458 win mag Solids

[WillHuntMT]

Hello All!

I am looking into solids for an upcoming 2027 Safari for my 458 win mag. After talking to my PH he recommended 460-480 grain solids for the Win mag. As I’m doing an elephant hunt , penetration is key. I’ve seen lots of 450 grain and 500 grain solids. I have seen the cutting edge raptor in 470 grains but looks like it’s more of a soft. Any suggestions on bullets or weights?

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

Hello All!

I am looking into solids for an upcoming 2027 Safari for my 458 win mag. After talking to my PH he recommended 460-480 grain solids for the Win mag. As I’m doing an elephant hunt , penetration is key. I’ve seen lots of 450 grain and 500 grain solids. I have seen the cutting edge raptor in 470 grains but looks like it’s more of a soft. Any suggestions on bullets or weights?

Cutting Edge Bullets 450 gr .458 Safari Solid at 2300 fps

https://cuttingedgebullets.com/products/458-450gr-safari-solid?variant=46774705750314

".458 diameter 450 grain Safari Solid™ hunting bullet designed for Bolt Action Rifles as well as Double Rifles. Design incorporates 3 + 1 band configuration for reduced barrel strain. It has the 67% Meplat BBW#13™ nose profile which has proven to give the deepest penetration of any bullet tested to date."

September 2025, 450 gr Safari Solids.
Pass through the skull, a second through the shoulder bone and out the other side of the body. Both bullets residing somewhere in Cherowe South area, Zimbabwe.

 

[coyote wacker]

I will second Cutting Edge Bullets solids a great bullet made of solid brass !

Cutting Edge Bullet 400 gr. solid is a great bullet also.....you can get a little more velosity.....little less recoil.....this bullet was designed with the 458 WM as its delivery system.

https://cuttingedgebullets.com/products/458-400gr-700np-safari-solid-50ct?variant=50157820576042

 

[Nhoro]

I have a 458 win mag which I reamed to lott. In win mag format, I used 480 gr hornady solids and 480 gr and 450 gr Peregrine Vrg solids (copper solids). All are reliable performers so pick your preference. In addition, I would use North Fork 450 gr and most factory ammo that makes 2150 fps with a 450 to 450 gr bullet. (Hornady DGS,Woodleigh, Swift, noma, etc)

 

[WillHuntMT]

I have a 458 win mag which I reamed to lott. In win mag format, I used 480 gr hornady solids and 480 gr and 450 gr Peregrine Vrg solids (copper solids). All are reliable performers so pick your preference. In addition, I would use North Fork 450 gr and most factory ammo that makes 2150 fps with a 450 to 450 gr bullet. (Hornady DGS,Woodleigh, Swift, noma, etc)

I see the Peregrine is a solid copper bullet rather than brass. Have you seen it deform in thick bone or deviate its path?

 

[Mark458]

Cutting Edge Bullets 450 gr .458 Safari Solid at 2300 fps

https://cuttingedgebullets.com/products/458-450gr-safari-solid?variant=46774705750314

View attachment 796567

".458 diameter 450 grain Safari Solid™ hunting bullet designed for Bolt Action Rifles as well as Double Rifles. Design incorporates 3 + 1 band configuration for reduced barrel strain. It has the 67% Meplat BBW#13™ nose profile which has proven to give the deepest penetration of any bullet tested to date."

September 2025, 450 gr Safari Solids.
Pass through the skull, a second through the shoulder bone and out the other side of the body. Both bullets residing somewhere in Cherowe South area, Zimbabwe.

View attachment 796565

View attachment 796566

This really is the only solid you need. It has absolutely no down side. I just had one penetrate the entire length of a buffalo and exited the hind quarter after going through the spine at the neck.

 

[Flipper Dude]

Cutting Edge Bullets 450 gr .458 Safari Solid at 2300 fps

https://cuttingedgebullets.com/products/458-450gr-safari-solid?variant=46774705750314

View attachment 796567

".458 diameter 450 grain Safari Solid™ hunting bullet designed for Bolt Action Rifles as well as Double Rifles. Design incorporates 3 + 1 band configuration for reduced barrel strain. It has the 67% Meplat BBW#13™ nose profile which has proven to give the deepest penetration of any bullet tested to date."

September 2025, 450 gr Safari Solids.
Pass through the skull, a second through the shoulder bone and out the other side of the body. Both bullets residing somewhere in Cherowe South area, Zimbabwe.

View attachment 796565

View attachment 796566

That’s the bullet I use. Pushing it at 2375 from my Lott

 

[wildwilderness]

Absolutely use the Cutting Edge Solid- 450gr is plenty! They perform amazingly, track straight longer than others. You can even consider the 400 gr as well.

For the shorter 458 case and a mono you don’t want too long of a bullet that will take powder space.

I used a “light” for cal 350gr CEB solid in my 416 Taylor which is the same case as the 458win. Worked well on side brain- was found under the skin on opposite side after crushing the back side of the skull

 

[Nhoro]

I see the Peregrine is a solid copper bullet rather than brass. Have you seen it deform in thick bone or deviate its path?

