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4seventy,
All quite valid assumptions, and an indightment on the power of the press, and the need for ownership of ones ideas, to be forwarded as the only opinion that is valid!

All that asside, nobody, with a lick of sense, would think the 458LOTT is not superior to the 375H&H on a close quarters Buffalo, or that a properly loaded 458 Win Mag is not, at least, equal to the 375 H&H, for that matter. The examples you quote from Lotts book, and his lack of comment about the 375H&Hs failier, is not surprising, that is the same as those who say only one type of rifle is suited to to the hunting dangerous game. In all cases they fail to mention the failiers, and only quote the successes, for their chosen type. Some buffalo would take all 11 shots from any caliber you could name, you know that. So that example means absolutely nothing in the over-all for, or against any cartridge. However, over a long period of time, with many Buffalo involved, the failiers of the 458 Win Mag, with factory loaded ammo was a FACT, not prejudice! Conversely, the 375H&H has proven it's self to be a quite capable round over almost 100 years, but like any cartridges, it has it's limitations.

All I'm saying is, if properly loaded the 458 Win Mag is adiquate, but the 458 LOTT is better for the same purpose. Where I personally have a problem with both the 458 Win Mag and the 450 LOTT is that neither are properly loaded by the ammo factories. Above the poor design, the factory loads are the problem with the 458 WM, being loaded too high for it's case capacity, and the LOTT being loaded hotter than is needed. The imporper loading in the 458 WM, causes failiers, the loading in the lott simply wastes componants, and raises recoil for no real benefit over being loaded to the balistics of the very capable 450NE 3 1/4" which has been proven over a longer period of time than any of the tree cartridges mentioned here! Like most wildcat developers LOTT went as far as he could go with his new case, but his cartridge would have been better if he had only solved the draw-backs of the 458WM. Loading his LOTT case to the balistics of the 450NE 3 1/4" would have,IMO, made a far better cartridge. That is the way I have always loaded my 458 LOTT rifles, and they have proven, at least to me, to be very reliable on Cape Buffalo, without the extra recoils, and waste of powder!

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..........Mac >>>===(x)===>
DUGABOY1, and MacD37 founding member of DRSS www.doublerifleshooterssociety.com
"If I die today, I have had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"

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