Big Bore Appreciation Thread

Sorry no photo's but I do have video. Last year I picked up a beautiful Win 70 Safari in 458 Winchester. Took it to the range and it shot 500 grain factory rounds into close to MOA. Shooting from the bunch left me a bit stunned however as the recoil was , shall we say vigorous. Reloading I found it possible to get 300 TSX's between 26-2700ft/sec and very good groups and 350 TSX bullets to 2500+ Ft/Sec with also very good groups. The recoil was also..way easier to handle. In fact it's not bad at all. I even got a CDS turret matched for the 350 TSX at 2490 ft/sec... where I seem to have an accuracy node with H322. So far have been shooting out to 325 yards with some pretty fair success though the bullet speed at that range may or may not expand. I'll test it. Lots of fun. I think this might be an excellent Bison gun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMzSHx9RagM
 
Takujualuk said:
Sorry no photo's but I do have video. Last year I picked up a beautiful Win 70 Safari in 458 Winchester. Took it to the range and it shot 500 grain factory rounds into close to MOA. Shooting from the bunch left me a bit stunned however as the recoil was , shall we say vigorous. Reloading I found it possible to get 300 TSX's between 26-2700ft/sec and very good groups and 350 TSX bullets to 2500+ Ft/Sec with also very good groups. The recoil was also..way easier to handle. In fact it's not bad at all. I even got a CDS turret matched for the 350 TSX at 2490 ft/sec... where I seem to have an accuracy node with H322. So far have been shooting out to 325 yards with some pretty fair success though the bullet speed at that range may or may not expand. I'll test it. Lots of fun. I think this might be an excellent Bison gun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMzSHx9RagM
Click to expand...

Those lighter bullets sure tamed the 458 down!
 
I have the following rifles in the larger calibers being discussed here:
- 9.3x62 LH Sako 85 Hunter; have taken a moose with it to date with 250 gr Nosler AccuBond, want to hunt bison with this one
- 376 Steyr LH Ruger M77; have taken elk and bison with it to date with 260 gr Nosler AccuBond, want to hunt grizzly with this one, and eland and bongo
- 416 Taylor LH Ruger M77; shooting 350 gr TSX load, but have yet to take game with, want to hunt bison and grizzly with this one, and cape buffalo
- 444 Marlin Marlin 444S; shooting 265 gr FTX, recently acquired and haven't taken out to sight in as yet, want to hunt bear and moose with this one

Have shot friends' rifles in:
- 9.3 x 64
- 375 H&H AI
- 405 Winchester
- 416 Rigby
- 458 Win Mag
- 450/500 3 1/4"
- 510 Wells

Would still like to shoot:
- 404 Jeffrey
- 450/400 NE 3"
 
I love big bores. I'll have to go back through and read it better.

So far in my collection I have a few but im building a few more projects still, part by part.
Complete rifles are

.577 bore muzzle loader (100gr blackpowder)
500 Jeffery build on a P14 action
460 weatherby built on a 458 zavasta
45-70 sxs made by baikal
43 Express build on a large ring, small and extended shank Mauser
And an honorable mention is my 375 H&H Winchester model 70

I shoot cast and jacketed in all of them other then the muzzle loader. Have dies for them and reload them all.

Factory 500 Jeffery cost me $228 for 10
Factory 460 weatherby cost me 225 for 20
And I can't buy 43 Express ammo

The projects I'm working on now are 404 Jeffery on a P14 action
trying to buy my buddies 416 Rigby build on a brno 602
 
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What is a 43 express?


This thread is making me want to buy a 458 win… especially Takujualuk’s video
 
conor_90 said:
What is a 43 express?


This thread is making me want to buy a 458 win… especially Takujualuk’s video
Click to expand...

The rifle he has that I like most is the 358nm. Hard to justify "needing" to fill a hole between 338 and 375. If I ever changed my user name it would be magnum v 2.5. Have shot or owned most of the 2.5" magnum family, never a 358nm.
 
