So I was home and finished mowing today a little early. My wife and daughter had a birthday party that my presence was not required at.
I called my father and asked if he wanted to do some shooting. He was here in about 15 minutes. We started out light savage 22mag , then ruger at 15 223, the he asked if I wanted to shoot his new purchase... I said sure.
He brings out a 458 Win Mag. Ok ok I know most of you guys have shot these when you were barely able to walk but I never have. To be honest I watched him shoot it and it knocked him a pretty good bit. I shot it twice from a bench rest. It is a impressive gun. Recoil from the rest was not that bad. But I should have knew that it was going to be stout when shooting prone because the 2 shots fired from the rest made the mag floor plate pop open. I did however not to be out done by my pappy shoot it from standing position. It has shall we say an aggressive recoil. What the heck though. I enjoyed it (once from standing position) We finished the afternoon shooting a kimber 1911. I asked pop if he would let me keep a piece of brass from the 458. He was happy to oblige me. I must say it is a impressive piece of American Firearm history. I beleive if an elephant or lion was charging me I might not even notice the recoil. To be honest I believe the pump shotguns I have fired in 3.5" magnum are equally as stout when it comes to recoil. Great gun , great day with dad. Guys we need to shoot more often and sometimes step out of our comfort zone. Happy upcoming fathers day.
Thanks for letting me share. And yes I did hit the target.

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S&WCA #3012

It's about the size of a 410 shotgun shell!

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S&WCA #3012

I love the 458. To me it didn't seem to kick as bad as a 12 ga slug.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for sharing!

I've shot a few guns that kicked pretty good, but still haven't fired a .458 Winchester Magnum.

I've actually considered buying one. They're basically just a .45-70 on steroids, and for the handloader, easily tamed.

I fired a .505 Gibbs once and it was a rocker. I didn't have any trouble with the recoil, but the muzzle rise was extraordinary. I was in disbelief when I found out how much retumbo that girl ate in one shot.

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This≠DodgeCity&You≠BillHickok

I've never shot a .458 but I have a .460 Weatherby that I plink with from time to time. My favorite target is one-gallon cans of hominy corn. Takes a while for all the kernels to come back to the ground.

sbowenjr, what kind of gun is your Dad's .458?

Got a Ruger Number 1 Tropical back in the 1980's. They were pretty cheap back then. . .maybe $400. Enlisted a bunch of my wife's high school football players to go out to shoot it. She was teaching back then. Free ammunition for everybody. I showed them the cartridges and nobody would shoot it. Bunch of weenies. I shot it twice. Still no takers. I shot it three more times and called it a day. Left a bruise on my right shoulder about 6 inches long. I held it tight too. It's the twin to my 375 H & H Magnum which doesn't kick at all. I had a 375 in a Winchester M70 that would lift your left foot off the ground every time you shot it. Some of my big military buddies said it wouldn't lift their foot, but it did. . .every shot. It's all in how well the rifle is made. Winchester. . .not so good. Ruger 1. . .excellent. I sold off the Winchester.

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Dr. B

Long ago, I had a Winchester Model 70 in .458. I never once fired a factory round in it, only .45-70-level handloads. As I was never going after Kodiak bear, elephant or lion, that was all I needed. Or wanted. The only magnum rifle I ever owned, albeit briefly. A very nice rifle, I bought it cheap, and traded it off for something else, don't remember what, as it wasn't particularly practical.

You... shot... it.... prone????

I have a No.1 in 458, probably like your Dad's. But sheesh! I sure won't shoot it prone!

Hey, just for future reference, you don't normally shoot your .458 from prone, but I guess it can be done. You're proof of that!

You didn't say what your Dad's rifle was. Trust it was a Model 70? All .458s should be Model 70s. Pretty nice rifles, for what they are. Mine could stand to weigh about one-pound more, for shooting, but it's nice to carry as it is.

Great that your Dad was able to join you.

The Model 70 African was a grail gun for me from the moment I saw a picture in the 1967 Winchester catalog. Finally obtained one in 1994; there was an ad from a Tennessee dealer in the SGN who listed them for $495. When my LGS called, they asked him how many we wanted!

It would really smack down metal silhouettes at the range, not just knock them over. I sold it and another Model 70 in .375 H&H on consignment to a shooter going to Alaska. No desire to own another due to my rotator cuff tear and all the homeless J-frames endlessly calling my name!

