Purchased first Dangerous game rifle!

[Aiden204]

Hello, I have recently booked my first trip for Cape Buffalo this coming August! I also just purchased my first rifle to use exclusively for Dangerous game.

I saw this custom .458 Win Mag on a mauser action. I was drawn to it after looking for something in the 40 calibre range. Can anyone tell me if I got a fair deal? It would seem so given everything Ive read online. Regardless im quite happy and excited to get well acquainted with the 458 win mag

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1086705513

 

[trperk1]

Nice buy!

 

[Denvir Tire]

I'm very jealous ...

 

[Brian]

Excellent choice! You got the right cartridge as opposed to a .375 which is marginal no matter what the majority will tell you. The .458 WM gets you into the real world of big bore buffalo killers/stoppers. Now choose the right bullets. Happy hunting!

 

[Aiden204]

I'm very jealous ...

This Henriksen fella seems to be Iver Henriksen. Id read he was highly regarded by Mr. Elmer Keith as hed made a few rifles for him. Very cool little piece of history assuming its the same maker.

 

[roklok]

Nice !! I was bidding on that one as well, but glad you got it ! Should be a great rifle. LOP was a bit short for me anyways. Very nice rifle.

 

[Aiden204]

Excellent choice! You got the right cartridge as opposed to a .375 which is marginal no matter what the majority will tell you. The .458 WM gets you into the real world of big bore buffalo killers/stoppers. Now choose the right bullets. Happy hunting!

Im headed to South Africa with my Dad, he has a 375 Ruger. Id shot it lots and it fits me quite well but even our hot handloads (which recently unfortunately broke the stock right behind the action) didnt really feel like what I imagined a “Big Bore Elephant Gun” should feel like. Im hoping this .458 gives me that experience.

 

[Aiden204]

Nice !! I was bidding on that one as well, but glad you got it ! Should be a great rifle. LOP was a bit short for me anyways. Very nice rifle.

Small World! Itll be getting imported to Canada before heading over to Africa. Thank you sir!

 

[Hunter-Habib]

You’ve got a real steal ! Load up with Federal Premium 500Gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claws and head for that African safari !

 

[Monski]

Congrats! Very nice wood. The Griffin and Howe sidemount would be expensive to have put on a rifle. I've never had a rifle with one but think it's old school cool. Any weight it adds would be a bonus in this caliber, not so much on smaller cal rifles (I don't know what they weigh).

 

[Aiden204]

Congrats! Very nice wood. The Griffin and Howe sidemount would be expensive to have put on a rifle. I've never had a rifle with one but think it's old school cool. Any weight it adds would be a bonus in this caliber, not so much on smaller cal rifles (I don't know what they weigh).

My plan was to try & keep that mount on and throw a leupold 1-5 or something of that nature on it

 

[549]

That's Nice! Congrats!

 

[meigsbucks]

You got a steal. Congratulations. That will serve you well on a buffalo.

 

[Raven]

Congratulations!
The joy of buying a rifle is like a date with a girl.
Even if she's not very young, but she's damn attractive, haha.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

Lovely piece. Congrats on the find. Get a box of Barnes 500g TSX for the first two shots. My PH considers them to be the most devastating DG bullet currently available. A-Frames 2nd. Use those for the first two shots (if two are required). Load the last two with 500g Woodleigh Hydros (talk to your PH 1st). With this combo, you are ready for anything. Practice a lot and get used to cycling that action with authority.

Which SA province will you be hunting? I am going back this summer to hunt Buffalo as well and and looking forward to it.

 

[Brian]

Im headed to South Africa with my Dad, he has a 375 Ruger. Id shot it lots and it fits me quite well but even our hot handloads (which recently unfortunately broke the stock right behind the action) didnt really feel like what I imagined a “Big Bore Elephant Gun” should feel like. Im hoping this .458 gives me that experience.

Yes the 375 is over rated for cape buffalo. It works on cape buffalo until it doesn't. I am in the minority on this but I am correct for a change. ( Chuckle )

Here is some more of my unsolicited free advice. (2 cents worth)

- Have you checked out Cutting Edge Bullets? Safari Raptors. In 458 they will usually give you "Dead Right There" kills.

- Lead sleds are hard on rifle stocks.

 

[Denvir Tire]

Congrats! Very nice wood. The Griffin and Howe sidemount would be expensive to have put on a rifle. I've never had a rifle with one but think it's old school cool. Any weight it adds would be a bonus in this caliber, not so much on smaller cal rifles (I don't know what they weigh).

yes

 

[Jonathan Kashouty]

Yes the 375 is over rated for cape buffalo. It works on cape buffalo until it doesn't. I am in the minority on this but I am correct for a change. ( Chuckle )

Here is some more of my unsolicited free advice. (2 cents worth)

- Have you checked out Cutting Edge Bullets? Safari Raptors. In 458 they will usually give you "Dead Right There" kills.

- Lead sleds are hard on rifle stocks.

Gentlemen - Shot placement is the key deciding factor of success. .375 H&H will drop any buff given the hunter puts the bullet where it belongs. Love the 40 calibers but it'd difficult to argue against the "Queen" of Africa.

 

[Jonathan Kashouty]

One shot with my .375 and lights out.

 

[BeeMaa]

@Aiden204 - You may want to double check the scope rings/mounts and make sure they have a repeatable zero. I was thinking that it was most likely originally chambered for the 8x57MAUSER (aka 7.92x57MAUSER or 8mm MAUSER) and the added recoil of the 458WM could be a stress to the cantilever scope mount design. Just a thought.

Congratulations on the new rifle.