458 Lott, should I go custom??

[colorado]

The hell with the recoil.

It isn't like you'll be firing like your trying to get off the beach at Normandy.

I am a big believer in not dicking with something when you shoot it. Knock it down and be done with it.

Agree, you never feel recoil except at the range, and if you hit something with it in near the right place it will knock it down

 

[matt85]

barrel length will be up to you since the 458 Lott is a pretty forgiving cartridge. as long as you can get a 480gr bullet to 2000fps then you are technically good to go for dangerous game. anything beyond that is just icing on the cake.

if the rifle is strictly for close range dangerous game I would go with a 18-20 inch barrel. if you plan on also using light weight bullets at higher speeds for plains game then you are going to want 22-24 inches. expect to lose about 30-40 fps per inch of barrel so if your getting 2300fps with a 25" stock barrel you will only get around 2050fps with an 18 inch barrel (this will vary from barrel to barrel).

I would also try to keep the rifle over 10.5 pounds with 11 pounds being the ideal (but difficult with a short barrel). the kimber caprivi looks and functions nice but the one I handled in 458 Lott only weighed around 8 pounds... ouch!
-matt

 

[BeeMaa]

@matt85

I think I'll go ahead and go that route. I've always wanted a truly nice custom rifle. It will be a few months till I call him again and put in the order. I actually spoke to him about this last week. I'm gonna go with the quarter rib and either a scout scope from leupold, or his red dot set up. I like the idea of just sticking with irons, but let's face it, red dots are much faster when the chips are down. I'll definitely go for his upgraded checkering as well. What do you guys think I should go with for barrel length?? I was thinking of sticking with 24".

You will not be disappointed with a rifle from Wayne.
I'm with @matt85 on the barrel length/FPS/energy, with 22" being my preference.
+1 on putting the weight up there a little bit, you will find comfort in it.

 

[Honeybadger]

Part of me is really still considering having him do the rifle in the Jeffery, for the sheer stopping power. And with 600 grn softs and solids at 2150 fps in a 12lb rifle, I really don't think recoil would be much to even notice off hand. What do you guys think, Lott or Jeffery??

 

[BeeMaa]

Part of me is really still considering having him do the rifle in the Jeffery, for the sheer stopping power. And with 600 grn softs and solids at 2150 fps in a 12lb rifle, I really don't think recoil would be much to even notice off hand. What do you guys think, Lott or Jeffery??

Whichever way you go, make sure the stock fits you well.
It will account for much more comfort as the caliber goes up.
Good luck and post a picture when you get it.

 

[Honeybadger]

Yeah, I'm hoping he talks me through how to measure for ideal fit. I live FAR away from him, and probably won't be able to make a trip to his place to be measured.

 

[BeeMaa]

Might be worth a weekend trip to make sure the rifle fits correctly.
And while you are there...he has a 500Jeff, 404Jeff and three 458Lott for sale that you could end up taking home.
Be a nice excuse to take a few personal days off or call in "sick".

 

[IvW]

500 Jeff

 

[Honeybadger]

Yeah, it's a definite possibility. He told me he is running about 6 months out right now. So I'll try to make it out there as soon as I have enough for the initial 50% down.

 

[Von S.]

I believe that a big strapping Squire like yourself deserves to have something for any and all ocass ions and challenges.

The 500 Schuler is a fine round and I wouldn't give minge up or the other pile of dinosaur dropping bolder throwers, but my original 460 WEATHERBY will be getting planted with me to take care of what horrors may lie beyond.

You might just appreciate that round someday when some gigantasourous trophy assripper is 300 yards away and you just can't get closer and you decide to take a clear open shot and don't have to sing " Somewhere over the rainbow" before you drop the hammer.

Something running at you with intentions of something other than a tea party and a rousing game of gin rummy?

Let a dog off the chain out of the 460 into his chest and it"ll be in pigtails picking posies in Elysium before the sound reaches it.

Whatever you get....enjoy.

 

[colorado]

barrel length will be up to you since the 458 Lott is a pretty forgiving cartridge. as long as you can get a 480gr bullet to 2000fps then you are technically good to go for dangerous game. anything beyond that is just icing on the cake.

if the rifle is strictly for close range dangerous game I would go with a 18-20 inch barrel. if you plan on also using light weight bullets at higher speeds for plains game then you are going to want 22-24 inches. expect to lose about 30-40 fps per inch of barrel so if your getting 2300fps with a 25" stock barrel you will only get around 2050fps with an 18 inch barrel (this will vary from barrel to barrel).