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

IIRC they recommend NOT shooting it from the prone because of possible spine damage.

My best friend picked up a used M-77 in 458 in about 1984. I came with several boxes of reloads, dies and some open boxes of projectiles. There were almost no 500gr FMJ's. When he ask were they all went, the seller said "Ground Hog Hunting" my friend looked at him skeptically. To that look he replied, "I let them get in the hole first!"

From that M-77 Factory and reloaded 500's were not bad recoil, but there is a Hornady 350 load from their book with IMR 3031, that not only loosens your teeth, it loosens your toe nails!

Ivan

I did have the misfortune of firing a .458 Win. Mag but once, a rifle weighing about 9 pounds although I don't recall the brand but probably a Winchester. Although I had a firm grasp of the pistol grip, after the momentary shock of the discharge, my right hand was no longer on the grip but under it.

In comparison, I also fired a custom .460 Weatherby Magnum weighing 12 pounds and that wasn't nearly as unpleasant as the .458.

IIRC, the 458 mag from the M70 African kicks with 70 ft.lbs of recoil. Hardest kicking gun I've shot prone is a security shotgun with 3" slugs. That calculated out as 44 ft. lbs.

It seems to be hidden knowledge these days but a properly used loop sling is invaluable in shooting hard kicking long guns. Spreads the recoil over the many joints and large muscles in the upper body vs. slamming all the energy into 1 shoulder.

I have a double rifle in 450 3 1/4" N.E. it is very much apples to apples with the 458 Win Mag. The double has 26" barrels and weighs in at 11.5 to 12 pounds. It is a hammer model from around 1900-1905, I wouldn't want to accidentally set off both barrels at once, but it is mild enough to fire a shot or two in a T-shirt without any bruising. Stock design and total weight are what makes a big bore comfortable to shoot!, but total weight is what has to be carried all over creation!!

Ivan

a friend made himself a 458 mag on an Enfield action and it must have weighed 11 pounds. once was enough.

I had a Ruger #1S in 45-70 and I loaded up some of Elmer's memorial loads to shoot and it was not any fun at all. people thought it was fun but once was enough for them. I still ended up with about 40 rounds that I had to shoot and it was miserable.

The stock design of the #1's were notorious for heavy recoil in the larger magnum calibers!

Dads rifle is a ruger 77. While we shot it he said i always wanted one but really don't know why.

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S&WCA #3012

Recoil from those big rifles is felt worse when prone or shooting off a bag. You're solid in your stance there and put up more resistance so the gun compresses into you more.

If you're standing, you tend to rock back with the rifle and the recoil is not near as bad. However, I've seen some pretty stout fellas who just tense up and don't roll with it get beat pretty bad. Sometimes it's just best to relax and let the gun rise and push.

We've got a couple of big bores, including a Ruger 77 in .458. They're definitely fun to shoot.

More importantly, glad you got to go shoot with your father, I'm sure he enjoyed it too.

Do you happen to remember anything about the load data for this? My .458 is fantastically accurate with factory loads, but I don't really need that much power. Most of my reloads have been disappointed as far as accuracy is concerned - especially with lead bullets.

I had a Ruger 458 for about 10 years. Not nearly as bad as some people make out but it was NO *****CAT either. Much more uncomfortable was my Sako 375 H & H. I figure it was a poorly shaped stock. My 1886 in 45-90 was much tamer than either as were my 45-70 and 40-75 Sharps.

Not exactly, as it was a long time ago, back in the late 1960s. I think I used 2400 powder and lead .45-70 bullets. I may also have tried some 300 grain Speer half-jacket bullets, don't know if those are still made. I do know that I was using those Speers at about the same time for reloading .45-70 for use in a trapdoor Springfield. Some dies and empty brass came with the Model 70 when I bought it. Just try any light .45-70 handbook load, should be fun to experiment with.

Hi Ivan! ^^^^what you said. Stock design and total weight are paramount. As to total weight, that is why dangerous game hunters used gunbearers! Gotta go, another J-frame is calling my name.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

I also want to concur with Ivan about stock design and weight of the rifle. I've got a 416 Rigby made by Reimer Johanssen of Germany and it weighs 10 and 3/4 lbs.and has very little drop at heel or comb. I've fired it many times from the bench and although you know your firing a dangerous game rifle, it is not that uncomfortable to shoot. It is more comfortable to shoot than a 458 out of a model 70.
Bill

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10-3/4 or so seems just about right for a .416 or .458, but I would hate to carry it ten miles in 90+ degree weather and full sun. My 9-pound .458 M70 is a meanie, but I can manage it - I think!

