450 Dakota vs 458 Lott

[NIGHTHAWK]

While looking at rifle manufacturers, construction, features, functionality, and options I’ve come across some DG rifles that are available in calibers other than .458 Lott but may be similar.

This exercise has been very educational and interesting. I’m finding other DG calibers in LH for sale that are close to .458 Lott and I’m curious about your experience or knowledge with these?

How close is 450 Dakota to 458 Lott? How do they compare?

Pros and Cons of both?

Thank you in advance for your feedback!

 

[Flewis]

Both will more than get the job done, but ammo and brass is a different story. For that reason the lott wins going away.

 

[Fenstar]

100% w Flewis. I own both. Both are absolute beasts… but the Lott, coupled with African .458 WM availability, makes the Lott an easy winner. Outside the ammo nod, both are good bets on the largest game.

 

[RR 314]

I agree wholeheartedly with the wise words above. That being said, due to these concern you can, at times, find great deals on Dakota proprietary calibers. .450 Rigby is another consideration.

 

[Luvthunt]

The Lott is a better all around choice

 

[Dewald]

I think the .450 Dakota is an incredibly underrated cartridge. It is a pity that brass and ammunition are so difficult to get hold of, and if they lose your ammunition on the way to Africa you are certainly in trouble.

I had a .458 Lott built on a ZKK602 for about 6 years, but sold it as it would not feed reliably and the action was not true to the axis of the barrel, making it impossible to mount a scope on it, as it would shoot about 20MOA low. The one thing that always bothered me about the Lott was that you could always see a mark on the straight walled case where the bottom of the seated bullet was. The untidy rounds didn’t sit well with my OCD.

If I buy a .458 calibre again it would be a bottlenecked case, likely a .450 Rigby, but if a Dakota comes past my way I will certainly consider it strongly.

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Than

I think the .450 Dakota is an incredibly underrated cartridge. It is a pity that brass and ammunition are so difficult to get hold of, and if they lose your ammunition on the way to Africa you are certainly in trouble.

I had a .458 Lott built on a ZKK602 for about 6 years, but sold it as it would not feed reliably and the action was not true to the axis of the barrel, making it impossible to mount a scope on it, as it would shoot about 20MOA low. The one thing that always bothered me about the Lott was that you could always see a mark on the straight walled case where the bottom of the seated bullet was. The untidy rounds didn’t sit well with my OCD.

If I buy a .458 calibre again it would be a bottlenecked case, likely a .450 Rigby, but if a Dakota comes past my way I will certainly consider it strongly.

Thank you Dewald for your feedback! This is very helpful.

Thanks to everyone else’s input, I appreciate it…

I need to make a couple decisions In the next day or two, so I need all the information I can get.

This type of help is why I love and support the AH site/community. I’ve saved so much time and money over the years by having this resource! The more we contribute, in whatever way we can, the more we will all get back!

 

[Dewald]

Of course the obvious thing not mentioned in comparing the two cartridges is that the Dakota operates at a lower chamber pressure than the Lott.

 

[Flewis]

One is 58000, the other is 62000.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

One is 58000, the other is 62000.

Yep basically identical ballistics to the 450 Rigby I believe

 

[Flewis]

Yep basically identical ballistics to the 450 Rigby I believe

Yes, 450D runs a little higher pressure than the 450R.

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Thanks for all the input.

450 Dakota will get a try out…

 

[tarbe]

If you handload, 450 Dakota or 450 Rigby all day.

If you don’t, I’d say go wit the Lott.