Can the .458 now be considered a classic?

[Badboymelvin]

What do you guys think? Should the .458 now be considered a classic?

The old girl is now 60 years old and in that time it has probably taken more dangerous game than any other.

Sure, in the past it’s had it’s controversies and detractors, but it’s also had many that sing it’s praises and to this day PH’s still rely on it to protect both themselves and their clients.

It still enjoys great popularity in Africa and performance wise, with modern powders its now better than ever.


So what do you think, could it now be classed as a classic?


Russ.

 

[Badboymelvin]

I say YES!

 

[matt85]

im guessing your talking about the 458 WM?

if we are talking 458 WM then... no.

when we discuss classic DG cartridges its not really related to the age of the cartridge. we are usually talking about cartridges from the early days of African hunting. these classic cartridges usually started out as English or German cordite cartridges and were used in a time when Africa was truly wild and largely unexplored.

-matt

 

[CAustin]

I have a 458 Lott but would not say it's a classic.

 

[Hank2211]

There are lots of calibers which are very popular in Africa - and the .458 Win Mag is certainly one of those. So, I would say, is the .300 Win Mag, which has been around for about 53 years. And while I love the .300 Win Mag - it's my plains game gun - I would never call it a classic. And, by extension, I would never call the .458 Win Mag a classic. One day, maybe (although I rather doubt it), but certainly not today.

You really can't out the .458 in the same category as the .375 H&H, the .404 Jeffery, the .416 Rigby, the .505 Gibbs, and some others.

 

[matt85]

here are the only classic .458" cartridges i know of:

- 450 NE 3.25"
- 450 No.2 NE
- 500/450 NE 3.25"

im sure there might be one or two im missing but these three were the most popular .458" cartridges of early 20th century.

-matt

 

[Badboymelvin]

Well, it looks like a NO for the old girl!

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

I think that cal. 458 Win. magnum is deserved for African hunting.
Witold

 

[enysse]

I think it will be a classic one day, it was affordable and brought a large caliber mainstream to the general public.

 

[Foxi]

No, she is much to young for a classic old lady .
I dont understand that I always read from old powder problems in the 70ies and to less power.
People,thats over 40 years away,these times are gone,completely.
The .458 Win MAG is the most successful cartridge in the 500 gn area in Black - Africa.
Foxi

 

[colorado]

No, not in the same class as the 375 H&H, 416 Rigby, 404 Jeffrey, 505 Gibbs, 500 Jeffrey in my humble opinion. Not a big bore, but the 30-06 is definitely a classic cartridge.

 

[enysse]

I think the .458 Win will never be able to get away from the bad press years ago, when they were using inadequate gun powder and not modern day gun powder. Plus the bullets back in the day were FAR from perfect. Unfortunately due to all these rumors people flock to the .458 Lott. Not a bad gun at all, it has more power.

 

[Badboymelvin]

I think the .458 Win will never be able to get away from the bad press years ago, when they were using inadequate gun powder and not modern day gun powder. Plus the bullets back in the day were FAR from perfect. Unfortunately due to all these rumors people flock to the .458 Lott. Not a bad gun at all, it has more power.

I think that you are right in all you say.
The .458 will always be tainted with the horror stories of years ago... which is a pity. Both powders and bullets weren't what they are today.
I also agree that the .458 Lott is a good caliber and it does have more power than the WM.
People need to remember though that a 500gn at 2100-2200 fps is all that's needed for anything in Africa and the .458 Win has a trio of qualities that are still useful today, namely easy to find, adequate ballistics and reasonable recoil.

 

[Badboymelvin]

I dont understand that I always read from old powder problems in the 70ies and to less power.
People,thats over 40 years away,these times are gone,completely.
The .458 Win MAG is the most successful cartridge in the 500 gn area in Black - Africa.
Foxi

I think that you are absolutely spot on with that comment.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

It seems bygones keep on surfacing about the .458 Win Mag...it really is irrelevant to even mention the powder problem forty years back..the whole scenario have changed with new technology and premium bullets of today...I am sure by using the .458 Win Mag with the excellent premium bullets like Barnes ect. any elephant/buffalo/lion can be shot due to excellent penetration of these bullets...

 

[Pheroze]

But didn't the. 458 WM usher in a new era in African cartridges? It was part of a new wave of modern cartridges I think. Can't it be credited for that new chapter and, in that sense, it is classic?

 

[Alexandro Faria]

I find the .458 Win to be a poser amongst greats Please don't take insult from that comment, but it really falls so short of the great classics (.416 rigby, .404 Jeff, .375 H&H) in so many ways… Perhaps I'm just biased. English big bore cartridges have that something that American cartridges never will. Even the 458 Express has an appeal that the Win Mag just doesn't have.

 

[Pheroze]

Out of the ashes of WWII the USA rose to dominate the world stage. In the 50's Americans developed cartridges to rival those of the previous old world powers. In a uniquely American way they developed those cartridges to make them affordable to the largest number. The birth of the 458 WM was also the birth of a more egalitarian dangerous game hunting. The new world put its stamp on hunting, and the rest is history.

Classic!

I don't know whether to take myself seriously but it sounds right

 

[Wheels]

No, not in the same class as the 375 H&H, 416 Rigby, 404 Jeffrey, 505 Gibbs, 500 Jeffrey in my humble opinion. Not a big bore, but the 30-06 is definitely a classic cartridge.

Agree that the 458wm doesn't meet the standards of those mentioned above as a classic. The calibers mentioned above, however, have a 40 yearish head start.

What do you guys think? Should the .458 now be considered a classic?

The old girl is now 60 years old and in that time it has probably taken more dangerous game than any other.

Sure, in the past it’s had it’s controversies and detractors, but it’s also had many that sing it’s praises and to this day PH’s still rely on it to protect both themselves and their clients.

It still enjoys great popularity in Africa and performance wise, with modern powders its now better than ever.


So what do you think, could it now be classed as a classic?


Russ.

Does 60 years constitute a classic? If so then it surely qualifies. @Badboymelvin your post below probably justifies it better than any others I have seen. http://www.africahunting.com/threads/why-i-no-longer-defend-the-458-winchester-magnum.17615/

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

It seems bygones keep on surfacing about the .458 Win Mag...it really is irrelevant to even mention the powder problem forty years back..the whole scenario have changed with new technology and premium bullets of today...I am sure by using the .458 Win Mag with the excellent premium bullets like Barnes ect. any elephant/buffalo/lion can be shot due to excellent penetration of these bullets...

I agree with Gert.
Witold