Thanks - I have been doing that and with lead bullets will begin to get keyholes at 50 yards. There is quite a bit more freebore in the 458 so my belief is that it was designed around a 500 grain bullet. I have had some good luck with 350 grain Hornady bullets over Vectan powders, but still not as accurate as it is with 500 grain factory bullets.

I just have to keep after it - it is fun to mess with for certain.

The .458 is also the preferred counter-sniper gun of SFPD Inspector Harry Callahan.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Actually there was once a military sniper rifle built up around the .458 using a shortened .458 case. I don't think it was used much. I don't remember any details, but it should be easily researched by anyone interested. I never understood why Dirty Harry would want to use a .458 as an urban sniper rifle. I suppose it was only because as he was using "the most powerful handgun ever made," he wanted to also use "the most powerful rifle ever made."
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Here is a little information I found out about the .458x1.5" sniper round:
"According to Senich, the US Army Limited Warfare Laboratory began the Silent Sniper System program in August 1967. AAI was contracted for the conversions and ammo. Two rifles and 2,000 rounds were delivered on the initial contract. Testing at Aberdeen began in November 1968. After much debugging of the rifle and ammunition, six improved rifles and 9,000 rounds of ammunition were ordered. In February 1971, the LWL sent five rifles to the 23d Infantry Division Sniper School in South Vietnam. Of those, two were sent into the field on an experimental basis. The evaluation in the RVN ended in May, and the final report was released in November 1971."

I have seen other information that the rifle itself was a highly modified silenced Winchester Model 70. I also have seen that there is only one round of the original .458x1.5" ammo known to still exist. Everything else was destroyed. Seems that the idea of a silenced .458 sniper rifle didn't pan out.

I have a Model 70 Super Grade in .458 Win. Needless to say, it is very effective on elk in heavy timber from pretty much any angle at all. I've worked up some handloads with 500 gr. Hornady and Woodleigh bullets that duplicate factory ballistics, but that takes a little time as I only do about 10 rounds per day from the bench. More useful is the 350 gr. Hornady bullet loaded to about 2100 fps. That will do anything one might want to do in North America and recoil is quite a bit lighter. The .458 is a specialized cartridge but it is, indeed, very good for those special purposes.

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Everybody could shoot

Now THAT is a nice rifle! I've looked at several photos of the Super Grade .458 and actually toyed mentally with buying one. IICR, it ran about $2,250 and I only had $495 in my standard Model 70 so I never "pulled the trigger." Even in a photo, the wood looked magnificent. Can you confirm, Wyo? Thanks.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

P.S. In an old article in GW magazine, outdoors writer Sam Fadala played with a used .458 with a muzzle brake built on a 98 Mauser action. Interesting what the 500gr slug would do to a Saguaro cactus.

Ah, I was pretty sure I had a picture. And it's not reversed - that's a left-handed Weatherby, with a Lazermark stock. I bought it out of Shotgun News in May '94, brand new for $970. It's a hoot to shoot, you just roll with the punch.

I've only shot it off the bench when I was sighting in the scope. Shot a 1-1/4" 3-shot group that was nearly identical to the test target that came with the gun.

...this old guy is a recoil junkie...collects elephant guns...


...and a young lady from Norway who's not afraid to tackle anything...

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A Country Boy Can Survive

I've a Ruger #1 in 45/70 and always wondered about really hot loads from some of the loading manuals. 300 grain Remington estimated at 2000 feet per second. Much over that and you will run out of shoulder before you hit 458 velocities and power. The 300 grain RP bullets were the only ones tested. At 1800 fps things ain't so bad.but once you get over 1900 fps things start to get interesting. That little ruger single shot comes back like a rocket. Frank

You have to admire those Viking ladies!

Yes, the wood on mine is very nice, much better than the plain-Jane wood you see on most standard Model 70's. I don't know that I would call it "magnificent", though. It has to be straight grained for strength, and it is, with some burl in the butt. It's certainly not as nice as something you might see on a $10,000 custom rifle.

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Everybody could shoot

...her's the old guy from my post above with his Ruger #1 collection in some really impressive chamberings...he's lucky his retinas are still attached...

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A Country Boy Can Survive

That a tough rascal in the videos!

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S&WCA #3012