The 450/400NE 3 1/4" Performance data:

400gr soft or solid
Velocity out of a 26" barrel = 2150fps
Muzzle energy @ 2150fps = 4110ft/lbs
Reality ~= 2125fps - 2150fps

The 450/400NE 3"'s performance data:

400gr Soft or solid
Velocity OUT OF A 30" BARREL = 2125FPS
Muzzle Energy @ 2125fps = 4010 ft/lbs
Reality ~= 2050fps.

470 NE Performance data:

500gr soft or solid
Velocity OUT OF A 31" BARREL = 2125FPS
Muzzle energy @ 2125fps = 5030 ft/lbs
Reality ~= 2050fps

450NE 3 1/4" Performance data:

480gr soft or solid
Velocity OUT OF A 28" BARREL = 2150fps
Muzzle energy @ 2150fps = 4930
Reality ~= 2100fps

450NE No2 Performance data:

480gr soft or solid
Velocity OUT OF A 28" BARREL = 2175FPS
Muzzle energy @ 2175fps = 5050 ft/lbs
Realit ~= 2125fps

Source for data quoted above in Kynamco, see: http://www.new-kynoch.apt-sites.com/cartridge%20range.htm#

The long barrels used to prop up the "nominal" performace numbers for all but the 450/400 3 1/4" make for a lot of "blue sky" wishful thinking.

The handloaded 458wm bests all of them (Lets use what I get for comparison, 2145fps with a 500gr bullet, but over 2200fps can be acheived in a bolt rifle with some length), with the 450 No2 being closest.

Nobody is a pefect shot and no one should bank on making the perfect shot, imo. History and recent past history too, show that 450+ is a stopper on not too far off missed brain shots on eles, while the 450/400 is not. The 500 is better, the 570 the best, perhaps tied with the 600NE which reportedly had some penetration questions. The 470 would be indistinguishable from the 470, but solid bullet shape - too much ogive - is blamed on too many cases of curved penetration. See Taylor for the easiest to find support for this information. See Zim records of survival of elephant attacks for recent stopper data, find a summary at AfricanHunter.com

JPK