Let's Talk About The 458 B&M

[michael458]

This thread is a little old, and not long ago I added a new 458 B&M to the collection you might say. A friend and B&M Family member in TX had this rifle built in early 2020 in anticipation of a buffalo hunt last July. Between COVID, and personal illness, he was not able to go, and now the illness is going to prevent any future trips, sad to say....... I ended up buying it back from him. Very nice rifle, English Accurate Innovations stock, I had loaded his ammo for him as I wanted to make 100% sure he didn't have any issues on his trip, so I got all the ammo back, minus 4 rounds that he had fired. I replaced the front sight he had, with a red Fiber Optic from NECG.... seems I pick that up nicely these days with aging diseased eyes of mine. But this gun is heavy as hell, its a 19 inch barrel, but the English stock is heavy, gun weighs in at a fat 8.5 lbs. That is a full 1 lb heavier than my Bastogne stocked 18 inch gun. Fact is, I have 500 MDM and 500 B&Ms lighter........ But it does handle and shoot very well.....
I am afraid that my Accountant has eyes on it, I may not have it much longer...................

 

[John J]

Too light/small is your concern?

No, I meant it the other way. I had a CZ that kicked my butt on hikes preping for Zim. So I started searching for smaller and found B&M.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

No, I meant it the other way. I had a CZ that kicked my butt on hikes preping for Zim. So I started searching for smaller and found B&M.

Ahh, I read your post too quickly.

 

[michael458]

@PHOENIX PHIL ..............someone told me the other day you were getting rid of your 458s and converting to 375? Do tell me that was nasty rumor lie.........

258 Socom in my Snow gun is 2860 and in the Bastogne 2875 both 18 inch guns..... 20 inch guns hit 2925 fps.......that is a hell of a bullet.........

 

[michael458]

The B&M is becoming more and more heavy on my mind again.

I am not sure you are qualified yet, and the rumor is I may have to pull @PHOENIX PHIL license to own as well........????

 

[John J]

I am not sure you are qualified yet, and the rumor is I may have to pull @PHOENIX PHIL license to own as well........????

I would be interested in a repo!...just sayin

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I am intrigued by the 458 B&M, but if a 458 Win mag would give me similar velocity’s from a 21” tube I would probably do that because it would be cheaper. I wouldn’t mind the extra weight.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

@PHOENIX PHIL ..............someone told me the other day you were getting rid of your 458s and converting to 375? Do tell me that was nasty rumor lie.........

Hee hee hee, now what silly person told you that and why would you even entertain believing it?

Now while the 375HH is marginal bordering on dangerous for use on anything larger than a small duiker, for some reason my Safari Express loaded with North Fork softs manages to do a pretty good job killing stuff. It will remain in the cabinet till I die.

By the way, in November I'll be in the northern version of Carolina on a bear hunt. The .458B&M with some 420gr CEBs will be used. A bit of overkill I guess, but what the heck? Hopefully this keeps me in your good graces......

 

[TOBY458]

@michael458 is like the Donald Trump of big bore rifle cartridge developers. If you don't meet the criteria.....YOU'RE FIRED! HAHA!

 

[TOBY458]

This thread is a little old, and not long ago I added a new 458 B&M to the collection you might say. A friend and B&M Family member in TX had this rifle built in early 2020 in anticipation of a buffalo hunt last July. Between COVID, and personal illness, he was not able to go, and now the illness is going to prevent any future trips, sad to say....... I ended up buying it back from him. Very nice rifle, English Accurate Innovations stock, I had loaded his ammo for him as I wanted to make 100% sure he didn't have any issues on his trip, so I got all the ammo back, minus 4 rounds that he had fired. I replaced the front sight he had, with a red Fiber Optic from NECG.... seems I pick that up nicely these days with aging diseased eyes of mine. But this gun is heavy as hell, its a 19 inch barrel, but the English stock is heavy, gun weighs in at a fat 8.5 lbs. That is a full 1 lb heavier than my Bastogne stocked 18 inch gun. Fact is, I have 500 MDM and 500 B&Ms lighter........ But it does handle and shoot very well.....
I am afraid that my Accountant has eyes on it, I may not have it much longer...................

