I think what you are say, or asking is, why compare the 458 Win Mag and the 458 LOTT, because they are two different cartridges. If that is the case, then the statement is not a comparison, but my statement that the 458 Win Mag should have had the case measurements of the LOTT in the first place. The LOTT simply being a 458 Win Mag with a little longer case. The longer case iliminates the problems that were experienced in the 458 WM. The balistics they were looking to duplicate would have been much easier to accomplish if they had used the LOTT dimintions in the 375H&H length Mod 70.

I'm not saying the 458 Win Mag is not a good cartridge, it is! However, loaded the way the factory planned it, it was problematic. If loaded that way today, it will still be problimatic. The fact is any problem cartridge can be salvaged by some judicious, and careful handloading, and experimenting. The fact is, however, if the 458 win mag had origenaly had the dimentions of the LOTT, none of this would have been necessary, is all I'm saying!

I own, and have owned several 458 Win Mag rifles, over the years, and I had zero trouble out of them, because from the start, I knew the 500 gr bullets were not right for this little package, and I substituted a 400, and 450 gr bullets, and backed off to the lowest load for the 500 gr bullet in the load books, then worked up till I got to a load that would fill the case to the base of the seated bullet, and shoot good groups. That approche was what the factory should have done, if they were to use the short case. It wasn't long before everyone knew there was a problem obtaining the velocities the factory claimed with the 500 gr bullet, without crushing the powder. Sometimes not even then! Even with todays powders, the 500 gr bullet is not well suited to the 458 WM, and one must compact the powder , and raise pressures very high to come close to factory specs,with a 500 gr bullet, in anything but a test barrel.

I'm not saying the 458 is a bastard, but that the balistics they expected were illconcieved, in the form the case was made! If those balistics were desired, the case should have been lengthened, or the bullet weight reduced! If that makes me a dinosaur who can't learn anything new, then so be it, but there are few days that I do not load at least one chambering, and somtimes three or four, and they are not all big bore cartridges! I shoot everything from .22lr, to 577NE, and every thing from muzzelloader to belted magnums, and double rifles! However, I find that physics do not change with the number in front of the year!

The case, of the 458 WM, is too small to handle a 500 gr bullet effeciently! The 458 LOTT case is not too small, and will handle the 500 gr bullet very well, case closed !

BYE!