. With 300 grain Aframes. Not the best in the wind but she will kill.
The 416 rigby rsm will sub moa to 500 but the 1-4 NF has a dot that makes past that tuff.

 

[FredIII]

My RSM in Lott is like I started getting some weight added and I'm going to use a NEGC peep on it. Scoping it scares the crap out of my eyebrow.

 

[BeeMaa]

My RSM in Lott is like I started getting some weight added and I'm going to use a NEGC peep on it. Scoping it scares the crap out of my eyebrow.

458LOTT was not intended to be shot from the bench at long range. It's what most consider the ground floor for stopping cartridges. Typical use is for DG at less than 100 yards and I'd say most of that is inside of 50 yards on most DG game or 10 to 25 yards for elephant.

Just thinking of you shooting that off the bench makes MY shoulder hurt. Sticks my friend, shoot from sticks and you will be much more comfortable.

 

[FredIII]

That is off sticks. I'm fully aware of the guns I mentioned intended uses. I get bored running 50 and 100 yards with rifles. The LR shooting is for grins not in anyway do I intend to shoot those distance in the field. That said it's fun knowing you can kill a coyote or baboon at 600 yards if the gift is given. I have a standing bench in my back yard as well as a sitting bench.

 

[Axle2010]

That is off sticks. I'm fully aware of the guns I mentioned intended uses. I get bored running 50 and 100 yards with rifles. The LR shooting is for grins not in anyway do I intend to shoot those distance in the field. That said it's fun knowing you can kill a coyote or baboon at 600 yards if it the gift is given. I have a standing bench in my back yard as well as a sitting bench.

I've been thinking of the best way to build a moveable standing bench for when I do get a big bore. I can only shoot out to 230 yards at home but that's farther than I need for a Lott or NE double. I'm with you 100% in the long range baboon or nuisance critter, I'd love to connect with my 375 out to 600-800. Would you mind sharing your best h&h loads?

 

[FredIII]

2620 FPS

 

[ChrisG]

I've been thinking of the best way to build a moveable standing bench for when I do get a big bore. I can only shoot out to 230 yards at home but that's farther than I need for a Lott or NE double. I'm with you 100% in the long range baboon or nuisance critter, I'd love to connect with my 375 out to 600-800. Would you mind sharing your best h&h loads?

I once clocked a woodchuck with a 300 grain woodleigh out of an H&H at about 225 yards. The bullet actually hit about 3 ft. In front of him then skipped up and went through him sideways. The impact with the loose fill around his hole was like a mortarshell, and the effect on the woodchuck was similar. There was only a bottom half left when I got up there. So I can affirm that bonded .375 woodleighs ARE up to the task on 20lb woodchucks up here.

 

[FredIII]

I have a cow elk tag that starts on the 1st of next month I will be using the 375 I'm comfortable inside of 500 given the wind and time for a good well placed shot is in order.

 

[Axle2010]

2620 FPS

Thanks

 

[FredIII]

I tried RL15, h4350, imr 4350 and CFE 223. RL 17 was the best in my rifle. I read that CCI tested it to 81 grains but I found the max much lower. 2620 is more than enough in my opinion it's very similar to a 30-06 with flat based 180 grain in trajectory just carries a bunch more wallop.

 

[ChrisG]

I tried RL15, h4350, imr 4350 and CFE 223. RL 17 was the best in my rifle. I read that CCI tested it to 81 grains but I found the max much lower. 2620 is more than enough in my opinion it's very similar to a 30-06 with flat based 180 grain in trajectory just carries a bunch more wallop.

If you email Alliant, they will give you load data. RL 17 is THE powder for 375 H&H and 375 Ruger. Here is the email I got from them about the H&H that I swapped for a 375 Ruger a few hears ago.

 

[expresshunt]

My brother and I both shoot 458’s. I have the express so 2200+ is no problem, my brother however has the 458WM and he has developed a load which gives him 2095-2120. I will share the detail pvtly if you want it; it is a local propellant, sure others such as Hodgdon/IMR etc could give same results. He found the most optimal case iro volume and he loads it a bit longer, with a col of86,5. No compressed loads, you can still here the powder in case if you shake it.

Yep, send me a load please. More hunters are using our rifles nowadays, have 375H&H, 404 Jeffery and 416 Rigby rifles... getting 2x 458WM rifles for Buffalo camp. I just spoke to Adam one of our guides, his load is a 480grainer, with Benchmark 2 powder for 2100fps.

 

[FredIII]

If you email Alliant, they will give you load data. RL 17 is THE powder for 375 H&H and 375 Ruger. Here is the email I got from them about the H&H that I swapped for a 375 Ruger a few hears ago.

View attachment 575877

Like I said the Aframes and partitions are very similar and I found max load below 83 grains I would start off low and work up to pressure.

 

[Jim Golden]

If you email Alliant, they will give you load data. RL 17 is THE powder for 375 H&H and 375 Ruger. Here is the email I got from them about the H&H that I swapped for a 375 Ruger a few hears ago.

View attachment 575877

I'll have to contact these guys. I've been using RL 22 in the .375 Wby. Maybe I need to switch to 17.

 

[Jim Golden]

My stock arrived yesterday for my .458 Lott project! Ordered it in March. Takes awhile