Curl

The 235 grain Speer looks good. It is years since I have shot that bullet but on light animals like kangaroos, goats or pigs it appeared harder then the 300 grain Hornadt round nose.

Although mbogo did not enquire about the 45/70 or 375 Big Bore Lever gun or 450 Marlin the facts are that a high percentage of big bores spend most of their time doing things that could be done with a 22 rimfire or throwing rocks..the big bores just do it better

I have had a fairly significant amount of contact with the Wby custom shop and couple of interesting things they tell me about the 416 Wby. Whether this transfers to other 416s I don't know but I suspect there would be some cross over.

Firstly, from what they can gather a much higher percentage of 416 Wbys are bought by people who will use the gun for very big game shooting only as compared to the 378 and 460. Secondly, in relation to the number of rifles sold....they sell far more 416 factory ammo than 378 or 460. Lastly, while the 416 does not sell very well compared to the 378 and 460 in their standard rifles, when it comes to the custom shop the 416 does about the same as the 378 although the 460 does more in the custom shop than the 378 and 416 combined. In fact the custom shop is mainly 300 Wby and 460 Wby except in done up Accumarks and the 30/378 is number 1 there.

Most people think that overall the 300 Wby is the main seller for Wby and that is correct. But most people think the 257 is Number 2 but that is not so...it is the 270 Wby.

As a side note on lever action bullets in big bore bolt actions, I live quite near the guns and ammo importing comapny that among other things imports Hornady bullets to Australia. I know the people there at a personal level and have done for years. When you are there and a shipment of Hornadys has come in you wonder where

1) All those 375 and 458 bullets are going. If they were only being used in Australia's Northern Territory or by Australians going to Africa then there would be no animals left.

2) The cartons of 220 grain Hornady flat noses. I reckon you could nearly count the number of 375 Big Bore lever guns in Australia on your fingers and toes....so those bullets are destined for 375 H&Hs.

I would be prepared to be that in both America and Australia that a very large percentage of 458 Lotts (and 458 Winchesters) would spend nearly all their shooting time with cast bullets and 45/70 bullets going down their barrels.

Mike