Looking for info on .458 Lott

[Kestrel]

Well, I did it. I got the CZ 550 Safari in .458 Win Mag. Just for fun...

I read here, that you can have it reamed or something, to .458 Lott. Can anyone give me more info on .458 Lott? Is it faster/heavier than .458 Win Mag? I saw that you can also still fire .458 Win Mag out of them. Is that any less safe? Is it just as accurate shooting the .458 Win Mag in a Lott chamber?

What's involved in changing it to Lott? Who is a good choice to have the work done?

Are there factory loads for the Lott? Are they more expensive than the Win Mag?

Thanks for any help (and patience). Maybe now I should start handloading. (I don't know a THING about handloading.)

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Wildalaska]

Hi on the CZ all that should be involved is a reamin of the chamber...factory Lott loads are available from Hornady...

Recoil is manly yet managable. Weve built about 40 Lotts....

WildbigboreAlaska

 

[Kestrel]

How different is the weight and velocity of the Lott vs. the win mag?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[H&Hhunter]

How different is the weight and velocity of the Lott vs. the win mag?

Steve,

I have done three model 70's that started life as stainless .375's and wound up as Lott's I have kept one and have hunted Africa fairly extensivly with it.

I can verify that everything Wildalaska has said is correct. Your CZ is lottable with only a ream job a fairly simple procedure for a good gun smith.

The Lott will give you 2-300fps over the .458win with 500gr bullets and more with lighter bullets.

As far as firing 458win out of the Lott it is absolutley no problem just like firing a .44special in a .44mag.

Hornandy 500gr softpoint factory loaded ammo is like $50.00 per box and the solids are more like nearly $70.00. If you hand load however that really knocks the edge off you can get Hornandy brass for $21.00 per 50.

Dave Clay in Arlington Texas does great work and has done all three of my Lotts and several more for friends.

 

[tcdrennen]

Latest American Rifleman has a couple articles on the .458 Lott - cover story, in fact.

 

[Kestrel]

Is the Lott gaining in popularity? (Just don't want to convert to a caliber that dries up...) I would also start handloading, so as to have more affordable ammo.

Does anyone actually have a picture of a .458 win mag and a .458 Lott for comparison?

Thanks again,
Steve

 

[H&Hhunter]

Is the Lott gaining in popularity? (Just don't want to convert to a caliber that dries up...) I would also start handloading, so as to have more affordable ammo.

As far as a picture I can make one for you but it's really quite simple the .458 win case is 2.55" long the Lott is 2.8" long, that is the only difference.

And yes the Lott is gaining in popularity by leaps and bounds. It is fast becoming the mopst popular PH rifle in Africa and I think the fact that Ruger is chambering it in both a bolt action and the #1 says alot. You can also order one from Winchester in the Safari grade M-70's.

It really is what the .458Win should have been it's a better round. I don't think the Lott is going to dry up anytime soon.

 

[James Bondrock]

According to the magazine ad, the CZ 550 American Safari Magnum is chambered for .458 Lott, in addition to .375 H&H, .458 Win. and .416 Rigby. Sure is a beauty.

 

[Bill St. Clair]

There are pictures and text concerning the history of the .458 Lott, .458 Win Mag, and other Safari cartridges at http://www.african-hunter.com/458_watts___458_lott.htm.

 

[larryw]

The 458 Lott cartridge looks like a whole big bunch of fun.

Wouldn't recommend learning to reload with it, though.