Favorite .458 Cast Bullet

[greybeard]

Hi: What is your favorite cast bullet for hunting and plinking in your .458 win mag? Regards Dan

[frank505]

If you can find a mold, the lyman 462560 is wonderful. The two Saeco's # 019 and 020 are good if the gas check shank is large enough to keep a gas check on. Use Gator Checks only, the red box stuff is worthless as they are too small for 45 rifle use.

[James C. Snodgrass]

I like the Lee 500fngc for hunting and the Lee 500 sp for plinking and goofin off. I have driven the gc version with water quenched WW to 2200 out of my 458 Lott with good accuracy if that's what you had in mind. And the sp with trail boss to 1100 fps which is a lot of fun and accurate.

[StrawHat]

I had a 458 on an M98 action about 30 years ago.

My absolute favorite load for it was any cast bullet over all the black powder I could get in the case. This was before I understood I needed a different lube for black powder so I was using whatever Lyman lube was available at the time. Cardboard wad under the bullet.

No, not the most scientific load but a lot of fun and more than enough accuracy for hunting.

As I recall it about duplicated the 45-90 for ballistics.

If I were to do it over again, I would use a bp specific lube, compressed powder and softer alloy.

[Nazgul]

I use the Saeco spire point 405gr for light loads. Any of the Lyman BP bullets can be used without gas checks at reasonable velocities.

I like the 462560 540gr FNGC for heavier loads. Paper patched RCBS 550gr RN are fun also.

I guess it is whatever you have available. They make molds to 350gr for really light loads.

Lots of fun in that caliber.
Don

[Doc Highwall]

My standard way of determining bullet weight is to use sectional density. Most people using a 30 Cal. use a 180gr. bullet that has a S.D. of .271 lbs. per sq. in. the math formula for S.D. is the weight of the bullet in Lbs, divided by the square of the diameter. Example in .458 Cal. 405grs. divided by 7000grs. in a pound divided by ( .458 x .458 ) = .275 lbs. per sq. in. Based upon this IMOH I would use at least a 400gr bullet for both plinking and hunting. Also IMHO a second bullet of higher S.D., Bigger would not be a bad idea either. In my .458 Win. I use to use 457125 with IMR3031. Now I am looking to sell it ,it is a Remington 700 LH. also selling my .338Win. mag and 30/06 both LH Remington 700 KS Mountain rifles. I hope this helps Doc Highwall.

[Southern Son]

I havn't done much with it, but I have a mold from CBE here in Oz. it is about 510grain when cast with 50/50 lino/lead. But when you seat it to cover the grease grooves, it looks like factory 500 grain jacketed in profile and feeds really easy. James C., how much Trail Boss did you use? I have been thinking of making something to fool around with, just for plinking, I was considering black powder, but I have only a limited supply and I would have to drive to Brisbane to get more. I might be able to get Trail Boss in the Mackay gunshop.

[405]

I guess the Lyman 457102. The 425 gr, FNGC seems to be versatile in most single shots like the Trapdoor and Sharps. But that length mostly leaves out the 45 cal lever guns I shoot like the Win 86 & 76. Those require a similar bullet but in 300-350 gr. For fun blackpowder loads in the single shots- the Lyman 457124 385 gr. RNPB is hard to beat.

[Nardoo]

I use a number of 45 cal moulds and find the Lee group buy 462420 GC as good as any. Also have a look at Jim's CBE site as he has a heap of moulds suitable for you. The 458-570 GC FN is ideal for the 458 mag and would be my choice. If you have an over size barrel he also has some .462" moulds that though designed as BP moulds also work fine with smokeless.
I have pushed the 462-500 to 2000 fps in my Ruger #1 45/70 ( with an inverted gas check) with great accuracy. Jim will cut this mould with a gas check if you ask.
If you want a drop dead game killer try his 458-405 GC. It has a huge meplat and Beagled to .461" shoots great for me in my #1. Thanks 4 finger Mick!

Nardoo

[redale1]

Would Nardoo please give me some more infromation on how to find or contact "Jim's CBE" site. thanks for your help.

[wiljen]

Not Nardoo, but here ya go:

http://www.castbulletengineering.bigpondhosting.com/

[mstarling]

I really like a 430 gr bullet made from a Ballisti-cast mold (1437 GC) for the 45/70, .458 AR, and .458 Lott. Are in the center here:

Lyman .375 projectiles on left and Ballisti-cast .470 NE on right.

We also use the 500 gr Lee .458 slugs for practice in the large rifles. They pretty much provide the same impact point as 500 gr Hornady Interlocks. Lee molds are not of the same quality as the Ballisti-cast molds ... the do work, just won't last 50 years

[94Doug]

....All of them. But the 405gr GB that was done and then re-done was pretty good. There is intrest in restarting the GC version.

Doug