Best rifle for 458 WM?

[cajunchefray]

Interarms/Whitworth rifles have M98-type CRF actions, classic lines, express sights, and run from $750-$1500 on the used market. Not sure how the chamber is cut as far as throat length…

This is mine in .458

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Ed Z

@Axle2010, I concur with the recommendation of an Interarms Whitworth .458 Win Mag.
I've owned 3 of these rifles, keeping the last one with best wood and smooth action. Never will sell it, like I have many other rifles.
This rifle just fits me very well, and the recoil is very manageable. I am a fan of the Winchester Model 70, (not a bad choice at all), but these Whitworth rifles are proper fit for me.
The magazine, and action, are the "lengthened" H&H Mag Mauser M98 commercial actions for the 3.6" cartridge. FN Herstal Belgium manufactured these post WWII.
Whitworth actions were made in Yugoslavia, by Zastava, on FN procured machinery and tooling. Zastava arsenal has built a lot of military, and sporting Mauser actions since WWII. The steel is proper.
No problems with the action modification, very many sold and used in Africa. Don't believe the commentary that this H&H modification of the M98 action weakened the action.

All said, you can find a Whitworth Mauser .458 Win Mag, if patient for few months at a very reasonable price. Stay with the Whitworth style (African) versus the Alaskans (ugly Monte Carlo blonde European stocks).

Winchester Model 70, with a proper fitting stock, is also a good choice!

 

[Riflecrank]

My considered attempt at answering the OP question follows.

My Whitworth Mk X .458 WinMag did not have the action opened up to H&H length.
Maybe some did, but not my late 1980's model, which also had excellent walnut.
It had the standard/short magnum action.
So are all Pre-'64 Win M70 actions, standard length, so also have to be opened up to accept H&H/long magnum cartridges.

The Whitworths are a true Mauser M98 regarding the extractor that is beveled on the dovetail foot
that runs in the groove circumferentially at the bolt's breechward end.
This makes the extractor claw pull inwards toward the center axis of the bolt as the bolt is retracted rearward.
I call that CRE, Controlled Round Extraction, which goes above and beyond mere CRF, Controlled Round Feeding.
The CZ 550 Magnum/Medium, BRNO ZKK 602 and original FN Browning Safari also have this true Mauser feature, like a Mauser Banner or milsurp M98: CRF+CRE

The Winchester Model 70 Pre-'64/Classic/FN, Ruger M77 Mk II/Hawkeye, Dakota 76, etc. CRF rifles are CRF only, not CRE.
Still good choices that probably won't get you killed.

The Winchester M70 Classic from CT and the FN from SC (even if by way of Portugal)
are long actions that have magazines blocked at the back and bolt stops and ejectors
stretched forward to properly time ejection and shorten the bolt throw.

I like all of them mentioned above for a .458 WinMag and could not possibly choose only one action.
That is why I have more .458 WinMags than any other chambering and need one more to make it an even dozen:

.458 WinMags X 11 (ten bolt actions and one Ruger No. 1)
.458 Elko Magnum X 2 (single shot flanged versions of the .458 WinMag, both Ruger No. 1)
.458 B&M+ X 1
.458 Lott X 1
.458/.416 Ruger X 1
.450 Barnes Supreme X 1
.458/.338 Lapua Magnum X 1
.450 Dakota X 1

I traded one Wby Mk V .460 WbyMag for a BRNO ZKK 602 (CRF+CRE like its CZ offspring).
Another .460 WbyMag CZ 550 Magnum got bobbed and rechambered to .458/.338 Lapua Magnum.
I call that wildcat a ".458 Ted Williams Thumper" for no particular reason.

If I had to pick just one particular factory rifle to come as close to perfect as any .458 WinMag factory rifle, it would be the Whitworth Mark X ...
or the FN Browning Safari.
Both are true CRF+CRE like a true M98.
Both could use some improvements, like a Winchester M70-style safety,
and switch the Browning Safari's aluminum alloy floor plate for the all steel one on the Whitworth.
The entire one-piece steel bottom metal on the Whitworth (mag box, trigger guard and floor plate)
fits perfectly on the FN Browning Safari.
That is how it is with the two specimens I have, I have swapped bottom metal between them as a try.
Both "Short Magnum."

I could use another Whitworth Mk X to make the even dozen of .458 WinMags.
But I would also be a sucker for another Ruger No. 1 in .458 WinMag.

 

[hoytcanon]

Make whatever you want... I keep making my .458's in carbine form. I like the quick and balanced handling of carbines for the .458 WM cartridge.

My latest is a Ruger M77 Mark II that started life as a 7mm Rem Mag. It is a stainless model, with a #4 20" Bob Jury barrel in a Bell & Carlson stock, with NECG iron sights and a Leupold VX-R 2-7X33 IR scope mounted... the scope pops off quickly when I want to revert to irons, which is almost never.