I would also try to keep the rifle over 10.5 pounds with 11 pounds being the ideal (but difficult with a short barrel). the kimber caprivi looks and functions nice but the one I handled in 458 Lott only weighed around 8 pounds... ouch!
-matt

My 500 Jeffery has a 24" barrel but the balance point is right in the center of the magazine floor plate. I hunt elk in the black timber with it and it swings and points like a fine shotgun. I wouldn't go any shorter in a 500 Jeffrey. There's 100 plus grains of powder in that case even behind a heavy bullet.

 

[matt85]

there will be a some big differences between a 458 Lott and a 500 Jeffery. the 500 Jeffery will be a more potent dangerous game cartridge but its trading its extra power for versatility. something else to consider is the 458 will hold 5 cartridges in the magazine while the 500 will hold 3. if your willing to give up some versatility then another good option is the 470 capstick. this will give you a gain in bore diameter without taking away your magazine capacity.

one of the prime benefits to the 458 lott is the bullet availability and the ease of down loading. it could easily be down loaded with a much lighter bullet and a case filling powder to be used on medium game in north America

-matt.

 

[neckdeep]

I would have a hard time not buying one of those AHR 458 Lott's if I was in the market, Wayne has some beauties listed on his site. Why wait, life is short!!

 

[Honeybadger]

@matt85

Good point, I didn't even think about the Capstick. I am going to take a good hard look at it tonight, thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Pheroze]

I know you were asking about the Lott, but Jeffery and others were mentioned, so....check out the B&M family of cartridges and rifles! @PHOENIX PHIL @PaulT

 

[Honeybadger]

As far as I'm concerned, it's settled. I'm going with the 470 Capstick. Maximum power and shock that the 375 H&H parent case can deliver, and 5 in the magazine box!!! I can't think of a better do all heavy/dangerous game cartridge. And I can load .475 pistol bullets, and take medium game. I can't wait to order this rifle!!!

 

[Honeybadger]

Can anyone hook me up with a line on the very best quality brass for this caliber. I can't seem to find it available from my go to company, Norma. Also, I'd appreciate any load data you fellas can send my way.

 

[matt85]

Can anyone hook me up with a line on the very best quality brass for this caliber. I can't seem to find it available from my go to company, Norma. Also, I'd appreciate any load data you fellas can send my way.

grafs has some brass in stock.

but to be honest it would be extremely easy to make 470 capstick brass from 458 Lott brass. the cases would be a little be shorter when opened up but it wouldnt be a huge difference. i would buy some of the brass from grafs just to have stuff with a 470 head stamp but wouldnt use it unless i had to.

-matt

 

[Honeybadger]

Why wouldn't you use it?? Cause Norma 458 Lott brass is waaaaay better than quality cartridge?? Also could I get a die to form the brass, or would I fire form it??

 

[CAustin]

Guys, I own a 458 Lott in a Ruger No. 1, and I love the caliber. I am thinking of adding a bolt action in this caliber to my collection. My question is this. Should I spend big bucks for a fully custom rifle, or would an off the shelf rifle in this caliber give me everything I need?? How good are the off the shelf CZ's?? I plan on drilling the stock and adding some weight, I like a heavy rifle, but do they feed and extract with no hang ups, could I stake my life on it?? Would 6k-8k be a waste on this caliber. In a gibbs or jeffery I'd for sure go the extra mile, just to make sure the gun actually functioned properly, but I feel like the Lott may feed and eject flawlessly off the shelf, just cause of the nature of the round. What do you guys think?? Also, I was thinking of stepping up to the Jeffery, but is the price of reloading components, and the specialty equipment I'll need really worth it?? Is the performance of the Jeffery on game really that much more noticeable than the Lotts?? Please educate me guys.

I think you have all you need unless you just want another rifle and I can fault nobody for that. I have a Ruger #1 in 458 Lott and it was my back up rifle for my 2015 elephant hunt. My son carried the rifle with instructions as to when he might have to back me up. At the time he weighed 150pounds and cut the bullseye three time with iron sights when we sighted in near Kruger Park. The rifle has no added weight just slipped a Pachmeyer pad over the factory butt plate and went hunting.