.458 Winchester Magnum

[Quaticman]

What species of game would you reasonably be able to hunt with a .458 Win Mag bolt action rifle loaded with 400 grain Swift A-Frame bullets?

 

[Northern Shooter]

Everything up to Cape Buffalo I imagine. I’m sure the odd elephant has been shot with those but it doesn’t meet the recommended 0.300 sectional density.

 

[Letzhunt]

Everything but Elephant (due to bullet not cartridge) the limiting factor will be the distance you can shoot. Plains game you could shoot further but bullet drop is significant past 200 yards. It can be accomplished further out with practice.

 

[Ridge Runner]

What species of game would you reasonably be able to hunt with a .458 Win Mag bolt action rifle loaded with 400 grain Swift A-Frame bullets?

A 400 grain should be good to go for:

Elk,
Moose,
Bears,
Eland,
Gemsbok,
Sable,
Giraffe,
Cape Buff,
Pigs of all flavors,
About all the larger big game animals.

For the smaller big game animals, I would suggest a 300 or 350 grain.

Whitetail deer
Mule deer,
Impala,
Blesbok,
Lion,
Leopard,
etc., animals of similar size,

Might be a little rough on:
Springbok,
Baboon,
Tiny ten,
Badger,
Hyenas,

 

[Safari Dave]

The .458 Winchester Magnum is good for anything on the planet with the right bullet.

The rumors of it's inadequacy ended in the 1990's.

 

[Andrew62]

The .458 Winchester Magnum is good for anything on the planet with the right bullet.

The rumors of it's inadequacy ended in the 1990's.

What Dave said ^^^. I have hunted with several PH's on DG hunts that were using 458 WM as a backup rifle.

 

[thriller]

What species of game would you reasonably be able to hunt with a .458 Win Mag bolt action rifle loaded with 400 grain Swift A-Frame bullets?

Anything with a proper bullet you will have many tell you it can’t punch through paper. Almost all of them have never tried one and don’t have the slightest idea what they are talking about.

 

[hoytcanon]

What species of game would you reasonably be able to hunt with a .458 Win Mag bolt action rifle loaded with 400 grain Swift A-Frame bullets?

Everything that walks except elephant... switch up the bullet if elephant are your target.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

What species of game would you reasonably be able to hunt with a .458 Win Mag bolt action rifle loaded with 400 grain Swift A-Frame bullets?

I have a .458 WM. I would not use it on elephant with a 400 grain soft of any make, but anything else in the world could be taken cleanly with that cartridge and bullet. It would.not be my first choice for open country PG, pronghorns, mule deer, sheep, etc. due to trajectory issues but since all of those animals have been taken with archery tackle you could crush them with your .458 if that's what you had to hunt with.

 

[Nyala23]

There are some people experimenting with 300 grain muzzleloading projectiles at amazing velocities. Not for DG but sure flatten out plains game loads

 

[Safari Dave]

500g DGS or DGX.



(just take the advice of your PH)




No need to look any farther for elephant, IMO.

 

[mark-hunter]

What species of game would you reasonably be able to hunt with a .458 Win Mag bolt action rifle loaded with 400 grain Swift A-Frame bullets?

Not elephant.
Everything else.

 

[Nhoro]

Personally I use a 450 gr bullet in my win mag. Soft for Buffalo downwards and solid for elephant. I am not a great fan of changing bullets- Murphy law will ensure you have the wrong weight in the gun. But that said, I colour my softs with a marker- bullet and base of cartridge -so their are ways to help that.Just check the bullets are win mag and not 45-70 type bullets. Some lights bullets may blowup with the extra velocity.

 

[jlb1036]

I would say anything in africa its all about shot placement
if I can recollect the 416 rigby and remington mag other 40 calibers rounds use the 400 grs with excellent results

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Any non dangerous game.

For dangerous game, I would at least employ a 450Gr bullet.