My first shots with my 458 were in a gravel pit that is used as the shooting range at the game conservancy where I used to live and work. My boys were there and wanted to dig for bullets in the gravel bank behind the target. So road gravel, mixed small stones and sand. The copper peregrine solids we recovered had penetrated about 8 to 10 inches. The 3 we recovered were all straight but the front face was mashed up. If I recall correctly, they were 450 gr solids at 2350 fps. The copper reduces the length (brass is lighter) and so maximizes case capacity on the somewhat limited 458 win mag. After the gravel torture test, I am confident.Those same bullets have been used on elephant on the same property and they work well. Unfortunately, not me doing the elephant control so no pics of bullets. There should be some pictures of my bullets fresh from the gravel on a thread somewhere on the forum but it was years ago so I wouldn’t know where to find them.

 

[coyote wacker]

For those in need of a great bullet......on sale ! Cutting Edge Bullet 450 gr. Raptor

Cutting Edge Dangerous Game Solid 45 Cal (458 Diameter) Bullets 450

Cutting Edge Bullets manufacture premium solid projectiles that will perform as well in the field as they shoot on the range. Each bullet is precisely...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[Passagyrs]

I’m not sure this adds much, and I would defer to Mark Ouellette who guided me through my load development, but I have had great success using both the 470gr Safari Raptor and the 500gr Solid CEB bullets both at about 2100fps out of my Heym .458 double…my last Buffalo in July was taken quartering toward me with a single Safari Raptor through the front left shoulder and was retrieved under the skin behind the right hip…that’s not even the solid….

 

[Hyde Hunter]

only one left in stock, better grab it

 

[michael458]

I still have a few left, but they are MINE....................... LOL

My 458s need them.................

 

[Mark458]

Dang. How many elephants you have on your list?

 

[generalzip]

That’s the bullet I use. Pushing it at 2375 from my Lott


View attachment 796946

Crazy as it may seem my 458 win mag pushes that same bullet to 2330 fps and the 420 raptor to 2380 fps. 19.5” barrel. 70 grains of re-10x. Load is compressed but don’t see any pressure signs even during hunts in Africa. No extraction issues whatsoever either.

 

[generalzip]

I’m not sure this adds much, and I would defer to Mark Ouellette who guided me through my load development, but I have had great success using both the 470gr Safari Raptor and the 500gr Solid CEB bullets both at about 2100fps out of my Heym .458 double…my last Buffalo in July was taken quartering toward me with a single Safari Raptor through the front left shoulder and was retrieved under the skin behind the right hip…that’s not even the solid….

I would not use these longer heavier bullets in a 458 wm bolt gun. They won’t fit in the mag and will be massively compressed. 450 is the heaviest I’d go.

 

[Hyde Hunter]

I would not use these longer heavier bullets in a 458 wm bolt gun. They won’t fit in the mag and will be massively compressed. 450 is the heaviest I’d go.

Depends on the action, my cz550 I can load out to 3.70 with no problem

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

I would not use these longer heavier bullets in a 458 wm bolt gun. They won’t fit in the mag and will be massively compressed. 450 is the heaviest I’d go.

The maximum OAL of the .458 Win cartridge is 3.34”. By careful selection of powder one can easily load to slightly less than max OAL with the 500 gr Cutting Edge Safari Solid with only minimal powder compression. My loads were 2150 fps.

I used a similar load with 450 gr CEB solids last year for increased velocity at 2300 fps. Both the 500 and 450 gr loads along with their Safari Raptor companions at 470 and 420 gr have work DRT magic for me at 3.34” or less OAL.

 

[generalzip]

The maximum OAL of the .458 Win cartridge is 3.34”. By careful selection of powder one can easily load to slightly less than max OAL with the 500 gr Cutting Edge Safari Solid with only minimal powder compression. My loads were 2150 fps.

I used a similar load with 450 gr CEB solids last year for increased velocity at 2300 fps. Both the 500 and 450 gr loads along with their Safari Raptor companions at 470 and 420 gr have work DRT magic for me at 3.34” or less OAL.

Yea I just don’t see the point of the 500 in the 458 win mag. That 500 metric was for older bullet designs. These 450s at higher velocities will out penetrate the old 500 grainers anyway and will shoot flatter. I made a 280 yard shot on a buffalo a couple months ago with the 420 raptor and a red dot. If that was a 500 grain bullet I likely would have missed low.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

Yea I just don’t see the point of the 500 in the 458 win mag. That 500 metric was for older bullet designs. These 450s at higher velocities will out penetrate the old 500 grainers anyway and will shoot flatter. I made a 280 yard shot on a buffalo a couple months ago with the 420 raptor and a red dot. If that was a 500 grain bullet I likely would have missed low.

Good choice! My post was to correct your information. It is possible using today's powders to load a 500 gr monometal bullet to no more than 3.34" in the 458 Win. Loads like this will fit in a magazine.

Your milage may vari