Any love or Hate for the .458

[D-Orcutt]

Needs/Wants my next safari has me wanting to add a new gun to the safe last trip I took my .300 win mag with great success. I’m looking at trying to bring a larger bore gun on this trip if nothing more than for the experience, is there a reason that there are more .458 win mags for sale than .375 or any other “larger” bore rifles? My brother will be hunting with me so trading rifles for the .300 would be no issue

 

[SETH RINGER]

LOVE THE .458 WIN MAG
LOVE THE .375 H&H MAG MORE

 

[Tanks]

If you are going for DG, .458WM is enough gun.

 

[Jonathan Kashouty]

Love the .375 HH, .458 WM, .416 RM

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Nothing wrong with a .458 Winchester Magnum if you’ve easily found one. Not my favorite dangerous game caliber by any stretch of imagination. But it can definitely be made to serve you well through careful hand loading or selection of factory loaded ammunition.

To answer your question:
For reasons which are too deep to delve into (unless you would specifically like to know them), the .458 Winchester Magnum really had it’s heyday from the 1950s to the early 1980s (after which it’s popularity began to experience a steep decline).

Today, few hunters want them anymore (compared to .375 Holland & Holland Magnum caliber rifles or those chambered in other classic English safari calibers). For this reason, they’re widely available on the secondhand market for more bargain prices than rifles chambered in other big bore calibers (which tend to get snapped up by consumers far more quickly).

The exception to this rule is a portion of the market who purchases a rifle chambered in .458 Winchester Magnum with the specific intention to ream it out and rechamber it to a .458 Lott.

Or a hunter living in a part of the world where .458 Winchester Magnum factory loaded ammunition is the easiest/most affordably sourced big bore option available to him.

 

[Luvthunt]

In the world of today obtaining 2150fps with a 480/500 gr bullet is easier to obtain. That velocity was obtained in 1898 by the 450 NE and really does get the job done if the shooter does theirs.
Having said that I use a 458 Lott.

 

[Challer]

If you can get excellent 2nd 3rd shot off hand go for it, otherwise 375 is a better all around choice.

 

[Forrest Halley]

I feel like the .458 requires more work to be in shooting shape for than does the .375. The .458 also offers the advantage of being readily downloaded with .45-70 bullets for practice.

 

[Mountaineer]

The 375 H&H is more versatile than the 458 win. I have both and love both. The 375 is used in a lot more parts of the world than just Africa.

 

[mark-hunter]

My relationship to 458 is platonic, romantic and theoretical one.

If I were to hunt African DG every year, I would easily get to practical relationship with the caliber, because factory ammo is available around.
Since I don't exactly hunt African DG every year. and I mostly hunt on old continent as well, my choice was 375 H&H because it is more versatile, and more appropriate for PG, DG, and European game.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I like my 375H&H, I can stretch the range to my max comfort zone shooting distance of 400 yards.

I like my 458WM, although I have only done a very limited amount of testing. I confident that with further testing using the shorter 250 and 300 grain 45-70 bullets, getting the velocities up around 2300+/- fps, keeping under the CUP in the beefier 458WM should safely extend the 458 (WM and Lott) calibers out to 350 - 400 yard range. Allowing the 458 (WM and Lott) to be more versatile calibers for use hunting PG and DG.

 

[Don458]

Needs/Wants my next safari has me wanting to add a new gun to the safe last trip I took my .300 win mag with great success. I’m looking at trying to bring a larger bore gun on this trip if nothing more than for the experience, is there a reason that there are more .458 win mags for sale than .375 or any other “larger” bore rifles? My brother will be hunting with me so trading rifles for the .300 would be no issue

Love

 

[bobdahunter84]

I think the used inventory at any given time is more random than anything. About a year ago, I was looking for a pre64 model 70 in 308 win. I knew they made a lot of them, but took me MONTHS to find one reasonably priced. Right after i found one, i probably saw 10 more the next month that were reasonable.

Regarding your question, really depends what you're trying to do with it. 375 is more versatile but 458 has it's place too, albeit more limited. I have both and like both.

There is no shortage of comments on the initial problems with the 458 when it was first developed, and powder issues. Some folks never got over those issues, and it was ever fully embraced by the masses. Those prior powder issues is a non-issue at this point with modern powders. Those early issues did yield the creation of the 458 lott. Certainly a more versatile cartridge, and does allow you to shoot a 458 win if you prefer a little less shoulder punch.