I am considering taking my Winchester 70 458 Win Mag with 450 gr Cutting Edge solids for my tuskless ele/ Buffalo hunt next year. Do any of you have experience with this bullet and bullet weight in the 458?
@michael458 this is something I wish you would chime in on. Thanks!
@michael458, any thoughts here to share ?
That would be, and has been my First Choice on such endeavors, and that is regardless of 458 caliber Cartridge, Lott, Winchester, B&M, does not matter, the 450 #13 Solid (as we used to refer to it) is #1. The other #1 Choice is the Solid that John and I worked on from North Fork, which I still have a small supply of, and that likely none of you can obtain unfortunately. It is nearly identical to the #13 Cutting Edge bullet, slightly different angle on the nose.
With properly designed bullets, in .458 caliber, regardless of the case/cartridge capacity, you do not and will never need more than a 450 gr bullet. End of story........
The last elephant I took was hit with one of these 450 Solids broadside heart shot. I was crouched down on my knees at 12 yards almost squeezing trigger for a frontal brain shot, wind shifted and the bull took off from left to right, I shifted aim to broadside heart shot, and only chance for one shot and the elephant disappeared into the brush. Followup was less than 25 yards and the bull was down for the count...... The 450 #13 Cutting Edge was doing just over 2200 fps in a 18 inch Winchester M70 458 B&M. The bullet passed completely through the broadside shot and still running around in Zimbabwe somewhere I imagine, absolutely 100% Perfect Performance.
We stumbled upon this big bull hippo taking a nap about 75 yards off the lake shore. We were sneaking around looking for a croc, and now between this bull and the lake. At 15 yards I hit him in the brain with a 250 Socom from that same 18 inch 458 B&M, the 250 was moving at 2900 fps, there was no time to change out loads, the bull went down immediately, with brain matter squirting out both ears for over 6 ft in both directions. Before I knew that however, I followed up with a 450 Solid on the point of the shoulder as an insurance shot, just in case, I believe in paying up the insurance. The bullet was later recovered in the far side rear hindquarters of the animal, estimated 6 feet of travel after busting the point of the shoulder to pieces.
I never got to hunt this bullet, but I have zero doubts of its abilities...........This is the bullet that John from North Fork and I worked on before North Fork was moved........... Take special note of the band configuration............
Now I know for a fact what Bullets I would choose, what you choose is up to you...........
As a side note, for buffalo the Matching Raptor for the 450 Solid is the 420 Safari Raptor....... It handles buffalo quite well, and has the same exact POI as the solid at 50 yards, since they are the same bullet, the only difference is the Raptor has the Hollow Cavity making it 420 grains. Don't get caught up in penetration of lighter Raptors, this bullet will still penetrate over 4 feet of buffalo, after destroying everything in its path............I have shot many a buffalo with this combination, the only ones I have ever recovered was from frontal shots, I don't ever remember recovering a 450 Solid.
