.458 Lott too much for North American Big game?

[PeteG]

Yes, the 458lott is too much for north american game, hell its too much for most african game
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However... that doesnt mean you dont "need" a 458Lott!
A 450gr woodleigh soft at 2000fps could be perfect for most smaller game... and might be more pleasant recoil than a std 375 load...
not sure what your400yd trajectory would look like though

 

[Opposite Pole]

Guys, in your experience do the heavy projectiles open up correctly on lighter game? I shot a 50kg boar with a 470 N.E. recently and I must honestly say that I prefer performance of 9.3x74R or 375H&H. Dead is dead, but the 500gr Woodleigh I shot made a small hole (in the lungs) and the effects were not as immediate as with the lighter pills. It was a scientific experiment - I was trying to determine if I "need", "desperately need" or just "want" 416 or 458 in bolt action. The test was thus far inconclusive.

 

[Scrumbag]

As others have said I’d have thought it would have been more limited by how well you can shoot it rather than an issue with a rifle / bullet’s performance on game (I’ve shot muntjac deer with a 9.3x62 – they’re only about the size of a Labrador without issues so a white tail I would have thought would be fine).


Scrummy

 

[Dr Ray]

More is always better, right? Lol. Might want a .416ish rifle first though. This is the wrong forum if you are trying to be talked out of buying a 458 Lott! The Lott is a great cartridge and will floor anything about anywhere. Definitely no lack of penetration issues on NA game. Lol. I would personally go with a 416 in the over 40 group for the above mentioned critters just due to flatter trajectory. But as LivingTheDream said I've never seen anything more dead than the other. Buy it and have fun!
Cheers,
Cody

416 Rigby would definitely be the way to go and then you MAY want to go to the 458 Lott.

 

[Shawn.54]

so ive been hunting small and medium size game for years, and would like to make the jump to some bigger game animals( Moose, Bear, Nilgai, Buffalo

now i have rifles in damn near every caliber up to .375HH.....and i am more than confident .375 will take any game i plan on hunting.....but would i be better served with a .458 (or other .4xx caliber)? or would that be "too much" for anything in N.A.?

right now im leaning towards a CZ550 in .458

thanks for the help

Asking this group if you should get a bigger rifle is like asking a hardcore alcoholic if he wants a drink not only will they say yes but will recommend that you get a couple.
Now they only have your best interest in mind they don't want you to get hurt with recoil.
Stepping up slowly to allow you to get used to getting the snot knocked out of you.

Take it from a guy who hunts groundhog/woodchucks with a 375 Ruger it's not overkill it's just exceeding the minimum.
I joined this forum to get information on that 375 Ruger cartridge in less than a year I've been convinced that I need a 404 Jeffery and I'm in the process of building it now.
Great group of guys full of information willing to help.
Go for it!!!!
Shawn

 

[brettp]

so ive been hunting small and medium size game for years, and would like to make the jump to some bigger game animals( Moose, Bear, Nilgai, Buffalo).....

now i have rifles in damn near every caliber up to .375HH.....and i am more than confident .375 will take any game i plan on hunting.....but would i be better served with a .458 (or other .4xx caliber)? or would that be "too much" for anything in N.A.?

right now im leaning towards a CZ550 in .458

thanks for the help

I think you'd be way better suited with something in the 338 or 375 class. The only NA animal that I've shot with anything bigger was a coastal alaskan brown bear that i shot with my 416 ruger and it absolutely clobbered him and dropped him in his tracks. I can't see needing a Lott on this contenent unless you are a brown bear guide doing fall hunts on rivers with lots of very close encounters. I own one, but I have only ever used it in Africa. and then I got a 500 double, so do be mindful of the slippery slope of big bores!

 

[wislnwings]

I say go for it. I've been carrying either my 416 Rigby or 500 Jeff for whitetails.

 

[Shootist43]

Lots of recommendations for a 416 Rigby in previous posts. While you are at it take a good look at the 404 Jeffery. I think it might be the perfect medicine for the larger critters NA has to offer. While not as popular as the 416 Rigby the 404 Jeffery has lots of credentials and is easier on the shoulder.