View attachment 424471View attachment 424472View attachment 424473

Does this one have the same barrel contour as your other lighter weight guns? Just the stock makes it heavy?

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Does this one have the same barrel contour as your other lighter weight guns? Just the stock makes it heavy?

Barrel contour looks the same as mine.

 

[michael458]

Does this one have the same barrel contour as your other lighter weight guns? Just the stock makes it heavy?

Yes, the barrel contour on all 458s are the same.... Also the same is 416 and 50 B&M........ 9.3 is a lighter contour barrel for shooting rats. I made them standard years ago........

That stick of English is heavy.........

By the way, in November I'll be in the northern version of Carolina on a bear hunt. The .458B&M with some 420gr CEBs will be used. A bit of overkill I guess, but what the heck? Hopefully this keeps me in your good graces.....

I will renew your "License to Own" for One More Year.......... Don't let me down. Don't make me Ashamed of you!

Now while the 375HH is marginal bordering on dangerous for use on anything larger than a small duiker, for some reason my Safari Express loaded with North Fork softs manages to do a pretty good job killing stuff. It will remain in the cabinet till I die.

The only reason it can manage any sort of terminal performance is because you are at least working with good bullets, and keeping it to smaller animals..................Keep that in the "Closet Cabinet" and out of sight in case you get visitors or someone of importance pitches up, you would not want to make a bad impression............

I wouldn’t mind the extra weight.

A few more years and we will revisit this thought.......... LOL.........

HEH..........

 

[TOBY458]

Yes, the barrel contour on all 458s are the same.... Also the same is 416 and 50 B&M........ 9.3 is a lighter contour barrel for shooting rats. I made them standard years ago........

That stick of English is heavy.........

I will renew your "License to Own" for One More Year.......... Don't let me down. Don't make me Ashamed of you!

The only reason it can manage any sort of terminal performance is because you are at least working with good bullets, and keeping it to smaller animals..................Keep that in the "Closet Cabinet" and out of sight in case you get visitors or someone of importance pitches up, you would not want to make a bad impression............

A few more years and we will revisit this thought.......... LOL.........

HEH..........

Would you say the 9.3 is good for Warf Rats, or just the less robust pack rat?

Wonder how much a lighter, less ornate stock would cost for that 19" gun of yours? Could have one stock for show, and one for go.

 

[michael458]

Would you say the 9.3 is good for Warf Rats, or just the less robust pack rat?

Toby, I reckon it would do ok on bigger rats, especially using a 200 FB Raptor at 2900 fps or so. I would take a chance on it..........

Wanna know why there is such a thing as 9.3 B&M?............... I mean, it does not fit in with the others at all..... not even close...............

OK, here's the story, will make it just as short as I normally try to do.... LOL..............

I like medium calibers, for medium jobs of course....... I love 338 and especially fond of 358 caliber.. have used both in the field extensively on medium critters, and rats of course.......

I wanted a medium B&M. I would have went .358 caliber had more bullets been able to work in the cartridge and the WSM action. Problem is, most common .358s the nose projection is too long to work in the 2.240 inch case and WSM action.

There was no way this short of the Gates of Hell that I would have even considered .375 caliber, that was OUT.........

I had already been playing around with 338 Winchester/9.3, and liked it a lot. I even built a 9.3 RUM. So I had 9.3 in the brain cells already. After checking a lot of 250-286 and other 9.3 caliber .366 bullets, the nose projections were perfect for the 2.240 inch B&M RUM Case, and would work in the magazine of the WSM rifles......... so 9.3 it was..........and very pleased with its performance for medium critters. The first rifle was 20 inches, I gave it to my PH in Africa, he loves it...... The Pressure work was done at 20 inches...... It is capable of 286s at 2500 and change, 250s at 2700 and change. We designed a matching pair 280 CEB Solid at 2530 fps and matching 255 Raptor at 2650.

