.458 Winchester Magnum, Why Is It So Bad???

[Lawdog]

I posted this over on the Big Bore forum but I also decided to post it her as it is African hunting where it all happened.

Although I don't own a .458 Winchester Magnum, YET, I have read accounts of those that do. In his article "The Danger of Elephant Hunting" by Jim Carmichel, Shooting Editor Outdoor Life Magazine wrote that "When Winchester announced its .458 Magnum in 1956, it effectively ended the reign of the great British Nitro calibers." Not to bad for a cartridge that is supposed to have a bad reputation.

Jim Carmichel goes on to write that "All of the elephants I've taken were with a do-it-yourself rifle I put together back in my college days-when hunting elephants was only a dream-and .458 Winchester Magnum ammo that I handloaded with 500-grain Hornady steel-jacketed bullets. The reason for using steel-jacketed "solids" is so the bullet will penetrate several inches of an elephant's thick, honeycombed skull without deforming or coming apart." If the .458 Winchester Magnum will do this consistently, what more could a hunter need or want?

John Kingsley-Heath, outfitter and white hunter, Professional Hunter, was, from what Jack O'Connor wrote, instrumental in helping Winchester with the testing of the .458 Winchester Magnum and which became a favorite of John's after the testing. Lionel Palmer, probably one of, if not the greatest of modern day lion hunters liked and used the .458 Winchester Magnum. If professional hunters like these and others put their trust in the .458 Winchester Magnum why are they so wrong? I'm not questioning that the .458 Winchester Magnum has a bad name, I would like to know who, how and why it got the bad name after it has worked for so many. Can anyone here enlighten me?  Lawdog

[JJHACK]

The original factory loading of the win mag was really bad. They used a ball powder and compressed the loads heavily. It was tested and advertised with a 26" barrel but the factory only made 22" barrel guns. The velocity listed was equal to the 470 nitro but with a 510 grain bullet.

In the hot African temps the compressed ball powder compacted and when the shells fired much of the powder blew out in chunks which could be seen on the ground infront of you. Some bullets could be seen sticking out of the hide in Elephants not even penetrating enough to burry the length of the bullet. Crono tests showed velocities  as low as 1700 fps at the muzzle! Not the 2150 claimed.

Even with better powders it's nearly impossible to get 2150 from the muzzle today without high temp over pressure problems. Even with the 24" barrel you will struggle to get 2100fps and if you do you will likely have extraction troubles at 90 deg F temps.  or higher. Set that ammo in the sun and the powder will clump and bind together from the pressure and the heat.

Today there are better bullets and powders and the problems are know so experienced loaders realize the limitations and have had much better success.  Furthermore the 2150 MV is not really needed for the vast majority of game. If the shells are loaded to 2050 and the shots are kept with in  reasonable distance of 100 yards for the DG with todays premium bullets it's a deadly combination.

With that said rechambering to the 458 Lott makes the old 458 into a gun that is actually better the the 470 nitro express double.  The reason is that a double must use the load regulated for it. Any deviation will cause the barrels to shoot to different POI. A bolt gun can be loaded hot or low or anywhere in between with no regulation problems between the two barrels like a double rifle has.

Double rifles certainly have thier place but I can shoot three shots with my bolt more accurately and faster then a double can!  In all fairness the double can shoot two faster most of the time, but not always depending on the gun and shooter.  And it's usually not with the same pin point accuracy that a bolt has. The It's only as accurate as a single barreled rifle for the short stretch that the bullets will cross over at about 50-90 yards.

[JJHACK]

I just walked over to the Library I have and pulled Heaths book from the shelf. I happen to have a few of the better books on Hunting.  He began his Afrcia career in 1978 which was 20 plus years after the 458 was introduced if my memory serves me correctly. That would explain why he makes no mention of the early problems assocaited with the original factory ammo and what followed.

James mellon also writes of the success of the 458 Win mag but states "with good loads" Not sure what is defined by that? Maybe he is referring to Non factory loadings?

Mike Lagrange who has killed more big game in Africa then anyone alive(over 6000 elephants alone) today states clearly the 458 win mag has some real considerations but would be his bolt action of choice with proper loading and rifle construction. By that he was referring to a Model 70 winchester CRF with custom handloads. He tested many wildcat 458 rifles with better performance but had some feed eject troubles. After which he said "I will not use anything but a factory bolt action cartridge with proven feed and eject functions". Even those had to be custom fitted and polished to his demanding standards for safe function in a panic situation.

Kevin Robertson  who wrote "the perfect shot " claims 458 win mag loads he checked were as low as 1200 fps from the factory made ammo.  He goes on to say that the quality of factory ammo has improved and it's likely what saved the 458 win mag from total failure.  It's still on the very edge of functional in every situation. It's why the bigger Watts and Lott are so overwhelmingly popular in Africa today. They have the little bit more capacity that makes difference in 100% performance on game.

[Lawdog]

JJ,

"I just walked over to the Library I have and pulled Heaths book from the shelf. I happen to have a few of the better books on Hunting. He began his Afrcia career in 1978 which was 20 plus years after the 458 was introduced if my memory serves me correctly. That would explain why he makes no mention of the early problems assocaited with the original factory ammo and what followed."

You're not talking about the John Kingsley-Heath that I mentioned are you?  Lawdog