 

[oscar1975]

Obviously the 458 Lott is too cartridge for the wildlife of North America, but with the manual recharge you will be able to adapt this cartridge to your needs. I see it as a suitable cartridge especially for the great bears. Of course he will not do anything his 375 Holland can not do. I have a Lott 458 on a whim and in Spain there are no lol elephants

 

[TTundra]

...it's not overkill it's just exceeding the minimum.

Best quote of the day... and quite possibly, best advice.

 

[CTDolan]

Guys, in your experience do the heavy projectiles open up correctly on lighter game? I shot a 50kg boar with a 470 N.E. recently and I must honestly say that I prefer performance of 9.3x74R or 375H&H. Dead is dead, but the 500gr Woodleigh I shot made a small hole (in the lungs) and the effects were not as immediate as with the lighter pills. It was a scientific experiment - I was trying to determine if I "need", "desperately need" or just "want" 416 or 458 in bolt action. The test was thus far inconclusive.

Some bullets loaded in the heavies are too stout for lighter game. They're made to open deep inside a buffalo rather than in the sweet spot of a deer or a boar. So, they can be known to slip right through, largely undisturbed. They'll do the job, of course, but most of the energy available to do work is wasted on the other side.

 

[CTDolan]

so ive been hunting small and medium size game for years, and would like to make the jump to some bigger game animals( Moose, Bear, Nilgai, Buffalo).....

now i have rifles in damn near every caliber up to .375HH.....and i am more than confident .375 will take any game i plan on hunting.....but would i be better served with a .458 (or other .4xx caliber)? or would that be "too much" for anything in N.A.?

right now im leaning towards a CZ550 in .458

thanks for the help

Of course the Lott is overkill for anything on the North American continent, but if you want to add one to your battery and take it afield, go for it. Further, if you reload, you can tailor for the task.

 

[BWH]

On another note...... If you are just looking to throw money away. I will gladly take it. I promise to put it to good use!

 

[matt85]

there is nothing wrong with using a 458 Lott for NA game. ive hunted in eastern WA plenty of times with a 416 RM and the only downside i saw was that the rifle is heavier then a standard hunting rifle.

ive fired a CZ 550 in 458 Lott (just a plain stock gun) and found it to be an enjoyable rifle. ive read they can be picky feeders but there are a few gunsmiths out there who can get them running well.

-matt

 

[larry4831]

I shot a Whitetail deer with a 378 Weatherby one time. Bullet went straight through and the deer went straight down. Dead is dead.

 

[tarbe]

The nice thing about the various 458 calibers is there are a host of 4570 bullets that are perfectly suitable for loading down to 4570 velocities for medium game in North America

 

[Pheroze]

I think you'd be way better suited with something in the 338 or 375 class.

Don't listen to this! I have it on good authority that he is off his meds and suffering from cognitive dissonance...

My father in India in his day hunted everything with a 450/400 from Nilgai to boar. I know it is not in the same power class; my point being 40cal is probably not as odd as we have grown up believing. My only caveat is that I personally prefer not to lug a heavy rifle around in the North American bush. But, if it feels good, Enjoy!

 

[John A Flaws]

Mcameron, there maybe no need for a 458 Lott to hunt anything in North America but please never let that stop you from buying one. I have a few large caliber rifles and I have enjoyed hunting wild pigs with them. I could have hunted these animals with a 243 but I would rather use large bore rifles. Someone may wish to hunt elephant with a 577 NE, while another decides on a 375 H&H mag. Your preference is what really matters. If you want a 458 Lott or 505 Gibbs and it is within your means buy and use it.

Army Navy Co-OP Society 404 Jeffery

R. B. Rodda double 475 NE No2

Original August Schuler in 500 Schuler

 

[Bert the Turtle]

The nice thing about the various 458 calibers is there are a host of 4570 bullets that are perfectly suitable for loading down to 4570 velocities for medium game in North America

Exactly. The 45-70 was the 30-06 of its time and is still perfectly adequate for the job.

 

[Mcameron]

yeah.... i think a lot of it has to due with my approach to hunting recently...

i realized i dont hunt because i "Need" to.....i hunt because i enjoy it....and im out there more for the memories than i am for an actual animal

therefore i dont necessarily need the "most efficient".......and i would rather have something that adds to the experience of hunting...i would like to start gearing my hunting more towards the "hemmingway aesthetic"....fine wood big booming rifles, whiskey around a fire at camp.....gentleman's hunting.