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Taylor writes a lot about the 450/400 as an all rounder, as he does the 375H&H, but he used a 450NE No2 or 500/465NE for the great bulk of the elephants he shot.

What ever the load for a slug gun, full diameter, full weight slugs or lighter sub bore saboted slugs, all I have shot seem to recoil within a small range, pretty much the same, all unpleasant, all more than that of any 458wm or 470 that I have shot. Including PH Rich Tabor's 10.5lb 470 - he loads his 500gr solids at 2250fps for hunting elephants (recently Remington has brought out a low recoil slug loading that pushes a lighter slug at lower velocity, but that is a new exception.) Don't forget that recoil is based on the entire ejecta mass, including the wads and sabots and burnt powder.

I have a pamphlet sitting hear that gives info on another Remington loading, it gives a saboted 385gr projectile a 1900fps ride. 1oz slugs generally run +/-1600, same with 1 1/4oz slugs though some offerrings of each run a bit faster or slower. Some or most slug guns have rifled barrels which are quite a bit thicker than regular barrels.

Also, I caught on another thread how you seek muscle tension in your right shoulder when you shoot. I presume you are right handed. This may be an error in so far as recoil tollerance, imo. I find that recoil is least felt when the rifle is held firmly and pulled into the shoulder, but no more. The body should be relaxed. Rock from the hips in recoil. There will be some muzzle rise, but if your cheek is welded to the comb there will be no slap, which can be most unpleasant.

When you shoot game, you will find you shoot with much less muzzle rise, a near absence in 450 class rifles. I suppose this is due to the natural excitement of shooting real game. It is quite apparent in videos. For example, I feel and see the muzzle rise at the range, when not shooting timed series, but video of me shooting elephants shows none.

If you want to see examples for yourself, take a look at either Boddington on Buffalo, where Andrew Dawson turns a charging bull with his 470 or where he shoot a buff Boddington has hit. No muzzle rise. See also Buzz Charlton's first DVD on elephant hunting, watch our own 500 Grains shooting his 500NE. He takes several shots on different elephants in the film. He is relatively relaxed on an insurance shot on a down ele and rocks, but on a charging injured cow, much less. BTW, there is the alternative also seen on Buzz's DVD, with our own Will seen shooting a charging tuskless with his very light weight 416 Taylor, the muzzle rise and cheek slap that are so clearly seen in the DVD just hurts to watch.

The key to shooting well and comfortably a true stopping rifle, as defined by Taylor and history, is dedication to the purpose, time committed and frquency. Thankfully this time commitment and dedication can come in spurts starting months prior to elephant hunts we book and then lying dormant until the next hunt is booked.

JPK

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