Mickey,

I figured that rechamber would add value, but thats not really critical to me since I don't forsee selling it. Even with 130 flawless rounds through the gun and the benefits of cheap and easy ammo with worldwide availability, I do think getting rid of that small kernel of doubt would be worth it.

In fact if the rifle had been a 470 I probably wouldn't have been able to afford it, likewise a 450NE or other big bore rimmed NE. I bought the rifle with the idea of restocking it (since I'm a lefty) and rechambering. Odd thing is that somehow the right hand stock with 1/4" castoff and a cheekpiece to boot somehow fits. The fact that the gun is 458 let me buy it in the first place.

400NitroExpress,

Federal advertises the velocity of both loads as 2090 out of a 24" barrel. I've read a review that crono'd the ammo at 2126 out of a 24" barrel and Allen Day on AR responded to my post asking if anyone had crono'd these loads. Allen had and they came very close to the #'s for him. My rifle has 26" barrels so I figure I'm shooting at 2100 to 2150 but don't have a crono so I'm just guessing. It would seem that there is some difference between the solids and softs since one crosses and the other doesn't.

The reason JJ thinks reregulation about a fifty/fifty proposition is that in his experience if you load the new 450 ammo to the 458 velocity for which the rifle was regulated you're very often there. JJ shot my rifle when checking it out for me prior to finalizing the purchase and he's a better shot than I for sure. He managed a four shot two inch group at 50yds with the rights and lefts crossing by about 1 1/2". The rights were a half inch apart and the lefts overlapping.

Since the rifle seems to be regulated for a pretty high velocity there is no need to reregulate after a conversion just to get to 450 NE performance levels since the rifle seems set up for that anyway.

JPK