458 Lott instead of 416 Rigby?

[Axle2010]

Hey yall I have been looking at the 416 Rigby for my first big bore (only have up to 375H&H now) but I found a nice CZ in 458 Lott that I'm thinking about if the price is right. Now there's a lot I like about the 416 and would likely get one later anyway but that Lott looks pretty good right now. So what are your opinions? I'm in no rush and certainly don't NEED either one but is the 458 to much for a first big bore? Should I wait because the 416 is much for useful and versatile?

 

[WAB]

I really think it’s a personal decision. The Lott is a fantastic rifle if you shoot it well. Have you shot one?

 

[ChrisG]

Hey yall I have been looking at the 416 Rigby for my first big bore (only have up to 375H&H now) but I found a nice CZ in 458 Lott that I'm thinking about if the price is right. Now there's a lot I like about the 416 and would likely get one later anyway but that Lott looks pretty good right now. So what are your opinions? I'm in no rush and certainly don't NEED either one but is the 458 to much for a first big bore? Should I wait because the 416 is much for useful and versatile?

Well not having a Lott, I do have a 458 Win mag, and having owned 416 Ruger, and a 375 (Ruger and H&H) I can tell you that it is a significant step up in recoil, even from a .416. A 375 is a cakewalk compared to a .458. It will take some dedication to master it. A CZ is an awesome gun with a little action smoothing... so I'd say go for it!

 

[Inline6]

I went 375h&h, 416REM, then 458Lott. It was a jump to go to 375h&h for me. After a couple hundred rounds I was good with it. So much so I felt I needed a 416 of some flavor. A good deal popped up so I jumped on it. It was less of a deal for me to step up to the 416REM, I actually liked it better than my 375h&h. Shot another couple of hundred round through the 416REM. Had the chance at a 458Lott. I was hesitant (it came as part of a package deal). I can tell you fit makes a difference, the 458Lott fit me very well and it was not a problem to shoot.

That was my experience,

 

[Axle2010]

I really think it’s a personal decision. The Lott is a fantastic rifle if you shoot it well. Have you shot one?

No sir never seen one before

 

[WAB]

No sir never seen one before

Try to shoot one if you can. There may be a member near you that would let you have a go.

 

[375Fox]

I’d recommend you try and shoot one first. I have a CZ 450 Rigby but I’ve found it’s at absolute top of (and likely exceeding) my recoil tolerance. 375 H&H I find easy to shoot. 458 is in a completely different class that I’m not sure is for everyone. If I don’t feel need to have a second elephant hunt my rifle will likely be for sale later this year.

 

[mdsalern]

What is the right price?

You have to get in the game. You’ll never know if you don’t get one.

 

[Axle2010]

What is the right price?

You have to get in the game. You’ll never know if you don’t get one.

This one is almost perfect condition and less than 1k. If it stays close to that I might bring it home

 

[expresshunt]

I'm not a big chap, and only medium muscled. So a 404Jeffery or 416RM I find comfortable to shoot a few at sighting or practice.. and hunting no problem. So accuracy and shot placement is alway very good.
The 416 Rigby cartridge I have use mostly, over 26 years, is fat and lots of powder and kicks me about 15% more, practice is awful, but hunting is no problem. The Rigby big game rifle weight is good. The 458WM I find is about the same.

Personally the 458Lott, 470NE and 450 Rigby all 3 kick the he'll out of me, so much so, I do not want to fire a shot when offered...very sharp and hurt.
However if I was on a Elephant hunt open sights with one of these 3, after I would probably say I don't remember the recoil.
Interesting though... is that I have tried them all, and owned most... but what I did like was the 465 Express Holland and Holland double, stopped a few charges.. and also had a love thing going on over 18 years and have owned a few 500Jeffery.. if a heavy rifle (10.5lb plus) and a milder reload around 2250fps recoil was a nice big mildly hurtful boom, and fantastic results on huge bodied Buffalo.
Also surprisingly I personally find a 500NE (2150fps) is a huge kick back and boom, but not as sharp a kick.
Best advice.. borrow one and shoot it... 4 times.
My carry is a 9lb bare 404 Jeffery. ( actually 2) love em. Light carry but not nasty recoil, and 400 caliber range pills penetrate fantastic on our 800 to 900kg thick skinned Buffalo.
The other day someone said many Rangers rifles were made on 404 Jeffery as the staff could use them.
I almost bought/ ordered a 450Rigby.. but test fired one twice and it splattered my muscles against my shoulder bone, very unpleasant. (should mention my collar bone has been broken twice)(so my shoulder joint is a little lose).