But where it really shines with conventional bullets is with the 250s at over 2700 fps. I am very fond of the 250 Barnes TSX and the 250 North Fork Premium............Real hammers.....for conventional bullets.

We went one more step with 9.3, and a whole lot of these guys here on this forum are missing out on perhaps the top performance trauma inflicting .366 caliber bullet ever devised by man. Its a 200 gr Flat Base Raptor, and it is ultimately the most wicked 9.3 you can use, to produce trauma. It out performs and out penetrates all the 250s and 286s...... trauma is unbelievable. Running in 20 inch guns at 3000 fps.

My current, and Only 9.3 B&M is a 19 inch gun. I have it in a Winchester Ultimate stock, it comes in at 6.5 lbs no scope. It does have a slightly smaller contour barrel than the 416-458-50 B&Ms......

I have shot about 40 critters with it, from Impala to Zebra/Wildebeest and it is a great medium. I won't lie to you, I took it to Australia in 2012, this was after a very very successful South African shoot. I tried it on about 10 buffalo, and it was dismal, even with the best of bullets I soon put it away for a larger caliber. I was shooting buffalo 4-5-6 times to get their attention, it was ridiculous and I knew better, but I swore to try it anyway...........and it just confirmed everything I ever knew about buffalo and rat guns..............

Was looking for a photo of the gun in the Ultimate stock, I don't even have one.... You know I don't pay much attention to these rat bores... but at one time I had it in a nice Accurate Innovations Turkish.

When we were in Africa it was in a black Ultimate stock........

 

[michael458]

Wonder how much a lighter, less ornate stock would cost for that 19" gun of yours? Could have one stock for show, and one for go.

Yep......... I don't know. You could use a $49.95 Ultimate, but it gets a little hateful with 450 gr loads. Fine for under 350s, but those 450s rap your knuckles a bit. Gun would only weigh in at 6.5 lbs however........Like my Snow 458 B&M..........

 

[TOBY458]

I won't lie to you, I took it to Australia in 2012, this was after a very very successful South African shoot. I tried it on about 10 buffalo, and it was dismal, even with the best of bullets I soon put it away for a larger caliber.

I had similar results with 375 and 300gr TSX. It kills them, but it takes them a second to realize it.

 

[TOBY458]

Yep......... I don't know. You could use a $49.95 Ultimate, but it gets a little hateful with 450 gr loads. Fine for under 350s, but those 450s rap your knuckles a bit. Gun would only weigh in at 6.5 lbs however........Like my Snow 458 B&M..........

View attachment 424680

Yes I can imagine 6.5 lbs would definitely get your attention! But those 258 Socoms would be nice in it.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Boy, this thread about the .458 B&M is really intriguing! My only .458s are CZs in a WM and a Lott. I really like them both and enjoy shooting and reloading for them. But, I think “what if” with a shorter barrel and lighter rifle? Great thread!
OOPs I forgot. I did purchase an Interarms Whitworth .458WM recently. Haven't shot it yet as it came with no sights but it does cycle flawlessly with 450gr TSXs, 500gr Partitions and 350gr Speer Hot Cores.

 

[michael458]

I remember one day in October, high on the banks of some river or other in Tanzania...... Here comes this d*mned hippo, full charge, except he had some obstacles to get around before getting to me. I am holding up a 6 ft long 25 lb Winchester M70 458 Lott, and its getting heavy, and its getting longer by the millisecond, and all sorts of things are going through my mind, one of which was this thought "Man, there has to be a Better Gun than this thing for this sort of work".............. Bammm, at 6 steps, dead hippo. I was worn out with that big ass gun.........