Mr.Rigpig said:
That is a beautiful rifle, especially given where it came from!
I have never seen a rear peep mounted like that before...
Click to expand...

Thanks, grandad was a pretty handy smith/stock maker in his day.

I see a few .375’s, I’ll add another. This one is chambered in 9.5x57, hsnd loaded with 220gr Hornady interlocks. I never was good at archery, but this still requires to got pretty close. I’ll post my favourite big bore soon here.

 
  • .416 caliber VLD bullet 340gr CEB bc 0.78 high downrange energy got these loaded up
  • recent addition .416 Weatherby Mark V Canadian Northern Magnum from Weatherby Custom Shop - effective muzzle brake đź‘Ť
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I was trying to put together a list of all the current production big bore/dangerous game rifles that are still in production, since we've seen many that have been discontinued lately. Not counting for the 45-70's and large lever guns, this is what i've come up with.

1. Ruger Guide Gun/African - $2000
2. Winchester Model 70 - $2000-$2300
3. Weatherby Mark V - $3,000-$5,000
4. Heym Express Bolt Gun - $10,000+
5. Kriegoff Big Five - $10,000+
6. Merkel 140AE - $12,000
7. Heym 89B - $20,000+

And then it only goes up from there once you start getting into the Rigby's and Holland and Holland's etc. Not a whole lot of affordable options at the bottom end now that the CZ 550 and Sako 85 have been discontinued. The Model 70 and the Ruger are just about it.

Any others that I'm missing?
 
Northern Shooter said:
I was trying to put together a list of all the current production big bore/dangerous game rifles that are still in production, since we've seen many that have been discontinued lately. Not counting for the 45-70's and large lever guns, this is what i've come up with.

1. Ruger Guide Gun/African - $2000
2. Winchester Model 70 - $2000-$2300
3. Weatherby Mark V - $3,000-$5,000
4. Heym Express Bolt Gun - $10,000+
5. Kriegoff Big Five - $10,000+
6. Merkel 140AE - $12,000
7. Heym 89B - $20,000+

And then it only goes up from there once you start getting into the Rigby's and Holland and Holland's etc. Not a whole lot of affordable options at the bottom end now that the CZ 550 and Sako 85 have been discontinued. The Model 70 and the Ruger are just about it.

Any others that I'm missing?
Click to expand...

Blaser R8.
 
Zastava lists .458 WM msrp US$799: https://zastavaarmsusa.com/product/sporting-rifle-lk-m70/

Here's my Zastava .416 RM full stock carbine: https://i.imgur.com/vmuz84X.jpg

My .458 WM Remington 798 (Zastava barreled action in Remington laminate stock): https://i.imgur.com/gI0iinm.jpg

Traditions makes a single shot .45-70: https://www.traditionsfirearms.com/product/Outfitter-G3-Rifle-.45-70-Black-CeraKote Got one: https://i.imgur.com/gQldgfK.jpg

My Browning BLR takedown .450 Marlin: https://i.imgur.com/bgmOfTH.jpg
 
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I also have a TC Encore in .416 Rigby

Old School for me, iron sights only!

My Sako 375 H&H gets honourable mention for Big Bore along with some others that I also consider to be "Large Bore" due to power factors.

It was a sad day when CZ dropped the 550 line of rifles, now the Sako 85 series is down for the count,,,, what the hell!

Rifles I have that I consider to be Large Bore
Marlin (Remlin) Cowboy 45-70
C Sharps 1875 - 45-70
Trap Door Springfields 45-70
Several - Martini Henry Enfields 577-450
Several - Snider Enfields .577
Cape Guns, .577 Snider x .16 gauge and 10.15x61R x .16 gauge
Peabody .43 Spanish
71-84 Mauser .43 Mauser
I also have several Large Bore muzzle loaders,,,,,,, .40, .45, .58, .69, .75

These are all more or less collectors now, as I rarely hunt anymore, but I do enjoy them all.
 

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