xausa,

Your information on the 458wm is out of date with respect to ammunition problems. The 458wm is very easy to load for and there need be no powder compression issues with a variety of today's powders. Further, it is very easy to load ammunition which out performs factory ammunition and at well below max pressures. Factory ammunition for the 458wm is loaded notoriously mildly - except perhaps for the relatively new Hornaday "heavy magnum" loading.

In any event, I have been able to assemble loads which far exceed factory nominal performance - except for that Hornaday load - with no trouble and with no compressed powder, at well under the SAAMI max pressure. My 500gr Woodleigh solid load shoots to regulation at 2135fps. An even better elephant load, with phenominal penetration, is the 450gr North Fork flat point solid at 2190fps, which also shoots to regulation. My current soft load is Woodleighs 500 grainer at about factory ammo specs, 2050fps, and this load does all I'll ever need a soft to do, shoots to regulation when it is warm out only.

My solid loads have been proven on quite a few buff and elephants and not found wanting in any respects.

My rifle has 26" barrels and contrary to the common wives' tale, the 458wm loves longer barrels, at least in my experience. Nevertheless, Hornaday's reloading manual shows six powders producing 2150fps at or near max and another powder producing 2200fps - AA2230, my favorite for 500 grainers.

I don't neccesarily advocate loading to max pressure, just to match regulation, but the data is illustrative of the real potential of the 458wm, as opposed to the hard to dispel old wives' tales surrounding ammo problems from near a half century ago.

So far as purchasing a double rifle in 458wm, I believe it should be done with the pricing accounting for the possibility that the rifle may need to be rechambered to 450NE 3 1/4" if it proves unreliable as a 458wm. About $2000 worst case, a mere $600 if you get lucky.

Keep in mind that rehinging a double rifle is cheap, quick and easy. 458wm ammo is universally available should your home brews go missing on the trip over too. If the price is right, buy the 458wm, but be prepared to rechamber and have that cost built into the price.

I have 800 rounds or so through my rifle with no problems or issues of any kind. But I did buy it with the idea that I would rechamber it to 450NE, just found out that I was fortunate and it wasn't nessecary.

Of course, no flys on the 500NE either!!

JPK