This is JMO.. and many others here will have no problem..
When I was sighting my bigger guns, I made a standing rest, and either used a recoil shoulder pad, or a pair of socks.. this made a big difference. Rolling back with recoil in this manner, is better than leaning in too hard.
I've seen 3 skinnier guys who's head whips back at recoil and causes instant neck pain. Not good.
Try before getting married.

 

[mdsalern]

At less than $1k buy it. Or tell all of us, but start with me!

 

[Axle2010]

I don't know about shooting one first yall, I'm in southeast Georgia so there's probably not one within 300 miles of me.

 

[Axle2010]

At less than $1k buy it. Or tell all of us, but start with me!

Oh it stays under 1k I'm get it anyway. Can 458 Lott be turned into 460 Weatherby? That's my top end big bore desire alone with a 470 NE double but that's many $$$$ away.

 

[375Fox]

I don't know about shooting one first yall, I'm in southeast Georgia so there's probably not one within 300 miles of me.

There is definitely one within 300 miles. You might be surprised if you looked. At $1000 though you can’t really go wrong.

 

[WAB]

I don't know about shooting one first yall, I'm in southeast Georgia so there's probably not one within 300 miles of me.

Well I’m near Birmingham and you’re welcome to shoot mine. I’m sure others are closer that would oblige.

 

[cajunchefray]

This one is almost perfect condition and less than 1k. If it stays close to that I might bring it home

Do you reload?
If so, you can work up in to it.

If so the .458 Lott can be a great rifle to work up from 45-70 high pressure loads up to and including.458 Lott loads.

The CZ 550 is a great platform, some need more work smoothing the action than others, but once tuned they are all good. Several good gunsmiths around the country can tune them into fine machines.
I’ve owned 3. The .416 Rigby was substantial, but not terrible in recoil. The .458 Lott was versatile with different reloads. The .500 Jeffery was awesome but a bit too much of a good thing.

I shoot a .458 Win Mag with my reloads, works great, fits me, versatile. The Lott is just a little bit better.

If I was in the market for another big bore, and CZ 550 in 458 Lott was available for $1K, I would buy it today.

If you don’t buy it, tell other AH members here about the gunshop contact and I’m sure someone here will buy it shortly.

 

[ChrisG]

Oh it stays under 1k I'm get it anyway. Can 458 Lott be turned into 460 Weatherby? That's my top end big bore desire alone with a 470 NE double but that's many $$$$ away.

... you probably COULD, but with most members on AH saying a .458 Lott is a handful to learn how to shoot. A 460 weatherby will be unbearable. The killer on the Weatherby will be the snappiness of the recoil. You would need to recut the chamber and open the bolt face up, modify the extractor, and modify the mag box so it would hold the cartridges in the proper alignment.

...Then, add about 2 lbs to the rifle so you could even shoot it without a nosebleed.

 

[375Fox]

... you probably COULD, but with most members on AH saying a .458 Lott is a handful to learn how to shoot. A 460 weatherby will be unbearable. The killer on the Weatherby will be the snappiness of the recoil. You would need to recut the chamber and open the bolt face up, modify the extractor, and modify the mag box so it would hold the cartridges in the proper alignment.

...Then, add about 2 lbs to the rifle so you could even shoot it without a nosebleed.

The first time I shot my 450 Rigby I didn’t understand a rifle could give you whiplash. Faster 500 gr bullets I think are too much more me. I found out yesterday 550 gr bullets at slower velocity are much more manageable. I was really glad to discover that. I really can’t imagine shooting a 460 weatherby.

 

[ChrisG]

The first time I shot my 450 Rigby I didn’t understand a rifle could give you whiplash. Faster 500 gr bullets I think are too much more me. I found out yesterday 550 gr bullets at slower velocity are much more manageable. I was really glad to discover that. I really can’t imagine shooting a 460 weatherby.

What was the load on the 450? A 450 Rigby can be loaded pretty much up 460Wby velocity if memory serves?

My .458 Win mag is the first rifle I own that will give me a recoil headache while shooting offhand. The .375 Ruger is an absolute dream compared to that. I remember the good ol' days when I thought a .300 Win mag kicked hard... then I joined AH, and I own a .458.

THIS IS WHAT THIS FORUM DOES TO PEOPLE!!! It takes otherwise sensible personal caliber choices and makes them feel like a red rider BB gun, and you want to graduate to the REAL rifles!!

 

[Axle2010]

Well I’m near Birmingham and you’re welcome to shoot mine. I’m sure others are closer that would oblige.

Thank you sir for the offer! I wish I lived closer I'd take you up on that